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

[Bill Gunshannon]

On 06/26/2018 01:13 PM, Paul Koning via cctalk wrote:
>
>> 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.
Not to mention the fact that if you just shoved a pin from the outside 
to the center
conductor you were bound to create a short between the shield and center 
conductor.

>   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.
>

I have never seen taps that could be installed without drilling.
By the way, I still have my drill.  :-)

bill