Adding ten or so serial ports?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Paul Hutchings
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Paul Hutchings

Need to buy a server at work that will allow the addition of ten (at least)
serial ports (without going into what we're doing it needs lots of serial
interfaces.

Lindy do a range of cards, including an eight-way at around £90+vat.

The server will probably be a Dell, and will be running Windows 2000/.net
Server.

Never having ever tried to add more in the com port area than a couple of
modems I'm slightly unsure of what to expect.

In the good old days there wouldn't be enough spare IRQs, should I assume
that PNP/ACPI will take of it and that Windows will happily support and
communicate with that many ports?

Any advice gratefully received.

regards
Paul
 
Need to buy a server at work that will allow the addition of ten (at least)
serial ports (without going into what we're doing it needs lots of serial
interfaces.

Lindy do a range of cards, including an eight-way at around £90+vat.

The server will probably be a Dell, and will be running Windows 2000/.net
Server.

Never having ever tried to add more in the com port area than a couple of
modems I'm slightly unsure of what to expect.

In the good old days there wouldn't be enough spare IRQs, should I assume
that PNP/ACPI will take of it and that Windows will happily support and
communicate with that many ports?
Click to expand...
I think you'll find that the multiport card uses only a single
interrupt. Windows itself can handle up to 255 serial ports.
 
Need to buy a server at work that will allow the addition of ten (at least)
serial ports (without going into what we're doing it needs lots of serial
interfaces.

Lindy do a range of cards, including an eight-way at around £90+vat.

The server will probably be a Dell, and will be running Windows 2000/.net
Server.

Never having ever tried to add more in the com port area than a couple of
modems I'm slightly unsure of what to expect.

In the good old days there wouldn't be enough spare IRQs, should I assume
that PNP/ACPI will take of it and that Windows will happily support and
communicate with that many ports?
Click to expand...

I fitted an 8 port card on an NT machine about two years back. All I had to
do was fit the card, run the software that came with it and that was it, no
hassle whatsoever. The card itself only required one IRQ (iirc).
 
I think you'll find that the multiport card uses only a single
interrupt. Windows itself can handle up to 255 serial ports.
Click to expand...

Didn't know that (about the single IRQ) - guess that should make life a lot
easier?

regards,
Paul
 
Paul Hutchings said:
Nope (I think I once asked about low-end modem racks, but this isn't for
modem use).


That's useful - aby idea what the functional difference is between those,
at around £400 and the ones at Lindy for £90 or so?
Click to expand...

I've never used the Lindy's products but the intelligent multiport
serial cards from Multitech or Comtrol use on-board processor that
requires a single interrupt and can drive all ports at full speed
simultaneously. Up to 4 of them can be fitted in a system.
The Lindy's card appears to contain individual UARTs requiring separate
interrupt each and PIO operation requiring lots of CPU power.
Last time I bought (trade) either a Multitech or Comtrol boards I paid
around 150+VAT for 8 port model. The Comtrol's web price seems pretty
steep.
Multitech products here:
http://www.multitech.com/PRODUCTS/ISI/
 
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