Messages in this thread | | | From | "Anthony Barbachan" <> | Subject | Re: Cheap network for two hosts ? | Date | Mon, 11 Jan 1999 00:37:50 -0500 |
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-----Original Message----- From: Mike A. Harris <mharris@ican.net> To: Horst von Brand <vonbrand@inf.utfsm.cl> Cc: Anthony Barbachan <barbacha@hinako.ambusiness.com>; linux-kernel@vger.rutgers.edu <linux-kernel@vger.rutgers.edu> Date: Sunday, January 10, 1999 3:56 AM Subject: Re: Cheap network for two hosts ?
>On Mon, 28 Dec 1998, Horst von Brand wrote: > >>> >For two hosts, you can use 10Base-T or 100Base-TX cards without a hub >>> >using a crossover cable, as well. It's a lot less messy than coax, >>> >and support for coax is going the way of the dodo. Of course, coax >>> >won't do 100 Mbit/s at all. >> >>> Problem with the crossover cable is that it only works for two machines. >>> While coax may not be the latest and greatest it definately works >>> perfectly well for many if not most people, providing you do not have a >>> large number of machines on the network. >> >>But it's a mess. > >I only agree in one respect. That it's like finding the bad >light bulb on a Christmas tree. Other than that, I disagree. > >> You have to be very careful with conectors, terminators, > >But you can be careless with UTP connectors and hubs? > >>Ts; and make sure nobody trips over the network. > >So, what you're saying is that, with CAT-5 you don't need to make >sure anyone trips over the network cables? Hmm. I've accidently >tripped over a CAT-5 cable and snapped it right in half. >Contrarily, I've bumped my coax cable pretty hard, and I almost >pulled my computer system off the desk. The coax works fine. >Even if it got damaged, it would take me 5 minutes with a >standard wire stripper and pair of wire cutters to fix - with no >crimp tool. > > >> It's cheap, but a 8-way hub isn't _that_ expensive... > >Relative to what? With coax, the cost of a hub is $0, so >relative to coax, an 8way hub is INFINITELY expensive. Even $30 >is $30 that I wouldn't have to spend. And I don't know where you >people get your prices, but the cheapest 10Mbit card around here >is $25 ISA, or $30 PCI for NE2000 clones. The cheapest 4 port >hub (low end crap) I could find is an Acer for $50 + tax of 15%. >An 8 port is $80. >
You can get approximately those prices at a computer show or become a reseller. Computer Shopper is also good, I've seen ad's in there for $9.95 ISA ne2000's.
>So, an 8 port hub would run $80 + 15%, and I don't consider that >to be "cheap". >
15% - thats a huge sales tax, and I thought it was bad here.
>Minus the cost of network cards, for the cost of your 3 computer >network and a hub, I can put together a 10 computer or more coax >network. That includes all cables and terminators. Network >bandwidth is the same on coax as utp anyways unless you get an >expensive switch, and then you're not talking $80 hub either, >more like $200+. So the UTP is faster/better argument for a >cheap network doesn't cut it. UTP is more scalable granted, but >that is meaningless if it is unlikely anyone will need to scale >over 10 machines anyways. Even then, one could plop 2 NIC's in >an old stripped out 4Mb 386 box acting as a router in a closet, >and have subnets. There is your scalability. Not as modern or >nice, nor fault tolerant, but it isn't needed in a *cheap* home >network either. > > >>and you'll save that much on <insert favorite >>headache pill here> in short time. > >I'd agree with you in a work environment where people tend to >fuck things up pretty bad, but in a home environment it isn't >necessarily the case. If you install coax, the cable itself is >no more vulnerable to being tripped over, drilled into or >otherwise damaged than CAT-5 is. Also a home network is unlikely >to have a machine bring down the network, and if it did, it is >only a home network anyways. If reliability and whatnot were a >factor in a home network, then cost would be second to begin >with, and coax wouldn't enter the equation. > >We must realize that cheap-network means just that. $30 extra >cost, is $30 that could be saved. And here, your $30 hub is $90+ >with tax... That is real money to me. If we all had $200k >incomes the scenario might be different. > > >-- >Mike A. Harris - Computer Consultant - Linux advocate > >Linux software galore: http://freshmeat.net >
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