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terent and possibly incompatible
underlying networks. TCP/IP is
designed to run on top of other
networks by inserting or encapsulating
the TCP/IP packets inside
the packets recognized by other
networks (such as enclosing TCP/
IP packets inside AX.25 packets).
This technique of running a single
simple standard protocol on top of
other networking protoc ols is
called internetworking. This led
to the creation of the Internet
Protocol (IP).
The KA9a net package includes
all the items mentioned in
the wish list. A packeteer can do
ASC II and binary file transfers,
electronic mail, and keyboard-tokeyboard
asos all at the same
time wilh the same or different
users.
Th e u ser ne ed s an IBM ­
PC(lone), a Commodore Amiga,
or an Apple Macintos h to run
the KA9a net code. The system
TNC needs the KISS protocol (all
TNCs from Kant ronics and AEA
have KI SS built-in and KISS
ROMs are available from TAPR
for TNC- 1s and TNC-2s) . What
follows is based on my experience
with the PC version of the software,
since my system uses a
Pcione.
Now for the software. The PC
package is distributed on two
or three d iskelles, available
from either Kantronics or TAPR
The three diskette set with the
preconfigured disk is especially
nice.
The files autoexec.net and
bm.rc need some minor changes.
These two files contain all the configuration
information to allow the
user to tailor the software to his
station. This is the most difficull
pan of installing net.exe, but it is
very clearly described in the eccementatio
n . The documentation
has a tutorial that goes step-bystep
through the configuration
process.
Those with the two-disk set
need to use the provided archive
program to extract the files thai
make up the distribution, and
place them on a floppy or the appropriate
location on a hard disk.
Once this is done, simply edit the
configuration files and go from
th ere . This is described q uite
clearly in the README file included
on the disk.
Net.exe needs a network address
10 run. The only requirement
is that th is address be
unique relative to en the other
users. There is currently a plan to
68 73 Amaleur Radio . April,1988
assign adclresses on the basis of
general location. Most pans of the
world already have someone to
assign addresses in a given area .
Users whO can't find someone to
assign an adclress can check the
documentation to find out whOm
to contact to get an address block
for their area .
After gelling the address, construct
the routing table. This is
how net.exe knows where to send
its packets. Once done, ignore it
until there is a majo r change in the
network. Usually a packeteer
needs to know h is neighbors
(thOse stations he can work directly)
and his gateway (an IP packet
switch). Any packets that have an
address not belonging to a neighbor
IP will route to the gateway.
The gateways know how to route
packets to other users outside the
jocel area.
"I'm sold
on the software...
It's VERY simple to use and
provides a level ofservice
unavailable in any other
packet program. "
Once configured, run net with
the net command. Net will stan up
and give you the following prompt:
net >
This means that net is waiting
for input. To have a keyboard
aso with WB3ABC, u se the
command "temet wbJabc" and
net establishes the connection.
The user need not enter any
digipeater or other routing information.
The routing table entries
and those of the gateway take
care of making the packets reach
the destination. If WB3ABC is
reachable, the operator is rewarded
with th e message " Established."
Should he wish to establish
another session with another
station, he can press F10 > and
enter another command et the
net > prompt
To do a file transfer with
WB6XYZ, he enters the command
" ftp wb6xyz" and net again establishes
the connection. When he
gets the " Established" and the
banner messages from the other
station he logs in with the user
command . Mo st stations use
the user 10 of " guest" for guest s.
Alter that , he will be prompted
for the password. Here is an example
(the operator's typing is indented):
net > tip wb6rqn
SYN sent
Established
220 wb6rqn.ampr FTP ver sion
871225.6 ready at Mon Feb 8
20:15:131988
user guest
331 Enter PASS command
passwbGrqn
230 logged in
He's now Iree to enter commands
to the remote system. The
dir command gets a list of files on
the remote system, the cd command
allows the user to change
directories, the get command is
lor downloading mes, and the put
command is for uploading files .
The type command allows for
selection between image (binary)
and ASCII file transfers. Image
transfers do no conversion and
the file is sent EXACTLY as it is.
ASCII transfers translate
characters from the standard
used on the remote machine to
the standard used on the packeteer's
machine. This is useful only
for text files.
The bm .exe program sends
mail. The name comes from
the name 01 the original authOr,
Bdale Garbee, and stand s for
aoate's mailer. Starting up bm
tells about all arrived maiL The
user chooses messages to read,
respond to, or delete. He may
also originate a message. If he
responds to an ex isting message,
bm automatically addresses
it to the original sender
and fills in the subject field.
Nothing more is needed after
processing the mail. Net checks
fo r outgoing mail every five
minutes (or any selected time period)
and the mail is detivered automatically.
The user can also check into the
local bulletin board or talk to a
friend whO does not have net.exe.
He just uses the connect command
as if net were a TNC . There
is one small difference: he needs
to speci fy the port to use, since net
supports multiple TNCs and radios
(this is how it can be used as a
packet switch). An AX.25 connection
command might look something
like this:
connect tncA wb3ffv wb2sel
This means to use the port named
tn cA to connect 10 wb3lfv via
wb2sef . Simple.
The biggest point of net.exe is
that it allows concurrent operat
ions (mUltitaski ng). It's fun
and useful to set up on e or
more long file tran sfers then
go read mail or have a a so
wh ile th e transfer is going on .
There' s e s sentially no limit
to the n umber of thing s that
can go on simultaneously. Net
does a g ood job keep ing
sessions separate so that messages
from one connection don't
interfere with messages from
another .
Some people are concerned
about running an incompatible
protocol , such as TCPIIP, on amateur
radio. Rest assured , however,
that all outgoing packets are
pure AX.25. The only difference is
that they contain the IP and TCP
packets internally.
I'm sold on the software. It's my
onty packet program now since it
ccmmumcat es with NET/R OM ,
TEXNET, COSI, the local BBS,
other TCP stations, and any other
TNC. It's VERY simple to use after
set-up, and provides a level of service
unavailable in any other
packet program.
The price is right, too. Phil
has made it freely available
to amateurs. TAPR and Kantrcnies
charge a nominal lee to cover
the costs of duplication and mailing.
There's no better deal than
that. Sinc e PClones now cost
about what a ccmmodcre-ee
sys tem did a couple of years
ago , m ore hams will likely
be running th is package. Th is
software is a definite winner,
especially in the area of emergency
and public service events
where the user just wa nt s to
send information and doesn't
want to be bothered with the other
details.