mccalpin@masig1 (John D. McCalpin) (09/16/87)
I have been using the Encore Annex box for several months. We got the new software about 2 months ago which can use both domain and IEN-116 nameservers, as well as catching rwhod packets to maintain the host table. The software must be booted from a 4.[23] BSD-type machine, though we managed to get ours to boot OK from a Silicon Graphics IRIS (System V.2 plus BSD extensions) - We never managed to get the terminal server administrator program running from that system though. Pluses: - UNIX-like interface - bidirectional service available on all ports, including modem support - lots of good configuration features like: max number of sessions settable independently for each port inactivity timeout settable independently on each port - no hardware failures so far.... - very helpful customer service folks - running 19200 baud on unshielded wires up to 100 feet with no trouble Minuses: - about $300-$350 per port (a few months ago) - 9-pin (DB-9) connectors for the serial ports - non-IBM PC standard DB-25 connector for the centronics printer port - administrator program won't run on my machine :-( - cannot see what ports are in use, except by looking at the lights on the front panel :-) ! John D. McCalpin mccalpin@fsu.MFENET Dept. of Oceanography mcalpin@fsu.BITNET Florida State Univ.