GatorBox CS configurationGatorBox CS configurationA Cayman GatorBox serves several important functions on a Macintosh network. First and foremost, it is an AppleTalk router. An AppleTalk router allows AppleTalk devices (such as Macintosh computers, LaserWriters, AppleShare File Servers, etc.) on different networks and/or in different zones to communicate with one another. AppleTalk routing services are critical on networks that have AppleTalk devices on both Ethernet and LocalTalk (or PhoneNet). The GatorBox also provides TCP/IP services to LocalTalk Macs. Additional, less commonly used GatorBox services include DECnet routing (which allows LocalTalk Macs to communicate with DECnet nodes on an Ethernet), UNIX-to-LocalTalk printing (with GatorPrint), and UNIX-based file services for Macs on LocalTalk or Ethernet (with GatorShare).
I got a used GatorBox CS for US$20 (the person selling it had no idea what it was) but I got just the box, no software, no manual, no cables.
Cayman Systems, now netopia kindly supplied me with links and passwords to the latest system software for the GatorBox CS. I reckon asking nicely won't hurt, as they discontinued this product quite some time ago. (GatorBoxes were sold with three levels of software: GatorSystem, which provides the basic connectivity, GatorPrint, which makes appletalk printers available to lp, and GatorShare, which makes NFS file systems available to macs via appleshare.)
I found a configuration guide at the University of Illinois, this was of great help in understanding what the different options are for, I urge you to read this first.
UPDATE 2005-02-13: I was made aware that the page at University of Illinois is 404. I have asked the fine people from UIUC if they can make the pages availabel again or provide me with an archive to host here. Until I get an answer, please use the Wayback Machine to get the text from their page.
UPDATE 2017-04-09: Look in the 2002 archive.
With some more help from usenet, I was able to gather the following information. (I will hereafter assume that you have obtained the latest version of the software, as I have no experience with older versions and I will also assume that you are able to talk to the GatorBox via GatorKeeper, you have read the guide haven't you?)
When you launch GatorKeeper you will hopefully see a window like the following;
It contains GatorDefaults (used to save or revert default settings by either droping a GotorBox icon over it or dragging it over a GatorBox icon) and all the GatorBoxes found by GatorKeeper. If your GatorBox is not visible, check your zone selection in Lookup in Zone... (in the View menu)
When you double-click your GatorBox a window will open;
depending on the GatorBox software you installed, GatorShare and/or GatorPrint might be missing.
TCP/IP allows you to set the IP number under which the GatorBox can be found (you can even telnet to it and configure it that way) and it allows you to give IP numbers on the LocalTalk network via the GatorBox.
MacIP is used to provide IP numbers on your LocalTalk network, I do not use this feature yet.
AppleTalk routing will allow you to merge a LocalTalk and a EtherTalk network.
When there are two or more routers attached to the same LocalTalk or Ethernet segment, the routers must agree on zone and network number information. In such cases, typically one router is configured as a seed router and the remaining routers are configured as soft seed or non seed.
The LocalTalk Network Number is used to identify the zone the GatorBox is in. Anything from 1 to 64280. It must be unique on your network (especially different from the EtherTalk network number).
Zone Name is the name you want to give to the LocalTalk zone, in my case HouseNet Local Talk
Phase 1 EtherTalk is not in use anymore (very old Macs might require it).
One Phase 2 EtherTalk network is sufficient for 253 nodes, if you need more, just enter a higher end number.
Enter all the zones you wish to add on EtherTalk and select the default zone.
I have never used DECnet, if you have information on these settings please drop me a note.
The gatorbox can easily be accessed bryt SNMP. Set a community string different from the default (doh!) and the use either MRTG, RRDtool, net-snmp or one of the many commercial tools.
I use it with mrtg, it is automatically recognized by cfgmaker and should be with other tools as well. The standard mibs of ucd-snmp (predecessor to net-snmp) name most variables, use snmpwalk to list them.
GatorPrint allows you to access your AppleTalk printer via LPR (e.g. from a Linux machine)
Click Add after you have entered all the settings.
GatorShare allows you to access NFS exported volumes as AppleShare volumes, it only supports NIS, not NIS+, it appears that it has problems with MacOS 8 and shadow passwords, so I continue using netatalk on my Linux box.
Cayman Systems had a website with information and software for legacy products. But cayman.com is now something completely different and I cannot find any reference to the GatorBox on the netopia site. If you find something of interest, please let me know.
Here is some information on how to reset a GatorBox. Use this only as a last resort and at your own risk. Two readers confirmed that the procedure works. You'll have to reinstall all the software on the Gatorbox afterwards of course.
Connect serial cable from serial port of gatorbox to phone port of
a mac.
Run Kermit or other communications program and set up for 9600 baud.
Set switch on back of Gatorbox to test position.
Turn on gatorbox, a menu should appear on mac.
Select 2-individual tests Type 923 at prompt
"Phoebe welcomes you" should appear
At Phoebe> prompt, type zero <cr> to clear parameter memory.
Type exit to return to normal diag menu
This clears EVERYTHING.
After this you need to reinstall the OS (firmware?) on the GatorBox with Gator Installer.
Some settings will only take effect if you restart the GatorBox, when in doubt, restart it via the Control menu.
The Gatorbox expects that the data files be sent first, followed by the control file. See the LPRng FAQ, Job disappears and is never printed, but lpr works.
You need to change the order as LPRng will by default send the control file first.
Set the send_data_first flag in the printcap for the particular printer, or in the lpd.conf configuration file. This is:
:send_data_first: (printcap)
send_data_first (lpd.conf)
The Gatorbox expects that the data files be sent first, followed by the control file. See the LPRng FAQ.
cups versions up to 1.1.6 will not allow you to change that order in the configuration. A request for that setting has been submitted.
With the help of Jamie A. Cadorette, the following statement was obtained from Netopia:
Netopia, Inc. acquired Cayman after its Gatorbox product had been discontinued.
Netopia, Inc. decided to continue the existing policy of Cayman toward the Gatorbox, which was to provide no support of any kind whatsoever, nor to interfere in any peer-based exchange of information or public resources, such as existing firmware.
All modifications, distributions or configurations of the Gatorbox or its firmware are undertaken at the sole risk of the involved parties, and Netopia, Inc., explicitly disclaims any responsibility for any such actions.
As such, you can now download the software here.
UPDATE 2017-04-09: you will need to decode the BinHex (.hqx) file and then unpack the resulting StuffIt (.sit) file. Back in the days, when I still used my gatorbox, I did all this on a MacOS 6 or 7 machine. These days I do not have a Mac any more. The BinHex file is a text file and thus easy to transfer to the target Mac without curruption.
If you want to have a go at the insides of your gatorbox, you may find the following information useful. This is of course at your own risk!
You can change the serial number by putting a jumper on jp1 "PROM WREN".
You can also expand the buffer memory to at least 2mb by putting in different 30 pin simms. 120 nsec seems to be fast enough.
Some of this text is ripped as-is from these sources
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Last modification 2018-04-28 by pcfe