[Elecraft] Re: radios on networks

[Bill Coleman]

On Jun 5, 2007, at 12:57 PM, Brian Lloyd wrote:
>
> The problem is, USB is a bad choice in this situation. It is a  
> short-range master-slave system. It is intended to have a single  
> master controller control a few attached devices. That works for  
> peripherals on your PC but it is not general purpose for our shack.  
> We really want something that is peer-to-peer and has no limitations.

FireWire.

> Given the cost of serial and the cost of Ethernet I would tend to  
> disagree. Other than perhaps some backward compatibility there is  
> no real advantage to serial RS-232 over Ethernet and a lot of  
> disadvantages.

Yes. But, Ethernet is just the physical layer. What you really need  
is a set of higher-level protocols that run over a high-speed  
connection.

The single-connection aspect of serial ports is the source of the  
limitation. (Although I did work on an multi-connection serial  
protocol while I was at Hayes called AutoStream)

> No, that would be a bad decision as it would not make anything any  
> better. Ethernet provides multiplexing already. Serial does not.  
> Ethernet provides 1000 Mbps. Serial does not. I could go on and on.  
> Ethernet-to-serial is just a band-aid. Better to put the ethernet  
> controller right on the processor's bus where it belongs then you  
> have all the features of Ethernet. And you can still emulate a  
> serial interface if you really want to.

Yup. Sounds like a good idea.

To me, though, whether Ethernet, USB or FireWire, you'd get this  
advantage.


Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
             -- Wilbur Wright, 1901