LisaFAQ | sunder.net |
Since it takes a long time to make, read, and swap floppies, AppleTalk is a great way to move software to a Lisa running MacWorks. eg. Installing System 7 is much easier if you install a minimum System 6 with AppleShare client from floppies, then use AppleTalk to mount and run the System 7 Network Install from another Mac (or copy the System 7 installer images to the Lisa for use with a disk image mounter).
The other Lisa environments do not support AppleTalk. There was an "AppleNet" card for the Lisa, but it did not reach commercial distribution; it was the predecessor to AppleTalk.
The original AppleTalk cabling system was later renamed LocalTalk. Farallon made a similar system named PhoneNet, which can be used instead.
The Lisa's Serial B port supports the differential transmit/receive signals required for AppleTalk.
Apple sold an AppleTalk connector kit with a DB25 connector for use with the Lisa, however these are rare. You can make a DB25 adapter to use an AppleTalk connector that has a Macintosh DE9 or Macintosh Plus MiniDIN connector on your Lisa.
Equivalent Pins for LocalTalk cabling
| Signal | DB25 | DE9 | MiniDIN 8 |
| TxD - | 2 | 5 | 3 |
| RxD - | 3 | 9 | 5 |
| RxD + | 19 | 8 | 8 |
| TxD + | 20 | 4 | 6 |
| GND | 7 | 1, 3 | 4 |
If you don't have any LocalTalk/PhoneNet transformer boxes, you can make a two computer network by connecting TxD+ on computer A to RxD+ on Computer B, etc.
If you have a SCSI interface, you can use one of the SCSI-Ethernet adapters. Asante and Farallon adapters have been found to work, others will probably work too if they are compatible with the Macintosh Plus.
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