Networking< Back to homeThe Macintosh SE/30 has built-in networking functionality provided by LocalTalk. Apple built LocalTalk into Macs as part of a wider vision to allow easy networking of Macs. This feature alone distinguishes Macs from a lot of other computers made at the time, as most computers could not be networked out of the box. Broadly speaking, there are three ways you can get an SE/30 onto a network of some form. The different ways are: 1) by adding an Ethernet network card to the Processor Direct Slot (PDS) slot inside the SE/30 or 2) via the SCSI port on the rear of the SE/30 or 3) via the LocalTalk serial port. HardwareA number of network cards were made for the SE/30. These can be found, from time to time, on auction websites. This page documents and details the various cards that were made. For now, this page won't include modern clones of original cards or alternatives to these cards. Those will be covered at a later time. In basic terms, there are two ways to get an SE/30 online. There may be other ways, but let's focus on these for simplicity sake right now. The two ways are: via the PDS slot inside the SE/30, or via the SCSI port on the rear of the SE/30. PDS Ethernet cards for SE/30Excelan/Shiva/Kinetics EtherPort SE/30 10BTMade by Excelan, 1988-1989? Visually different to the SE variant which lays flat to the SE logic board. The SE/30 one is vertical. More information on the SE variant here: https://68kmla.org/bb/index.php?threads/kinetics-etherport-se-ethernet-adapter.34803/ AUI and BNC connectors on the rear backplane/breakout card. This same card was also available as Shiva branded. Asante MacCon+ 30iE / 30iET / MacCon 3 IIsi / MacCon+ 30i / 30siMade by Asante. All of the above mentioned models/variants of the Asante MacCon work in an SE/30. There are SE, LC and Quadra/Centris 610 specific versions that will not fit in an SE/30, so check the model number of the MacCon you are buying first. There was also a NuBus version, that won't work in the SE/30 either. Do not install an FPU on the Asante card, it will cause the SE/30 to fail at start up or freeze during operation. The FPU socket is for use with a Macintosh IIsi. Asante MacCon cards are compatible with System 7, EtherTalk Phase 1/2, and comply with IEEE 802.3 standard for 10BaseT (Twisted-Pair), Thin and Thick Ethernet. Like most SE/30 Ethernet cards, there are two parts to the card: a large controller card which plugs into the SE/30's PDS slot, and a smaller daughter card which attaches to the interior side of the SE/30 back. Be sure to get both parts - you won't have a working solution without both cards. A ribbon cable attaches the two cards. Asante MacCon MCiNB-10TPossibly IIsi only?? Farallon PN585 SE/30 '030 EN Controller'Made by Farallon, 1990. Another two-part card, main card + daughter card. Looks quite similar to the Asante MacCon. The two cards attach with a ribbon cable. The Farallon has RJ45 and AUI ports. Farallon PN594Made by Farallon This card has three ports: the first from the left is 10BASE-T in a 8P8C RJ-45 connector, the middle one is AUI, which is known as Attachment Unit Interface and can either be used for 10BASE-T or 10BASE-2 adapters, and finally 10BASE-2 in a BNC coax port. Cabletron SE/30Made by Cabletron, 1989. RJ45 and AUI Dove FastNet SE/30sMade by Dove. Originally came supplied with software and an Ethernet/Cheapernet transceiver. The SE variant of this card seems to come up more often. Dayna E/30 and E/si30Made by Dayna Communications in USA. AUI and BNC ports. SCSI to Ethernet for SE/30These external adapters allow you to use the rear SCSI port to gain network connectivity. They are probably hard to find at this point (as of 2021).
SoftwareSome cards work with Apple's software, some require their own drivers. Most Asante Ethernet cards for the SE and SE/30 platforms require their own drivers. System 6.0.8System 7 |