[nos-bbs] Re: JNOS closer to Winlink than many realize + hf.ampr.org anyone ?

[Jay Nugent]

Greetings,

On Wed, 5 Apr 2006, Bob Nielsen wrote:

> 
> On Apr 5, 2006, at 5:03 PM, George (Skip) VerDuin wrote:
> 
> > Quick answer Tim,
> >
> > On Wed, 2006-04-05 at 18:41 -0500, Tim Gorman wrote:
> >> My two cents worth: Do we really want to turn the amateur bands  
> >> into telecom access channels for the purpose of providing regular  
> >> access by any and all to email ala WL2K?

> > Good grief NO.

   Agreed!  I would only care to provide ISP-like email services to a 
Served Agency (EOC/RedCross/SATERN) in times of emergency.  Otherwise, 
folks can use their usual ISP's for their mail!


> > Now the problem becomes putting a lock on the door that permits  
> > both - wl2k has done some of that...
> 
> Of course no matter what is done there is always the potential for  
> abuse, but we shouldn't get paranoid about it (btw, I first received  
> spam via a JNOS gateway back in ~1997 or so).

   The access.rc file is your friend :-)

  # Allow inbound SMTP from these workstations
  tcp access allow      216.144.208.71                         25    25
  tcp access allow      216.144.208.68                         25    25
  #
  # Do NOT allow inbound SMTP connectins from the Internet
  tcp access deny       all                                    25    25


   The above two hosts are allowed to send email *into* the JNOS HamGate,
all other SMTP traffic from the Internet is blocked.  One is a Linux box
and the other is WinBlows XP-Pro using Outlook.  This could just as easily
been the ethernet subnet at an EOC or the Red Cross.

   Don't forget to place those users who need to POP mail off the JNOS box 
in the /POPUSERS file (formatted as   user:password: ).  Outlook uses POP3 
protocol just as easily as it does IMAP.  And Outlook *can* be configured 
to leave messages on the server after POP, without having to use IMAP.

   Our Section Manager here in Michigan "challanged" us with building a
network that our "customers / Served Agencies" can easily interface to and
use a "familiar" interface like Outlook.  I told him we've been doing that
since 1992 (FORTEEN YEARS!!!).  We have a number of JNOS HamGates deployed
around the State of Michigan and will triple that number this Summer.
Between HamGates, JNOS nodes, and X1J4 NetROM nodes, we should be able to
reach *most* populated areas of our State with ease :-)

   All WinLink provides right now that we don't, is a "White List" that
maintains the email addresses of mails that have been sent 'outbound' onto
the Internet.  This White List allows specific email addresses to post
messages back *into* the Winlink system.  We can easily do that task on a
Linux box when regional emergencies occur.

   Yes, the WL2K folks have been tooting their horn quite loudly since the 
ARRL Board of Directors let that mistaken news release out into the wild.  
The one that (mis)lead folks into thinking WL2K was the *only* tool to be 
used for emergency communication by ARES/RACES/ARPSC.  According to 
Rosalee White (F&ES retired) that was NOT what the BoD meant to say!  Now 
it is up to those of us who know what the "Swiss Army Knife" of Packet can 
do (a.k.a. JNOS), we need to PROMOTE and PUBLISIZE that our networks are 
growing and can supply as good or better services than WinLink! :-)

   
      --- Jay Nugent  WB8TKL
          o Chair, ARRL Michigan Section "Digital Radio Group" (DRG)
            [www.MI-DRG.org]
          o Michigan AMPRnet IP Address Coordinator
            [www.mi-drg.org/ip-addr-form.html]

"Getting rid of terrorism is like getting rid of dandruff.  It cannot
 be done completely no matter how hard you try." -- Gore Vidal
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