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| Compatible Systems RiscRouter 3000e software | |
| Posted by: rza_sf on 2012-06-01 21:12:02 :b&w: Hello all, I've recently acquired a Compatible Systems RiscRouter 3000e, although the router did not come with any software. I'm trying to locate CompatiView (or whatever is the latest version for router management), either Mac or Windows (Mac OS version would be preferred!) Anyone happen to know where I could find it? It appears since EOL, Cisco Compatible RISC Router Series has archived content, and the ftp location where the software was once found has been removed (the ftp server exists, however the directory tree appears to have been removed). I noticed in this post, another member mentions CompatiView 4.8, and Google didn't really help (well, it does refer to the post I've just mentioned!) Any help would be greatly appreciated. I've heard so many great things about this router, and would really like to give it a spin. Just replaced the noisy fan. Now just need software to configure it! 😉 | |
| Posted by: rza_sf on 2026-09-20 22:29:08 One of those funny Internet things... I'm searching 68kmla to see if I can find info about my Compatible Systems RiscRouter, and lo and behold I find my own post from 14 years earlier. 🤦♂️ So hear I am,14 years later 🙀 revisiting the same topic. Though now I'm particularly motivated as I'm collaborating with @bigmessowires for Mactoberfest Meetup 2026. Really exciting and looking forward to seeing all the neat systems and of course meeting cool people. My intent was to dust of the Compatible Systems RiscRouter and get it running to bring, as a networking option for facilitating TCP/IP over LocalTalk. From my thread... 14 years ago... I know at least one other member had one, though I suspect after all this time the odds are slim that others have acquired one. But, if by chance anyone has a copy of CompatiView 4.8 sitting in their software archive somewhere, please do reach out. 😎 I'm going to try a couple other corners of the Internet, Discord, etc. Hopefully see you at Mactoberfest Meetup in November, and also I hope we'll have some cool network routing stuff happening. 🤞 | |
| Posted by: pl212 on 2026-09-21 13:39:11 Hey, I'll be at Mactoberfest too, and was halfway thinking of bringing my FastPath, Gatorbox, and GV OneWorld. Is it possible Compatible Systems was bought by Cisco at some point? "CompatiView for Windows is included on the CD-ROM which was shipped with your IntraPort Carrier-8 VPN Access Server." If so, I wonder if Cisco collectors (I'm thinking of ClabRetro and The Serial Port's Discord) might be one source of this software? | |
| Posted by: NJRoadfan on 2026-09-21 14:08:32 Yes, Compatible Systems was bought by Cisco. I think it might be possible to telnet into these to configure them. Besides one ebay listing for a 3000e, I haven't seen too much on these. | |
| Posted by: pl212 on 2026-09-21 14:35:23 Online manuals suggest the default password is letmein, at least for other devices from the same company.Pretty cool to have hardware LocalTalk ports -- nothing else from Cisco ever did, I think:  | |
Posted by: rza_sf on 2026-09-21 17:43:45Hey, I'll be at Mactoberfest too, and was halfway thinking of bringing my FastPath, Gatorbox, and GV OneWorld. Excellent! If you do, my plan was to have my Cisco branch router (with IOS supporting AppleTalk) as a centralized router. I can serve up DHCP to any of your boxes. Can VLAN or flat, what makes sense. I'm kinda jealous of all your network stuff! 🙂 BTW, did you happen to mention you'll be interested to network stuff on the Luma signup? Drop me a DM when you get a chance. 🙂 Is it possible Compatible Systems was bought by Cisco at some point? Yes "CompatiView for Windows is included on the CD-ROM which was shipped with your IntraPort Carrier-8 VPN Access Server." Oh ok -- I'm not aware of either. Would you point me to those Discords (if you have an invite link you could share, that would be awesome)? | |
Posted by: rza_sf on 2026-09-21 17:47:47Yes, Compatible Systems was bought by Cisco. I think it might be possible to telnet into these to configure them. Besides one ebay listing for a 3000e, I haven't seen too much on these. +1 Yes, this is part of the problem as the acquisition happened now, over 25 years ago (I can't believe it actually). Cisco seems to have retired all mentions of Compatible Systems. Wayback gave me this, but that's all I can find from "what used to be there." 😒 And the Cisco FTP site is no longer either it seems. | |
Posted by: rza_sf on 2026-09-21 17:49:38Online manuals suggest the default password is Where'd you find that image!? There she is. 😎 | |
| Posted by: rza_sf on 2026-09-21 18:00:52 I'm also thinking worst case scenario, if I can't find CompatiView 4.8, I may be able to get things configured just as well over telnet. I'm quite fine with that. I was hoping to use the Mac app if possible to see how it worked. If ultimately it's just a GUI wrapper for the CLI equivalent maybe it's not necessary. In parallel, sometime ago I picked up a MicroRouter (also from Compatible Systems) because IIRC it included software with it as a complete kit. I need to find it, it's somewhere. I can't remember whether it included CompatiView specifically, but I'm thinking it did as that would have been the reason I bought it. Given that's a Plan B, and telnet and poking around without the app as Plan C... Plan A would be to see if I can locate CompatiView 4.8 from a software archive, e.g. perhaps what @pl212 mentioned. I wanna make this thing work, especially for Mactoberfest Meetup if I can. 🙂 | |
Posted by: pl212 on 2026-09-22 14:25:01Where'd you find that image!? Always good to have a reference library:   | |
| Posted by: rza_sf on 2026-09-22 20:47:15 Haha! Love this! I had some of those back in the day. Always good to have a reference library: | |
| Posted by: olePigeon on 2026-09-23 08:52:54 This is neat, I had never heard of this product. Looks like a much better thought out product like the GatorBox. Much better than the Shiva FastPath 5R, which was literally just two Shiva FastPath 5s (or upgraded 4s) stuffed inside a rackmount enclosure. You have to configure both of the Shivas separately. 😛 | |
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