>>I'm looking for a card with its own CPU to minimize the main CPU
>>load.  The cards should support 38400 bps at least, 115200 would
>>be better.

>I know this may not directly help you, since I think these cards are
>unsupported, but the Rocketport 8/16 cards I saw were _really_ impressive.
>And, they also were the cheapest!  Linux has drivers for them, I think.
>If you're wondering how they made them cheaper & better, I think the key
>is that they integrated a whole buncha stuff on an ASIC... flow control &
>all that junk.  Down side is that they wouldn't give me programming specs,
>even in exchange for the driver, for security/asset protection reasons.

That isn't quite true. They will sell you a "developer kit" which
contains enough code to get you going to write a driver. We used this
information to write a RocketPort driver for our routers. I believe
the way it works is that you get a discount on your first card if you
buy the developer's kit (it ends up being a couple hundred dollars
more expensive than just the card).

>If anyone wants to do a public service, go bug 'em until you get the specs
>then write the driver :) Repitition works.  Repetition works.  Repetition.
>Or dis___emble the Linux loadable driver (did I say that? who, me?)
>Of course, I have no affiliation with these guys, I don't even own one of
>their cards :)

My brother bought a RocketPort and the disk of code, with the idea of
creating a RocketPort driver for NetBSD. We (actually, I) spent an
hour or two playing with plugging chunks of code into existing
drivers, then decided it was too much trouble for one system,
especially since he was planning to eventually put a router in front
of the machine anyway. So we unplugged the RocketPort from the NetBSD
machine, plugged it into a router, and now everyone does their PPP
dialins to the router.

If I wasn't so incredibly busy, I might consider pursuing this, but
it's another case of no time, no vested interest.

ComTrol told us that BSDi was working on a RocketPort driver, by the
way.

Laine Stump
laine@morningstar.com