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Please help me get my beloved VAX online...

J

Jack.

Experienced Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2013
Messages
221
Location
Northern Italy
Hi guys.
I know this may sound like a stupid question, but...
How the hell do i get my MicroVAX 3300 online? I have a standard modem with RJ11 ports and a CentreCOM 210TS Transceiver between the AUI port in my VAX and the RJ11 cable. Neither my LANCE (ESA0) nor my modem seems to communicate with each other, even if the transceiver shows some activity! (all leds on, except SQE test when it's not switched on of course)
What am i missing?
Thanks,
~ Jack
 
First, hardware. RJ11 is the 6P2C connector used for plain old single line loop start telelphone lines. Most people refer to the 8P8C connectors used for twisted pair ethernet as RJ45. Tell us more about your "standard" modem (brand, model, pictures?). Personally, at this point I would be more comfortable adding a VAX to a working ethernet network than trying to troubleshoot a network like you describe. Tell us more about your network and how you know it is working.

Software. What operating system software do you have? Do you have TCP/IP networking software for your VAX? How have you configured it?
 
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The AUI port should go to RJ45 and standard Ethernet. You need a switch (NOT HUB) that can go down to 10MBits. What is the "modem" . If its an ADSL Modem rather than a router then the VAX won't talk to it without some tweaking....
 
Yes, i meant RJ45, sorry ^^"
Well, actually i'm talking about low-level connections. For example, if i wanted to netboot NetBSD, i shouldn't need any software except for the monitor rom of the system, am i right?
The modem is an ADSL one, i've put the transceiver between the AUI port and the RJ45 cable, so i need some tweaking?
 
Jack. said:
For example, if i wanted to netboot NetBSD, i shouldn't need any software except for the monitor rom of the system, am i right?
Click to expand...

I suspect that a DEC boot ROM of that era will probably not support TCP/IP at all. As far as I know DECnet load requests (MOP?) used a different protocol ID than the BOOTP request, etc. I know there was DECnet software available for Linux, but I don't know if that can get your VAX booting NetBSD. I do not know if anyone is still supporting DECnet on Linux.

If netbooting with TCP/IP is supported you would need a properly configured DHCP/BOOTP/TFTP server on your local LAN with an appropriate boot image.

The modem is an ADSL one, i've put the transceiver between the AUI port and the RJ45 cable, so i need some tweaking?
Click to expand...
It depends on how things are set up. If the ADSL modem just passes PPPOE through then you need to be able to support PPPOE on the VAX. If the "modem" is acting as a TCP/IP gateway then the stuff it talks to can just use the standard RFC 826 & 894 protocols for IP address resolution and transmission.
 
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I've found the simplest way to do this is to build an emulated MOP server using the free and awesome Vax emulator and go from there. I've had lots of success building a cluster here, in addition to an ultrix system or two.
 
the local server with emulator seems most popular, but if the VAX is already running and telnet/ftp access to the internet is what is needed, then setting up tcp/ip on the vax is whats missing. I suspect Jack actually has an ADSL router, not Modem, and the only issue is the VAX needs an IP and gateway setting manually...
 
You're all correct. The problem is that my router doesn't even recognize my VAX, so how am i supposed to set the IP?
My VAX actually has MOP rom, but my problem is even deeper than MOP. I actually know how to netboot, but i just can't talk to it...
If the bootrom can't talk to the router, then i'm in trouble.
 
Jack. said:
The problem is that my router doesn't even recognize my VAX, so how am i supposed to set the IP?
Click to expand...
Do you mean that the little ethernet link lights don't light up? You might have a bad transceiver. Or LANCE. Or a bad cable. Or switch port.

Do you mean that you can't ping the VAX? I wouldn't expect you to be able to without installing and configuring TCP/IP software.

Are you confused because you expect the VAX to get an IP address through the router's DHCP server? Not likely to happen.

We are going around in circles because you haven't really told us much beyond "It doesn't work."

My VAX actually has MOP rom, but my problem is even deeper than MOP. I actually know how to netboot, but i just can't talk to it...
If the bootrom can't talk to the router, then i'm in trouble.
Click to expand...
I would not expect the bootrom to be able to talk TCP/IP, and that is probably the only protocol family that the router speaks. We don't know for sure because you haven't told us what router you have, or how you conclude that the router can't see the VAX.
 
g4ugm said:
this any help?

http://h71000.www7.hp.com/doc/83final/6524/6524pro_002.html

especially 3.3 onwards
Click to expand...

Well, i'm actually trying to netboot... I don't have TCP/IP into VMS (sadly), that's why i wanted the VAX to talk to my RPi over the network. I have DECNet support and SIMH running there.

@Uniballer
All lights come up. Everything seems to be fine. The cable is fine, the transceiver seems to work, the router is good.
Well, you got the point. It's not going to happen, I should have studied the networking system a bit more.

However, can i bridge the connection over a system with DECNet support (ex. SunFire V100 with Debian, DECNet and SIMH) and talk to it?

Thank you all for your help!
~ Jack
 
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