Connecting a Sun to Appletalk

[John C Schultz]

We have a Kinetic FastPath box on our Ethernet converting Ethernet to
AppleTalk on which the laser printers (unfortunately) sit.   We purchased,
for about $500, the Kinetics KSPOOL product to run on the SUNS to allow
printing via the FastPath box.  We also have VAXen running ALISAtalk (I
think) which also spool to the laserwriters.  Numerous MACs also attempt
to send to the laserwriters or to the VAXen spoolers. 

Things worked OK for a couple weeks but presently the Appletalk network is
being removed because it is too unreliable.  The Appletalk connectors come
apart (slightly - say a couple milliimeters) if you look at them
cross-eyed and the network then hangs. The SUN and the KSPOOL software
seem especially sensitive and I would estimate that we have a 10-20% duty
cycle when we can print from the SUN to the laserwriters.

Last week one of our system managers spent the day replugging all the
Appletalk connections.  The SUN worked for a day.  I assume one of the
connectors has fallen apart again.

Things have even gotten so bad that most of the MACs can no longer access
all the laser printers (3).

While I am afraid I do not have any recomendations on what to get, I can
definitely recommend NOT getting Appletalk cabling.  Use direct Ethernet
connections if possible, thinwire if you can find suitable convertors.

[[ Some is actually recommending Ethernet traceiver cables?!?  Given the
recent discussion about how bad those connectors are, the Appletalk ones
must be really really bad!  :-)  --wnl ]]

   john c. schultz         schultz at mmm.3m.UUCP          (612) 733-4047
           3M Center, Bldg 518-1-1, St. Paul, MN 55144-1000
  The opinions expressed herein are, as always, my own and not 3M's.