Coax ethernet network - interface newer laptop

[Ext User(bill)]

Hi there,

I have a mate with a coax based ethernet network. They've been running
it for years and haven't bothered running cat5 cables.
Even after numerous computer upgrades and new PC's they're still only
using coax thanks to using some old network cards in the newer PC's.

However now there is a laptop that needs to be networked and it has an
onboard NIC with obviously only an RJ45 socket.
What's the easiest way to interface this to the existing coax network.

thanks in advance,

Bill

[Ext User(amosf (Tim Fairchild))]

bill wrote something like:

> Hi there,
>
> I have a mate with a coax based ethernet network. They've been running
> it for years and haven't bothered running cat5 cables.
> Even after numerous computer upgrades and new PC's they're still only
> using coax thanks to using some old network cards in the newer PC's.
>
> However now there is a laptop that needs to be networked and it has an
> onboard NIC with obviously only an RJ45 socket.
> What's the easiest way to interface this to the existing coax network.
>
> thanks in advance,

Look around for a second hand 10 meg hub with cat 5 ports and a coax
fitting. Should pick it up for a couple of dollars. I have a couple here
from back when I ran coax - which wasn't that many years ago :)

That might give him a first step for the move over to all cat5 :)

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[Ext User(amosf (Tim Fairchild))]

bill wrote something like:

> Hi there,
>
> I have a mate with a coax based ethernet network. They've been running
> it for years and haven't bothered running cat5 cables.
> Even after numerous computer upgrades and new PC's they're still only
> using coax thanks to using some old network cards in the newer PC's.
>
> However now there is a laptop that needs to be networked and it has an
> onboard NIC with obviously only an RJ45 socket.
> What's the easiest way to interface this to the existing coax network.
>
> thanks in advance,

Look around for a second hand 10 meg hub with cat 5 ports and a coax
fitting. Should pick it up for a couple of dollars. I have a couple here
from back when I ran coax - which wasn't that many years ago :)

That might give him a first step for the move over to all cat5 :)

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[Ext User(Rod Speed)]

bill <user@example.net> wrote

> I have a mate with a coax based ethernet network. They've been
> running it for years and haven't bothered running cat5 cables.
> Even after numerous computer upgrades and new PC's they're still only
> using coax thanks to using some old network cards in the newer PC's.

Thats a pretty primitive approach given that
so many PCs come with a NIC built in now.

> However now there is a laptop that needs to be networked and it has an onboard
> NIC with obviously only an RJ45 socket.
> What's the easiest way to interface this to the existing coax network.

The crudest approach is a dinosaur hub that has both connectors.

[Ext User(Colin ®)]

"Rod Speed" <rod_speed@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:42voo3F1l4apaU1@individual.net...
> bill <user@example.net> wrote
>
>> I have a mate with a coax based ethernet network. They've been
>> running it for years and haven't bothered running cat5 cables.
>> Even after numerous computer upgrades and new PC's they're still only
>> using coax thanks to using some old network cards in the newer PC's.
>
> Thats a pretty primitive approach given that
> so many PCs come with a NIC built in now.

Yep, but, if it works why change it.

I have a 4 PC network running 98 on coax and it does all they need -
basically print sharing.

It's a pov. NFP org. so I can't justify spending even that small amount of
dough for zero gain.

Never seen a dual RJ/coax hub - didn't know they existed. Clearly don't get
out enough.

[Ext User(The Locum Sysadmin)]

Colin ® wrote:

> Never seen a dual RJ/coax hub - didn't know they existed. Clearly don't
> get out enough.

Or stay in enough :-)

The old SMC TigerStack
(http://program.firmaonline.pl/images/surplus/huby/smc/tigerstack.jpg) has
both - I gave my old one away recently to someone who needed to connect
some coax gear to a cat5 network. They're out there, probably being used as
footrests and the like.

