On Nov 18 2005, 15:13, Wolfe, Julian wrote: play lines At home, I have a Xylogics Annex terminal server with connections to some consoles, including (when I sort out the cables) my PDP-8, 11/23+ and 11/40. Most of those aren't switched on all the time, though. It also has a real VT420 and a Wyse 50, and a few other things attached. Elsewhere, I have an Origin2000 and its MMSC which I'd like to be able to talk to, and I thought of a similar sort of thing as you -- an old laptop running Linux. I also have a spare Racal Interlan terminal server that would do the job, and I've seen Cisco 1000-series, 1600-series, and 2500-series boxes going cheap on eBay that would suit. Some ofthem support 8 or 16 serial lines. However, I've found a little Lantronix MSS1-T which is effectively a 1-port terminal server. If you need several serial lines connected from one PDP-11, go for a terminal server, mounted in the same rack as the PDP. If you're thinking of buying a Cisco or similar, make sure it's a terminal (or console) server -- Cisco call them access servers. The ones with one or two WAN serial ports are not what you want. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York