Token Ring Horrors

["Rushdi A. Ariss" <rasmu1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi!

We have a token ring network (16 mb/s) with our AS/400 and about 40 PCs
connected to it.  The MAUS are IBM 8228s, and we run a combination of
UTP and STP cables.  

Recently, we have been experiencing a great deal of congestion,
beaconing, and overall havoc on the network.  It got so bad that we had
to re-ipl the AS/400!  

Now the question:  What tools are available on the AS/400, short of
buying a sniffer, which will help me check the health of our network. 
We may have a bad MAU, because a majority of the PCs reporting problems
are connected to the same MAU, but how do I check?  I have an Andrew 16
Port UTP MAU ( which is supposed to be 8228 compatible) and the rest are
8228s.  I believe my problems stem from the Andrew MAU, but without
replacing it, I'm not sure.  

Also, has anyone tried using two different brands of MAUs within the
same ring?  I was told during my Novell training that one should never
mix different MAUs, but I fail to see why.  Help!!!

Thanks in advance!
-- 
Rushdi A. Ariss
I. S. Manager
C. A. Rasmussen, Inc.
rasmu1@earthlink.net
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* This is the Midrange System Mailing List!  To submit a new message,   *
* send your mail to "MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com".  To unsubscribe from     *
* this list send email to MAJORDOMO@midrange.com and specify            *
* 'unsubscribe MIDRANGE-L' in the body of your message.  Questions      *
* should be directed to the list owner / operator: david@midrange.com   *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *