From owner-freebsd-isp@FreeBSD.ORG Tue Nov 25 10:21:26 2003 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-isp@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6CAAD16A4CE for ; Tue, 25 Nov 2003 10:21:26 -0800 (PST) Received: from bilver.wjv.com (user38.net339.fl.sprint-hsd.net [65.40.24.38]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id D7E0043F75 for ; Tue, 25 Nov 2003 10:21:24 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from bv@bilver.wjv.com) Received: from bilver.wjv.com (localhost.wjv.com [127.0.0.1]) by bilver.wjv.com (8.12.10/8.12.10) with ESMTP id hAPILNm7005545 for ; Tue, 25 Nov 2003 13:21:23 -0500 (EST) (envelope-from bv@bilver.wjv.com) Received: (from bv@localhost) by bilver.wjv.com (8.12.10/8.12.10/Submit) id hAPILNgY005544 for freebsd-isp@freebsd.org; Tue, 25 Nov 2003 13:21:23 -0500 (EST) (envelope-from bv) Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2003 13:21:23 -0500 From: Bill Vermillion To: freebsd-isp@freebsd.org Message-ID: <20031125182123.GA5508@wjv.com> References: <6.0.1.1.2.20031117145927.0486af80@mail.go2france.com> <20031125120037.V26497-100000@fw.mccons.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <20031125120037.V26497-100000@fw.mccons.net> Organization: W.J.Vermillion / Orlando - Winter Park ReplyTo: bv@wjv.com User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.4i X-Spam-Status: No, hits=0.0 required=5.0 tests=none autolearn=no version=2.60 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 2.60 (1.212-2003-09-23-exp) on bilver.wjv.com Subject: Re: Multiport Serial X-BeenThere: freebsd-isp@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list Reply-To: bv@wjv.com List-Id: Internet Services Providers List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2003 18:21:26 -0000 Shakespeare wrote plays and sonnets which will last an eternity, but on Tue, Nov 25, 2003 at 12:08 , Wm Brian McCane wrote: > Greetings, > This might no longer be a good place to ask this since so few of > us actually use modems anymore, but... > I am wondering which of the multiple serial port cards is best > supported/maintained in FreeBSD. I am also concerned with > expandability... > A customer with a server running about 20 dumb terminals plus > some PCs on a network, wants to put a box in a satellite office > to run 4 or 5 terminals and a printer. They also would like a > new report system and we are looking at setting up a box with > about 32 modems hanging off it's backside for faxing and dumping > directly to onsite modem/buffer/printer units. > So: > support for 8 upto 32 ports > well maintained driver > capable of sending 32 simultaneous 19200 or faster faxes > Not too worried about the price Given the way the world has changed - and having managed many multi-serial port devices in the far past, I think you'd be better served by a terminal-server - which gives you multiple RS-232 ports being connected to the OS by TCP/IP. Performance is much better than any serial boards I've seen in the past - with the exception of the Specialix RIO devices with on Inmos Transputer for very 8 serial ports. That could handle about 70 ports at 115Kb - and if you maxed it out with 128 serial ports you could sustain about 70Kb. But the damned wiring will kill you. I don't know what terminal servers are supported under BSD but IMO they are a better solution. And they are easy to remote if needed. Bill -- Bill Vermillion - bv @ wjv . com