Serial (RS232) to Ethernet experience

  • Thread starter Thread starter bdb
  • Start date Start date
  • Replies Replies 38
  • Views Views 6127
bdb

bdb

Well-known member
Assistant
AmiBayer
Joined
Oct 29, 2011
Posts
1,914
Country
United States of America
Region
Indiana 47909
I just finished reading "thgill's" post on using a Serial-to-Ethernet adapter with his A500 to get to some BBS's; I've checked the cost of these adapters and they are affordable, not cheap, but affordable. I'm always looking into options for keeping my "vintage" computers usable in our current times and wondered if folks could comment on their experiences (before I delve into buying one and attempting to get up and on-line). After all, you guys know how these projects go, always a "learning experience" --a pain in the rear in other words.

bdb

Oh, for parallel-to-USB there is the LPT2USB device to connect USB printers to non-USB computers
 
The serial to ethernet adapters, at their base level, as as easy as it gets.

Make sure its configured for modem emulation, hook it up to the Amiga.

Load your favorite terminal program and go...

The hardest part is finding telnet BBSes that are still running.
But back in the day, finding dial up BBSes that were still running was the hardest part also. ;-)

I've been meaning to test the null modem (direct serial) emulation for direct games, but haven't had the time yet... Keep letting life get in the way..

desiv
 
I have a bunch of these devices and they work wonderfully. I made a post on Lemon64 on how to configure the Lantronix MSS100 for use on a C64. The settings are the same for most retro computers, but the baud rate might be different depending on the system.

I see the MSS100 on eBay quite often for very affordable prices.

Heather
 
Thanks Folks!

Thanks Folks!

Thanks folks,

I've ordered one and plan on testing it on my home network before going out into the real world
 
Last edited:
rkauer said:
ChrisUnionNJ said:
Heather is this the right one?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lantronix-E...962?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item46054b174a

:coffee:
Click to expand...
That's one of the available devices, Chris.

I have the dual-serial interface (UDS200) and it is awesome to connect two computers (at same time!) to my router and do a play around the interwebz with my A3000 and the A500 (the A1200 have its own WIFI PCMCIA).:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
Click to expand...

With the A500, do you connect it via serial to the adaptor and then just plug the adaptor into the router? What connection software are you using on the A500?

I'm looking at getting my minimig online so sounds like it could do the trick.
 
Well I don't have an A500, nor the device in my hot, sweaty hands. But I have a VIC-20 or two, an 8032, two C128D's, a C64 or two, an Apple IIGS, an A2500HD, and two A4000T's; the CBM 8-bit machines need the user port-to-RS 232 adapter and then I assume all of them will connect to my router wirelessly or via my 5-port switch; for the 8032 I'll have to locate some terminal software which 27 years ago I entered by hand as a Basic program and saved to tape. That tape is long lost and though I have a dual HD floppy (Plus an IEEE 422 printer) I've never even seen any floppy software. I have several programs for the 64's and 128D's plus a lot of options for the Amy's.

See folks prior posts (like the Lemon64 site) for factual information.

My wireless solution is a ZuniDigital ZR301F wireless bridge that is inexpensive, easy to set up and can have power supplied via USB or small transformer; I can then plug that into a switch and connect a handful of devices.
 
Last edited:
would it be possible to use amitcp with plip/slip and a linux gateway?

this is one of those long night winter tasks...

---------- Post added at 14:23 ---------- Previous post was at 14:22 ----------

which would allow routing of tcp/ip traffic over parralel or serial cable
 
Wolfy said:
would it be possible to use amitcp with plip/slip and a linux gateway?

this is one of those long night winter tasks...

---------- Post added at 14:23 ---------- Previous post was at 14:22 ----------

which would allow routing of tcp/ip traffic over parralel or serial cable
Click to expand...

Yes, this is one of those things I've been working on doing. Using a virtualised W2K server with Dial in modem networking using the null modem driver and then using SLIP via AmiTCP. Its definately doable.
 
hmmm, I will have to purchase some connectors and make up a null modem cable, would be nice to have tcp/ip networking on my 500 and 1500, even if just for file transfers.
 
Yes, linux gateway and these days almost every router or modem running linux I saw some cables in a trade zone here, i think...
 
This is what I was thinking of last night while reading this thread...

Configure SLIP on the amiga, and use slattach on a linux box. You can even get PCI cards with 4 serial ports on them :thumbsup:
 
bdb said:
That's the one I bought (no power supply, but I have at least a dozen)
Click to expand...
Yeah, none of them have power supplies when I get them from eBay. Sorry I didn't post sooner, but I lost track of this thread! :lol:

Please let me know if you come across an 8032 terminal program. I'd like to use one on my PET.

Good luck!

Heather
 
My thinking was along the lines of the serial-to-Ethernet box would represent a modem to MiamiDX or Roadshow; it would ignore (if any) dialing and simply transfer the data just like a serial-to-serial gadget ought to. You are then limited only by the RS-232 transfer rate with 230k (keep in mind this in bits-per-second, not bytes) at the top end. The standard Amiga serial device falls far below this which is why "they" came out with a bunch of faster serial cards. The poor 8-bit devices won't show any speed and on the Internet would be text only; I was thinking of them as a way out to the BBS's where I no longer have a land line (and likely will never have one again). Bye-Bye Ma' Bell...

Yes I've "networked" (really just connected) two computers with a null modem cable (remember LapLink cables & software) as well as a cross-over "parnet" cable; there was a faster way between Amigas using a modified cable between disk drive ports -- the 23-pin connector i heard, was a pain. I still have those serial & ParNet cables (and yes my LapLink cables) and a Cat-5 cross-over cable. My main aim was to have a universal solution to network access without regard to secondary hardware such as Ethernet cards with the knowledge that compared to 10 Megabits per second, 230k is just a start of a transfer and go to sleep or watch a movie; it is though better than dial-up.
 
There's some confusion about these devices.
They will not, by themselves, work as a dial up emulator.

You don't use AmiTCP and get a connection to the Internet.

They are modem emulators.

They show up as a modem to the Amiga, so any program that recognizes a modem will work.
I just JRComm mostly, but any terminal program will work.

There are numerous people who have set up BBSes (as in the old days), but they are available via telnet.
What this device allows you to do is "dial" into those telnet BBSes.

You "could" use AmiTCP (or TermiteTCP) with this device, but what will you be dialing in TO???
You would need a linux box (or some other SLIP/PPP provider) to connect to, but getty/mgetty listens on serial ports, not ethernet.
So you would need to tweak it to listen on ethernet (PPPOE ?????), and then you might be able to get a dial-up type of connection.

I've been meaning to try that, but haven't had the time...
You could place another serial to ethernet box on your Linux box, and have the Amiga "dial in" to the Linux boxes adapter...

Another option would be something that is really fuzzy.... I seem to remember, back in the day, using a dial-in-terminal session (not PPP, just a shell account) and a program called "slirp/slurp"??? to get a SLIP connection over a terminal session..
That's all pretty hazy tho... Many moons ago.. ;-)

Now, it's not speedy..
As was mentioned, the Amiga serial port (non-accelerated Amiga) won't give you anywhere near 230k. You can have 10M hanging off of it, but you're getting 19,200 or so...

That said, even just "dialing" into a BBS is great fun.

You know what someone should write?
A vBulletin plugin that allows a telnet/text/BBS look and feel!!!
That would be awesome! :-) :-) :-)
(Looking past the security and config nightmares involved, that is..)

desiv
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom