[SunHELP] Network Peripherals FDDI SBus cards

[Brian Hechinger]

>> You don't need a concentrator, and for only three machines it probably
>> isn't worth the bother. to setup an fddi network as i know it, you will
>> need to connect two sets of fibre cables between all the machines in
>> two rings.
>
> That will work fine if the cards are DAS (dual attach).  However, most 
> workstation cards are SAS (single attach, with only one attachment pair.  If 
> the cards are SAS you can't build a ring with them, you will need a FDDI 
> "hub" to attach through.

ok, these are all SAS cards (i've been reading up on what little i can about
FDDI, hard to find good info online though, anyone know a good website of
more admin kinda info and less network dweeb kinda info? i don't care about
signalling, or how the frames are constructed, sure that is interesting, but
it doesn't get this stuff plugged in and working.)

what is this "hub" called?  is it a MAU?  if i were searching on, say, ebay for
one would i search for "FDDI MAU" and expect to get results?

>> ok, i was joking about them not having a website, but i guess i was right
>> after all. :(   i've found three different places that say Network Peripherals
>> web site is www.npix.com, but that doesn't resolve.  does anybody have any
>> information whatsoever on these cards?
>
> If it says Network Peripherals, it's probably a Sun card (who OEM'd NPI
> cards).  See if it's got a Sun p/n on it and cross reference in the Sun
> databases.

it is the very same NPI card that SUN sells, but these two look like they came
right from NPI and not from SUN since they don't have SUN part numbers, although
if you go on sun's website, it's easy to find this card, it's the only FDDI one
they have.

i went to NPI's website and downloaded Solaris 8 drivers for it.  installed 
them, added /etc/hostname.nf0, rebooted, and i havew a working FDDI card now.
nothing to plug it into yet, but it does work.

oh, the light on the back is yellow now btw.

thanks for all the help,

-brian