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- Subject: TCP/IP: Pings, POPs and KISSes
-
- If you're an active packeteer, sooner or later someone will bring up the
- subject of TCP/IP--Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. Of
- all the packet networking alternatives used on the air today, TCP/IP is
- the most popular.
-
- Despite its name, TCP/IP is more than two protocols; it's actually a set
- of several protocols. Together they provide a high level of flexible,
- "intelligent" packet networking that isn't possible with AX.25. At the
- time of this writing, TCP/IP networks are local and regional in nature.
- For long-distance mail handling, TCP/IP still relies on traditional
- AX.25 NET/ROM networks. Even so, TCP/IP enthusiasts see a future when
- the entire nation, and perhaps the world, will be linked by high-speed
- TCP/IP systems using terrestrial microwave and satellites.
-
- Sending Mail with TCP/IP
-
- With TCP/IP you can send local and regional mail efficiently and
- reliably. You need only prepare the message and leave it in your own
- TCP/IP "mailbox." Within seconds your computer will attempt to make a
- connection to the target station and deliver the message directly. There
- are no PBBSs involved. The message packets simply travel through the
- network until they reach the other station. While this is taking place,
- you can talk to, or receive mail from, another station. If you're
- fortunate enough to own Windows, DESQview or similar multitasking
- software, you can leave the TCP/IP program entirely and play a game or
- write a letter while your message is being delivered!
-
- Before sending a message to another station, it's possible to use TCP/IP
- to see if the station is actually on the air. You use the ping function,
- which stands for Packet Internet Groper. I like to think of it as the
- sonar pings used by ships and submarines to find out what's in the water
- around them. It works in nearly the same manner, but it's much more
- specific! If I want to find out if WS1O is available on the network, I
- just ping him as follows:
-
- ping ws1o
-
- Note that TCP/IP is case sensitive. That is, the use of upper- or lower-
- case letters is important. Most TCP/IP commands are lower-case.
-
- If WS1O has his station on the air, I'll see:
-
- 44.88.0.23: echo reply id 0 seq 61531, 7000 ms
-
- This cryptic line merely confirms that WS1O is on the air. His TCP/IP
- address is shown (44.88.0.23) along with the time it took to send the
- ping from my station to his (7000 ms or 7 seconds). It lets me know that
- the mail I send now will arrive at his station within a reasonably short
- period of time.
-
- If you want to send mail to hams in cities outside your TCP/IP network,
- you'll need to post it on an AX.25 bulletin board. Some AX.25 PBBSs
- feature special ports that allow TCP/IP users to connect to the system.
- If your local PBBSs doesn't have a TCP/IP port, don't worry. Your TCP/IP
- software provides a means to communicate with AX.25 stations (and vice
- versa). As TCP/IP networks expand, you'll be able to reach hams in
- distant cities without having to resort to the AX.25 mail forwarding
- system.
-
- What if someone tries to send mail to you when you're not on the air? If
- they can't connect to your station, their computer will hold the message
- and try again later. Many TCP/IP packeteers also use Post Office
- Protocol (POP) servers to hold incoming mail when they're not on the
- air. When they activate their stations, the TCP/IP software sends an
- inquiry to the POP server to see if any mail is waiting. If mail is
- available, it's transferred automatically!
-
- Shooting the Breeze with TCP/IP
-
- Talking to another station on a NET/ROM network can be a difficult
- proposition--especially if the station is distant. You can only hope
- that all the nodes in the path are able to relay the packets back and
- forth. If the one of the nodes becomes unusually busy, your link to the
- other station could collapse. Even when the path is maintained, your
- packets are in direct competition with all the other packets on the
- network. With randomly calculated transmission delays, collisions are
- inevitable. As a result, the network bogs down, slowing data throughput
- for everyone.
