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From: mccalpin@masig1 (John D. McCalpin)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards
Subject: TCP/IP terminal server(s)
Message-ID: <9319@brl-adm.ARPA>
Date: Wed, 16-Sep-87 09:52:37 EDT
Article-I.D.: brl-adm.9319
Posted: Wed Sep 16 09:52:37 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 18-Sep-87 07:07:47 EDT
Sender: news@brl-adm.ARPA
Lines: 31

I have been using the Encore Annex box for several months.  We got the
new software about 2 months ago which can use both domain and IEN-116
nameservers, as well as catching rwhod packets to maintain the host table.
The software must be booted from a 4.[23] BSD-type machine, though we
managed to get ours to boot OK from a Silicon Graphics IRIS (System V.2 
plus BSD extensions) - We never managed to get the terminal server
administrator program running from that system though.

Pluses:
	- UNIX-like interface
	- bidirectional service available on all ports, including
		modem support
	- lots of good configuration features like:
		max number of sessions settable independently for each port
		inactivity timeout settable independently on each port
	- no hardware failures so far....
	- very helpful customer service folks
	- running 19200 baud on unshielded wires up to 100 feet
		with no trouble
Minuses:
	- about $300-$350 per port (a few months ago)
	- 9-pin (DB-9) connectors for the serial ports
	- non-IBM PC standard DB-25 connector for the centronics
		printer port
	- administrator program won't run on my machine :-(
	- cannot see what ports are in use, except by looking
		at the lights on the front panel :-) !

John D. McCalpin			mccalpin@fsu.MFENET
Dept. of Oceanography			mcalpin@fsu.BITNET
Florida State Univ.