From owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Sun May 25 21:15:14 2003 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id CF17E37B401 for ; Sun, 25 May 2003 21:15:14 -0700 (PDT) Received: from procyon.firepipe.net (procyon.firepipe.net [198.78.66.151]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6FC6543F3F for ; Sun, 25 May 2003 21:15:14 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from will@csociety.org) Received: by procyon.firepipe.net (Postfix, from userid 1000) id C078920C52; Sun, 25 May 2003 21:15:13 -0700 (PDT) Date: Sun, 25 May 2003 21:15:13 -0700 From: Will Andrews To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Message-ID: <20030526041513.GP81874@procyon.firepipe.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline User-Agent: Mutt/1.4.1i cc: Will Andrews Subject: Best serial console server construction method? X-BeenThere: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: Technical Discussions relating to FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 26 May 2003 04:15:15 -0000 Hi all, In my quest to make my little network of computers more useful for kernel hacking and testing, I'm attempting to build a very cheap serial console server. Basically, the idea is that I'm going to use a computer that will be used for other purposes and add 8 serial ports. How am I going to do that cheaply? Well, N-port serial cards (where N is >= 4) cost a few hundred dollars from everywhere I could see (granted, they're niche items and are accordingly priced). So I came up with the following scheme. If the computer in question has two USB ports, I could purchase two 4-port USB hubs and get 8 single-port serial adapters. So far as I can tell, the total cost would be approximately: 8 x USB->RS232 DB9 Male @ $8/ea = $64 2 x 4-port USB hub @ $8/ea = $16 extra $ for misc. costs $20 Total: $100 Average per port: $12.50 So my question is: has anyone else done this kind of thing before? I am well aware of the flakiness in FreeBSD's USB stack, but supposedly USB hubs and USB->RS232 adapters work without a hitch. If so, this could be the most economical approach to building a serial console server. Thanks for any comments. Please Cc: me as I am not subscribed to freebsd-hackers at this space-time vector. Regards, -- wca