[geeks] Strangest use for a 13W3 connector...

[Ian Viemeister]

On Wed, 29 Nov 2006, Lionel Peterson wrote:
> Today I got a few interesting things at the Princeton University Surplus
> sale, and the one that really got my mind going was the 3Com switch,
> model 3C16980a (24 10/100 managed switch). What really got me going was
> the 13W3 on the back used as a backup/redundant power connector...

Yeah, I've always thought that choice was a bit ...odd.

> I haven't tested the switch yet, but a managed switch for $5 seems like
> a good deal to me ;^)

Yup.  They work fairly well (until killed by heat and dust...) I've got
60+ of these in service at the moment, and when new they cost $700-$1,000.
The VHDCI-style port on the back is a gig-speed stacking port that can
connect two of these directly, or a stack of four with a "matrix module".

Be sure to download the free version of the 3com Network Supervisor, and
use it to update the firmware image.  (If it's not available on the 3com
site anymore, let me know.)

> The iMac is for my daughter (3 Years old), and the indys are available
> at my cost if someone wants them (one is R4000, the other is R4600, and
> one has 96 Meg, the other has 32 Meg, each has a HD, that's about it).
> The E250s might be available as well, but I'll need to test them first.

I'd be interested, (and I'm fairly nearby.)

--Ian