Old Modems

[BigO]

It might be bad form to cross post this, but the folks in the Classic Computing forum are likely the only ones to have any interest whatsoever in a couple of old Multi-Tech modems that I'm giving away.

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/174200-spreading-the-love-with-free-games-and-more-edicion-cinco/?p=3934627

 

They'll soon be relegated to the "circuit boards I keep for parts" box or donated elsewhere. I'm tired of looking at them.

[+OLD CS1]

Oh, man. Those get pulled from some banks?

[BigO]

I think so. I've had them so long I don't remember exactly where they came from.
They're probably good for nothing but scavenging parts at this point. A guy never knows when he might need a bunch of DIP switches.

[+x=usr(1536)]

You'd be surprised at how many leased lines are still in use. If you need site-to-site connectivity that doesn't touch the Internet or require a lot of bandwidth but does need a reliable circuit between the locations, they're a decent bet.

[+OLD CS1]

Yup. I noted elsewhere that I was changing out ACARS systems using 9600 bps lease lines because, well, they just friggen work. They were changing over to IP over T1 circuit.

 

I was also whoring myself out to install 56k modems as back-ups for "cashless" systems for when the Internet goes down.

[+x=usr(1536)]

Yup. I noted elsewhere that I was changing out ACARS systems using 9600 bps lease lines because, well, they just friggen work. They were changing over to IP over T1 circuit.

 

I was also whoring myself out to install 56k modems as back-ups for "cashless" systems for when the Internet goes down.

 

In my case, it was SNA over leased lines. This will tell you a lot about not only the types of systems at each end, but also the sector that would have systems like that in use. Frankly, it's better that they were keeping those well away from the Internet.

 

It's interesting how, with the rush to tear out POTS service, everyone is suddenly discovering just how useful (read: reliable) it actually is as a backup circuit.

[+OLD CS1]

 

In my case, it was SNA over leased lines. This will tell you a lot about not only the types of systems at each end, but also the sector that would have systems like that in use. Frankly, it's better that they were keeping those well away from the Internet.

 

It's interesting how, with the rush to tear out POTS service, everyone is suddenly discovering just how useful (read: reliable) it actually is as a backup circuit.

 

Yup, and I wish they would stay away.

 

There is a new snag on the good ol' POTS lines. As infrastructure is converted from copper to fiber trunking and facilities are extended outward, service reliability is fine but longevity lacks during extraordinary circumstances. For instance, at the entrance to my neighborhood is a powered shelf which provides me with phone, ADSL, and VDSL circuits.

 

The two data lines are through two different providers, which is good for logical redundancy like routing issues, upstream outages, etc., but the shelf battery power only lasts about six or seven hours. During the last hurricane we were without power for almost three days and we lost something like 80% of our cellular infrastructure. No mobile phones are data, no land-line phones or Internet.