Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!bu.edu!telecom-request From: hayes!tnixon@uunet.uu.net (Toby Nixon) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Information Wanted on X.25 Message-ID: Date: 27 Feb 91 17:25:03 GMT Sender: news@bu.edu.bu.edu Organization: Hayes Microcomputer Products, Norcross, GA Lines: 48 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 167, Message 6 of 11 In article , broehl@watserv1.waterloo. edu (Bernie Roehl) writes: > I'm considering setting up a multi-line BBS that's accessible over > Datapac (Canada's X.25 service, analagous to Tymenet or Telenet). I'm > considering several options: > 1. Buy a self-contained PAD with a number of serial lines, and hooking this > 2. Buying an X.25 board and writing software to provide an int 14h type > 3. Buying a synchronous serial card for the PC, and implementing X.25 in > software. Advantage: lowest cost. Disadvantage: lots of work. There's a fourth option you may not be aware of: a modem with X.25 built in. The Hayes Ultra 96, for example, provides V.22bis or V.32 X.32 (dial-up X.25) with a four-channel X.3/X.28/X.29 PAD built in. It connects via your normal async port -- one port. The data to/from the four channels is multiplexed onto the single async port via a very simple protocol we call "AutoStream" (which I had a part in designing). We've implemented an AutoStream multisession interface in Smartcom III's SCOPE scripting language -- it's really that simple to do multisession communications with AutoStream. Ultra 96 is fully certified for use on Datapac. You have to have a synchronous modem to do X.25 anyway, and for a little more than the "average" cost of a V.32 modem you can have one with X.25 built in. I think this would be the best combination of low cost and low effort, compared to the other options you've listed. I don't know if four channels is enough for you. You should consider that if you try to do MORE than that, then the throughput on a 9600bps modem might become unacceptably slow for the remote users. You could use additional modems (on standard comm ports) to provide an additional four channels each as your use expanded. If you want higher throughput, about your only choice is a digital circuit at 56kbps or 64kbps, but then you're talking about a major expense. If you'd like more information on Hayes modems with X.32/X.25 built in, and AutoStream, just let me know. Toby Nixon, Principal Engineer | Voice +1-404-840-9200 Telex 151243420 Hayes Microcomputer Products Inc. | Fax +1-404-447-0178 CIS 70271,404 P.O. Box 105203 | UUCP uunet!hayes!tnixon AT&T !tnixon Atlanta, Georgia 30348 USA | Internet hayes!tnixon@uunet.uu.net