I have a client with the following setup
[Windows] [Windows] [Windows] } workstations on LAN
\-------------|---------/
|
[Linux] } Currently an NT server
|
[modem pool]
|
[pub. telephone network]
|
[modem] } Their remote
| } retail sites
[Windows] }
Now what they do is run a Windows client package (such as PC Anywhere &
the likes) that talks through a windows modem sharing driver to their NT
server. The workstation driver presents a virtual COM3 or COM4 to the
application. The workstations then proceed to dial up the remote site to
take over the PC at the remote end running a custom application of some
sort (not entirely sure).
We need some way of doing this with Linux. Now it's probably not going to
be cost effective to put some sort of linux box at the remote sites
otherwise I'd run VNC. VNC doesen't (as yet) do direct dialup connections.
A few ideas I've had so far:-
1) Get the remote machines to answer & setup TCP/IP connection. Can you
get any old windows machine to do this?
2) The modem sharing driver they've got is called Win2NCS (AKA NASI) and
is also supported by Novell Netware so maybe it ain't too proprietary.
Anybody know if there's a linux daemon that talks this language? We don't
have to use this particular protocol if you know something else that does
it.
3) Hack VNC to do direct modem connections. (I don't really have time for
this and it's not as elegant as setting up a TCP/IP conection anyhow).
This sounds similar to trying to use terminal servers for dialout
purposes.
--
---<GRiP>---
Web: www.arcadia.au.com/gripz
Phone/fax: 02 4950 1194
Mobile: 0408 686 201
--
SLUG - Sydney Linux User Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/
More Info: http://lists.slug.org.au/listinfo/slug
