Local network on Quadra 900

[valejacobo]

Hi y'all, i've been tinkering with my Quadra 900 and I've wanted to transfer files from and to it, and since my floppy drive is dead, I've thought of the serial null modem route.

I'm really new to all the AppleTalk and LocalTalk stuff, but so far this is what I've done:
-Did a null modem cable from 8pin mini-din to DB9
-Downloaded MACLAN on my W2k desktop
-Enabled a shared folder on the Quadra, and set LocalTalk to be the protocol on the AppleTalk network
-Shared a folder on the MACLAN server

So far I can only see the Virtual mac lan on the Windows PC, but not the Mac, and on the Mac selector tool I cannot see the Win pc server.
Am I missing something? The null modem cable won't work this way? I'm kinda lost here and I'm open to ideas or other stuff to try.

 

[cheesestraws]

PC serial ports can't do LocalTalk. However, your Quadra has built-in Ethernet, if you can find an AAUI to RJ45 dongle for it... that will be much faster than LocalTalk.

 

[valejacobo]

PC serial ports can't do LocalTalk. However, your Quadra has built-in Ethernet, if you can find an AAUI to RJ45 dongle for it... that will be much faster than LocalTalk.

So the serial modem port only serves the purpose of connecting to the internet right?

 

[cheesestraws]

So the serial modem port only serves the purpose of connecting to the internet right?

The Mac's Printer and Modem ports are the same, and both can do LocalTalk. It is the PC's serial port that can't. LocalTalk isn't RS232, and if you try to feed it into a serial port on a PC it won't know what to do with it.

 

[NickNick]

This is what I do to transfer files from one Mac to another and onto PC's. If your house has a network this should work as long as each computer is connected to the net via ethernet cables. System 7.1 through OS 9.2.2 is needed to work, as well as your apple control panels like AppleTalk and TC/IP, and a PowerMac or higher of sorts for the web browsing stuff. AppleTalk must be set to ethernet.

Next you need a router that has USB file transfer capabilities between computers (make sure that feature is enabled via the router). This is the tricky part here. Each router has its own way of accessing files it has on its USB media. It is also different from a Windows PC as well as Macintosh. Windows allows you to access it from a simple search or network, where as These Vintage Macintoshes require you to access it through the internet VIA a web browser of sorts. I use IE 5 Macintosh edition. Find out the path to access your files from your routers settings, or in the manual it came with. Now (this is where the PowerMac comes in) enter that address exactly as stated in the address line and there they are. Your shared files and folders. Download what you want onto your PowerMac.

New files can only be added through the Windows PC as well as downloaded through sites like Macintosh garden and such. Macintosh systems are able to talk to one another and transfer files between one another with out the use of a web browser. This works with systems as early as 7.1. You have to access each individual computer through the chooser menu. Then pick AppleTalk, followed by the Macintosh System you which to choose. Now you can drag and drop files between Macintosh systems.

If you don't have network cards for older systems you can use the SCSI port and an external Zip disk to get files onto these systems. This has worked on any Macintosh system I have tried it with. Hope this helps you out.