Adding ten or so serial ports?

Need to buy a server at work that will allow the addition of ten (at least)
serial ports (without going into what we're doing it needs lots of serial
interfaces.

Lindy do a range of cards, including an eight-way at around £90+vat.

The server will probably be a Dell, and will be running Windows 2000/.net
Server.

Never having ever tried to add more in the com port area than a couple of
modems I'm slightly unsure of what to expect.

In the good old days there wouldn't be enough spare IRQs, should I assume
that PNP/ACPI will take of it and that Windows will happily support and
communicate with that many ports?

Any advice gratefully received.

regards
Paul
--
paul at spamcop.net

In article ,
says...
Need to buy a server at work that will allow the addition of ten (at least)
serial ports (without going into what we're doing it needs lots of serial
interfaces.

Lindy do a range of cards, including an eight-way at around £90+vat.

The server will probably be a Dell, and will be running Windows 2000/.net
Server.

Never having ever tried to add more in the com port area than a couple of
modems I'm slightly unsure of what to expect.

In the good old days there wouldn't be enough spare IRQs, should I assume
that PNP/ACPI will take of it and that Windows will happily support and
communicate with that many ports?

I think you'll find that the multiport card uses only a single
interrupt. Windows itself can handle up to 255 serial ports.

Rob Morley wrote in news:MPG.19865794fc5279809896c9
@news.cis.dfn.de:

I think you'll find that the multiport card uses only a single
interrupt. Windows itself can handle up to 255 serial ports.

Didn't know that (about the single IRQ) - guess that should make life a lot
easier?

regards,
Paul
--
paul at spamcop.net

"Alien Zord" wrote in news:bfj07s$fcabq$1@ID-
172721.news.uni-berlin.de:

Haven't you asked this question before?

Nope (I think I once asked about low-end modem racks, but this isn't for
modem use).

Anyway, look he
http://www.comtrol.co.uk/product.html

That's useful - aby idea what the functional difference is between those,
at around £400 and the ones at Lindy for £90 or so?

regards
Paul
--
paul at spamcop.net

"Paul Hutchings" wrote in message
. 1.4...
"Alien Zord" wrote in
news:bfj07s$fcabq$1@ID-
172721.news.uni-berlin.de:

Haven't you asked this question before?

Nope (I think I once asked about low-end modem racks, but this isn't
for
modem use).

Anyway, look he
http://www.comtrol.co.uk/product.html

That's useful - aby idea what the functional difference is between
those,
at around £400 and the ones at Lindy for £90 or so?


I've never used the Lindy's products but the intelligent multiport
serial cards from Multitech or Comtrol use on-board processor that
requires a single interrupt and can drive all ports at full speed
simultaneously. Up to 4 of them can be fitted in a system.
The Lindy's card appears to contain individual UARTs requiring separate
interrupt each and PIO operation requiring lots of CPU power.
Last time I bought (trade) either a Multitech or Comtrol boards I paid
around 150+VAT for 8 port model. The Comtrol's web price seems pretty
steep.
Multitech products he
http://www.multitech.com/PRODUCTS/ISI/