Routers, Rendezvous, and AppleTalk

Reader Allan Herman recently forwarded an email he received from an SMC representative stating that the SMC Barricade SMC7004AWBR wireless router "does not support" Apple's Rendezvous technology. This didn't make sense, since Rendezvous (Apple's name for Zero Configuration Networking) uses standard IP, which all hubs/switches/routers should support. We contacted SMC about this assertion, and spoke to Brian Larsen, product manager of the Barricade line. As suspected, the SMB Barricade products, like all networking products, fully support Rendezvous.

According to Mr. Larsen, what the support representative was most likely thinking of was that the Barricade products do not all bridge AppleTalk between wired and wireless networks. This is actually quite common amongst wireless routers -- although some models from Lucent, MacSense, Asante, and LinkSys do bridge AppleTalk between wired and wireless network segments, many do not. (And it's unlikely that those that don't will add such support in the future, since Apple appears to be gradually phasing out AppleTalk.)

We post this story for two reasons. First, to clear up any possible confusion in case other users have been provided with similar, incorrect, information. And second, to point out to Mac users who are in the market for a wireless router, and who have a need for AppleTalk on their wired/wireless network, to make sure the router they plan to purchase supports wired/wireless bridging of AppleTalk.

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