Description: AppleTalk: Cable TV/Broadband Network Connectivity
Header: AppleTalk: Cable TV/Broadband Network Connectivity


 This article last reviewed: 15 November 1990

 TOPIC ---------------------------------------------

 Can AppleTalk operate over cable TV wires?  If so, how?

 Since cable TV mainly uses coax-type cable, how do I make the connection?  If
 it needs to be done serially (connection to the cable), would a Hayes
 InterBridge-type product be able to do this?

 For home use, the only thing I can think of is using Liaison (if asynchronous
 is still the way to go) in the Macintosh.

 Can any of the solutions work with Apple II computers?  This is needed for
 home
 use to connect to a ANS network to a school.

 DISCUSSION -------------------------------------------

 It is possible to have Ethernet channels running on a broadband network,
 which is typically used in cable TV installations.  It is important that
 the group responsible for the cable be intimately involved in this process
 since this is not a plug-and-play situation.  There are a number of
 different alternatives possible once you have the hardware and software
 support for Ethernet in place on the cable network.

 Usually, you would connect routers, such as the AppleTalk Internet Router, to
 the Ethernet drops from the broadband, and all of the other Macintoshes are
 connected to the Internet via routers.  The routers then would be the only
 Macintoshes required to have Ethernet boards.  You also could use FastPaths,
 GatorBoxes, or Macintoshes running Liaison as the routers.

 Network Resources also offers several products that allow Macintosh users to
 connect to broadband.  Their MultiGate 2000 hardware router connects LocalTalk
 to broadband, as if connecting a LocalTalk network to Ethernet via a router.
 Their MultiGate Bridge connects any combination of broadband, Ethernet, and
 fiber optics.  These solutions do not require running Ethernet on broadband.
 For more information on their products, search on "Network Resources and
 broadband" in the Technical Info Library.

 A Hayes InterBridge would not be a solution because it is a
 LocalTalk-to-LocalTalk bridge, and you need an Ethernet connection.

 For the asynchronous connection, Liaison definitely seems a good choice since
 it also has the other capabilities mentioned above.

 On the Apple II front, we are not aware of anything that will provide remote,
 serial AppleTalk access similar to what is available for the Macintosh.

 We strongly suggest that you get assistance from a network consultant
 capable of assisting you in all phases of this type of setup. You should
 also be aware that anyone doing this will need full approval from whomever
 owns and operates the cable system.
 Copyright 1989, 1990 Apple Computer, Inc.
 Keywords: