Hi!

I have 4 or 5 remote devices which have a console port (RS232) and would
like to be able to remotely connect to any of them via a phone line and
via the LAN.

I search for a box that could do that (serial lines + LAN), but cannot
find anything. Do you know if such a device could be out there ?

If some of you remember the Livingston Portmaster, it do that. You can
login into the portmaster via a modem connected to one of its serial
ports, or using telnet on the LAN; then you can attach to any of the
serial ports it has, thus ending virtually connected to the external
device's serial port.

On the other hand, would such a box be easy to build ?. For instance:

              +-----+           +---+
--phone_line-|modem|-RS232--+--|Mux|==+-- 1..N RS232 ports
              +-----+        |  +-v-+  +--
                             |    |    +--
                           +---+  |
                           |PIC|--'
                           +---+

Initially the Mux is off, the PIC is scanning what is comming from the
modem (that comes from another modem on the other side of the phone line),
if a special code is sent then it activates one of the N serial ports on
the right to be seen on the left. What do you think about this?

There is no LAN here, although should be "easily" added.

Which Mux could be used?, a CMOS switch?

Your ideas are welcome.

Thanks,
Diego.

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