Thicknet/10base5 Test Segment: The Cable is In!

[Paul Koning]

> On Jun 26, 2018, at 1:04 PM, Grant Taylor via cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
> 
> On 06/26/2018 10:31 AM, Mark J. Blair via cctalk wrote:
>> What does non-intrusive mean in this context? I thought that thick ethernet taps always required drilling a hole in the cable.
> 
> There are taps that screw onto the N connectors.  Thus you have to intrusively disconnect segments, to insert the (so called) tap.
> 
> Conversely, you can drill / clamp / tap onto live segments in a non-intrusive manner.
> 
> My assumption was that "tap" comes from the second form.  I always thought there was a different name for the first form.  But I believe they were less common, hence fall under the "tap" term which is more popular.

I don't remember seeing the "insert between N connectors" type.  "Tap" to me means a DEC H4000 "vampire tap", and yes, those use a drill to install.  That should be non-disruptive if done correctly.

I believe the original concept was just a probe that would poke through the cable to contact the center connector.  The drill came because the cable was too tough to penetrate without it.  Maybe a side effect of switching to Teflon flame-resistant insulation.  Early prototype cable seemed to be polyethylene, with a bright yellow outer jacket with black stripes marking the tap spacing.  That might have been softer and suitable for no-drill tapping.

	paul