Upgrade your LocalTalk network to a faster, more PC-friendly Ethernet network in five easy steps.
Kelli Wiseth
IT'S FREE WITH EVERY Mac, but LocalTalk has one huge problem: It's s-l-o-w. It also doesn't allow for easy connectivity with PCs. Fortunately, the cost of moving up to Ethernet has never been lower, meaning that it's easy for cost-conscious folks and those with an investment in older Macs to make the big move. Switching to Ethernet can pay for itself very quickly, in both speed and productivity -- and it's not hard to do. Here's your step-by-step guide to bringing Ethernet to your office.
1. Know What You Need
Before you do anything else, decide what you want from your Ethernet network. How many machines would you like to connect? Do you simply want to swap files easily among a few Macs or between Macs and PCs? Do you want a central repository for Mac as well as Windows files? What about e-mail, scheduling, and other services? Do Mac and PC users need to participate? Would you like Mac and PC users to share a printer? Knowing the answers to these questions makes your hardware and software choices easier and helps you determine which upgrades will actually improve your productivity.
2. Know What You Have
When it comes to Ethernet, not all Macs are created equal. Some Macs require Ethernet cards -- sometimes called NICs (network interface cards) -- some need a simple transceiver, and a few newer machines have built-in Ethernet support. The same variables apply to PCs and printers. Like many other things Macintosh, Ethernet options have changed a lot over time (see the table). If you need to connect PCs to the network, check for built-in Ethernet adapters or slots that can hold them. Many current PCs include an Ethernet NIC.
Next, gaze at the back of your laser printer. Does it have an Ethernet port? If not, find out from the manufacturer whether you can add an Ethernet card. If the printer doesn't support Ethernet, you'll need an external adapter.
Once you've got a handle on the computers and printers, take a look at your wiring. Many modern office buildings are wired for 10BASE-T Ethernet (the most popular and simplest of the three Ethernet types), which uses unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) wiring to connect individual machines to the network. If your building is already wired, you may only need to buy cables to connect each computer to a wall jack. If not, you will need to purchase and install all the cable you need or hire a wiring contractor to do it (see step 4).
3. Decide on Hubs
Unlike LocalTalk, Ethernet networks usually require a hub -- a central box to which all of your networked devices are connected. Many LocalTalk networks use hubs too, but you'll need a new one to move up to Ethernet. Hubs are usually (but not always) installed in a wiring closet, so you'll need to run cable through walls and ceilings to reach your computers.
Many vendors -- including Apple, Asante, Dayna, Farallon, and Sonic Systems -- offer four-, five-, and eight-port hubs. Such small hubs are quite similar, so make price your primary consideration when buying one; street prices start at around $125.
If your network includes no more than eight devices and they are located in the same office, you can avoid the wiring hassles associated with a hub by creating an Ethernet daisy chain. Farallon's EtherWave connectors work just like LocalTalk adapters: Install EtherWave NICs, or connect external adapters. Connect them to each device's serial port (use the parallel port for PCs), and use UTP wiring to make a chain. Although the connectors are more expensive than other Ethernet adapters (and you'll have to buy one for every machine on the chain, whether it has built-in Ethernet support or not), you can chain eight devices with EtherWave. Note, though, that using a hub may be more cost-effective if you have more than four machines to connect.
4. Make Wiring Decisions
Wiring can be the most unpleasant part of setting up a network. First, you need to choose the correct cable for your particular network. When you open a catalog or call a wiring vendor, you'll face a snarl of cable types and confusing abbreviations. The basic wiring type for 10BASE-T networks is four-pair Category 3 UTP. Apple, Farallon, and other vendors sell Category 3 cable, but you can save money by buying from mail-order houses and specialty vendors. Black Box (412-746-5500), for example, sells Category 3 wiring for $75 per 500-foot roll. If your long-range plans include migrating to Fast (100-Mbps) Ethernet, get Category 5 cable instead. In bulk, it's only slightly more expensive than Category 3 (around $85 for a 500-foot roll from Black Box), and you won't have to rewire when you upgrade the network again. You also need RJ-45 connectors (available from cable vendors) at both ends of each cable you install. RJ-45s are similar to but slightly larger than the RJ-11s found on telephone and LocalTalk cables. Even if your LocalTalk wiring is ready for Ethernet, you'll need new connectors. Finally, you'll need a crimping tool and other wiring supplies: A supply kit costs $100 to $300 from Black Box and similar vendors.
Next, you need to plan the installation. Installing the wiring may be as simple as draping the cables along your floor moldings and using clamps to keep them out of the way. Or you may need to hire a wiring contractor (at perhaps $50 to $150 per hour) to run in-wall cable to a central wiring closet and hub. An installer can connect new hubs and can tell you whether your wiring supports 10BASE-T Ethernet. If you're doing the wiring yourself, remember that within a 10BASE-T network, 333 feet is the maximum distance between a computer or a printer and the hub.
5. Get the Right Software
Your brand-new Ethernet network will be completely useless without the right software. If you're still using System 6.x, it's time to move up to System 7. Fast file sharing is a major reason for an Ethernet upgrade, and you can't do it without current system software. Make sure all networked Macs have the same version of AppleTalk and other Apple networking software. Current versions of Apple's software, packaged in a bundle called Network Software Installer (NSI), are available at Apple's ftp site (ftp://ftptoo.support.apple.com//pub/appl _sw_updates/US/Macintosh/Networking %26 Communications). To find out which version of AppleTalk is installed, open the Network control panel in your System Folder.
With the basics out of the way, you can expand your file-sharing and printing capability to include PCs. If you simply want to give PC users access to a file server or to Macs using file sharing, Apple's AppleShare Client for Windows (included with all AppleShare packages and sold separately for $199, with an unlimited-client license) will fill the bill. It doesn't support Windows 95 yet, but look for an update this year.
If, however, you want Mac users to have access to PCs over the network, look at Miramar's Personal MacLAN Connect ($199 per PC). It lets PC users make directories available over the network in much the same way file sharing does for Macs. It also lets PC users share printers on an Ethernet network.
With a faster network comes a chance to share more information. You may want to buy an Apple Workgroup Server to store your company's files and to serve as a host for shared databases, group-scheduling applications, or e-mail.
Fast Results
Ethernet speeds up every aspect of communication over a network. With plug-and-play connections and today's low prices, it may be the best productivity investment around.
Kelli Wiseth is a MacUser contributing editor.
Home Port
how your computers and printers connect to Ethernet
UNLESS YOUR COMPUTERS are brand-new Power Macs or PCs, you'll have to purchase some kind of adapter or transceiver to make a connection. If you want to create a daisy-chained Ethernet network, choose a Farallon EtherWave adapter. All prices are estimated street prices.
Device Connector Adapter EtherWave
Type Cost Cost
New Power Mac (7200, 7500, 8500, 9500) built in NA $109
Older Power Mac (6100, 7100, 8100), PowerBook 500 series and 190 AAUI transceiver $39 $109
NuBus Mac (II, IIci, IIfx, some Quadras) NuBus card $112 $199
PDS Mac (SE/30, IIsi) PDS card $95 $199
LC-type Mac (LC, Color Classic, Quadra 605, Performa 400 and 500 series) LC card $95 $199
PowerBook (100 and Duo series) SCSI adapter $225 $299