[Ext User(Colin ®)]

"The Locum Sysadmin" <locum_sysad@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:43cad763@duster.adelaide.on.net...
> Colin ® wrote:
>
>> Never seen a dual RJ/coax hub - didn't know they existed. Clearly don't
>> get out enough.
>
> Or stay in enough :-)
>
> The old SMC TigerStack
> (http://program.firmaonline.pl/images/surplus/huby/smc/tigerstack.jpg) has
> both - I gave my old one away recently to someone who needed to connect
> some coax gear to a cat5 network. They're out there, probably being used
> as
> footrests and the like.


Right - I guess the equivalent of the ( now redundant) uplink port on a RJ
router/switch.

I could actually use one to bridge the coax network into the main 11 PC RJ45
network and get ADSL on all PCs. Easier than re-running the four cables.

[Ext User(Rod Speed)]

Colin ® <tobyjug7@yahoo.com.au> wrote
> Rod Speed <rod_speed@yahoo.com> wrote
>> bill <user@example.net> wrote

>>> I have a mate with a coax based ethernet network. They've been
>>> running it for years and haven't bothered running cat5 cables.
>>> Even after numerous computer upgrades and new PC's they're still only using
>>> coax thanks to using some old network cards in the newer PC's.

>> Thats a pretty primitive approach given that
>> so many PCs come with a NIC built in now.

> Yep, but, if it works why change it.

Because its only 10Mb, no PCs come with a coax connection anymore,
almost all come with an RJ45 now, and 100/10 NICs cost peanuts for
the systems that dont have an RJ45, like not even a buck second hand.

> I have a 4 PC network running 98 on coax and it does all they need -
> basically print sharing.

Anyone with a clue uses a network for more than just printer sharing.

> It's a pov. NFP org. so I can't justify spending even that small amount of
> dough for zero gain.

The cost is trivial. I actually add a NIC to anything I work on
now, and dont bother to remove it when its fixed, easier to
leave it in the system for convenience the next time it comes back.

Last pile of second hand NICs off ebay were less than a buck each.

> Never seen a dual RJ/coax hub - didn't know they existed. Clearly don't get
> out enough.

Yeah, there's plenty on ebay even now. God knows why anyone
bothers to flog them for the peanuts they get, but they do anyway.

[Ext User(Colin ®)]

"Rod Speed" <rod_speed@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:4306acF1khjfaU1@individual.net...
>> I have a 4 PC network running 98 on coax and it does all they need -
>> basically print sharing.
>
> Anyone with a clue uses a network for more than just printer sharing.
>

Not really. It's a very simple office with minimal needs. PCs used for word
processing etc. The only thing they need to share is the printer on a cost
basis as it's a laser. The till uses it's own printer apart from the
reports.

It ain't quite BHP, more your local milk bar. Different horse with the main
network.

[Ext User(amosf (Tim Fairchild))]

Colin ® wrote something like:

>
> "Rod Speed" <rod_speed@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:42voo3F1l4apaU1@individual.net...
>> bill <user@example.net> wrote
>>
>>> I have a mate with a coax based ethernet network. They've been
>>> running it for years and haven't bothered running cat5 cables.
>>> Even after numerous computer upgrades and new PC's they're still only
>>> using coax thanks to using some old network cards in the newer PC's.
>>
>> Thats a pretty primitive approach given that
>> so many PCs come with a NIC built in now.
>
> Yep, but, if it works why change it.
>
> I have a 4 PC network running 98 on coax and it does all they need -
> basically print sharing.
>
> It's a pov. NFP org. so I can't justify spending even that small amount of
> dough for zero gain.
>
> Never seen a dual RJ/coax hub - didn't know they existed. Clearly don't
> get out enough.

I have 2 here. One is a little hp 8 port + coax and the other is a 24 port
hp plus coax and fibre... I got them both on ebay for about $10 years ago.
If anyone really wanted the 8 port I would probably part with it to help
someone out.

Coax is 10 meg and it works fine. Heck I still have 10 meg cat5 on some
boxes here, esp things like the print server and dialup firewall gateway.
Don't need any more.

