[plug] Minimal Linux gateway - TCP over RS232 ?

[Mike]

Hi all,  (Cough - as its so quiet ;)

For a couple of independent users in a household and where both machines
have limited IRQ's (old ISA machines where both have other peripherals
and not network cards) is the following feasible under Linux ?

a.	Gateway machine (third machine) which is:-
	Cheap 486/133MHz with 32M ram, 2Gig HDD, no VGA card
	and 4 serial ports (16550 comp) and with appropriate
	s/w for email backup, web proxy where:-
	port 1	- connects to net via 56K modem
	port 2	- console port VT-100 compatable terminal (rare use)
	port 3  - connects to Machine A for user A at 115K baud
	port 4	- connects to Machine B for user B at 115K baud

b.	Machine A/User A
	Windows 95 machine with at least one serial port
	with 16550 compatible UART operating at 115K baud.

c.	Machine B/User B
	Windows 3.11 or Windows 95 machine with at least
	one serial port with 16550 compatible UART at 115K baud.

I'm exploring this as both machine A and B lack spare ints
for the use of network cards :( and in any case web/email
loading would not be excessive (each would have their own
browser cache in any case)... (Could go to 56K for A/B if
115K not that good). There is no need at present to link
Machine A and B together directly - but since there would/could
be a TCP link - could this be done easily through the
gateway machine for things like running games and (slowly!)
sharing data - ie Browse each others drives etc

In essence, can links between machines (over 10-15 metres) be
reliable enough using RS232 at 56K/115K - ie TCP over RS232 type
links and can it be implemented without serious grief. Could
either A or B make the gateway machine connect to net on demand
basis ?

PS: Anyone got any 125/85VR16 and 125/90VR16 twin tyres, new or s/h ?

PPS: Anyone who knows Paul Repacholi who might like to visit him
in RPH where he is recoving from a minor stroke...



Kind Regards  ~`:o)

Mike Massen
Network Power Systems
Perth, Western Australia  Ph/Fx +61 8 9444 8961 

Power system in Jungle, Twin tyre car, Differential gauge
http://members.iinet.net.au/~erazmus/index.html

Some say there is no magic but, all things begin with thought then it becomes
academic, then some poor slob works out a practical way to implement all that
theory, this is called Engineering - for most people another form of magic.