Help me create an old school network

Gregoriev

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I recently came into the posession of a coax router, repeater, and hub from my computer class, which I have been loyal to for the past few years.

These devices use the BNC cables, and also have the AUI plugs on the hub and repeater. These devices have their own full power plugs, and are rather old.

I really want to create an awesome old school network using these parts, but I do not have the knowlege or expertise needed to create something genuinly interesting with the parts.

I can get my networking cards from here:
http://www.weirdstuff.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?item=11043

BNC and AUI cables from here: (respectivly)
http://www.cablestogo.com/product_list.asp?cat%5Fid=2027&sortType=length&sortDir=ASC&engine=adwords!654&keyword=%28bnc+cable%29
http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat_id=714&sku=03475

I can also aquire several rather old computers to actually network up to this beast, but I still need to know alot more about what I can do with this setup. Power and speed are not really an issue, functionality and bragging rights are however.

I was thinking of creating some kind of render farm, database, ftp mainframe, or something else unique.

What I really need to know is what OS I need to get all that i can out of these components, such as acutally usng the AUI plugs for something, and also having a system in place that would connect this setup to my standard 10/100 ethernet network.
 
I think you can actually still buy BNC enabled cards..

any OS windows 3.11 - windows XP will suport any card, (assuming that you can find the drivers)...

Windows 2003 definitly supports these older cards, as I have one in a server at home... (3c509)
so any conputer (regardless of age) will be OK to network.

The functionality will be limited, regardless of the application, so whatever you setup, it won't be as quick easy or convienient as if you'd used RJ45 style networking...
 
Its good to know a state of the art OS I happen to have just aquired can run this kind of out dated hardware.

though I could do with a little instruciton on how everything works...I am none too familiiar with these types of old school connectors and parts.

what does the AUI actually do? what can you control with it? is it even right to assume it even controls the router/hub/repeater?

I know functionaltiy will be limited, though I mainly think it's just something interesting to have around. we have an uber outdated computer in class that we just upgrade and do cool stuff to like filling all 6 ram slots (parallel ram, remeber that one?), adding in a second processor (133Mhz tops, each), and making the hard drives a dual raid (two 4GB hard drives @ 3600RPM). We think its cool because we have seriously messed around with every setting and jumper. We are now considering overclocking this "badboy" to make it early 90's 1337.

I mainly need something interesting and creative to do with them. They're just collecting dust in my closet at this point. some kind of old school cluster would be neat...is there any linux software that would do that? I read in a computer mag a while ago about how to make a cluster, but I lost it unfortunatly.

sell them on ebay maybe? what could I even get? would it even cover hte shipping I wonder...
 
Naw dude...I did some actual research on old school coax networks that would use the kind of hardware I have...it's not worth it dude...I'd be better off selling this stuff on Ebay for like 50 dollars...if I can even get that!

anyone recomending a buy it now and starting bid price for this stuff? The auction will run for about a week, and will be paypal only.

All I have to do now is get a credit card.
 
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