I used coax for many years as it easy to set up and requires less wiring if
you have a string of PC's in a line. I only changed as we moved house and I
had a bunch of cheap hubs from ebay I got for lan parties and a bunch of
cat5 cable...

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[Ext User(Rod Speed)]

Colin ® <tobyjug7@yahoo.com.au> wrote
> Rod Speed <rod_speed@yahoo.com> wrote

>>> I have a 4 PC network running 98 on coax and it does all they need -
>>> basically print sharing.

>> Anyone with a clue uses a network for more than just printer sharing.

> Not really.

Fraid so.

> It's a very simple office with minimal needs.

Still true even with those.

> PCs used for word processing etc. The only thing they need to share is the
> printer on a cost basis as it's a laser.

Wrong.

> The till uses it's own printer apart from the reports.

> It ain't quite BHP, more your local milk bar.

Still true even with those.

> Different horse with the main network.

[Ext User(amosf (Tim Fairchild))]

Colin ® wrote something like:

>
> "Rod Speed" <rod_speed@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:4306acF1khjfaU1@individual.net...
>>> I have a 4 PC network running 98 on coax and it does all they need -
>>> basically print sharing.
>>
>> Anyone with a clue uses a network for more than just printer sharing.
>>
>
> Not really. It's a very simple office with minimal needs. PCs used for
> word processing etc. The only thing they need to share is the printer on a
> cost

Yeah. Like I have a box on the end on a 10meg line that is a printer server
and mp3 server for the network here (8-10 pc's)... The pipe is plenty big
enough and could easily be coax... It was coax until not that long ago and
many of the cards on the old boxes here still have coax and cat5 and the
other outlet which I can't remember the name for :) Plugs into fibre
converters and stuff... :)

Same as the dialup router box... Hardly need a 100meg connection...

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[Ext User(Colin ®)]

"Rod Speed" <rod_speed@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:430mgiF1lbmahU1@individual.net...
> Colin ® <tobyjug7@yahoo.com.au> wrote
>> Rod Speed <rod_speed@yahoo.com> wrote
>
>>>> I have a 4 PC network running 98 on coax and it does all they need -
>>>> basically print sharing.
>
>>> Anyone with a clue uses a network for more than just printer sharing.
>
>> Not really.
>
> Fraid so.
>
>> It's a very simple office with minimal needs.
>
> Still true even with those.
>
>> PCs used for word processing etc. The only thing they need to share is
>> the printer on a cost basis as it's a laser.
>
> Wrong.
>
>> The till uses it's own printer apart from the reports.
>
>> It ain't quite BHP, more your local milk bar.
>
> Still true even with those.
>
>> Different horse with the main network.


Nah, you just won't give in is all. You know I'm right <G>

[Ext User(Rod Speed)]

Colin ® <tobyjug7@yahoo.com.au> wrote:
> "Rod Speed" <rod_speed@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:430mgiF1lbmahU1@individual.net...
>> Colin ® <tobyjug7@yahoo.com.au> wrote
>>> Rod Speed <rod_speed@yahoo.com> wrote
>>
>>>>> I have a 4 PC network running 98 on coax and it does all they
>>>>> need - basically print sharing.
>>
>>>> Anyone with a clue uses a network for more than just printer
>>>> sharing.
>>
>>> Not really.
>>
>> Fraid so.
>>
>>> It's a very simple office with minimal needs.
>>
>> Still true even with those.
>>
>>> PCs used for word processing etc. The only thing they need to share
>>> is the printer on a cost basis as it's a laser.
>>
>> Wrong.
>>
>>> The till uses it's own printer apart from the reports.
>>
>>> It ain't quite BHP, more your local milk bar.
>>
>> Still true even with those.
>>
>>> Different horse with the main network.
>
>
> Nah, you just won't give in is all. You know I'm right <G>

Never ever could bullshit its way out of a wet paper bag.

