>> Final possibility you aren't using a MAU cable, instead you've used a
>> generic 15 pin PC joystick type cable and that just won't work.
>
>It may, if it connects the relevant pins and is short enough.  I once
>did a MAU cable with two DB-15s and some 15-condutor ribbon cable.  I
>first used all the ribbon cable I had on hand (some 15-20 feet) and
>tested it; I saw occasional (a few percent) errors.  So I cut it down
>to about six inches and have never had any trouble with it.
>
>Of course, YMMV.  This was in a not particularly electromagnetically
>noisy environment....

Actually the main problem with flat cable is that it represenst a large
impedance mis-match --> ~130 ohms (depending on actual cable wiring)
versus 78 ohms for STP (which MAU drop cables are supposed to be) When you
get 10-20 feet of cable, you will get severe reflections...


a couple of feet will not be a problem (3 feet would be about 1/8 wave at
20 MHz - not a major discontinuity)


PCW

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