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I have a small network of 4 Macs, 2 PowerPCs, a PowerBook 3400 and a 640. &nbsp;We use thinnet (looks like a coax cable) to daisy chain the network. We do not have a dedicated server. &nbsp;We have an Omnis database file on a 4400 PowerPC which is used heavily by 2 machines and a Now Up To Date calender also used primarily by 2 machines. &nbsp;All 4 machines use SnapMail frequently for interoffice communication. &nbsp;Our problem is that the 4400 crashes once or twice a day. &nbsp;When it does, it often ties up any machine that is running the Omnis database. &nbsp;All 4 machines are running OS 8.1. &nbsp;The PowerPC have 32 meg or better, the 640 has 16 meg. &nbsp;Most have VM turned on. &nbsp;We tried doing a clean install of the system on the 4400 but that did not help much. &nbsp;Someone told us that the problem may be in the thinnet which cannot handle the volume of traffic. &nbsp;Would switching to twisted pair cable and a router significantly improve our performance? &nbsp;We have a small router which we are only using to connect the PowerBook as that was the only way to connect it to the thinnet network. &nbsp;We would need to purchase several hundred feet of cable to connect the other machines to the router. &nbsp;I do not want to do this unless it really would be a real improvement.
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I have a small network of 4 Macs, 2 PowerPCs, a PowerBook 3400 and a 640.  We use thinnet (looks like a coax cable) to daisy chain the network. We do not have a dedicated server.  We have an Omnis database file on a 4400 PowerPC which is used heavily by 2 machines and a Now Up To Date calender also used primarily by 2 machines.  All 4 machines use SnapMail frequently for interoffice communication.  Our problem is that the 4400 crashes once or twice a day.  When it does, it often ties up any machine that is running the Omnis database.  All 4 machines are running OS 8.1.  The PowerPC have 32 meg or better, the 640 has 16 meg.  Most have VM turned on.  We tried doing a clean install of the system on the 4400 but that did not help much.  Someone told us that the problem may be in the thinnet which cannot handle the volume of traffic.  Would switching to twisted pair cable and a router significantly improve our performance?  We have a small router which we are only using to connect the PowerBook as that was the only way to connect it to the thinnet network.  We would need to purchase several hundred feet of cable to connect the other machines to the router.  I do not want to do this unless it really would be a real improvement.

Flaky network

Apple devices including Macs, iPhones, iPods and iPad support standard wired and wireless networking technologies, but they also utilize custom applications and some special techniques for networking with each other and with non-Apple devices. Apple manufacturers the AirPort line of wireless networking products, and has its own networking protocols, AppleTalk and AFP (Apple Filing Protocol).