Trying to find a web-accessible device with multiple serial ports

I’m sure there has to be one out there, because I can’t be the only person who has need for something like this.

Anyone know of an appliance (I know I could do it with a PC and a card or two, but I’d rather have it simpler than that) that is basically a box with a web server and a load of serial ports?

The point being that it could be put somewhere with a lot of equipment, like a rack of switches, and then the box would have some sort of web server that would allow a serial session into one of the switches.

Anyone know if something like that is available out there?

-Joe

It’s not available yet, but the company I work for (American Fibertek) is developing a product that does exactly this. Called the Net I/O, it’s a web-connected box with four serial ports, six contact inputs, and six relay outputs that can be connected to by other equipment over the internet connection. It’ll probably be available by the end of the year.

They used to be called Terminal Servers, back when terminals were Character devices driven off RS-232 lines.

Trouble is, the phrase has been hijacked by MS and others, and now means something different. Blackbox may have what you want.

Si