Test reports
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Test reports
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»The PCMCIA plug-in card "Netax 1200" is a 10MBit network board for Amiga 600 and Amiga 1200. It can be used with the common (not included) software like "MIAMI", "Envoy", "AmiTCP" and "Genesis".
The distribution in Germany is currently made by Haage&Partner (http://www.haage-partner.com/). It costs 198.00 DEM (approx. 101.02 Euros) plus post and package. The time for delivery was about 3 weeks. The extension was delivered in a stable cardboard box, which included these parts:
A T-connector, which is needed for connecting the BNC cable wasn't included in opposition to the ads on the webspages of Haage&Partner (viewed on April 26, 1999). I inquired it after the delivery and requested a free later delivery. The reply was, that there was a "misprint" (on their webpage?), but they would send me the T-connector anyway. Four days later the connector was clearly packed in my letter box.
Meanwhile I informed myself on the homepage of "S-Cube". There I could read: Inzwischen habe ich mich auch auf der Homepage von "S-Cube" informiert.
| "The Netax1200 is a fast PCMCIA "credit card" who comes with |
| a detailed printed manual, a pass-trough "T" connector for |
| BNC cables and a disk including the Netax software for |
| Amiga Systems." |
My little knowledge of the English language tells me, that the T-connector is included.
The carrier for the parts is a plastic form of the type I saw earlier before with PC network cards. But card and disk slipped out of the form and laid loose in the box.
The description of the hardware installation is just a picture, which shows, in which side the card has to be put into the computer. The printed arrow, which shows the upper side of the card is unfortunately only on the picture. The card itself has no marking. So it has to be expected, that the side with the label "NETAX 1200" has to show up (it happens to be that way). You shouldn't trust the protection to connect it the wrong way, because it is (as with any PCMCIA cards) just of plastic.
When connecting the adaptor cable you have to trust the label of the small media plug (the arrow has to show up). A notice, that you have to press the plastic straps can be read on the plug only, too.
The included disk contains informations regarding installation and A1200 rework (reset for PCMCIA) as well as the "netax.device" and a file called "NetaxConfig". All files exist triple (two backup directories) for safety. So the disk is filled about 9%. Remarks for the installation are in a text file on disk. There you learn where to put the program "NetaxConfig".
An installation script is missing. So you have to copy the "netax.device" "by hand". As with other Sana-II drivers you have to copy it to "DEVS:Networks/". If the drawer doesn't exist you have to create it. A small line in the "S:User-Startup" is supposed to start the program. I don't know, which use the program has, but it seems, that it checks, if the card is plugged-in and works.
So far so good. As an experienced Amiga user you are not supposed to have any problems. But it will become more difficult installing a network. Those who never ran "Envoy" nor a TCP/IP stack will ask himself, where to find the correct network software. A look on the web pages of Haage&KPartner could help. In the description of the Netax 1200 you find locale links for "Genesis", "NetConnect" and "AmiTCP" (Products, which are distributed by Haage&Partner). That there is "Miami" is mentioned, but without a distribution address.
The printed English manual describes the configuration of the network software "MIAMI", "AmiTCP" and ",Genesis".
For manners of testing I installed the program "MIAMI" (registered) on an Amiga 1200 and configured it following the Netax manual. But there was no connect. Only after I changed the "net mask" to "255.255.255.0" and entered the IP address of my Amiga 4000 in the "Gateway" field, a connection via the coaxial cable was made.
| Computer 1 | Amiga 1200/020, 14 MHz, 2 MB Chip-RAM, 4 MB Fast-RAM |
| Netax 1200 | |
| MIAMI 3.0 | |
| Computer 2 | Amiga 4000/040 40 MHz, 2 MB Chip-RAM, approx. 50 MB Fast-RAM |
| Ariadne-II | |
| GENESIS | |
In addition a Windows-PC was connected to the coaxial cable, which wasn't operating. A "Ping" from the A4000 to the A1200 was answered after 5 ms. Because an FTP server has been installed with "Genesis" I installed the program "MFTP" on the A1200 and copied data from the A4000 hard disk to the A1200-Ram Disk. With a file size of approx. 300 KByteMFtp investigated a transfer rate of approx. 60 KByte/sec. This low speed is due to the "small" 68020 processor of the A1200. With larger, higher clocked processors, there should be higher speeds.
In my opinion the "Netax 1200" is for experienced Amiga users. As a beginner there will be insuperable problems. A few words about the basics of a network hadn't been wrong.
You can get off the missing of a resistor, because if you have one too many, if you have three network cards. But it should have been mentioned, that two resistors are necessary for a BNC network.
I also miss a type of special edition of a TCP/IP program. E.g. with the Ariadne-II everything you need for the installation on the weekend, but a BNC cable, was included. Even a network file system for the Amiga wasn't missing.
| Plus: | - acceptable price |
| Minus: | - No German manual (shouldn't be a problem for readers of Amiga aktuell international) |
| - No T-connector | |
| - No informations about networks | |
| - No installer script | |
| - No network software | |
If I understood the web page of "S-Cube" correctly, it is planned to include a network software. But in the moment you're "left in the lurch", if you get the parcel on a saturday.
Juergen Reinert <ac-techno@t-online.de>«
