asked on

Why are serial ports used in routers?

What are the uses of having serial interfaces in routers? I know they're used to connect routers together but aren't they too slow? or are they not used anymore in modern cisco routers?
are serial ports less expensive than fast ethernet or gigabit ports?

Dave Baldwin

Serial ports are used to configure the routers, not to pass network traffic.

Istvan Kalmar

Hi,

The older cico routers has Serial ports, it is not depends on the IP routing...
The newr cisco devices x9xx series has USB connector, CIsco wants to use USB on the future!
As Dave said it use for confiure....
All professional devices has SERIAL ports.....

Best regards,
Istvan

TakedaT

I believe you are referring to serial interfaces, not console ports. Serial interfaces are used to connect T1's and such lines to your network. They are used to connect WANs together. They shouldnt be used in a LAN environment, except for testing. They are incredibly slow (1.555mbps), but they dont need to be fast since the speed of a T1 maxes out at 1.544mbps.

that1guy15

I think he is refering to actual serial connection ports such as DCE/DTE type connections (ex.HWIC-1t.)

Yeah serial ports are slower but they are usually used now for T1 connections or an incoming connection from an ISP. For slower WAN connections such as these the speed limitations of serial interfaces will do.

SOLUTION

Mistralol

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

Mistralol

Also some serial ports are not so slow.

52mbit

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/internetworking/technology/handbook/HSSI.html

vidularandunu

ASKER

I am indeed talking about serial interfaces (sorry for my mistake at the title, but as the question says)..so the serial interfaces are used to connect to t1 lines?, can't anything else be used for that purpose?

Istvan Kalmar

ok...

Some ISP not able to solve ethernet connection, a lot of ISP system build by older PDH/SDH system!

PDH system contains nx64bit timslots:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plesiochronous_Digital_Hierarchy

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

GJHopkins

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

SOLUTION

Mistralol

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

vidularandunu

ASKER

guess i have a lot to learn about these..thanks alot for the answers..