5 Packet Radio

Alan Cox, GW4PTS, iialan@iifeak.swan.ac.uk

Software that allows the Linux Kernel to perform AX.25 networking.

ALPHA. Quite stable though.

Linux kernel 1.0 or later.

Alan's software provides the programmer with a berkeley socket based interface to the AX.25 protocol. AX.25 sockets can opened for either connected, or connectionless modes of operation. Support to allow tcp/ip over AX.25 is provided. The user applications has been Jonathon G4KLX. The software comes in two parts, a kernel patch, and the user programs. The user programs included are:

axadd

to manipulate the AX.25 ARP table.

axattach

to convert a serial device into a KISS device.

axl

an AX.25 listener designed to start a PMS when it receives an incoming connection. The PMS is still very new.

axsetcall

to change the callsign of a port.

beacon

generated beacon messages every 30 minutes.

call

A linemode AX.25 connection program. Call allows you to make connections to other AX.25 nodes. It provides file transmit and receive capabilities, and newer versions allow YAPP binary file transfers.

listen

a demonstration of how to use intercept AX.25 frames at the raw packet level. Useful as a building block for packet tracing for example.

Brandon Allbery, KF8NH, bsa@kf8nh.wariat.org

Brandon ported JNOS to Linux. His port is currently of the 1.09 (aka 1.08df) release of JNOS. Future versions will probably be based on Doug Crompton's evolution of 1.08df. Brandon suggests that JNOS for Linux is primarily of interest to people with existing DOS-based NOS configurations (especially server/switch configurations) who wish to switch to Linux or to escape the 640K barrier.

The current version is ALPHA.4. Brandon is still tracking down bugs, as well as evolving new features.

Any version of Linux along with ncurses 1.8.1 or 1.8.5 (the latter is preferred). Optionally you will require Linux networking (at least loopback) and slattach (kernels pre-1.1.13 or post-1.1.20 required for this).

If you include the Linux networking code in addition to JNOS, you can link the two by a slip link running over a pty, so that Linux can provide services to your radio users. In this way you can easily add servers without having to build them into JNOS itself. Brandon has supplied the following list of known bugs:

• some servers seem to be causing unexplained exits.
• PPP is reported not to work in ALPHA.4, although it worked in ALPHA.3.
• BBS forwarding when convers is compiled in but not configured causes core dumps.
• the finger server is getting bad filenames.
• the bbs W command is case-munging filenames.

Mark Wahl, DL4YBG, DL4YBG @ DB0BLO.#BLN.DEU.EU, wahlm@zelator.de

A Hostmode terminal program for TNC's that support the WA8DED hostmode protocol.

Version 0.8 is reportedly stable.

TNC supporting WA8DED hostmode protocol, serial line.

TNT is a full featured hostmode terminal program. Compiling it on Linux is as difficult as untarring the source and typing `make'. It provides both a `dumb' terminal and X11 version. It comes with some comprehensive documentation which describes its features in some detail. Its main features are:

Multiple sessions:

TNT supports multiple packet radio connections on virtual screens that you can switch between. Each session window provides split screen (seperate transmit and receive text) operation with a status line. Commands can be entered in either a command session, or in any terminal session using a command key. Each of the virtual screens can be larger than the physical screen and can be scrolled around.

Data capture, file transfer and logging:

A number of options are available for logging received text to files. You can log transmit, receive or both to a log file. You can overwrite or append received data to existing files. You can use the `autobin' protocol to transmit or receive binary files.

Remote Shell operation:

You can provide a shell to remote users so that they can access other programs on your computer. You can also run a program and direct its input/output to a channel so that users can use it.

Redirection of devices to a channel:

TNT allows you to redirect input/output from a channel to a device, a modem for example.

Umlaut conversion:

TNT provides umlaut conversion if necessary.

Remote mode:

Remote users can issue command themselves if allowed to do so.

Socket mode:

You can configure tnt so that it opens a socket for users to telnet to that allows them operation just as you have from the console. This is useful where your linux machine is on an ethernet and you want other terminal on the net to have use of your radio.

Mike Westerhof's IPIP encapsulation daemon.

Mike Westerhof KA9WSB (original code), then Bdale Garbee N3EUA (port to BSD), then Ron Atkinson N8FOW and John Paul Morrison (port to Linux).

A daemon that will allow you to use your linux machine as an IPIP encapsulating gateway.

Ron is running this code himself, and the other version have been run quite successfully.

KISS TNC, any version of Linux supporting RAW sockets.

If you've ever used an internet gateway from your amateur packet radio you have probably been connected by an encapsulation gateway of some descpription. Most run KA9Q's NOS and DOS, but others run Unix and this daemon. It allows you to encapsulate IP within IP, so that you can 'tunnel' IP connections over the Internet. The software allows you to connect a KISS TNC to your linux machine and to have all datagrams received on it carried across the Internet to a similar gateway. Ron has supplied a Makefile that will allow you to easily compile to software. It compiled without errors on my system running a recent version kernel. Ron has also written some README files which give you the detail necessary to compile the system and the original docum entation describes how to configure it.

Mike Westerhof's AXIP encapsulation daemon.

Mike Westerhof KA9WSB, ported to Linux by Ron Atkinson N8FOW.

A daemon that will allow you to use your linux machine as an AXIP encapsul ating gateway.

Not properly tested, but assumed to work ok.

KISS TNC, any version of Linux supporting RAW sockets.

This daemon is the partner to the IPIP encapsulation daemon. It allows you to encapsulate AX.25 frames in IP to carry them across the Internet. This is useful for linking AX.25 networks in remote areas. Ron has supplied a Makefile for linux, and with it the software compiled without errors on my system running a recent version kernel. Ron has also written some README files which give you the detail necessary to compile the system and the original documentation describes how to configure it.

Fred Baumgartens Convers Server for Linux.

Fred Baumgarten, DC6IQ, <dc6iq@insu1.etec.uni-karlsruhe.de>

This is a version of the convers server that allows multiple users to simultaneously chat with each other in a round-table style conversation. It is compatible with the NOS convers servers, but provides extra facilities such as saving/restoring of Personal Text and Chanel Topics.

In use of a number of popular convers servers, appears very stable.

Linux, GNU make, C compiler.

Complete installation instructions are included in the INSTALL file that is included in the distribution.