Date: Thu, 2 Oct 1997 08:42:25 -0400 (EDT) From: "John T. Farmer" <jfarmer@sabre.goldsword.com> To: freebsd-hardware@FreeBSD.ORG, richard@pegasus.com Cc: jfarmer@goldsword.com Subject: Re: Multiple serial ports Message-ID: <199710021242.IAA02582@sabre.goldsword.com>
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On Wed, 1 Oct 1997 20:40:35 -1000 (Richard Foulk) said: > [I said...] >} Actually, there are several vendors of terminal servers that will do >} 4 to 16 serial ports in the <$1500 range (some much less than that!). >} The downside is the number of control lines available, sometimes the >} maximin port speed, and some of the "routing" type features. Check out >} Lantronix, Equinox, Chase, Stallion, some of the cheaper DEC boxes, etc. >} > >Quirky and slow. I've tested the Stallions and sent them back, and heard >others doing the same with other cheap boxes. > >They may be able to run one port at a reasonable speed, say 9600 >or 19200. More than that and they bog down and get jerky and slow. >Just one printer connection and a single interactive telnet session at >the same time becomes unbearable. > >And, do any of them have modem control? > Uh, actually, I've had good success with with several different brands for multiple terminals/printers/front-end system consoles all active at the same time. Granted, I don't try to run the ports at greater than 56kbps. Frankly, you don't need to. As to quirky, I'm not sure what you mean. Their command syntax is different from Livingston or Cisco, most resemble the older DEC terminal servers. Livingston & Co. are relative newcomers to the field. (I was buying & selling DEC terminal servers during the early '80's & they weren't new product then...) Most of the lower cost boxes that I've tested would allow _either_ hardware flow control or modem control. I've noticed that several of these vendors (Digi, Stallion, etc.) have upgraded the boxes to supply both hardware flow & modem control. Again, it comes down to what are you trying to do, what do you have to do it with, and what works for you. If you have older gear laying around (Livingston, Cisco, etc.) that _you're_ comfortable with, then use it if you want. Other's may choose differently. For this application (connecting to local &/or remote serial consoles) I _don't_ want a box that is dependant on Radius servers, high-speed links, or anything _other_ than hauling bytes back & forth. If an $800 box will do it, then I'm not going to spend $2k for one. If the requirements or imposed limitations changed, then I might make a diferent choice. For example, if I'm dealing with system consoles for a group of PC servers (a web farm for example), I'm as likely to use cheap ISA video cards & a "switch box" approach (smart or dumb switches). Example: 4 servers tied to a display/KB/mouse in the next room. A monitor, keyboard & mouse, 4 ISA cards, Cabling & switching gear, tied from a server room to an operations room next to it will have a total cost of least than $500. John ------------------------------------------------------------------------- John T. Farmer Proprietor, GoldSword Systems jfarmer@goldsword.com Public Internet Access in East Tennessee dial-in (423)470-9953 for info, e-mail to info@goldsword.com Network Design, Internet Services & Servers, Consulting
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