-
- TCP/IP has a unique solution for busy networks. Rather than transmitting
- packets at randomly-determined intervals, TCP/IP stations automatically
- adapt to network delays as they occur! As network throughput slows down,
- active TCP/IP stations sense the change and lengthen their transmission
- delays accordingly. As the network speeds up, the TCP/IP stations
- shorten their delays to match the pace. This kind of intelligent network
- sharing virtually guarantees that all packets will reach their
- destinations with the greatest efficiency the network can provide.
-
- With TCP/IP's adaptive networking scheme, you can chat with a ham in a
- distant city and rest assured that you're not overburdening the system.
- Your packets simply join the constantly moving "freeway" of data. They
- might slow down in heavy traffic, but they will reach their destination
- eventually. (This adaptive system is used for all TCP/IP packets, no
- matter what they contain.) If you want to check the status of your
- target station--and the path between--just use the ping function as we
- discussed earlier.
-
- Swapping Files via TCP/IP
-
- TCP/IP really shines when it comes to transferring files from one
- station to another. By using TCP/IP, you can connect to another station
- and transfer computer files--including software. As you can probably
- guess, transferring large files can take time. With TCP/IP, however, you
- can still send and receive mail or talk to another ham while the
- transfer is taking place!
-
- To transfer a file from one station to another, you use the File
- Transfer Protocol, or FTP. We already know that WS1O is on the air.
- Let's set up an FTP link with his computer and grab a file.
-
- ftp ws1o
- When the link is established, my terminal displays:
-
- SYN sent
- Established
- 220 ws1o.ampr.org FTP version 890421.1e ready at Sat Aug 13
- 18:22:26 19
-
- Now I'm ready to log in. At the command prompt I send: user anonymous.
- My terminal displays WS1O's response.
-
- 331 Enter PASS command
-
- No problem. Most systems allow you to use your call sign as the
- password.
-
- pass wb8imy
-
- When I see 230 Logged in, it's time to check his computer to see what he
- has to offer. All I have to do is send dir and my screen displays:
-
- 200 Port command okay 150 Opening data connection for LIST\public
-
- switch.map 1,500 19:57 06/19/92
- tcp/ip.doc 10,000 02:30 07/01/92
- space.exe 20,000 22:25 07/16/92
-
- 3 files 13,617,152 bytes free. Disk size 33,400,832 bytes
- Get complete, 200 bytes received
-
- Whew! It looks complicated at first glance, doesn't it? All it's telling
- you, though, is that WS1O has three files available for transfer. The
- name of each file is shown along with its size and the date it was
- placed on his disk. If you have some experience with computers, this may
- look familiar. (You've just issued the "directory" command that's common
- to most machines.)
-
- I happen to know that "space.exe" is a game that WS1O has written for my
- particular computer. Regardless of whether it's an ASCII or binary file,
- I can transfer a copy by simply using the get command.
-
- get space.exe
-
- In response, I'll see:
-
- 200 Port command okay
- 150 Opening data connection for RETR space.exe
-
- As I've already pointed out, the transfer may take several minutes,
- especially if WS1O is distant or the network is busy. hat's okay because
- I can spend the time sending mail to other amateur friends in the area.
- When the transfer is complete, my screen displays:
-
- Get complete, 20,000 bytes received
- 226 File sent ok
-
- Great! The transfer was a success. I can send a file to his
- station using the put command, or I can close the link and go play the
- game!
-
- FIN wait 1
- Time wait
- Closed (Normal)
-
- TCP/IP Switches
-
- Most TCP/IP networks depend on dedicated switches to move data through
- the system. NET/ROM nodes are also used when necessary. Like NET/ROM
- nodes, TCP/IP switches communicate with each other over high-speed
- backbone links on the 222- or 420-MHz bands.
-
- Many TCP/IP packeteers access their local switches on the 2-meter band
- with 144.91 MHz being a popular frequency. Access on 2 meters currently
- takes place at a data rate of 1200 bit/s. However, TCP/IP switches use
- backbone links to relay data throughout the network at rates of 9600
- bit/s or higher.
-
- When you try to contact another station using TCP/IP, all network
- routing is performed automatically according to the TCP/IP address of
- the station you're trying to reach. In fact, TCP/IP networks are
- transparent to the average user. Your packets may flow back and forth
- through several switches and you won't even know it!
