Re: [hylafax-users] Solaris and USB modems

[Marcello Golfieri <golfieri@xxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks for your reply!  you've been way more than just helpful...!

I'm so sorry, I've just read your message right now, it got buried in
the bunch.  This morning I had a strange feeling about this (guess I
should worry...) and started crawling through the ML messages
folder... And here I am!

I'll check what you've just suggested.  I'm sure that implementing an
industrial modem would be a big plus, but I guess it would cost us way
too much considering our specific needs.  We already have usb modems,
that's why I think we'll buy Usb2serial adapters and file the case...

Thanks again buddy!

On Fri, Jan 9, 2009 at 3:29 PM, Dagobert Michelsen
<dagobert@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hi Marcello,
> Am 08.01.2009 um 18:06 schrieb Marcello Golfieri:
>
> I'm renewing some servers and their related services.  I'm also planning to
> move our hylafax instance from a linux box (w/ serial modem) to a solaris
> server and a usb modem.
>
> That is a good idea ;-)
>
> I tried searching around the net and this ML, without luck.  What I'm
> wondering is whether usb modems under solaris would work, and - in that case
> - which ones (on the field experience anyone?).  And obviously, if that
> would work with hylafax.
>
> From <http://www.sun.com/io_technologies/usb/USB-Faq.php>:
>
> 32. Can I use a USB modem?
>
> Support for USB modems and ISDN terminal adapters that conform to the
> Universal Serial Bus Communication Device Class Abstract Control Model (USB
> CDC ACM) specification was introduced in OpenSolaris. It is also available
> in Solaris 10 Update 4. See the usbsacm(7D) man page.
>
> Basically, this means you can use modems that present themselves as
> serial devices. Most USB modems nowadays DO NOT do that, but implement
> some other class as they are essentially "soft modems" which require a
> special driver to decode the incoming signals. Solaris does not have any
> soft modem drivers.
> If you look for modems search for "industrial modems" which have serial
> connectors. We connected a few of them to Digi terminalconcentrators
> which have something called "realport". You connect the modems to
> the concentrator and acccess it via a Solaris driver that tunnels the
> access via ethernet to the serial ports. The advantage for us was
> that we were able to put Hylafax into a zone which could be migrated
> between hosts in case of system failure and still access all modems
> without manual replugging of USB-devices. However, I don't know
> if this is a viable solution for you as you asked for USB modems
> specifically.
>
> Hylafax is not a problem at all itself, what I'm worried about is how to
> handle the usb modem devices under Solaris:  are these devices seen as
> straight ttys? or is it possible to use a usbToSerial for it... and so on...
>
> You can of course connect serial modems via usbToSerial. This is
> basically the same as the terninal concentrator solution outlined
> above.
>
> Best regards
>   -- Dago



-- 
Marcello Golfieri


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