Getting Your IIgs on an Ethernet Network Via Your Mac 

by Edhel Iaur, Esq.  

Copyright © 1999 - Edhel Laur, Esq. and GS WorldView


November 8, 1999

Equipment Needed:
- A Macintosh (68020 or better) with a LocalTalk port and some kind of Ethernet
connection (I'm using an Asante EN/SC PB). -An Apple IIgs (GS/OS 6.0.1
recommended) -A null-modem cable (mini DIN-8 on both ends) OR: 2 phonenet
adapters and an appropriate phone cord. Terminators may be necessary for some
phonenet adapters.

Software Needed:
- Apple's LocalTalk Bridge, available from:

ftp://ftp.apple.com/Apple_Support_Area/Apple_Software_Updates

/English-North_American/Macintosh/Networking-Communications/Other_N-C 
/LocalTalk_Bridge_2.1.smi.bin

- System 7.1 or later for your Macintosh
- Classic AppleTalk or OpenTransport installed on your Mac -GS/OS for your IIgs

Step 1: Ethernet Your Mac. If your Mac isn't set up to use its ethernet
connection, set it up! Regrettably, it's beyond the scope of this guide to
describe how to accomplish this for all the kinds of Macintosh ethernet
hardware.

Step 2: Enable AppleTalk on your Mac. Open your Mac's AppleTalk control panel.
Make sure it's set to connect via your ethernet connection, and not via your
serial port. Make sure AppleTalk is set to "Active" in the Chooser utility.

Step 3: Enable AppleTalk on your IIgs. Open the IIgs's control panel (the slots
control panel), and change slot 7 to "Built-in AppleTalk". You'll need to switch
either slot 1 or slot 2 to "Your Card". Be sure to remember which one you set to
"Your Card"!

Step 4: Connect Your IIgs to Your Mac. If you're using phonenet adaptors,
connect them with your phone cord, and add the terminators, if necessary. Plug
one end of your cable (or one of the phonenet adapters) into your Mac's printer
port. Plug the other end of your cable (or the other phonenet adapter) into your
IIgs--if, in Step 3, you set slot 1 to "Your Card", plug your cable into your
IIgs's printer port; if, in Step 3, you set slot 2 to "Your Card", plug your
cable into your IIgs's modem port (the one with the little phone picture below
it).

Step 5: Install the LocalTalk Bridge. The file you downloaded from Apple
contains documentation and the control panel. Drag the control panel into your
Control Panels folder, open the LocalTalk Bridge control panel to be sure it's
active, and restart your Mac.

Step 6: Add the AppleTalk Software to GS/OS. Run "Installer" on your GS/OS
Installer disk. Make sure Installer is set to install to your boot drive. Click
"Customize". From the menu on the left, select "Network: AppleShare". If you
want to print to networked ImageWriters, hold down the Apple key while clicking
on "Printer: ATalk ImageWriter". If you want to print to networked LaserWriters
(BeagleDraw is great for this!), hold down the Apple key while clicking on
"Printer: LaserWriter". Click on the "Install" button, and insert whatever GS/OS
disks your IIgs asks for.

Step 7: Have Fun! Restart your IIgs, and open your new AppleShare control panel.
You should see your AppleTalk zones and servers. Or, you can use your new Net
Printer control panel to setup network printing for your IIgs. You can imagine
the network admin's surprise when I printed to his department's LaserWriter from
my IIgs in my dorm room! Ain't technology grand? ;)