-
- On conventional NET/ROM networks, access to backbone links is
- restricted. This isn't true on TCP/IP. Not only are you allowed to use
- the backbones, you're actually encouraged to do so! If you have the
- necessary equipment to communicate at the proper frequencies and data
- rates, you can tap into the high-speed TCP/IP backbones directly. By
- doing so, you'll be able to handle data at much higher rates. This
- benefits you and everyone else on the network.
-
- What Do I Need to Run TCP/IP?
-
- You'll be pleased to know that you can join the TCP/IP community with
- the packet equipment you probably own already. In terms of hardware, all
- you need is a computer (it must be a computer, not a terminal), a 2-
- meter FM transceiver and a TNC with KISS capability.
-
- What in the world is KISS? KISS stands for Keep It Simple, Stupid and
- most modern TNCs and MCPs have this feature. When you place your TNC in
- the KISS mode, you disable the AX.25 protocols and reduce the unit to a
- basic packet modem. All of the incoming and outgoing data will be
- processed directly by your computer, not your TNC.
-
- As you might guess, the heart of your TCP/IP setup is software. The
- TCP/IP software set was written by Phil Karn, KA9Q, and is called NOSNET
- or just NOS. The program is available for IBM-PCs and compatibles, Apple
- Macintoshes, Atari STs and Commodore Amigas. NOS takes care of all
- TCP/IP functions, using your "KISSable" TNC to communicate with the
- outside world.
-
- The only other item you need is your own IP address. Individual IP
- Address Coordinators assign addresses to new TCP/IP users. All you have
- to do is contact the coordinator in your area.
-
- It sounds almost too simple, doesn't it? Well, learning a new protocol
- such as TCP/IP presents a challenge to some. There's a completely
- different set of abbreviations and "buzz words" that you'll need to
- know. It also takes some time to completely set up the NOS software and
- get it running properly. Most experienced TCP/IP users are more than
- glad to help you solve any problems. -- WB8IMY
-
-
- AMPRNet IP address coordinators as of 29 Jan 1994
-
- Corrections and updates to brian@ucsd.edu.
-
- The people listed here have volunteered to issue IP addresses for
- their areas. They aren't paid to do this service; please understand
- that they are perfectly at ease to deal with coordination responses
- at a lower priority than the things that matter more, such as job
- and family. Please be patient when requesting an address.
-
- 44.002 Bob Meyer K6RTV CA: Sacramento
- 44.004 Douglas Thom N6OYU CA: Silicon Valley -
- San Francisco
- 44.006 Don Jacob WB5EKU CA: Santa Barbara/
- Ventura
- 44.008 Brian Kantor WB6CYT CA: San Diego
- 44.010 Terry Neal AA6TN CA: Orange County
- 44.012 Steven King KD7RO E WA, IDo
- 44.014 John Shalamskas KJ9U HI & Pacific Is
- 44.016 Jeff Angus WA6FWI CA: Los Angeles -
- S F Valley
