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Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!rutgers!uwm.edu!uwvax!umn-d-ub!umn-cs!nis!wd0gol!barker
From: barker@wd0gol.WD0GOL.MN.ORG (Bob Barker)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.i386,comp.unix.microport,comp.unix.xenix,comp.unix.aix
Subject: Smart Multi-port Boards
Keywords: Arnet, Computone, Digiboard...
Message-ID: <102@wd0gol.WD0GOL.MN.ORG>
Date: 21 Dec 89 18:12:43 GMT
Followup-To: poster
Organization: Robert Barker & Associates, Eden Prairie, MN
Lines: 34

My appologies if something like this has been posted in the recent
past, but I haven't seen it...

I'm planning on purchasing a "smart" multi-port board for use on
a Compaq Deskpro 386/25 running Interactive 386/ix version 2.0.1.
I will be hanging a mix of terminals and a modem or 2 off of the
machine and need to know what board is my best choice.

I'm considering 8 port boards by Arnet, Computone and Digiboard.
I've had experience with Arnet and Computone in the past (both
good and bad) but not with Digiboard.  The magazine ads for Digiboard
as well as their literature makes them out to be the best performer
(as far as high throughput and low CPU utilization).

My primary concerns are:
	Ability to support full hardware flow control with a trailblazer
	Compatibility of device drivers with 386/ix
	Ease of installation/configuration/reconfiguration
	Reliability
	Support

Naturally, the sales folks at each company tell me "no problem, our
board does that - its the best."  If anybody has any real-life 
experience, comments or opinions about these products or any others
that I should be considering, I'd be very interested in hearing from
you.  I'll summarize to the net.

Thanks!!!

-Bob
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bob Barker                                                      (612) 934-2136
Robert Barker & Associates              ...!uunet!rosevax!bungia!wd0gol!barker
barker@wd0gol.mn.org                           ...!amdahl!bungia!wd0gol!barker