Good ideas, BUT.... 1) Use a PC... Are you going to install one at every account? Or do you like sitting on the floor of the phone closet to do your programming. With 802.11b Wireless you can connect a Terminal server the size of pack of cigarettes in the phone room and sit with your laptop in the comfort of an office or conference room. -AND cost of PC vs $100 Port/ server???
How about multiple serial ports sure you can add a Digiboard to your PC solution but that is expensive AND will have the same problem. Panasonic software not talking directly to the USART but rather through a Digi software driver. 2) Use Linux... Very original thinking. What OS do you think is in the Terminal servers? Welll you guessed it, Linux. But who cares 3) Use Telnet... This one I really loved. Read the Telnet RFC or try to implement a Terminal replacement with this. Many, many problems Escape sequences, cursor addressing, etc,etc. This is why terminal servers have allowed Raw IP connections as an option for years. If you want to recommend software how bout looking at Serial/IP by Tactical software. Hands down the best port redirector software out there. And TeraTerm much nicer than hyperterm and best of all FREE. But most of all gets past the serial 4 port limit. Other serial ports in the closet: Panasonic Switch Voice Mail Call screeners Lutron Lighting control systems Serial Port on Managed Ethernet Hubs Serial on Alarm system Serial on AMX/PHAST/Crestron controllers Management port on Wireless access points Serial port on UPS All this stuff sitting right in the same closet. ** Again I'm trying to help the Panasonic service community with my offer to work on this and provide assistance to someone who wants to roll up their sleeves and solve this messy problem. I have spent a lot of $ and research effort on this over the last 10 yrs. Originally just trying to talk to a 308...;0) What would really be too much to ask for is a 10/100 network port card on the Panasonic switch itself....Wow, now there is an idea, you could do CTI aps with it as well as SMDR and Programming... _________________________________________________________________ KX-T Mailing list --- http://kxthelp.com/ Subscription changes: http://kxthelp.com/mailman/listinfo/kxt
