New forum?

[Terry Yager]

I can't help but notice that lately there have been quite a few msgs addressing various problems associated with networking vintage PCs (cards, software, setups, etc). Unfortunately, these posts are splattered all over the board, with no organization whatsoever. I suggest our Fearless Leader create a new forum, perhaps under the 'Tech Support' heading, called 'Vintage PC Networking', or similar, so we can keep all this valuable information together in one place.

Anybody???

--T

[Yzzerdd]

Seconded. I think that would be very helpful to our efforts, for the same reasons you've got. They're all spread around, splattered is even a better term.

--Ryan

[Ole Juul]

When I saw a couple of good networking threads recently, I thought the same thing. There's always the splitters versus lumpers arguments, but when you mention keeping all this informtion in one place I think you're onto something. I vote yes.

[ahm]

I thought that was the point of the wiki?

[lutiana]

I vote yes.

I am trying to compile a howto for DOS for our wiki, it will take me a few days, but I am getting there.

[TandyMan100]

I vote yes. I was actually thinking of the exact same thing the other day.

[QuantumII]

Agreed, this would be very useful for us.. I have a project-on-hold involving getting my XT onto the 'net :-)

[Micom 2000]

Any sort of forum on the esoteric networking craft topic would be welcomed with joy and relef. Perhaps tho it could also include a heading on newer computers as well as 8-bit.

Lawrence

[Ole Juul]

@Micom 2000: It is the esoteric nature of vintage networking that is the important thing here. There is already way too much (if that's possible) information on contemporary networking available on the net. With that stuff I don't even keep any info on my own machine because it's available as the first or second hit with a search engine. Doing e-mail in DOS (for example) can be almost trivial once you've done it. Getting there can be a huge headache, and that is the idea of this "New forum". :)

Perhaps getting even more vintage would be more interesting. Does anybody know how to set up and Arcnet anymore? I've got a pile of hubs. Also, although I couldn't use the info myself, is anybody networking older minis and such?

[Dr_Acula]

Great idea. I vote yes. I'm working on both interfacing to the net and also networking between computers, using either wired or radio links. There are all sorts of protocols out there, but somewhere along the line you have to pick a common one and I've gone for RS232. So if you can get your computer to talk RS232 somehow, then all the discussions re networking will be relevant (eg Lantronix devices, using a PC as a dumb router, Propeller chips talking via a max232 and a ENC28J60). The big challenge is getting the cost down, ideally sub $30. My discussions are in the CP/M folder but they would be just as relevant in other folders. A discussion on getting a Lantronix MSS100 ethernet to serial device working could be relevant to all sorts of vintage computers. With a new forum area, I could publish a step by step writeup...

[QuantumII]

I just got another idea;

If this new forum becomes reality, we can have sticky threads with the following info:

Known working 8-bit network cards

Drivers and where to get them

Configuring your card / driver FAQ

[docred]

@QuantumII : good idea...that could even lead to someone gathering such info into a repository of drivers or something. I was sorting software a couple months ago and looking at all the old drivers on 5.25 and 3.5 floppies, I realized I need to get them off the floppies and into a backup, and make them available for those who might need them.

@Ole Juul : An aquaintance and I were talking about trying to set up an Arcnet just the other day, lol...our only real problem is a dedicated space to do it in. If I had a million $$, sigh...I'd set up a 'thinktank' and all we would do all day is play with tech :)

[Ole Juul]

If anybody is still interested in networking ... Check out this thread (http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/showthread.php?t=11884&page=2). :)