[time-nuts] Advice on NTP server needed

[Mike S]

At 06:25 PM 6/13/2011, Alan Melia wrote...
>Of the USB converters the best seemed to use the FTDI chip and driver, 
>but

I agree. The Prolific ones seem not to be as reliable, plus I 
understand that many don't use a real Prolific chip, but a Chinese 
"clone" which is even worse.

I've got a Moxa nPort 5610 Ethernet-serial server, which seems to be 
very reliable. They're inconsistent in updating the Linux drivers, and 
the code is butt-ugly,  but it is open-source (for Linux). I use their 
"real COM" mode, which makes it look like a /dev/tty device (COMx: for 
Windows). One neat thing is that up to 4 computers can be 
simultaneously connected, so I can for instance run Lady Heather 
against my Thunderbolt from a Windows VM _and_ also point the Linux 
side NTP at it with no conflict (PPS comes in a real serial port).

The biggest drawback is they use RJ45 jacks for the RS-232 ports, with 
a completely non-standard pinout (it's not EIA/TIA-561 or Yost).

I've restarted the Moxa with both Heather and NTP using the 
Thunderbolt, and other than the expected glitch, everything picks up 
where it left off without any problem.

Oh, and my NET4501s have been very stable - other than one of the wall 
wart power supplies dying. Replaced it with a beefier one, and all's 
good.