Xref: utzoo comp.unix.i386:2243 comp.unix.microport:3924 comp.unix.xenix:9377 comp.unix.aix:400 Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!focsys!larry From: larry@focsys.uucp (Larry Williamson) Newsgroups: comp.unix.i386,comp.unix.microport,comp.unix.xenix,comp.unix.aix Subject: Re: Smart Multi-port Boards Message-ID: Date: 22 Dec 89 15:15:12 GMT References: <102@wd0gol.WD0GOL.MN.ORG> Sender: larry@focsys.uucp (Larry Williamson) Organization: Focus Automation Systems Inc. Waterloo, Ontario. Lines: 60 In-Reply-To: barker@wd0gol.WD0GOL.MN.ORG's message of 21 Dec 89 18:12:43 GMT In article <102@wd0gol.WD0GOL.MN.ORG> barker@wd0gol.WD0GOL.MN.ORG (Bob Barker) writes: > 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. Have a look at Connect Tech Inc's Intellicon-8 smart card. We use quite a few of them here and we are very happy with them. > My primary concerns are: > Ability to support full hardware flow control with a trailblazer The Intellicon series of smart cards do not support hardware flow control with 386/ix (see note below), but if your only high speed traffic is uucp, then you won't need hardware flow control. The uucp protocol takes care of everything. I run our trailblazer at 19200 and we have had no problems. Here is a log of our typical daily traffic. (News feeds of compressed batches). Remote K-Bytes K-Bytes K-Bytes Hours Hours AvCPS AvCPS # # SiteName Recv Xmit Total Recv Xmit Recv Xmit Recv Xmit -------- --------- --------- --------- ------ ------ ----- ----- ---- ---- watmath 1472.370 0.000 1472.370 0.31 0.00 1304 0 44 0 maytag 1348.731 0.000 1348.731 0.29 0.00 1300 0 42 0 > Compatibility of device drivers with 386/ix Standard device driver for 386/ix, also support for MS-DOS, PC-MOS/386, QNX, Xenix, Microport, ??? > Ease of installation/configuration/reconfiguration Trivial > Reliability I've experienced no failures in the 3 years I've been using their boards. Both here, and at a previous employer. My previous employer purchases about 3 to 5 of these boards a month and has never had any troubles. > Support Very good. Free. Responsive. Knowledgeable. They have boards with 2, 4, 8 ports. They support RS232, RS422, RS485. They have a new product that allows you to combine the different interfaces on one board. You may contact Connect Tech at (519) 836-1291. I'm sure they have a distributer near you. -larry ---------- Note: With respect to hardware handshaking. The board supports it, but 386/ix blocks any access to it. Uucp traffic at 19200 into a heavily loaded 20Mhz 386 is not bothered by lack of hardware handshaking. And throughput is still excellent. Also note: I'm not related to anyone at Connect Tech, I just like their products.