Q40 - Q40 Sernetting |
Derek Stewart
Connection of Q40 via a standard Maplin null modem cable, using Sernet v2.2 gives faster networking than the QL network at the maximum I/O card baud rate in the Q40. Which is 115200 baud = 11.Kb/sec approx.
To install Sernet v2.2 on a machine for serial networking, configure Sernet v2.2 to access the required serial port in question.
Connect the null modem cable to the specified serial ports of the machines in question. I usually configure 4 versions for each of the Q40's serial port, naming them as SERNET_SER1_REXT,... etc
The commands to connect two Q40 or other machines are as follows, please bear in mind that the baud rate must be the same on each machine. So the following table can be used for the machines I have in use:
| Connected To: | BAUD RATE | |
| Q40 | Q40 | 115200 |
| Q40 | QXL 1 | 57600 |
| Q40 | Super Gold Card Aurora (Ser1/2) | 19200 |
| Q40 | Atari ST Mode 8 Emulator | 19200 |
| Q40 | Trump Card QL | 9600 |
The Trump card requires some serial port extensions to use sernet, it is SMSQ/E specific, but the transfer rate is slow.
The QXL has a very low data transfer rate, but will connect at 57600 baud.
I have not got the Superhermes SER3 port connected to Sernet. Probably because the baud rate of the SER3 port is set in the command string and not by the BAUD command.
To Serial network two Q40 machines at 115200 baud, the following sets were used:
Q40 station 1 (server)
BAUD 2,115200 : REMark Set SER2 to 115200 baud
LRESPR "SERNET_SER2_REXT" : REMark Sernet configured for SER2
SNET 1 : REMark Set Sernet station 1
SERNET : REMark Start Sernet Server
Q40 station 2
BAUD 1,115200 : REMark Set SER1 to 115200 baud
LRESPR "SERNET_SER1_REXT" : REMark Sernet configured for SER1
SNET 2 : REMark Set Sernet station 2
Then on station 2, using DIR S1_WIN1_ will give a directory of the station 1, WIN1_
All SBASIC commands work as usual, using the S1 prefix like the N1 for the QL LAN.
Using QPAC2 Files thing, transfers files very quickly from the Sernet Server Q40, as it must use the extra ram to cache the file transfer.
The Q40 at present runs the Holborn View BBS connected by sernet to a Atari Mode 8 Emulator, the connection rate is only 19200 baud or 1.92 Kb/sec. And it uses a standard null modem cable from Maplin's.