[comp.unix.xenix] 4 Port Board Problems??

vortex@charlie.OZ (Mark Gregson) (11/18/89)

	Hi there,
	I am currently running a 4 port serial board that is a
	clone of the AST 4 port serial board. But I am having a
	few problems.

	I was running it under Xenix 286 version 2.2.1 and what
	was happening was I would use the program xcomm to dial
	out from my site. Sometimes when I would start xcomm I
	would try to connect to the modem and would get nothing?
	So in disgust I would exit xcomm and my login would just
	hang, I would then login as the root user and try and kill
	the xcomm process which would never succeed. I could kill
	my user login but never the xcomm process? Then if I tried
	to log back in and try again xcomm would come up with errors.
	No matter what I did I could never be able to kill the bad
	xcomm process. This problem only occurs on one of the ports
	on the 4 port board, never tty1A which is a normal COM port.

	The only way to get out of this problem was to reboot, once
	this was done the xcomm program would work fine and I could
	talk to the modem. I have since changed from Xenix 286 to
	Xenix 386 but the problem is still there?? 
	It seems the port is either locking up or something is holding
	the port open. I realize that this board would not be the best
	quality but a friend of mine has a similar board that works fine.

	Any ideas on the above would be greatly appreciated.

	Regards, Mark Gregson

jbayer@ispi.UUCP (Jonathan Bayer) (11/18/89)

vortex@charlie.OZ (Mark Gregson) writes:


>	I am currently running a 4 port serial board that is a
>	clone of the AST 4 port serial board. But I am having a

>	I was running it under Xenix 286 version 2.2.1 and what

>	would try to connect to the modem and would get nothing?
>	So in disgust I would exit xcomm and my login would just
>	hang, I would then login as the root user and try and kill
>	the xcomm process which would never succeed. I could kill

You are probably using 8250 chips in the board.  Replace them with 16450's
and your problem may go away.  The 16450 is a high speed version of the 8250,
the 8250 really can't go above 8 Mhz or so.



JB
-- 
Jonathan Bayer		Intelligent Software Products, Inc.
(201) 245-5922		500 Oakwood Ave.
jbayer@ispi.COM		Roselle Park, NJ   07204    

vortex@charlie.OZ (Mark Gregson) (11/21/89)

	Thanks for the reply to my four port board problem.
	Being a computer technician I am aware of the speed
	difference you mention between those 2 chips.
	This board however does not even use either of
	those chips. It uses another type of chip, most
	likely a style of custom serial port chip. At the
	moment since I'm not at home I can't give you the
	exact number. But I dont really think the problem
	lies in the chip, I hope not anyway, I couldn't
	afford to change them.

	Well thats my bit for now, any other ideas greatly
	appreciated.

	Mark Gregson