[White_Raven]

Im looking for information on Macintosh Color Classic networking, including needed harrdware to upgrade one for eithernet networking if possable.. The one I was given yesterday is running system 7.1, has a modem port and a modem (but I cant get it to work) and seems to have all the needed software installed, although its been ages since I messed around with a computer like this.. anyone know what I can do with this?

BTW, it has netscape 2.1 installed on it... :D

[Edit]
I found out that you need to install a internal LC PDS card, its sopposed to use the os's drivers so from what I understand I simply need to open it up while staying clear of the giant capacitor so I dont hurt myself, and plug it in, then reboot.. I got it (the card) off of ebay for under 10 bucks , lol

Here is where I found the info, after allot of searching, finely found a artical writen by the owner of the site and checked out the url in his email..

http://atpm.com/netw...et_adapters.htm
[/Edit]

[logan5]

I have some geat links book marked on my other computer that should be of help to you. Will try and get them posted later tonight when I get chance.

Off hand, I'd say you'd need to update the OS to 7.6. Is there an Apple Talk port on that thing, or just the modem? I know Asante makes an Ethernet/Apple talk adapter, but it's been a while since I've tried to network anything that old and I don't have the specs for that machine right in front of me.

But the big question, is what do you want to network the Mac Classic with? If it's another Mac, you'll be OK, but I don't recall any Mac OS that old supporting Windows networking without using a third-party app, like DAVE by Thursby Software, and I don't think that will run in anything older than OS 8.5, but I can check. I think Windows NT had built in Mac networking software, but with the older Mac networking being based on Apple Talk you may have problems talking to non-Mac machines. Will look through my oodles of Mac tech stuff to see if I can find any info that will help, along with those links.

BTW....you're right about staying clear of the capacitor on those old portable Macs. They pack a real wallop.

[White_Raven]

My goal is to get it on my eithernet intranet, cos I was told it couldnt be done... same reason Im going to get the AST 286 Bravo model 5 (With orange/black monocrome monitor) that I was given at the same time as the color classic on my network, I was told by somone with skill I respected that it was impossable...but it didnt sound right, and I like a challenge... the nic for the 286 should be in the mail by tomarrow or so, Im told my contacts can get the part..Im getting the cmos battery I need for the 286 tomarrow from a local shop.

As for upgrading the mac, without a net connection Im not sure how I can do that, its not like I can just add the files to a dos floppy and load it up..different file systems can be a pain in the butt, my goal is to install the card and reboot with the hopes it works, then install whatever I need through the network, or at least thats the plan.

[logan5]

White_Raven, on Jun 2 2003, 08:53 PM, said:

As for upgrading the mac, without a net connection Im not sure how I can do that, its not like I can just add the files to a dos floppy and load it up..

Yeah, I hadn't thought about that. Not sure if OS 7.1 will read DOS disks, but it might. I don't have anything with 7.1 that I can test. My Mac Plus runs 7.6, and I think it will.
Just about every Mac OS version has had the ability to read PC/DOS disks, but I'm not sure how far back that ability goes.

If you end up needing OS 7.6 and can't install it yourself, let me know. I think I have it someplace and can put it onto floppies for you. I think it takes like 15 or 16 of them.

Here are those links I mentioned last night:

http://www.macaddict...agazine/oldmac/

http://www.lowendmac...act/color.shtml

[White_Raven]

thanks for teh links; To be honest I only need images of the floppies, however with copyright issues and such I can not find them on the net..

Ya different file systems can be a pain,. maybe the mac can read dos disks, if it can I will let you know, I can do some tests perhaps, if not then I may need to get teh images for the floppys and "dd if=floppy.img of=/dev/fd0" them onto the disks if thats a option.

I just got done setting up a webhosts server for them so Im on a linux kick, Im going to see what I can do to get a linux box up, or even get myself a cd of knoppix to boot into should I need it... Im sick of not having a linux computer up, It used to be all I ever used.....

[logan5]

White_Raven, on Jun 4 2003, 12:52 AM, said:

thanks for teh links; To be honest I only need images of the floppies, however with copyright issues and such I can not find them on the net..

No problem with any copyright issues. Apple posts old software on their site as a free download.
http://www.info.apple.com/support/oldersof...ftwarelist.html

That's the link to all the old software prior to Jan. 1998. Everything you need should be there. The OS is down near the bottom under System Software. Lots of networking software there too that you may find helpful for this project.

[White_Raven]

Cool, thanx! Now I just need to wait for the card to get here....

[logan5]

Came across this site recently and forgot about it till I needed something from it today. They have links to the PDFs of the Service Manuals for just about every piece of Apple hardware ever made, except the newer stuff. Just about any peice of legacy hardware is there, including the Mac Color Classic. The SM might help you out with your project.

http://home.earthlin...a2/manuals.html

[White_Raven]

Thanks, Just paid for the card I needed (10 bucks) and it should get here within the month.. the manuals may even help, thanks.

BTW: the NIC for the 286 got here yesterday.. tomarrow I am going to get the cmos battery I need for it, or at least try to.. once I get that I can fidle with the settings and try to get it on my network :D

[White_Raven]

I got the card, poped uut the back of the computer, pluged in the net card and after puting it back together booted it up.. And for some reason will not work. I checked the tcpip settings and manual configured them to my network, started up netscape 2.1 again and it errored out saying a socket could nto be created.. the light on the nic is blinking as if its working perfectly, however.

Logan5, I may just need the disks you offered me.. I cant get it on the net to upgrade :(
Im going to mess with it some more and do some more research.. but it should be working, everything I read said it was pnp.

[edit]
The Color Clasic is not floppy compatible.. just errors out saying its not a mac disk and wants to init it or eject it.. :(
[/edit]

[logan5]

White Raven:
PM me a mailing address and I'll try and get some floppies made over the weekend. My guess is you may need to update the Open Transport (TCP/IP-networking extensions) and upgrading to 7.6 should do that.

BTW, how much RAM in that thang? IIRC, you'd need 4MB in order to run 7.6.

Forgot to mention I think 7.6 takes 17 floppies. I have to make sure I have enough to do the job....I should.

[White_Raven]

Your correct, Open Transport is the one thing That I need to install/upgrade... Seems tcp/ip in the current software doent like my raw setup.. then again its not detecting the nic either.

Im pming you now...

[logan5]

One thing you could try is to make sure Apple Talk is turned on, and that the TCP/IP connections are set to work via Ethernet, rather than the modem. In those old OS versions the net connection defaults to the modem. Just sent you a PM.

[White_Raven]

Thats the thing though, its not detecting the nic and the moden was already working with it at one time so all the settings are set to it.. cant change them becouse it wil not let me.. so I tried to set up the settings by hand by tweaking the host and ips to one I know was free on my lan (well, a borrowed compuer and the mac is my lan, lol)

Got your pm, sent you back one.