[Ext User(amosf (Tim Fairchild))]

Colin ® wrote something like:

>
> "Rod Speed" <rod_speed@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:430mgiF1lbmahU1@individual.net...
>> Colin ® <tobyjug7@yahoo.com.au> wrote
>>> Rod Speed <rod_speed@yahoo.com> wrote
>>
>>>>> I have a 4 PC network running 98 on coax and it does all they need -
>>>>> basically print sharing.
>>
>>>> Anyone with a clue uses a network for more than just printer sharing.
>>
>>> Not really.
>>
>> Fraid so.
>>
>>> It's a very simple office with minimal needs.
>>
>> Still true even with those.
>>
>>> PCs used for word processing etc. The only thing they need to share is
>>> the printer on a cost basis as it's a laser.
>>
>> Wrong.
>>
>>> The till uses it's own printer apart from the reports.
>>
>>> It ain't quite BHP, more your local milk bar.
>>
>> Still true even with those.
>>
>>> Different horse with the main network.
>
>
> Nah, you just won't give in is all. You know I'm right <G>

Well, duh. Rodbot would argue anything... Even if you are sharing files or
whatever, most day to day stuff is fine on a 10 meg pipe, cat5 or coax.
Most files are relatively small, even in business. If you start copying a
CD image then you start to notice... If it's an issue then you upgrade.
It's silly to upgrade a perfectly working 10 meg coax system if it's
handling the current workload.

I had my main system here (A64-2800) on a 10 meg card for a while and it
made no difference. I only went back to the 100meg to copy a dvd image...

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[Ext User(Terry Collins)]

bill wrote:

> What's the easiest way to interface this to the existing coax network.

I'd just pick up a UTP hub with AUI interface and plug it into my
thicknet spine {:-).

But mixed co-ax/UTP hubs should be easy to pick up.
Netgear had a whole range of them from 4 to 16 UTP ports.

Ebay?
Markets?

[Ext User(amosf (Tim Fairchild))]

Terry Collins wrote something like:

> bill wrote:
>
>> What's the easiest way to interface this to the existing coax network.
>
> I'd just pick up a UTP hub with AUI interface and plug it into my
> thicknet spine {:-).

AUI, that's the one I was missing... The old cards here have cat5, coax and
aui, but the only thing I have to plug into the aui are for fibre...

> But mixed co-ax/UTP hubs should be easy to pick up.
> Netgear had a whole range of them from 4 to 16 UTP ports.

ebay used to be full of them. Probably a few still around.

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[Ext User(Colin ®)]

"Rod Speed" <rod_speed@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:43179tF1l83bkU1@individual.net...
>> Nah, you just won't give in is all. You know I'm right <G>
>
> Never ever could bullshit its way out of a wet paper bag.


<VBG>

[Ext User(The Locum Sysadmin)]

Colin ® wrote:

> I could actually use one to bridge the coax network into the main 11 PC
> RJ45 network and get ADSL on all PCs. Easier than re-running the four
> cables.

Yeah, like everyone says, you should be able to pick up a hub with both BNC
(coax) and UTP connectors - that'd be the easiest. I have one here
actually, but I'll hang on to it in case I ever need to connect BNC gear
again (dear god I hope not though!).

If this is not possible, I suppose you could get two NICs, one UTP, the
other BNC, and whack 'em in an old box and either bridge or route them. I
don't think this is practical, but it is possible.

/LS

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[Ext User(Colin ®)]

"The Locum Sysadmin" <locum_sysad@yahoo.com.com> wrote in message
news:43cd7f0f@duster.adelaide.on.net...
> Colin ® wrote:
>
> Yeah, like everyone says, you should be able to pick up a hub with both
> BNC
> (coax) and UTP connectors - that'd be the easiest. I have one here
> actually, but I'll hang on to it in case I ever need to connect BNC gear
> again (dear god I hope not though!).
>

Yep, it's not something I'm really hot to do.

I want to keep the financial / accounting side away from the multi-user
novice or worse skilled members network - just in case. It's got to be the
easiest and safest security. I also have W2K on the big network so I can
control it- the small network is all Win98.

Just that a few are whining that they want ADSL for mail which totals about
10 per day, the useless pricks, and I may get rolled on the decision.