Ascend Communications Inc.: MAX 4000, Pipeline 25 ISDN Router

Les Freed

You may not realize it, but you've probably used an Ascend Communications product already. Many Internet service providers use the company's MAX-series routers to connect their dial-up ISDN customers. Ascend's expertise in routing is evident in the quality of the MAX 4000 and Pipeline 25 ISDN Router. Together, they provide a fast, seamless remote connection with minimal configuration hassles.

Ascend calls the MAX 4000 a network access switch, but you can think of it as a flexible router, bridge, and terminal server, all in one compact cabinet. The MAX 4000 can route IP and IPX protocols and can bridge any other protocol. It provides PPP, Multilink PPP, and SLIP access to IP or IPX networks.

In addition to ISDN lines, the MAX 4000 can work with analog lines, T1 lines, or a combination of the three. This flexibility accounts in part for the box's $18,500 list price: The device comes with an Ethernet interface, four T1 ports, and a V.35 high-speed synchronous serial port. The T1 ports double as ISDN PRI ports. Because our test-bed uses ISDN BRI service, our test unit was equipped with an optional, $4,500 eight-line BRI interface.

The MAX 4000 has six expansion slots. Ascend offers a variety of expansion modules, including an eight-line V.32bis and V.34 modem module and a six-port V.35 module. The MAX 4000 also comes with a data-compression coprocessor from Stac Electronics. Stac has just incorporated its highly regarded compression software into a chip, and Ascend is one of the first data communication companies to take advantage of it.

The software included with the MAX 4000 provides IPX and IP routing and bridging, and support for PPP, Multilink PPP, SLIP servers, SNMP management, and several user-authentication protocols, including CHAP and PAP. Ascend offers Frame Relay as an option. The management and control facilities are limited, as are those of the other two solutions we reviewed for the current roundup.

SOHO Delight

The Pipeline 25 ($895 list) is the remote-office companion to the MAX 4000. Although it comes in a much smaller cabinet and supports only one ISDN line, the Pipeline 25 shares some of the MAX technology. The Pipeline 25 we tested was equipped with two options--Stac data compression ($300) and IPX routing (also $300)--which brought the total price of our test unit up to $1,495. Our unit also had a built-in NT-1 interface, which is a no-cost option.

The Pipeline 25 is the only product here that provides two analog telephone jacks. The two jacks mean you can use either one or both of the ISDN B-channels for phone, fax, or analog modem connections. This is an important feature for SOHO use, as it eliminates the need for additional analog lines for voice or fax communications.

It's important to note, however, that the Pipeline 25 supports only one user and one protocol at a time. If you need to connect multiple users at a single remote site, or if you need simultaneous IPX and IP routing, you'll need the more expensive Pipeline 50 ISDN Router ($1,695 with NT-1). The Pipeline 50 is similar to the Pipeline 25, but it is a higher-end product and does not support analog POTS (plain old telephone service).

Getting Connected

Both of the Ascend units were relatively simple to install and configure. Like the other routers we tested for this roundup, the MAX 4000 provides an RS-232 configuration connector. To configure the MAX initially, you must attach a PC running a VT100 terminal emulator to the serial port. Once you've completed the setup, if you're running TCP/IP on your network, you can use the telnet program to connect to the MAX 4000, eliminating the need for a serial connection and the VT100 emulator.

To get the MAX 4000 up and running, we only needed to enter our ISDN-line information and create a user account for the remote unit. The MAX 4000's operating software displays a combination status and configuration screen that shows the current status of each port and line attached to the MAX 4000. A menu bar on the left of the screen lets you scroll through configuration options such as ISDN-line configuration, user profiles, and router settings.

Like the MAX 4000, the Pipeline 25 requires a serial connection to a PC running a VT100 emulator, and it provides a similar configuration and setup screen. Setting up the Pipeline took about 5 minutes.

Once configured, the MAX 4000/Pipeline 25 combination performed flawlessly. There was a delay of a few seconds each time the remote client had to place a call to the host LAN, but once it was connected, the throughput was fast enough to give the illusion of a direct connection to the main-office LAN.

The MAX 4000's price tag is hefty compared with the other products reviewed, but Ascend markets the MAX 4000 primarily for use on ISDN PRI lines. In this configuration, the MAX 4000 can support 92 users (23 B-channels with 4 lines each), making its cost per port much lower than it first appears.

As we went to press, Ascend Communications had just released a smaller MAX unit that would probably make a lot of sense for smaller installations. The MAX 1800 ($7,200 list) is similar to the MAX 4000, but it comes with eight BRI ISDN ports instead of four T-1/PRI ports. It has two expansion slots, which can each accommodate an eight-port BRI board. The MAX 1800 was not available in time for us to include it in this review.

MAX 4000. List price: Basic unit, $18,500; four-line ISDN BRI interface, $4,500. Pipeline 25 ISDN Router. List price: $895; hardware compression option, $300; IP or IPX router option, $300. Ascend Communications Inc., Alameda, CA; 800-621-9578; http://www.ascend. com.

Copyright (c) 1996 Ziff-Davis Publishing Company