> you can put together such a "terminal server";  there are of course
> cheaper
> vendors
...
> One vendor other than cisco that seems to have their share of clues is
> "Cyclades" (at http://www.cyclades.com )


See also
www.lantronix.com
www.moxa.com (or www.moxa.co.tw ?)
www.axel.fr

I used Axel Office Server AX4020, 8 RS232 serial port and one 10 Mbit
Ethernet for under 500 Euro. IMHO, very good and
inexpensive.

If you want to access these remote devices from a Windows box, through the
LAN, you have to write some driver
or use a virtual commport redirector, see the third party software at
www.tacticalsoftware.com - they have different tools, working with many
vendors devices (see their list to discover...).

It is very important the terminal server uses industry protocols, the
fundamental is RFC2217 "Telnet Com Port Control Option".
TacticalSoftware and many other tools work with the access server compliant
to RFC2217.


Under Unix, I don't know, but taking a glance at these devices literature I
think many
tasks are feasible with the system tools.

ciao, Massimo
Italy

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