NET-9.TXT
                               LAN USAGE
                               ---------

Most  of us know how rapidly  1200 baud file transfers can take place over land
line circuits as  compared to packet radio.    This is because of three things.
First the LL circuit is full-duplex.  This means receive and transmit can occur
simultaneously.     Second,  there  are  no  other users (interference)  on the
circuit.  Third, the signal to noise ratio is high.

If  one  were to upgrade the radio network, it seems logical one should emulate
to  the extent possible,  operating conditions found on telephone systems.   We
are  further constrained  that as a volunteer group,  upgrade activites need to
be done as economically as possible.   Up til now,  we have not discussed going
to modem speeds beyond 1200 baud.  This is because higher data rates aren't all
that  effective  in a simplex  network environment.    If greater efficiency is
wanted, it is necessary to establish a  radio network configuration  satisfying
the LL system criteria mentioned above.   After the basic network configuration
is installed, attention can be directed towards higher data speeds.

The  "ideal"  network  concept under discussion consists of two components, the
user access (LAN) port and the backbone trunk.

Access nodes,  or LAN interfaces, should be frequency isolated from neighboring
LAN  nodes.    The reasoning  for this is  to eliminate on-channel interference
from  neighboring access  nodes and their users.    Use of TheNet version  2.08
or later,  nodeware at the  LAN  node will prevent QRM from node broadcasts and
accidental user node dumps from congesting the LAN frequency.  Also, having the
HEARD  feature  available on  the LAN node  will encourage keyboard-to-keyboard
contacts  across  the network and perhaps help in influencing newcomers to stay
in packet.

To  the  extent possible,  local  BBS to BBS  forwarding should take place on a
frequency other than that of the LAN node.   With multi-connect software, there
need  only be ONE full-time,  full service  BBS publically serving the coverage
area  on the  frequency of the LAN node.    Knowlege  of other BBSes with ports
accessible  from the  LAN frequency  should be subdued.    BBS and TCP/IP nodes
should  not be  allowed  to  broadcast  on the LAN channel unless there is some
over-riding  networking  reason  for their  presence.    Rather than beaconing,
users  should  be encouraged  to place announcements of their activities on the
local BBS for all to read.

The  above  recommendations  set  the stage  for operating a LAN frequency that
has  a  minimum  of  unnecessary overhead congestion and interference.  As user
activity  increases,  thought  can  be given to  changing the LAN  node over to
duplex-regenerator  (packet repeater)  operation  as  this  would  improve  LAN
frequency  throughput.    When  the  duplex regenerator becomes saturated, then
it's time  to consider  establishing a  second LAN  frequency,  if one does not
already exist.