<s>
A	O
vampire	B-Protocol
tap	I-Protocol
(	O
also	O
called	O
a	O
piercing	O
tap	O
)	O
was	O
a	O
device	O
for	O
physically	O
connecting	O
a	O
station	B-Protocol
,	O
typically	O
a	O
computer	O
,	O
to	O
a	O
network	O
that	O
used	O
10BASE5	O
cabling	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
device	O
clamped	O
onto	O
and	O
"	O
bit	O
"	O
into	O
the	O
cable	O
(	O
hence	O
the	O
name	O
"	O
vampire	B-Application
"	O
)	O
,	O
inserting	O
a	O
probe	O
through	O
a	O
hole	O
drilled	O
using	O
a	O
special	O
tool	O
through	O
the	O
outer	O
shielding	O
to	O
contact	O
the	O
inner	O
conductor	O
,	O
while	O
other	O
spikes	O
bit	O
into	O
the	O
outer	O
conductor	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
vampire	B-Protocol
tap	I-Protocol
usually	O
had	O
an	O
integrated	O
AUI	O
(	O
Attachment	B-Protocol
Unit	I-Protocol
Interface	I-Protocol
)	O
,	O
from	O
which	O
a	O
short	O
multicore	O
cable	O
connected	O
to	O
the	O
network	O
card	O
in	O
the	O
station	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
Vampire	B-Protocol
taps	I-Protocol
allowed	O
new	O
connections	O
to	O
be	O
made	O
on	O
a	O
given	O
physical	O
cable	O
while	O
the	O
cable	O
was	O
in	O
use	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
allowed	O
administrators	O
to	O
expand	O
bus	B-Architecture
topology	I-Architecture
network	O
sections	O
without	O
interrupting	O
communications	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Without	O
a	O
vampire	B-Protocol
tap	I-Protocol
,	O
the	O
cable	O
had	O
to	O
be	O
cut	O
and	O
connectors	O
had	O
to	O
be	O
attached	O
to	O
both	O
ends	O
.	O
</s>
