Communication between POS to Authorization Server(UNIX) via Access Server

[mkashif]

We are US based company providing complete end to end prepaid and banking solutions. Currently we are doing dial-up based communication between POS terminals and the authorization server using modem pools. Now we are switching from this method and want to use the Access Server instead of modem pool.

Incoming packets from POS don’t have any destination IP address. We have 8-port analog modem module installed in the Access Server 2621 XM. POS communicates at baud rate of 2400. Now what we want to do is:

1- Configure modems to listen from POS at baud rate 2400. We want that once the connection between POS and Access Server is established it should not dropped by the Access Server. Connection will be dropped by the POS only.

2- The Authentication Server (UNIX) is listening on a specific port on the same LAN. We want to configure the Access Server to send all the data arriving on tty lines to forward to the Authentication Server listening on the port.

3- Response from authentication server should be forwarded to the same tty connection from where request was received. i.e. there should be a way to identify at which tty line request was arrived and it is must that line should not be dropped.

Below are the details of the hardware we have.

Access Server:

Model: Cisco 2621 XM version 12.2(8)T5

Serial : JMX0719L3J5

Modems

Model: NM-8AM - 8 Port Analog Modem Network Module

Serial: CNI9HK0AAA

I’ll be very much thankful to you.

Regards

Kashif

[gmarogi]

If you can make the POS terminals use IP for communication, you can achieve your requirements 2 and 3. You can use either Radius or TACACS for authenticating the terminals.

[rjackson]

I did the same thing with a AS5400, a T3 and 648 on board async modems. I also build a test environment using a 2600, aux port and modem so your situation should work.

Connecting the async line is easy. Init the modems with a script that will skip all negotiation and quickly connect at 2400.

Opening to the host is done with the autocommand using telnet only specify the port you want instead of 23.

Here is part of the config

!

ip host credit1 port# ipaddr

!

interface Group-Async1

no ip address

group-range 1/00 6/107

!

line 1/00 6/107

no flush-at-activation

modem InOut

modem autoconfigure type bell212

autocommand telnet credit1 /quiet /noecho

transport preferred none

transport input all

transport output lat pad telnet rlogin udptn v120 lapb-ta

escape-character NONE

telnet transparent

autohangup

dispatch-timeout 250

The trick is how to handle the framing and error detection. Give me an email address and I send some docs I wrote.

[kkkkhine]

Hi Richard,

I'm trying to setup the same configuration like this and I was totally lost. I'm glad I found the answer that you posted.

Could you also e-mail the docs that you wrote?

Thanks a lot...

- Kyaw

my e-mail

joe@connectionless.net

[kkkkhine]

Hi Richard,

I'm trying to setup the same configuration like this and I was totally lost. I'm glad I found the answer that you posted.

Could you also e-mail the docs that you wrote?

Thanks a lot...

- Kyaw

my e-mail

joe@connectionless.net

[serkan]

Hi Mr Jackson,

Your solution is very likely for unified systems. Also this like solutions are alternative to the vendor-based solutions. We are going to plan for this like POS solution. Should you send the releted docs with lab info (which POS device hypercom or Schulumberger)?

Thanks for your sharing,

Serhat

serkan@oytek.com.tr

[pms]

I would like to know if it's possible for you to seend me the doc that you have made about the framing and error detection

Tahnk you

PA

pms_araujo@yahoo.com