From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Wed Jul 30 10:22:22 2003 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 47CA037B404 for ; Wed, 30 Jul 2003 10:22:22 -0700 (PDT) Received: from mail3.panix.com (mail3.panix.com [166.84.1.74]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id D00AC43F3F for ; Wed, 30 Jul 2003 10:22:20 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from stanb@panix.com) Received: from panix.com (brillig.panix.com [166.84.1.76]) by mail3.panix.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4F56D987A9; Wed, 30 Jul 2003 13:22:20 -0400 (EDT) Received: from teddy.fas.com (pcp01010374pcs.mplsnt01.sc.comcast.net [68.58.176.69]) by panix.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 208842AA42; Wed, 30 Jul 2003 13:22:20 -0400 (EDT) Received: from stan by teddy.fas.com with local (Exim 3.36 #1 (Debian)) id 19hueZ-0000uv-00; Wed, 30 Jul 2003 13:22:19 -0400 Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2003 13:22:19 -0400 From: stan To: clayton rollins Message-ID: <20030730172219.GA3499@teddy.fas.com> Mail-Followup-To: clayton rollins , Free BSD Questions list References: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: X-Editor: gVim X-Operating-System: Debian GNU/Linux X-Kernel-Version: 2.4.21 X-Uptime: 13:18:56 up 1 day, 3:52, 1 user, load average: 0.07, 0.02, 0.00 User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.4i Sender: Stan Brown cc: Free BSD Questions list Subject: Re: Best way to add serial ports to STABLE machine? X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2003 17:22:22 -0000 On Wed, Jul 30, 2003 at 04:37:07PM +0000, clayton rollins wrote: > On Tue, 29 Jul 2003 stan wrote: > > > >I've got a bunch of what I call "2nd generation" HP Vectras that I'm > >redeploying for an application that gets input for Serial RS-232 devices. > >At the moment the most input devices any 1 computer has to deal with is 2, > >and I thought I would be in good shape using the on motherboard ports (as > >I have done on the "first generation" Vectras). > > > >However, I just discovered that these machines have a 8250 serial chip > >instead of a (useful) 16550A chip. Even ruining minicom against this port > >locks the machine up :-( > > > > Someone should smack that engineer around a bit. :) > > > > >Now, I can easily disable this port in the BIOS. > > > >So, whats the best (most FreeBSD compatible way) of adding an extra "good" > >serial port or 2? > > > >I've had success in the past with ISA card serial port cards to add 3rd > >and 4th ports. But I'm wondering if I can even still buy something this > >old? > > > >Suggestions? > > > > It sounds like you've got the right idea, and being able to disable the > onboard crap really helps. > > I want to say this, though. I'm a FreeBSD newbie, and may be overlooking > bsd specific issues. (I do see a variety of serial controllers listed in the > hardware guide for 4.8, so I'd assume that this is fully possible. Try it > on a > single machine before you order all your serial cards...) > > About availabiliy, I was able to find a variety of cards on > http://www.pricewatch.com . So, they're out there. > > Good luck reviving those machines, > Clayton > Thanks. I was able to go to the local computer store & geta PCI card with 2 serial ports on it. Disabled the onboards, pluged it in, and it "just worked". Suprised me, to, since I was concerned when I took it out of the box, and found no way to set IRQ's etc. I guess PCI really is "a good thing". -- "They that would give up essential liberty for temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Benjamin Franklin