I'm about to buy a new iMac and iBook for myself and my fiancee. I will then have an 8600/250 and a Quadra 800. I'm using a cable modem with 10 base T ethernet for internet access. I want to have a server that can do IP routing (using IP Net Router) as well as run Localtalk bridge for my laserwriter. Would there be any benefit in using the 8600 instead of the Quadra? I'm not sure how processor intensive the routing would be. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Tony

[ZooTV]

I'm not etirely sure about this, but a friend of mine has 3 Macs (an iMac, PowerComputing 180, and a Mac IIfx). Each computer is connected to the internet over a 56k modem, and the router is the IIfx, and it seems to work fine.

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ZOOtv

IP routing via IPNetRouter is not something that will tax your Quadra - even at 10Mbs speeds.

If you are concerened about security you might want to use your Quadra for routing only and use your 8600 as the server. IPNetRouter allows you to configure a very nice firewall.

Travis

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[BobbyG]

I just scored an old IIci (for $100; new 'twas $6499 list) so that I wouldn't have to use my 7500 to do IPNR. It sits in the closet humming along (it was a former corporate server that did 24/7 for several years). Did add a second NIC (we Mac'ers call 'em 10BaseT NuBus cards) to isolate the LAN/WAN sides, but you don't HAVE to go that far. Even an '030 will handle the routing needs of a modest LAN without breaking a sweat...hey, hardware routers use(d) 68000-class chips.

Using a IIfx with a cable modem as router machine on a 10base-t network, works fine, no lower speeds and very stable. I think it would be a waste to use a great machine like a 8600 as a router. Just slap a G3-upgrade card into the 8600!

J.

[BobbyG]

I agree, Jona. And I gotta recommend XLR8's bitchen new Carrier ZIF™ card for the "Power Surge" series. It rocks!

I have an old iicx and i'd like to use that as a router for my cable modem. can anybody point me to some resources for maiking a macintosh router? any thoughtful comments would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

I think the routing software most people are talking about on this discussion is IPNetRouter by Sustainable Softworks. In my opinion its a really great program. There's a demo at thier website at : <A href="http://www.sustworks.com/">www.sustworks.com</A>

IPNetRouter is awesome. I've been using it for at least a year. The latest version includes a DHCP server. It's irrelevant if you only run MacOS because Location Manager means you switch network setups with one click. But if you use Windows or Mac OS X Server, DHCP can save you a lot of hassles.

--Marc Respass

I use a Q650 with Vicom SoftRouter and have been really happy. Soon I'll be moving to an X-Router from MacSense. Does the same thing but through a little hardware hub type thing. I really like the idea of not having to worry about having an extra machine and keeping it running. http://www.drbott.com/prod/MIH120.html

I'd just like to say thanks for all the input. I've decided to use the Quadra for routing based on the responses I've gotten.

Thanks again
Tony