Re: More Ports for Debian's
wb2oyc@cyberenet.net says:
>Ciccio,
>
>>>>I've got an intel based Debian box, and an m68k (Atari Falcon), also running
>>>>Linux. I'd liked to connect them using ppp or plip, but the bigger box has
>>
>I meant to comment on this, but forgot. Why not use slattach? Its far easier
>than either of those you've mentioned. No need to use PPP when the machines
>can be connected by a cable and you'll avoid all the complications of getting
>PPP going. Just a thought.
I feel PPP easier than SLIP; maybe I stepped into business so recently, when
PPP aready seemed to be the better choice. Also, I've never really used SLIP
for more than just playing around.
>>The tiny sheet doesn't mention any IRQ's, and IO addresses are specified
>>with only 3 hex-digits (so, there is no `x' nor `0'). I'm a newcomer to
>>hardware issues, but I thought, one device in IRQ4 and 0x03F8 shouldn't
>>conflict with another on IRQ4 and 0x?2F8. I'll try it right now, but anyway,
>>it would be a pitty to loose the second (forth) serial port. Isn't there a way
>>to avoid this?
>>
>Using any real multi-tasking, multi-user environment the devices should, and
>most demand, they be unique. Some hardware does avoid this by using on-board
>processor power to hide the ports from the main cpu, and manage the sharing of
>interrupts (the mutli port boards from various vendors), but to the OS, whether
>it is NT or Linux or whatever, they present one. The only reason it is sometimes
>possible under DOS is that the human operator becomes the arbitrator, and knows
>he can use only one of the devices at a time. That becomes easier to manage,
>since DOS really only does one thing at a time anyway. Linux, NT, or OS/2 are
>far different animals
>
>The problems you are facing are a combination of the elements (hardware) and the
>Plug N Pray BIOS. I'm not sure you can successfully deal with that, and I never
>have. To be successful with it, you may have to ensure your system has only PNP
>hardware, I'm not certain. But it sure adds another level of deception, not to
>mention, expense!
>
>:)
:-(
This seems the explanation for the second mail I send, regarding problems with
two simultaneous ppp links (one local, one to internet). I suppose you read the
other suggestion I got, trying to change the IRQ without having any jumpers
for that. The problem is, that I'm not sure which IRQ I should try, as there are
already many in use (ethernet, sound, video, scsi, ide, etc). I don't trust the
things in /proc too much, as currently I can use the serial ports (one at a time),
which Windows95 believes on IRQ 4, while this one isn't mentioned anywhere
in Linux.
BTW, now I'm thinking the board I was sold is thought as primary COM/LPT
facility for motherboards not having this. There is also a FDC included. But also
this confuses me because I was told that normally COM1 and COM2 use
IRQ 2 which is somehow linked with IRQ 9.
If you ever have to deal with PnP, beside waiting for the linux module which is
said to be mature soon (?), the only recommendation I have, is setting it up all,
start the computer several times, entering the BIOS setup and saving without
change, while crossing the finger that as much conflicts as possible will go
away. This is basically what I had to do after disabeling the second serial.
The only place in Linux where I had to specify an IRQ/IO is the sound card,
so it's change was the only need to recompile it. But PLIP will be another, which
I'd like'd to give a try, as it is said to be much quicker.
Thanks.
--
Ciccio C. Simon
ciccio@arrakis.es
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