TITLE
    Ethernet NB Card: Cables, Connections, Termination (11/94)
Article ID:
Created:
Modified: 		9149
11/14/91
11/29/94
TOPIC



    We have the following questions about the Ethernet NB Card, regarding termination and compatibility:

    1) Regarding the Ethernet NB Card and thin coax cable, is the termination
    supplied by the Apple Ethernet Thin Coax Transceiver, or the Apple
    Ethernet 5/13-meter cable, or both?

    2) Would the new self-terminating thin coax cable work if connected to the
    older EtherTalk NB card (various revs) with a T connector? If so,
    would a terminator on the T be necessary?

    3) Regarding question 2, what if we wish to connect the old card to a
    new card/CPU with built-in AAUI port? How can the two different
    cards/ports be connected using the new thin or thick coax
    cabling/transceivers? Would they need to use standard coax cable or
    can they use the Apple cable?

    Example: We want to connect a Macintosh IIfx with a Rev. M EtherTalk NB
    card to a Quadra 900, with built-in Ethernet. We now must connect the
    Rev. M card with a T connector to the AAUI thin coax transceiver on the
    Quadra 900. Are the cards compatible or is it the cabling?

    4) Will the Synoptics concentrators support Apple Ethernet NB cards?

    5) Will the current network configuration allow us to use the Apple
    LaserWriter IIg directly from the RJ-45 ports?

DISCUSSION


    1) Both the Apple Ethernet Thin Coax Transceiver and the Apple Ethernet
    5/13-meter cables have the ability to supply termination. In regard to
    the Apple Ethernet Thin Coax Transceiver, there are two BNC connectors
    on the transceiver. If a cable isn't attached to one or both of these
    BNC connectors, termination is applied. When cables (any cables, Apple
    or non-Apple) are attached to both connectors, termination is not
    applied.

    The Apple Ethernet 5-meter Thin Coax Cable and Apple Ethernet 13-meter
    Plenum Cable have terminators at each end of the cables. When nothing
    is attached at either end of the cable, termination is applied at the
    end of the cable where nothing is attached.

    2) Yes, but the Apple Ethernet 5-meter Thin Coax Cable and Apple Ethernet
    13-meter Plenum Cable are only self-terminating when an end is not
    connected to anything. If you are using an EtherTalk NB Card at the end
    of a network, the T connector will either need a terminator on the open
    end, or one of the self-terminating Apple cables attached with nothing
    connected at the other end of the cable.

    3) There is no problem using non-Apple thin coax cable with the Apple
    Ethernet Thin Coax Transceiver, nor is there a problem using Apple Thin
    Coax Cable with the EtherTalk NB Card. The Apple Ethernet NB Card and
    AppleTalk NB Cards can be intermixed on a network with no problems.

    4) Yes. The only caveat here is that the Synoptics concentrators must have
    a 10BaseT compatible card installed (Synoptics LatticeNet 3308 10Base-T
    Host Card, for example).

    5) Yes, if the RJ-45 port is wired into a 10BaseT compatible host card
    (Synoptics LatticeNet 3308 10Base-T Host Card, for example).

    Article Change History:
    29 November 1994 -
    Support Information Services

Document Information
Product Area: Computers
Category: Cards
Sub Category: Networking Cards

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