What is AppleTalk Internet Router 2.0?

If your AppleTalk networks have been getting out of hand, Apple’s latest version of AppleTalk protocols will probably prove to be just what the doctor ordered. AppleTalk 2.0 lets you create networks of more than 254 devices while making it easier to split the network into pieces that are more manageable.

Many of the changes will be invisible to the network user, who will probably just notice that some things happen faster, to the tune of a 20 to 30 percent improvement in performance. That’s due to the better handling of the protocols’ processing overhead.

Apple’s new AppleTalk Internet Router is a software-only solution for splitting large networks into smaller nets to localize network traffic. Much like Infosphere’s Liaison, it runs in the background and can be used to install AppleTalk on both serial ports rather than on just the printer port. The router can also handle routing among up to eight network connections, such as between EtherTalk and TokenTalk boards in a Mac II — providing a simple way to connect Macs on Ethernet and LaserWriters on LocalTalk, for instance.

Kosiur, Dave. (September 1989). AppleTalk: Bigger and Better. Macworld. (pg. 149).

Download AppleTalk Internet Router 2.0 for Mac

Architecture

Motorola 68K

Compatibility notes

Emulating this? It could probably run under: Mini vMac