19 Nov
2003
19 Nov
'03
5:31 a.m.
I want a little gizmo with an RS-232/DB25 on one side and a RJ45/10baseT
on the other. It should speak TCP/IP, specifically telnet, and convert it
to RS-232. Kind of like a print server, except for telnet/RS232 instead of
lpd/Centronics.
The idea is to use it to put some of my old computers on the network
by plugging it into their console serial ports.
There are enough microprocessors around today with embedded TCP/IP
stacks that such a thing would not be that hard to build, but it
sounds like the kind of thing that somebody else must have already
done.
Can anybody give me any pointers to such a gizmo?
Thanks,
Bob Armstrong
19 Nov
19 Nov
6:35 a.m.
On Wed, 19 Nov 2003, Bob Armstrong wrote:
I want a little gizmo with an RS-232/DB25 on one side and a RJ45/10baseT
on the other. It should speak TCP/IP, specifically telnet, and convert it
to RS-232. Kind of like a print server, except for telnet/RS232 instead of
lpd/Centronics.
It's called a "terminal server."
-brian.
6:40 a.m.
Bob,
I use an old 3Com CS/3100 for this. They are available on ePay, here's one
under $10 (currently)
-----Original Message-----
From: cctalk-bounces(a)classiccmp.org
[mailto:cctalk-bounces@classiccmp.org]On Behalf Of Bob Armstrong
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2003 8:32 AM
To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org
Subject: Telnet to RS232 Gizmo?
I want a little gizmo with an RS-232/DB25 on one side and a RJ45/10baseT
on the other. It should speak TCP/IP, specifically telnet, and convert it
to RS-232. Kind of like a print server, except for telnet/RS232
instead of
lpd/Centronics.
The idea is to use it to put some of my old computers on the network
by plugging it into their console serial ports.
There are enough microprocessors around today with embedded TCP/IP
stacks that such a thing would not be that hard to build, but it
sounds like the kind of thing that somebody else must have already
done.
Can anybody give me any pointers to such a gizmo?
Thanks,
Bob Armstrong
6:42 a.m.
-----Original Message-----
From: Patrick Rigney [mailto:patrick@evocative.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2003 9:40 AM
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
Subject: RE: Telnet to RS232 Gizmo?
Bob,
I use an old 3Com CS/3100 for this. They are available on ePay,
here's one under $10 (currently)
Did I mention I hate (with a passion) Outlook. Sorry, where was I...
...here's one under $10 (currently):
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3059568085&categ…
These beasties boot from a 1.44MB floppy (I can supply an image), and the
docs are downloadable from 3Com's site last I checked.
Best,
Patrick
7:21 a.m.
I use an old 3Com CS/3100 for this. They are available on ePay,
here's one under $10 (currently)
Did I mention I hate (with a passion) Outlook. Sorry, where was I...
...here's one under $10 (currently):
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3059568085&categ…
These beasties boot from a 1.44MB floppy (I can supply an image), and the
docs are downloadable from 3Com's site last I checked.
6:43 a.m.
http://www.etherstuff.com/
--jc
On Wednesday 19 November 2003 11:31 am, Bob Armstrong wrote:
I want a little gizmo with an RS-232/DB25 on one
side and a RJ45/10baseT
on the other. It should speak TCP/IP, specifically telnet, and convert it
to RS-232. Kind of like a print server, except for telnet/RS232 instead of
lpd/Centronics.
The idea is to use it to put some of my old computers on the network
by plugging it into their console serial ports.
There are enough microprocessors around today with embedded TCP/IP
stacks that such a thing would not be that hard to build, but it
sounds like the kind of thing that somebody else must have already
done.
Can anybody give me any pointers to such a gizmo?
Thanks,
Bob Armstrong
7:17 a.m.
On Wed, 19 Nov 2003, J.C. Wren wrote:
Hey, cool!
But terminal servers are much cheaper. One old terminal server with 8-12
ports will cost a fraction of the $169 price of the gizmo on that page.
Pretty nifty though...
--
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org
[ Old computing resources for business || Buy/Sell/Trade Vintage Computers ]
[ and academia at www.VintageTech.com || at http://marketplace.vintage.org ]
8:18 a.m.
Vintage Computer Festival wrote:
On Wed, 19 Nov 2003, J.C. Wren wrote:
Hey, cool!
