SWCP's Network Configuration

We are often asked: Just what IS Southwest Cyberport? What kind of computers does it use? How is it arranged? When I call up with my modem, what sort of thing am I talking to? Here's a detailed description of Southwest Cyberport's network configuration.

Network Topology

SWCP consists primarily of a network of Sun Unix workstations. The Unix machines are all on an ethernet. The ethernet is then connected to the Internet via a high-speed digital phone line. Our Internet connection is a full T1 line, which is a 1.5 Mb/s connection. Our network also contains several Pentium & 486 PCs and a Macintosh.

Terminal Servers

We use the Livingston PortMaster brand of terminal server. Each server has 30 ports; each port can be connected to a modem. The PortMasters are also connected to the ethernet. When a user calls SWCP, the terminal server asks for a login name and password. If the name and password are valid, the user is then logged in to one of the Unix machines which acts as a login server.

When a dialup IP (SLIP or PPP) user calls in, the terminal server asks for and verifies the user name and password, as above. But instead of logging the user into one of the Unix login servers, the terminal server handles all of the SLIP/PPP protocol communications itself. So the user's machine becomes a node on our local ethernet (and by extension, a node on the Internet). The dialup IP user can then communicate directly with other computers on the network without having to go through one of our Unix machines. Dialup IP users can still use the Unix machines to log in (with telnet), retrieve email (via POP or SMTP), or store files (with FTP).

Network Map

The pictures on this page are photos of our couputers in our office on Texas street (click on the small photos to see larger versions). A conceptual diagram of the Southwest Cyberport network is also available.

Go back to the About SWCP Page.