Best serial console server construction method?

From: Will Andrews (will_at_csociety.org)
Date: 05/26/03

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    Date: Sun, 25 May 2003 21:15:13 -0700
To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org

    Hi all,

    In my quest to make my little network of computers more useful for
    kernel hacking and testing, I'm attempting to build a very cheap
    serial console server. Basically, the idea is that I'm going to
    use a computer that will be used for other purposes and add 8
    serial ports. How am I going to do that cheaply? Well, N-port
    serial cards (where N is >= 4) cost a few hundred dollars from
    everywhere I could see (granted, they're niche items and are
    accordingly priced). So I came up with the following scheme.

    If the computer in question has two USB ports, I could purchase
    two 4-port USB hubs and get 8 single-port serial adapters. So
    far as I can tell, the total cost would be approximately:

    8 x USB->RS232 DB9 Male @ $8/ea = $64
    2 x 4-port USB hub @ $8/ea = $16
    extra $ for misc. costs $20
                            Total: $100
                    Average per port: $12.50

    So my question is: has anyone else done this kind of thing
    before? I am well aware of the flakiness in FreeBSD's USB
    stack, but supposedly USB hubs and USB->RS232 adapters work
    without a hitch. If so, this could be the most economical
    approach to building a serial console server.

    Thanks for any comments. Please Cc: me as I am not subscribed to
    freebsd-hackers at this space-time vector.

    Regards, 

    -- 
wca
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