Xref: utzoo comp.dcom.lans:2276 comp.protocols.tcp-ip:5995
Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!ames!mailrus!sharkey!atanasoff!shaver
From: shaver@atanasoff.cs.iastate.edu (Dave Shaver)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans,comp.protocols.tcp-ip
Subject: Looking for information on LAN terminal servers (dumb host <=> LAN)
Summary: Seeking experiences and comments/ideas
Keywords: LAN terminal server
Message-ID: <708@atanasoff.cs.iastate.edu>
Date: 19 Jan 89 23:27:01 GMT
Reply-To: shaver@atanasoff.cs.iastate.edu (Dave Shaver)
Distribution: na
Organization: Iowa State U. Computer Science Department, Ames, IA
Lines: 34

We have one host here in the department that we can't hookup to our
LAN.  (Our LAN consists mostly of VAXen, Suns, etc).  One solution we
have come up with is to purchase a LAN terminal server and hook the
ports on it to this non-LANed host.

We'd like to be able to use telnet to connect to these ports connected
to the terminal server.  The server would translate the telnet session
to the host via the serial ports.  Thus, on the LAN side, it looks like
a normal telnet session.  On the host side, it looks like a normal
hard-wired terminal session.

We plan to one day junk this host, so we'd like to have the option of
hooking up normal ASCII terminals to this server at a later time.  The
idea being that users could sit at the server and give the (IP) address
of the host they want to talk with and it would start a telnet
session.  (I assume this is the original intent of most ``terminal
servers'' out there.)  Thus, if possible, this server must do
bidirectional telnet sessions.

So, enough background.  There are several companies that make boxes
somewhat like this.  We're looking for comments on ANY terminal
servers.  Good, bad, or otherwise.  We're also open to other ideas on
how to get this host onto the LAN.  If the box doesn't speak telnet,
we'd also be open to anything else.

Please MAIL responses and I'll summarize for the net.  Thanks in
advance for your time and comments/ideas.  (Please let me know in your
mail if I may include your name in the summary.)

				Cheers,

/\  Dave Shaver  -=*=-  CS Systems Support Group, Iowa State University
\\  UUCP:  {hplabs!hp-lsd,uunet!umix!sharkey}!atanasoff!shaver
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