Folks --
Sorry for the long delay - I was called to NYC for a week! PS for good Italian,
go to Carmine's on 44th between Broadway and 8th!
Thanks to all who responded:
R A Lichtensteiger rali@meitca.com
Jeff Wasilko
Jay 'Whip' Grizzard
Daniel Blander
Bert Shure
David L. Markowitz
Joe Kidd
Daniel Beaudry
Ningping Fan
Stefan Wahl
Andrew Moffat
Michael Ramchand
Robert Pasken
Koen Peeters
Glenn Satchell
Kevin Inscoe - the local Columbia MD boy!!
Michael Ramchand
Daniel Hermans
Milt Webb
I wrote:
In an attempt to get a cheap, fast (relatively speaking, of course) 24x7
Internet connection to a local ISP, we are considering using Centrex ISDN
(In Maryland, Centrex allows us to avoid the .02/minute charge).
The local ISP recommends an Ascend Pipeline 50 to connect (cost ~$1300),
but I have heard of problems with this router. Since Sun offers an ISDN
Enabling kit for $595 list, I thought I would investigate this option. The
kit would plug into our SS4 sbus slot, then I could (in theory) use PPP
(Sun's or maybe "dp") to make the connection.
I have searched info resources and have called Sun, but I can't find
information on how do do this exactly. Does anybody out there use the Sun
ISDN interface in the manner I am describing??? I realize that I could be
buying myself lots of pain by not using the the Ascend or similar router,
but I would like to use this project as a learning experience [and increase my
gray hair count ;^) ].
The final result:
While a couple of people have used the SUN ISDN kit to attach to their ISP,
The vast majority of responses discouraged me from trying it. The big reasons
were:
1 - better support from your ISP - they sold it to you, they "should" know how
to support it! (while I knew this, the amount of responses that discouraged
me raised my FUD factor - Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt)
2 - The Pipeline 50 has apparently overcome initial instabilities, and people
who have them like them very much. A couple of people made a point of
telling me to stay away from the Pipeline 25, however.
3 - Mr Grizzard pointed this out:
Who says a router can't be a learning experience, as well? Knowing
routers is probably more valuable than knowing how to make your SUN do
dialup IP, when you get right down to it. (Anyone can do dialup IP. How
many people do you know that can work on a Cisco 7500? :)
So.....
I have place the order for the Pipeline 50 and will go that route (no pun
intended!).
Thanks for everyone's input!!
============================================================================
|Charles Mengel |
|Systems Eng Manager | ________________
|LGI | | _____ _ |
|9017 Red Branch Rd | |/ \ * / / |
|Columbia Maryland USA 21045 | \ | | |____
|VOICE 410-997-1393 | \ | | |
|FAX 410-720-1241 | |_| | /
|EMAIL charles.mengel@lgi.com | \___|
| | Hope this looks like Maryland!!!
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I
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