On Thu, Aug 10, 2000 at 07:10:50PM +0200, Feico Dillema wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> We need to setup a terminal server for a server farm, and try to find
> out whether we can use an `ordinary' Intel PC running NetBSD for that. 
> It would need 32 serial ports, so I'm looking for 8 or 16 port PCI
> multi-port serial cards that are supported by NetBSD (or FreeBSD?) and
> are easily available. If these are not to be found, then any hints and
> tips to alternatives?

I am convinced, as I have been for quite some time, that the right way
to do this is with USB serial adapters.  That way, you can run *one* cable
to a rack of machines, split things out with USB hubs on the rack, and have
a clean, inexpensive solution that even does DMA at the host end.

You're allowed to chain up to three USB hubs.  That should get you a *huge*
number of ttys even using a single host USB controller with its two ports;
of course, most new motherboards have two USB controllers, and four ports...