Retro networking / WAN communities

[Tony Duell]

On Tue, Apr 12, 2022 at 5:55 AM Grant Taylor via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
>
> On 4/11/22 9:55 PM, Tony Duell via cctalk wrote:
> > I am not sure what the actual distinction is, but a 'managed bridge'
> > turned up at the local antique market (!) some weeks back. It has a
> > pair of AUI ports and from the amount of logic/processor power inside
> > it does a lot more than just pass packets from one port to the other,
>
> Would you be willing to share pictures?

I can do a little better than that, I think. How about
reverse-engineered schematics. :-)

It'll take a little time to dig them out (schematics and photos) but I
am certainly happy to share them.


>
> > The main board contains a pair of ethernet interfaces (AM7990 based),
> > a 68020 processor, ROM, RAM, etc. A board on top of of it called the
> > 'FLUT' (Frame Look Up Table?) contains a CY7C901 (16 bit slice ALU --
> > think of it as 4 off 2901 + carry loglc), a 29C10 seqencer, etc
>
> Hum....
>
> > After removing the leaking NiCd from the mainboard and repairing the
> > corroded tracks it powers up and passes the self-tests. No idea what
> > I'll use it for, but...
>
> That seems like it would be an interesting piece of networking history
> to own.  If you're into that sort of thing.  ;-)

It cost \pounds 5.00 (so <$10). At that price I bought it. If only for
the 2U case, the SMPSU, the LCD module, etc. But since it powers up
and passes the self tests I am keeping it whole. It is an odd bit of
history, too many people preserve processors and not the other
hardware that went with them.

-tony