SUMMARY: connecting thinnet to thicknet ethernet

From: Keith McNeill (eplrx7!mcneill@uunet.uu.net)
Date: Fri Jan 04 1991 - 07:48:47 CST


The original question:

> Hi,
>
> How does one physically connect thinnet to thicknet ethernet. Does one just
> connect the 2 networks together with a drop cable & 2 transceivers, or is
> a bit repeater needed between the 2 segments?
>
> For example:
>
> ============================== thicknet
> *
> +
> +<--drop cable
> +
> *
> ------------------------------ thinnet
>
> = thicknet
> - thinnet
> + drop cable
> * transceivers
>
> I don't want to do this...but a friend might have to.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Keith
>

Thanks for all the responses (14 at last count). The solution was best
summarized by: Ron vasey@mcc.com

From: vasey@mcc.com
>
> At least 3 ways:
>
> 1) With a thinnet "repeater", which usually star-connects several
> thin-net segments from one thick-net tap. There are several
> good ones on the market. I happen to like Cabletron products
> and the thinnet repeater made by HP. Everything stays in spec,
> and is easy to manage and troubleshoot using this (good) method.
>
> 2) With a gateway machine. Interface 1 uses a thick-net tap, and
> interface 2 is either a designed for a thin-net connection or
> uses one of the many thick/thin "adapter" taps on the market.
> This setup will also meet specs, but you how have a gateway to
> administer (network routing tables, packet munching, etc.).
>
> 3) For short, quick-and-dirty setups where your segment might already
> be isolated or otherwise not affect many others, simply get a
> type N-to-BNC "stepdown" connector-adapter and add the thin-net
> segment off the end of the thick-net. You may need a new terminator
> also--or another N-to-BNC adapter--either type (N or BNC) will work.
>
> This setup is clearly not in spec, and could introduce collision-
> producing conditions on a large or heavily-loaded network, but it
> works just fine under the right conditions. (Ethernet is actually
> fairly tolerant, especially if you're using the right taps. :^)
>
> BTW: the setup you mentioned (connecting 2 drops) won't work because
> you need 2 controllers to power the taps ... which looks a lot like #2.
>
>

Thanks to:

uunet!caradhras.cc.nd.edu!mahesh (Mahesh Subramanya)
Robert E. Toense <uunet!cplxsys.ncsl.nist.gov!toense>
James Wong <uunet!ncrl.panasonic.com!james>
"Ric Anderson" <uunet!cs.arizona.edu!ric>
uunet!vrdxhq!bit!jayl (Jay Lessert)
Roy Smith <uunet!alanine.phri.nyu.edu!roy>
uunet!mcc.com!vasey (Ron Vasey)
uunet!ica.philips.nl!geertj (Geert Jan de Groot)
uunet!ucsd.edu!loral!jes
uunet!wrs!styx!steve (Steve Sekiguchi)
Postmaster <uunet!cl.cam.ac.uk!Piete.Brooks>
Badri Pillai <uunet!ecrc.de!badri>
uunet!CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU!vincens%FRULM63.BITNET (Pierre VINCENS)
Doug Peterson <uunet!USAN.consult.com!doug>

Keith

    Keith D. McNeill | Du Pont Company
    eplrx7!mcneill@uunet.uu.net | Engineering Physics Laboratory
    (302) 695-9353/7395 | P.O. Box 80357
                                  | Wilmington, Delaware 19880-0357



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