one token ring-pc on an ethernet LAN?

First order of business, if you want to get a PS/2 to do stuff, go over to comp.sys.ibm.ps2.hardware. You'll find a bunch of enthusiasts including some IBM retirees who are always happy to have a new member join the club.

Next, Ethernet is older than Microchannel. Ethernet boards for Microchannel were commonplace once. There are even Fast Ethernet boards for it.

Quick answer--Token Ring is not Ethernet, Ethernet is not Token Ring. While there are a few bridges out that let one talk to the other they are hard to find and tricky to set up. Still, if you _do_ find one it's probably cheap.

Best bet, get a Microchannel Ethernet board. There are several on ebay right now that look to go for around ten bucks.

No, while there were bridges that could convert token ring to ethernet, they're scarce. You'll have to get an MCA ethernet card. and yes there were some, though they're probably scarce by now too.

If the vendor advertised that card as ethernet, you should ask for your money back. As you've discovered, RJ45 connectors were also used for token ring.

They do exist. 3com etherlink III came in MCA flavour, for example.

Well, as ObOtherPoster said, you could add another network card like the one in your PS/2 but in suitable bus flavour for that linux box, then try and build a network out of that. You might need considerable intermediate hardware, as not all network types support a peer-to-peer trick like ethernet does with a crossed cable.

But you first need to know what sort of network the card in your PS/2 box is for. It is usually, but not always, token ring. It could be starlan or proteon 10net or cddi or what have you.

I think it might be easiest to go hunting for an MCA ethernet NIC.

Hi,

I've got an old IBM PS/2 PC and I just bought an RJ45 network card for it on Ebay. I just noticed thatt it's not Ethernet, though (I suppose there aren't any Ethernet cards for that old MCA interface anyway), but Token Ring.

Is it possible for me to connect this PC to my Ethernet LAN here at home? Could my LAN Switch or my Linux router be of any use for that?

TIA, ~Mik

Great hint, I'm gonna post there, thanksalot!

~Mik

A few years ago, I had a notebook computer, running Mandrake, with a token ring PCMCIA NIC. Worked fine.

Good luck! I had massive problems with Linux and TR. Never seen so many kernel panics in my life. And yes I did try different card and different kernel versions (Hint: older kernels work better than newer ones).

Jens

Sounds like an intermittent hardware problem. Try to correlate it to temperature and humidity.

Well it works. Sometimes. I had a server which would run for a month without a problem and which than hat 2 kernel-panics a day after which it was running for another couple of weeks until the next panic. Totally unpredictable Jens

I tried different computers with different Card, with different drivers in different environments (air conditioned server room, wiring closet on 1st floor (south side), wiring closet in a cellar) and had unpredictable kernel panics. Sometimes it worked for weeks without any problem and than it crashed two times a day.

Jens