- 44.017 Dana Myers KK6JQ CA: Antelope Valley/
- Kern County
- 44.018 Geoffrey Joy KE6QH CA: San Bernardino &
- Riverside
- 44.020 Fred Schneider K0YUM CO: Northeast
- 44.022 John Stannard KL7JL AK
- 44.024 Dennis Goodwin KB7DZ W WA state: Puget
- Sound
- 44.026 Ron Henderson WA7TAS OR
- 44.028 Don Adkins KD5QN N TX
- 44.030 J Gary Bender WS5N NM
- 44.032 Bdale Garbee N3EUA CO: Southeast
- 44.034 Mark J. Bailey N4XHX TN
- 44.036 Doug Drye KD4NC GA
- 44.038 Mike Abbott N4QXV SC
- 44.040 Matt Simmons KG7MH UT
- 44.042 John Martin KB5GGO MS
- 44.044 Bob Wilson KA1XN W MA
- 44.046 Stan Wilson AK0B MO
- 44.048 Jacques Kubley KA9FJS IN
- 44.050 Ron Breitwisch KC0OX IA
- 44.052 Gary Grebus K8LT NH
- 44.054 Ralph Stetson KD1R VT
- 44.056 Johnathan Vail N1DXG E & Central MA
- 44.058 Rich Clemens KB8AOB W VA
- 44.060 Howard Leadmon WB3FFV MD
- 44.062 Jim DeArras WA4ONG VA
- 44.062 Jon Gefaell KD4CQY VA (Charlottesville
- area)
- 44.064 Dave Trulli NN2Z N NJ
- 44.065 Bob Applegate WA2ZZX S NJ
- 44.066 John DeGood NU3E DE
- 44.068.1-32 Bob Foxworth K2EUH NYC & LI
- 44.068.64+ Bob Bellini N2IGU ENY
- 44.069 Paul Gerwitz WA2WPI WNY
- 44.070 Gary Sanders N8EMR OH
- 44.072 Ken Stritzel WA9AEK Chicago - N IL
- 44.073 Chuck Henderson WB9UUS S/Central IL
- 44.074 Mark Bitterlich WA3JPY NC E
- 44.075 Charles Layno WB4WOR NC W
- 44.076 Kurt Freiberger WB5BBW S TX
- 44.077 Rod Huckabay KA5EJX W TX
- 44.078 Joe Buswell K5JB OK
- 44.080 Doug Crompton WA3DSP E PA
- 44.082 Steven Elwood N7GXP MT
- 44.084 Bob Ludtke K9MWM CO: Western
- 44.086 Reid Fletcher WB7CJO WY
- 44.088 Bill Lyman N1NWP CT
- 44.090 Mike Nickolaus NF0N NE
- 44.092 Pat Davis KD9UU WI, upper peninsula MI
- 44.094 Gary Sharp WD0HEB MN
- --- Andy Warner N0REN (Minn-Twin Cities area
- only)
- 44.096 Don Bennett K4NGC DC
- 44.098 Bruce La Pointe WD4HIM FL
- 44.100 Richard Elling KB4HB AL
- 44.102 Jeff King WB8WKA MI lower peninsula
- 44.104 Charles Greene W1CG RI
- 44.106 Tyler Barnett N4TY KY
- 44.108 James Dugal N5KNX LA
- 44.110 Richard Duncan WD5B AR
- 44.112 Bob Hoffman N3CVL W PA
- 44.114 Steven Elwood N7GXP ND & SD
- 44.116 Tom Kloos WS7S OR: NW & Portland,
- Vancouver WA
- 44.118 Carl Ingerson N1DXM ME
- 44.120 unassigned
- 44.122 Dale Puckett K0HYD KS
- 44.123 Bernie McDonnell NP2W Virgin Is
- 44.124 David Dodell WB7TPY AZ
- 44.125.0-126 Earl Petersen KF7TI S NV
- 44.125.128-254 Bill Healy N8KHN N NV
- 44.126 Karl Wagner KP4QG PR
- #
- # 44.128 is reserved for testing. Don't use for operational networks.
- # You may safely assume that any packets with 44.128 addresses are
- # bogons unless you're using them for some sort of testing
- #
- 44.128 TEST
- #
- # International subnet coordinators by country
- #
- 44.129 Japan JG1SLY Tak Kushida,
- JH3XCU Joly Kanbayashi
- 44.130 Germany DL4TA Ralf D Kloth
- 44.131 United Kingdom G1PLT Paul Taylor
- 44.132 Indonesia YB1BG Robby Soebiakto
- 44.133 Spain EA4DQX Jose Antonio Garcia. Madrid.
