anybody running multiple protocols on a single cable?

[Russell J. Yount]

In article <222 at thunder.UUCP> gamiddleton at thunder.UUCP (Guy Middleton) writes:
>Sorry if this is a dumb question.
>It it possible to run both (for instance) XNS and TCP/IP on a single
>ethernet?  How about DECNET as well?  Is anybody doing this?
>-- 


	Yes, it is quite possible to run mutiple protocols on the same
ethernet. We run both IP, CHAOSNET, and PERQ protocals on our local ethernet.
As long as all the different protocols are using different ethernet packet
types with the possible exception of a common ARP (address resolution
protocol) coexistance on same ethernet is easy.

	  Beware however some Vendors seem to claim any ethernet packet
type as there own (this is a very poor choice and not to spec.) Also
some vendors protocals tend to use broadcast packets way to much, this may
affect preformance of other machines on same ethernet by keeping their
interfaces busy (and cases heavy DMA/interrupt loads) when packets are
not used on that machine anyway and just thrown out.