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Path: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au!newshost.carno.net.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!munnari.OZ.AU!news.mel.connect.com.au!news.syd.connect.com.au!news.bri.connect.com.au!corolla.OntheNet.com.au!not-for-mail From: Tony Griffiths <tonyg@OntheNet.com.au> Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc Subject: Re: FreeBSD and ISDN -- final analysis? Date: Fri, 20 Jun 1997 10:47:28 +1000 Organization: On the Net (ISP on the Gold Coast, Australia) Lines: 34 Message-ID: <33A9D320.3321@OntheNet.com.au> References: <5obd62$18v@news.gvsu.edu> Reply-To: tonyg@OntheNet.com.au NNTP-Posting-Host: swanee.nt.com.au Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.0 (WinNT; I) To: Matt Behrens <behrensm@river.it.gvsu.edu> Xref: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc:43181 Matt Behrens wrote: > > Hi all, > > In my quest to figure out if FreeBSD & ISDN really is possible, I did a > little research first (even R-ingTFM, believe it or not) :) and have come > up with two conflicting information sources. > > 1. The FreeBSD handbook states that ISDN is possible simply by hooking it > up to the serial port and using PPP, albeit limited to 115Kbps. This is ISDN via the back door... In this case, a TA (Terminal Adapter) is used to convert between a 'standard' sync or async port on the computer/router/etc. to ISDN. Basically, the TA must do all the hard work. In some cases, TA's have been made to look like async Hayes-compatible modems (ie. you talk to them via AT commands) for computer initiated dialing, etc. > > 2. Joerg (my apologies if I mispelled the name, I am a product of the > American public education system after all) ;) said in a post about a > month ago that ISDN needed the BISDN package, which was in a state of > incompleteness due to a need for complete rewrites right now. This is _true_ ISDN. An ISDN card (Basic Rate Interface {BRI} or Primary Rate Interface {PRI} ) is part of the computer/router/etc. Software must understand LAPD/Q.921/Q.931/... to communicate with the the ISDN switch so that calls can be placed or accepted. Different kettle of fish altogether to a TA! You also need Synchronous PPP to do anything useful in terms of network protocols (IP or ???). I presume the BISDN package is the glue that makes it all hang together. Tony