But terminal servers are much cheaper. One old terminal server with 8-12
ports will cost a fraction of the $169 price of the gizmo on that page.
Pretty nifty though...
--
And wouldn't you know, a couple weeks ago I had a pair of terminals
servers that I was trying to give away for free. They had at least 32
ports each, of different connector types, and you could've put all the
connector cards into one of the chassis...
--
--- Dave Woyciesjes
--- ICQ# 905818
9:16 a.m.
On Wed, 19 Nov 2003, David Woyciesjes wrote:
And wouldn't you know, a couple weeks ago I had a
pair of terminals
servers that I was trying to give away for free. They had at least 32
ports each, of different connector types, and you could've put all the
connector cards into one of the chassis...
Awww, I must've missed it when you offered them to the list. I must say
that I'm surprised no one here jumped right on them.
-brian.
6:54 a.m.
On Wednesday, November 19, 2003, at 08:31 AM, Bob Armstrong wrote:
I want a little gizmo with an RS-232/DB25 on one
side and a
RJ45/10baseT
on the other. It should speak TCP/IP, specifically telnet, and
convert it
to RS-232. Kind of like a print server, except for telnet/RS232
instead of
lpd/Centronics.
You can, of course, rig a PC you may have lying around. Another
solution is a terminal server, as someone suggested. These usually have
a whole bunch of serial ports, 16 and up. The Xylogics Annex is an
example, you can probably find some on eBay.
Kirill
7 a.m.
Wow Bob, I figured you to be someone who subscribed to Circuit Cellar. They
always have a number of boards advertised, some of which do what you want.
In a quick flip through the adds, I found these:
http://www.taltech.com who advertises a RS232 to TCP/IP product, but in
looking at their web site, it isn't clear if this is just a software
product, or what.
http://www.rabbitsemiconductor.com who has a number of hardware and software
packages available, some of which I am sure can be used to do what you want.
http://www.lantronix.com/products/eds/msslite/ who makes a full TCP/IP server
device which is contained in an RJ45 connector. I think that this may have
been discussed on this mail list before...
--tom
At 08:31 AM 11/19/2003 -0800, you wrote:
I want a little gizmo with an RS-232/DB25 on one
side and a RJ45/10baseT
on the other. It should speak TCP/IP, specifically telnet, and convert it
to RS-232. Kind of like a print server, except for telnet/RS232 instead of
lpd/Centronics.
The idea is to use it to put some of my old computers on the network
by plugging it into their console serial ports.
There are enough microprocessors around today with embedded TCP/IP
stacks that such a thing would not be that hard to build, but it
sounds like the kind of thing that somebody else must have already
done.
Can anybody give me any pointers to such a gizmo?
Thanks,
Bob Armstrong
7 a.m.
Xport from lantronics
Bob Armstrong wrote:
I want a little gizmo with an RS-232/DB25 on one
side and a RJ45/10baseT
on the other. It should speak TCP/IP, specifically telnet, and convert it
to RS-232. Kind of like a print server, except for telnet/RS232 instead of
lpd/Centronics.
The idea is to use it to put some of my old computers on the network
by plugging it into their console serial ports.
There are enough microprocessors around today with embedded TCP/IP
stacks that such a thing would not be that hard to build, but it
sounds like the kind of thing that somebody else must have already
done.
Can anybody give me any pointers to such a gizmo?
Thanks,
Bob Armstrong
7:05 a.m.
Bob Armstrong sez...
I want a little gizmo with an RS-232/DB25 on one side and a RJ45/10baseT
on the other. It should speak TCP/IP, specifically telnet, and convert it
to RS-232. Kind of like a print server, except for telnet/RS232 instead of
lpd/Centronics.
The idea is to use it to put some of my old computers on the network
by plugging it into their console serial ports.
There are enough microprocessors around today with embedded TCP/IP
stacks that such a thing would not be that hard to build, but it
sounds like the kind of thing that somebody else must have already
done.
Can anybody give me any pointers to such a gizmo?
It's called a "terminal server" and many of these things exist.
They generally have lots of serial ports; 8, 16, 24, and up.
You might even be able to find one on ePay...
Cheers,
-RK
--
Robert Krten, PARSE Software Devices +1 613 599 8316.
