IBM PC Connecting to DECNET

[Warner Losh]

On Tue, May 31, 2022 at 10:08 PM Wayne S via cctech <cctech at classiccmp.org>
wrote:

> I think Decnet can run over a serial connection (rs-232) if you have
> Decnet software. It’s not medium dependent. I got it to work years ago from
> vax-to-vax. I’m not aware of any pc decnet software although I haven’t
> looked much into it. Should work over ethernet too. Do you have any Decnet
> pc software?
>

The first PC version of DECnet was over serial. There's copies of it in
bitsavers.org. The second version had ethernet support. There's copies of
the IBM PC version of that software on bitkeepers, but not the DEC Rainbow
version, alas. Then again, the Ethernet card for the DEC Rainbow is quite
rare these days (I've not seen one in 15 years of looking), as is the
software that describes how it was put together.

http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/bits/DEC/decnet/

is the archive. If you want ETHERNET, you should use the V2.0 or newer
code. V1.1 was serial only. I believe the DEPCA was based on the venerable
SONIC chipset, but it may have been the LANCE. It wasn't NE-2000 compatible
(that came later) :). The Rainbow design supposed was quite similar, but
I've only been able to find old review articles about it, nothing concrete.

Warner


> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On May 31, 2022, at 20:57, Bill Degnan via cctech <cctech at classiccmp.org>
> wrote:
> >
> > Here is a link to a set of screen shot of the autoexec.bat and
> > config.sys for an IBM PC I came across today and the boot screen when
> > these are attempted without the networking hardware attached..
> >
> > https://www.vintagecomputer.net/IBM/5150/5150_DEC/
> >
> > Specific to IBMPC to DECNET networking...anyone worked in this
> > environment?  Not me.  I don't have the D drive that fails or the
> > network, but I am curious what I would need to make this work.  Maybe
> > I can put something together.  Anyone using a Digital Ethernet
> > Personal Computer Bus Adapter today?
> >
> > The A drive had a jumper between 4-pin connectors 10 and 13 but it was
> > not functional and I replaced the drive entirely.  Not sure if I
> > needed a 720K drive attached externally or something in order for the
> > 5 1/4" drive jumpered this way to work.  I have a pic of this there
> > too.
> >
> > Weird.
> >
> > Thanks in advance.
> >
> > BIll
>