- (EA4DQX @ EA4DQX)
- 44.134 Italy I2KFX
- 44.135 Canada VE3JF Barry McLarnon
- 44.136 Australia VK2ZXQ John Tanner
- 44.137 Netherlands PA0GRI Gerard Van Der Grinten
- 44.138 Israel 4X1GP Peleg Lapid
- 44.139 Finland OH1MQK Matti Aarnio
- 44.140 Sweden SM0IES Lennart
- 44.141 Norway LA4JL Per Eftang
- 44.142 Switzerland HB9CAT Marco Zollinger
- 44.143 Austria OE1KDA Krzysztof Dabrowski
- 44.144 Belgium ON7LE
- 44.145 Denmark OZ1EUI
- 44.146 Phillipines DU1UJ Eddie Manolo
- 44.147 New Zealand ZL2BKC Wayne Knowles
- 44.148 Ecuador HC5K Ted
- 44.149 Hong Kong VS6YHJ Thomason FAN
- 44.150 Slovenija S53FK Iztok Saje
- 44.151 France FC1BQP Pierre-Francois Monet
- 44.152 Venezuela OA4KO/YV5 Luis Suarez
- 44.153 Argentina LU7ABF Pedro Converso
- 44.154 Greece SV1UY Demetre Valaris
- 44.155 Ireland EI9GL Paul Healy
- 44.156 Hungary HA5DI Bela Markus
- 44.157 Chile CE6EZB Raul Burgos
- 44.158 Portugal CT1DIA Artur Gomes
- 44.159 Thailand HS1JC Kunchit Charmaraman
- 44.160 South Africa ZS6BHD John
- 44.161 Luxembourg LX1YZ Erny Tontlinger
- 44.162 Cyprus 5B4TX C. Costis
- 44.163.16 Panama
- 44.163.32 Costa Rica
- 44.163.48 Nicaragua
- 44.163.64 Honduras
- 44.163.80 El Salvador
- 44.163.96 Guatamala
- 44.163.112 Belize
- 44.164 Surinam PZ2AC Otto Morroy
- 44.165 Poland SP5WCA Andrzej K. Brandt
- 44.166 Korea unknown
- 44.167 India VU2LBW Lakshman ("Lucky") Bijanki
- 44.168 Taiwan BV5AF Bolon
- 44.169 Nigeria 5N0OBA Kunle
- 44.170 Croatia ?? Sinisa Novosel
- 44.171 Serbia (none)
- 44.172 Sri Lanka 4S7EF Ekendra
- 44.173 Mexico (pending)
- 44.174 Brazil PP5AQ Luiz F. Catalan
- 44.175 Cuba CO2JA Jose Amador
- 44.176 Turkey TA2LA Abdul-Hamid Sadka
- 44.177 Czech Republic OK2XTE Karel Odehnal
- 44.178 Russia RA3APW Karen Tadewosyan
- 44.179 Gibraltar ZB0D Jim Watt
- 44.180 Yugoslavia YT7MPB Miroslav Skoric
-
- 44.193 Outer Space-AMSAT W3IWI Dr Tom Clark
-
-
- TCP/IP Software Sources
-
- The various versions of TCP/IP software may be obtained from
- the following sources:
-
- IBM-PC/MS-DOS version of NET is available from:
- Tucson Amateur Packet Radio (TAPR), 8987-309 East Tanque Verde Rd
- No. 337, Tucson, AZ 85749,
- (817) 383-0000 (voice mail), (817) 566-2544 (FAX)
-
- Apple Macintosh version of NET is available from:
- Doug Thom, N6OYU, c/o Thetherless Access Ltd, 1405 Graywood Dr,
- San Jose, CA 95129-2210
-
- Atari ST version of NET is available from:
- Mike Curtis, WD6EHR, 7921 Wilkinson Av, N Hollywood, CA 91605-2210
-
- Commodore Amiga version of NET is available from:
- John Heaton, G1YYH, MCC Network Unit, Oxford Rd, Manchester M13
- 9PL, England.
-
- There's typically a nominal fee charged to cover the cost of
- disk(s) and postage, so send an SASE first to find out what is
- required. Also, some versions of TCP/IP software may be
- downloaded from CompuServe's HamNet library 9.
-