Number 194 - July 1999
UPDATE
The BBS Is Dead ...
Long Live toggle.org!
We've had so few calls to our BBS recently--none, some days--we decided to "go off the air", save the cost of the phone line, and concentrate on getting our Web site up and running. Local ISP, Telisphere, are hosting our space. They are the ISP for some of our members,and are located in Fife, WA. See the notice on the home page. Ray Mills will act as Web Master for the web site http://www.toggle.org.

Home Area Networks

    In this issue is an article describing the Home Area Network (HAN) linking computers within a home, or small office, by sharing installed telephone cabling with the phone. Since we wrote the article, a couple of months ago, other vendors have entered the arena. In the May 30,1999 Seattle Times Personal Technology section, Peter Lewis wrote about his experiences/ problems with the Intel AnyPointTM device which connects to each computer through the parallel port, then to the phone wall jack.
    He is using a DSL telephone system and had some compatibility problems with frequent calls to Tech Support at both the phone company and Intel,who blamed each other. Most problems went away when he removed a filter in the phone cable between the computer and the wall jack, presumably to help the DSL link.

    He suggested that installation of a PCI card instead of the parallel port devices might have been more straightforward. He also said that Intel may bring out a USB model of AnyPointTM in the future. The parallel port device is mainly of interest for older computers that aren't yet equipped with USB connections. USB add-on hardware items: hubs, boards, etc. are available however. Check at the HAN or connector vendor and USB website:
    http://www.usb.org/press/prod_releases
  Number 194 - July 1999