IBM PS/2 Model 50 and the IBM Network Bridge Program

Yes, I've got a running Token Ring network. Two of 'em actually...one at 16 megabits, the other at 4. A PS/2 Model 50 bridges the two TR networks. In this video, I show some of the software, the general hookup, and how well it performs using the Token Trace and Performance program running on a PS/2 Model P70.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• computer
• IBM
• PS/2
• Personal
• System/2
• Token
• Ring
• Network
• LAN
• bridge
• 80286
• 8573
• P70
• plasma
• screen
• demonstration

[bustedbit]

But why?

[uxwbill]

@bustedbit Why not? Token Ring gear is cheap and even modern operating systems support it. I found it interesting, so that's reason enough for me.

[jaxxstraw]

Wonderful video! I found this googling around as I just got my PS/2 model 60 running again after well over a decade in mothballs, and I'm wondering what to do with it. It would be great to network it somehow but I have no idea what it's capable of, if anything. Anyway, great fun to watch this.

[uxwbill]

With your Model 60's 286 processor, the most likely thing to do is run vintage software! Anything more modern (like a Linux) requires a 386. You can have a 386SX upgrade in your Model 60, but that's pushing pretty hard and everything else (RAM, disk storage, etc) is still pretty limited. FreeDOS should run on a 286 although some setup will be required to remove 386-specific stuff.

Networking could be Ethernet or Token Ring. TR was the network of choice for many PS/2s.

[jaxxstraw]

@uxwbill I don't want to upgrade the CPU or anything as I'd prefer to keep this as an "authentic" "museum piece". It currently has MSDOS 6.2 and Win3.1(!) on it.

Would it be possible with an appropriate MCA card to connect this to an ethernet network, or is it just too slow and primitive?

Thanks for your reply, and it's great to see your setup on this video; it's a very cool collection of gear!

[uxwbill]

Yes, many Ethernet cards were made for Microchannel systems. Probably the best and most common are the 3Com cards, although almost anything for which you can locate the drivers will do.

There was a 100Mbit capable card made by Olicom, but it's a big joke...it's flaky, designed around a low end ISA chipset with "glue logic" and absolutely floors the CPU. It will transmit and receive somewhat faster than a 10Mbit only card, but that performance comes at a terrible price.

[wysoft]

I guess I can also mention that I also had a Compaq LTE 5300, bought new by my dad in 1996 and passed on to me. I used Linux on it in the early 2000s with no problem, and it would continue working to this day, but I finally sent it off to the recyclers this year. That was a great laptop - ran Win95/98, Linux, and even Win2k without much issue, despite having only 32MB RAM.

[wysoft]

Great video. I had to throw away a pile of Token Ring equipment about ten years ago - nobody on eBay would bid on it, and nobody would even take it for free.

I was just looking for videos of old MFM/RLL drives the other day, just to hear that old "squeak" noise at seek such as you noted. I miss that sound a lot, it reminds me of my childhood playing with my old XT clone and its chattering 20MB HD, as well as most other computers at the time.

[raymangold22]

I have an intellistation whose SAS drive squeaks when being defragged, quite similar to the one in the PS/2.

I was hoping to see the multi-coloured ultimedia IBM logo :(

[0Fluxor0]

Awesome find.

[0Fluxor0]

This video caught my eye. I used to have a slew of token ring gear, that may be hanging around a friend's house still. But this is such a cool set-up. I'm a network engineer for a provider up in the Philadelphia area and this is just a really cool piece of networking history. Cheers

[dtwinky]

this is epic!!

[0Fluxor0]

Wow, I am even more impressed than I was a few minutes ago. I had some token ring gear that I believe is floating around a friend's house. That is truly amazing. Is this still in service ? It's been a few years. The seek squeek, it was a dance move among the nerds of the early 80's.