Networking your Apple IIGS
by Chris Nelligan
Copyright (c) 1994 Apple Users' Group, Sydney
Republished from Applecations, a publication of the Apple Users' Group, Sydney, Australia.
Did you know that our beloved Apple IIGS had its 7th birthday in 1993. One of the major capabilities of the GS is its ability to gain access to an AppleTalk network. Once your GS is on a network it can access data on central data file servers or print to network printers. The network needs a file server to look after things and unfortunately there was never any file server software written for the GS. Hence a Macintosh usually does the job, this is why it is not possible to simply connect two GS's.
Many schools, universities and businesses have networks. The first major benefit is that all students / staff save their work on the one central file server rather than on each individual computer. Secondly since information is now kept on a central file server, backing up of files is much easier. A third benefit is that each computer can access data other than their own, for example, an inquiry database. Another important benefit is that each computer no longer requires a dedicated printer. It is possible to print to any printer on the network.
Every Apple IIGS, Apple Macintosh and Apple Laserprinter have AppleTalk capability built into them. AppleTalk peripheral cards are available for the Apple IIe and Imagewriter II printer to allow them to be used on a network.
The AppleTalk network can be used to run different types of network protocols, eg. LocalTalk and EtherNet. The scope of this article will only cover networking an Apple IIGS with a hard disk to a Macintosh using LocalTalk.
The rest of this article is going to make references to Macintosh and System 7, read on only if you are interested...
LocalTalk Cabling
To connect devices to an AppleTalk LocalTalk network, you need one or more LocalTalk locking connector Kits. The kit include all the cables and connectors necessary. These kits are available from Apple Dealers.
Connect a LocalTalk connector into the modem port on each IIGS printer port and Mac that will be on the network.
Plug the cable (it looks like telephone cable) it into each of the LocalTalk connectors. The computers are now networked, however additional software configurations are required on the IIGS an the Mac.
Note : If only a single IIGS and a Macintosh are to be networked then an 'IIGS to Imagewriter II' cable may be used. Simply plug the cable into the modem port of the IIGS and the printer port Macintosh.
Software Configuration
Lets setup the Macintosh first, please ensure that the Macintosh is running System 7 or greater. For the IIGS to be able to access data on the Mac, the data on the drives that are to be used must be shared. NB: AppleTalk must be ON in the Chooser.
Sharing: To do this open the Sharing Setup icon from the Control Panels. Then click on the start button to begin File Sharing, make sure that a Owner name and Macintosh name are also setup. It will take a few moments before the status changes to file sharing is on.
Security: Close the Sharing Setup Control Panel and open the Users & Groups control panel. Then open the <Guest> icon, check the box labelled 'Allow guests to connect', close the window to save the change made.
Sharing data: Select a folder(s) or disk(s) that are to be shared. Then for each, choose Sharing from the File Menu. Click in the box labelled 'Share this item and its contents' and close the window to save the changes.
The Macintosh is setup, now for the IIGS.
Networking is not included in the standard System 6 installation process. We need to therefor install it, boot your IIGS from the installer disk (System 6 or greater please). Select the Customise button, and install the option Network:AppleShare. This will then install all of the necessary files to access the network onto your selected startup hard disk. Restart your computer and select Control Panels from the Apple menu of the Finder. Next Open the Slots control panel and for Rom 1 - Set Slot 2 to Modem and Slot 7 to AppleTalk and for Rom 3 - Set Slot 2 to AppleTalk. Restart your IIGS for these slot changes to take effect.
The Apple IIGS is now setup, now lets logon to the Macintosh.
Lets Talk to each other
Open the IIGS's AppleShare Control Panel, you should see the Macintosh in the list of File Servers, select the Macintosh name and click OK. (If nothing is in the file server list,
then one of the previous steps has not been completed correctly).
A new dialog box will be displayed asking you to connect to the Macintosh as a Guest or Registered user. Click on the Guest button and select OK. (If you can not connect then make sure Guest access is permitted on the Macintosh)
A dialog box will appear with a list of the available file server volumes that may be accessed. Any volumes that appear dimmed have not been shared correctly on the Macintosh. Select the volume(s) to access and click the OK button.
On the Finder desktop the volumes from the Macintosh will be displayed. Treat these volumes as you would any locally mounted disks. You can not run Macintosh applications on the IIGS. The best benefit of Macintosh disks is that they do not have a 32 megabyte limitation, filenames maybe more than 15 characters in length and are therefor are good for storage devices.
In closing, this article was written because of the number of IIGS owners who now also have a Macintosh and wish to use common peripherals. Once the computers and maybe even the printer are networked life becomes much easier. This was a beginners guide to networking and much further functionality is available. I highly recommend reading chapter 12 of the System 6 manual Networking the Apple IIGS (I am sure a similar chapter is in earlier manuals) and also the chapter Using Your Computer on a Network in the Macintosh User's Guide.

THIS CONTENT COPYRIGHT © 2007, APPLE MACINTOSH USERS' GROUP, SYDNEY
Permission has been obtained to make this material available on the Internet.

Permission is hereby granted for non-profit user groups to republish this content.
PLEASE CREDIT THE AUTHOR AND THE SOURCE: Applecations, publication of the Apple Users' Group, Sydney, Australia

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