386/ix questions: asynch boards; support

[Jerry Toporek]

We have been running 386/ix 2.0.2 on our Compaq 386/20 for several
months.  Since upgrading from 1.0.5, we have not been able to get
satisfactory inbound uucp performance using our Telebit Trailblazer.
The X5 driver update has not helped at all.  After months of oversized
bills from uunet, spent mostly on stalled connections, we give up.
We no longer want to know why our configuration worked great under
1.0.5 and lousy under 2.0.2.  Some of you have reported that similar
problems went away as a result of the improved support for 16550A UARTs
in the X5 update.  My question now is:  Can anyone with a hardware
configuration like ours recommend a specific high-performance asynch
board with 16550A chip(s) that works well under 2.0.2?  We don't need
lots of ports, and would prefer a board with RJ-45 connections.  We
mostly just want to see over 1000 bytes/sec like the good old days,
and the extra bucks spent while trying to find a solution could have
paid for a good board.

Now a question about support for 386/ix:  In the process of trying to
find a solution for the above problem, we first turned to our distributer
for help.  He went to ISC and came back with nothing, until I was able to
give him specific suggestions which came from this forum.  After waiting
for the X5 update (and then waiting to get a complete copy of the
accompanying documentation after two partial copies), and then having
no improvement, I called ISC technical support (in Santa Monica) myself.
What I got was a lecture on how they only provided support for their
distributers, but that I could send e-mail and they might look at it.
(I did; no reply so far.)  Several notes here recently have been very
complimentary of ISC tech support for 386/ix, so the question for those
of you who feel that way is, where are you calling and who are you
talking to?  Are you paying for support?  I asked the person I spoke
to about this, and he said that support was only available from the
distributers.

(Our company sells software to OEMs and O/S vendors who
provide all end-user support, so I am well familiar with this concept.
My interest in asking these questions is not to vent frustration, but
just to try and get a solution to our problem.  Any help is appreciated.)

-- 
Jerry Toporek ========================  `` ''  ===============================
jt at mentat.com                          < @ @ >          Mentat Inc.
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