IP Switches

[John.Ackermann@Dayton.NCR.COM <jra@lawday.Dayton.NCR.COM>]

Bdale writes:
> Keep in mind that a DE is really only two ports, you have to do something
> external like a TNC to use the console port as an RF channel.  Kind of ugly.
> Either buy Grace cards, resolve to live with G8BPQ code on the DE's, or
> port NOS locally would seem to be the options.  The G8BPQ code, by the way, is
> available for free from the Kantronics phone-line BBS.  I don't have the number
> handy, but it's in lots of their literature.

Since you've worked with the DE so extensively, do you have any thoughts
on whether it would be practical to daisychain DEs together to add
ports?  I realize it's a kludge, and the speed between the boxes would
limit cross-DE links (can the serial port be driven faster than 19.2?),
but it would be a way to build an expandable switch with minimum up-front
cost.  (And, with street prices for DEs being in the $279 area, a pair
of them are still cheaper than the Grace card)