Realtime Systems Architecture, Consulting and Training at www.parse.com
Looking for Digital Equipment Corp. PDP-1 through PDP-15 minicomputers!
7:10 a.m.
On Wed, 2003-11-19 at 08:31, Bob Armstrong wrote:
I want a little gizmo with an RS-232/DB25 on one
side and a RJ45/10baseT
on the other. It should speak TCP/IP, specifically telnet, and convert it
to RS-232. Kind of like a print server, except for telnet/RS232 instead of
lpd/Centronics.
The idea is to use it to put some of my old computers on the network
by plugging it into their console serial ports.
There are enough microprocessors around today with embedded TCP/IP
stacks that such a thing would not be that hard to build, but it
sounds like the kind of thing that somebody else must have already
done.
Can anybody give me any pointers to such a gizmo?
They have been historically called "tip" servers. I don't have pointers
anyone who makes any.
I've been using with some degree of success a product from Digi called
"EtherLite Port server". It has upto 32 serial ports per box (4, 8, 16
are also available). You talk to it via ethernet and a special driver
on your PC (Windoze & Linux are available). The ports on the port
server appear as if they were actual serial ports on your PC. I've
found it much more useful than tip servers (downloading code, etc is
much easier).
They show up on e-bay periodically. I have 2 (32 port) that I paid
about $200 each for on e-bay. YMMV.
Thanks,
Bob Armstrong
--
Guy Sotomayor <ggs(a)shiresoft.com>
ShireSoft
7:14 a.m.
On Wed, 19 Nov 2003, Bob Armstrong wrote:
I want a little gizmo with an RS-232/DB25 on one
side and a RJ45/10baseT
on the other. It should speak TCP/IP, specifically telnet, and convert it
to RS-232. Kind of like a print server, except for telnet/RS232 instead of
lpd/Centronics.
The idea is to use it to put some of my old computers on the network
by plugging it into their console serial ports.
There are enough microprocessors around today with embedded TCP/IP
stacks that such a thing would not be that hard to build, but it
sounds like the kind of thing that somebody else must have already
done.
Can anybody give me any pointers to such a gizmo?
What you want is a terminal server. You can probably pick up a very cheap
Livingston PortMaster from eBay or something.
--
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org
[ Old computing resources for business || Buy/Sell/Trade Vintage Computers ]
[ and academia at www.VintageTech.com || at http://marketplace.vintage.org ]
8 a.m.
Hi, Bob,
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********
On 19-Nov-03 at 08:31 bob(a)jfcl.com wrote:
I want a little gizmo with an RS-232/DB25 on one side
and a RJ45/10baseT
on the other. It should speak TCP/IP, specifically telnet, and convert it
to RS-232. Kind of like a print server, except for telnet/RS232 instead of
lpd/Centronics.
Actually, LANTronix makes exactly what you describe, and it can be programmed as either a
print server or a telnet-to-RS232 device. I'm using one in my LAN right now.
The idea is to use it to put some of my old computers
on the network
by plugging it into their console serial ports.
Gad, you're reading my mind. That's exactly what I use mine for. It ties into a
code-operated 16-port switch. I simply telnet to the device, enter the code for the port I
want to connect to, and viola! Instant console hardline.
What you want is the LANTronix MSS-1 or MSS-100. Either one will do the trick, and
they're remarkably easy to configure. I've seen them turn up on E-pay quite
often.
Happy hunting.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Bruce Lane, Owner & Head Hardware Heavy,
Blue Feather Technologies -- http://www.bluefeathertech.com
ARS KC7GR (Formerly WD6EOS) since 12-77 -- kyrrin(a)bluefeathertech.com
"Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati" (Red Green, aka Steve Smith)
7552
days inactive
7552
days old
16 comments
14 participants
participants (14)
-
bob＠jfcl.com -
dwoyciesjes＠comcast.net -
geneb＠deltasoft.com -
ggs＠shiresoft.com -
jcwren＠jcwren.com -
jwstephens＠msm.umr.edu -
kirill＠lava.net -
kyrrin＠bluefeathertech.com -
patrick＠evocative.com -
root＠parse.com -
uban＠ubanproductions.com -
vaxzilla＠jarai.org -
vcf＠siconic.com -
waltje＠pdp11.nl