Re: Extra serial ports

[Lindsay Allen <allen@cbcfreo.wa.edu.au>]

On Mon, 2 Aug 1999, Nico De Ranter wrote:

> 
> Howdy,
> 
> for a test setup I need a PC with 4 serial ports (ppp server).
> Can I simply plugin any PCI board with 2 serial ports or will
> I need any hardware specific drivers?  I believe this used to work
> fine with an ISA board with 2 serial ports but I have never tried
> a PCI version and I can only find PCI serial boards nowadays.
> I guess it should be fine but it would be nice if somebody could
> say "Hey, I tried it and it works without problems".

I'm no expert on PCI matters, but when I wanted 4 ports I bought a 4 port
serial card with setable IRQs.  Assuming that you have enough spare
interrupts, you then set the card, edit setserial and inittab and the
job's done.

For 8 or more ports I would investigate the smart cards that use only one
interrupt.  The hardare HOWTO deals with these. 

I understand that PCI can share interrupts, but that is way beyond me.

HTH
Lindsay
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Lindsay Allen   <allen@cleo.murdoch.edu.au>  Perth, Western Australia
voice +61 8 9316 2486   32.0125S 115.8445E               Debian Linux
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