[rescue] analog routers...

[Jonathan C. Patschke]

On Sun, 24 Aug 2003, Lionel Peterson wrote:

> Let's see - what do you want? You don't want a purpose-built box
> (appliance-like) nor do you want a PC - what's left, aside from better
> serial ports for your Sun box?

I'm coming into this discussion really late, but has anyone mentioned
the Livingston/Lucent Portmaster line of terminal servers?  They run
as modem servers, console servers, and dial-in routers, all with the
same software.

In particular, I can wholeheartedly recommend the bulletproof (so long
as upgrade to 4M of 30-pin RAM) Portmaster 2e.  I have a 2eR/30 (30
ports RS-232, Ethernet, V.35 WAN port), and while I don't have dial-in
yet (due to not having a land-line phone), it's never given me any
trouble.

The 2e series will fit in a 19" rack (but have no ears) and are 4U or 5U
tall.  They're really designed to sit on a shelf.  Each port is
switchable between expecting a modem and expecting a server.  RADIUS
authentication is fully supported[0], and both RIP and OSPF are
supported.  They're just all-in-all great systems, and they tend to go
for cheap on eBay and at local auctions.  I got mine for free, as
someone thought it was a breakout box to some hard-to-find multiport
serial card. :)

[0] Quite possibly because Livingston designed RADIUS.
-- 
Jonathan Patschke   )  "We're Texans.  We figure out ways to do these
Elgin, TX          (    things..."                    --Bill Bradford