cheap analog/digital: Crazy enough to work.

Tony Fogle [NOL STAFF] (tony@nol.net)
Sat, 21 Dec 1996 03:43:59 -0600 (CST)

|From: Kelley Lingerfelt <pm2e@cococo.net>
|Date: Fri, 20 Dec 1996 21:11:33 -0500 (EST)
|Subject: Re: Getting cheap analog/digital connections. (fwd)
|
| Ascend 25
| +-------------------------------+
| | +-+1 +--+P +--+ P /-\ W |
| | | |0 | |H | | H | | A |
| | +-+B +--+1 +--+ 2 \-/ N |
| | | T | | | |
| +-------------------------------+ Phone Numbers
| | | | | ISDN 555-1111, 555-1112
| | | | +---------------------------> Telco Jack
| | | |
| | | | +----------------+
| | | +------+ Analog Modem +------>S1 on PM2E
| | | +----------------+
| | | +----------------+
| | +--------------+ Analog Modem 2 +------>S0 on PM2E
| | +----------------+
| |
| |
| +-------> Hub on Network
|
|Jake,
| Is this the basic layout of what you are proposing? It looks real
|interesting to me. How do we get authorized on the ISDN call? Will it use
|the Radius Database? If it does, it looks like an ideal situation, it
|works out cheaper than the Courier MP I solution. Courier MP/8 runs about
|$4800 which is $600 per line, the above would with $400 for Ascend 25 +
|$250 x 2 for Modems, run about $450 per line. Say add another ~$30 for
|misc. cabling. It looks reasonable to me. We face the same monetary
|problem here in Tennessee with PRI vs Individual ISDN lines. It's those
|recurring fees that eat you up every month.

Just to make sure I didn't put my foot in my mouth for my first post to
this mailing list, I just verified on my Ascend Pipeline 75; you CAN'T use
radius to authenticate on a Pipeline...at least not with 4.6C. If they
added Auth=radius to later revisions, and I just missed the announcement
(which isn't likely...I live on the Ascend mailing list) then yes, for an
ultra small ISP, or BBS, this would be an ideal setup. Hell, only upgrade
services when you find people willing to sell their P25s dirt cheap 'cause
they want more features that only a 75, 400, 1800, etc can only provide.

Perhaps this would be a fantastic Feature Request at Ascend...think of the
implications...being able to use multiple BRIs in a large hunt group, able
to add 2 lines at a time as you need them instead of 23-24 (or 30 for
EuroPeople) channels at a time with a PRI.

For the ISP just starting out, or the BBS ready to take the plunge to
ISDN, I recommend informing the Bell company that you intend to operate
this way, and on the first ISDN install, bring in a shitload of strands,
instead of just a couple.

At NOL, once we filled up our 13-slot T1 facility loopback rack, we had
the foresight to suggest SWB bring in a full fiber run, and terminate
on-site, instead of in the office building's phone room.

Smart move; now we can have like 8 more 13-slot racks added (just under
100 PRIs) added 1 PRI at a time, as needed, instead of running an entirely
new fiber cable every 13 PRIs.

Bottom line...hindsight is like they say, very valuable. Plan for great
expansion; run an extremely large number of wires, for a WAY
over-estimated number of BRIs/PRIs the first time.....you won't regret it.

I'll cross my fingers for ya Jake...I know a lot of people could benefit
from this kind of functionality.

PS: If the Pipeline revision HAS come out that supports Radius, someone
pass me the salt and I'll munch on my foot quietly in the corner and
shyadup.

[---------------------------------------------------------------------]
|Tony Fogle - Tech Support Manager................713-467-7100 (Voice)|
|Networks On-Line.................................713-467-0488 (Fax) |
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