[nos-bbs] SwsVpkt (XP Packet Driver for NOS) update -

[Barry Siegfried]

[wa7nwp at jnos.org wrote]:

> > Hopefully, I've helped you out here, Bill.  And on another
> > subject, did you happen to look at the directory structure
> > I posted to the mailing list last week?  Was it of any use
> > to you?
>
> Lots of help.  Lots to digest.  I started tweaking in NOS last weekend
> (at the NWAPRS gathering ) but ran in to one of those silly little things
> that takes hours to find and decided it was better to switch to the 807
> subnet.  I will follow the structure if possible.  I just want to cut
> down on the multitude of options and directories to make things a bit
> cleaner and it doesn't matter how.

Understood.  It's a BIG job.

> Back to the SwsVpkt system.
>
> I'm using a separate IP for the JNOS (192.168.27.78) then for the Windows
> box (DHCP assigned 192.68.27.100..) so that shouldn't be the issue.

Of course you are using different IP addresses.  And that isn't the
issue.  The issue, as I wrote in first message to the mailing list
on this subject, is that the same ethernet interface (and therefore
the same MAC address) is being used between both IP stacks.

> Maybe we'll be able to get SwsVpkt code and maintain it now that the
> originators are no longer going to be supporting it.

At this time, I do not believe that the source code is available.
Perhaps that might change?

> Wouldn't that be the right place to filter the IP packet clutter?

No.  The interface driver software knows absolutely nothing about
the protocols that are riding in the frame.  And nor should they.
The hardware driver sits at the MAC layer between physical layer
1 and link layer 2.  If anything, about the only thing that the
packet driver can POSSIBLY do is change the hardware MAC address.
But I don't know how to do that.  Do you?

> Maintaining access to the hosted machine is a pretty big thing.

You mean IP access from the SwsVpkt IP stack (JNOS) to the hosting
Windows O/S?  I use SwsVpkt/NOS in two installations and it is
precisely because they both sit on the same physical computer that
I do NOT need IP connectivity between them and their hosting Windows
O/Ss.  I mainly use NOS as a "backdoor" into the Windows disk.

Unless there is an *application* on the hosting Windows O/S to which
you need IP access for some reason through the SwsVpkt IP stack.
Then you've got a problem.  But I don't have any such application
to which I need access so it is not an issue for me.  If it were,
then I'd have to bite the bullet and install a second ethernet NIC
in the hosting Windows O/S machine.

> Might even be nice to have a hook to switch that off and on for
> performance vs connectivity..

You *can't* unless you use separate ethernet NICs.  There is no
way to do it "nicely" without the patches and by definition the
patches prevent IP connectivity between the hosting Windows O/S
and the IP stack running in the SwsVpkt VDM.  As long as you are
using a single ethernet NIC then you are limited to this kind
of scenario.

> Been playing a lot with Airmail here.  The goal is to get the
> SMTP/POP of JNOS talking to the POP/SMTP of Airmail.   I think
> there are some very interesting opportunities here for finding
> exotic techniques to pass messages.

Then you will *definitely* need to add the second ethernet NIC.

73, de Barry, K2MF >>
           o
          <|>      Barry Siegfried
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