Very Computer

C:\> plip -w 0x60 7 0x378     (for LPT1: on IRQ 7; I know the interrupt is
                               valid because Linux <--> Linux PLIP works fine)

OK, after that I start up the NCSA FTP server on one box, then try to FTP to
it from the other side.  On both ends, NCSA FTP initially tells me that my
packet driver vector is set incorrectly (which it isn't), and that it's
probing for a driver.  It'll eventually start to do something, but after a
few seconds I get a "cable fault"  message (or something along those lines).
On each connection attempt a colored digit in the lower-right corner of the
screen (presumably put there by plip.com) gets incremented, and changes
color.  It takes about 10 seconds, though, between the start of the connection
attempt and the time this digit gets incremented.

With KA9Q, my luck has been even worse.  I can "attach" and "ifconfig" the
interface, but trying to telnet out to the other side just locks up the
local machines (with a message at the top saying "resolving address XXXXX").

Oh, I need to include the "-w" (windows compatibility) option for NCSA FTP
to find the driver at all.  I've found that it is necessary to use this
switch with the "smc_wd.com" WD-Ethernet Crynwr drivers to get them to
work with NCSA & KA9Q stacks (after it's specified they work fine).  Oh,
and I've tried adding the "winpkt" layer on top of plip.com also; it doesn't
help.

Anyways, I'd like to hear from anyone who has gotten plip.com to work under
any conditions.  In particular, I'd like to use it (along with an Ethernet
packet driver) in concert with the PCROUTE freeware PC-based packet-routing
software.

Thanks,
--
______
\    / //////////////////////////////////////////////

  \/ //////////////////////////////////////////////

           I was wondering whether anyone has managed to get a working TCP/IP
   connection going between two MS-DOS PCs using the Crynwr PLIP.COM packet
   driver.  I've spent the past couple of hours trying to do this (between my
   laptop & desktop) without much luck.  If you're wondering why this is
   cross-posted to linux.help, my eventual goal is to to get a DOS <--> Linux
   PLIP link working by modifying Linux's plip driver to conform to the Crynwr
   standard.  There's not much chance of this happening if I can't even run
   it between 2 DOS boxes, though!

As you note, it's the original (Crynwr) PLIP that's deficient.  When I
get a spare minute (got a customer breathing down my neck at least
until the end of this week), I'll modify the packet driver to work
with Linux.

   Anyways, I'd like to hear from anyone who has gotten plip.com to work under
   any conditions.

Oh, it gets worse; try starting up PLIP on two machines, then reboot one.
You'll find that the other machine is now handling infinite interrupts.
Icky-poo.

--

Crynwr Software   | Crynwr Software sells packet driver support | ask4 PGP key
11 Grant St.      | +1 315 268 1925 (9201 FAX)    | Quakers do it in the light
Potsdam, NY 13676 | LPF member - ask me about the harm software patents do.

   You're the original author of the Crynwr PLIP driver, right?  Are
   you aware of any problems that exist in getting the PC-ROUTE
   freeware routing program or the NCSA Telnet/FTP program to work
   with Crynwr drivers?  Today I made up a SLIP cable and tried to get
   the "slip8250" driver to work with these two programs, to no avail.
   Pretty much the same results as with PLIP (I know my cable, IRQs,
   etc. are fine).  I get either a complete lock-up, or an "error
   initializing network" message (from NCSA).  Sometimes it will say
   that my software-interrupt vector (0x60) isn't set correctly, even
   though it is (the value in CONFIG.TEL matches what the driver is
   using).  I've had limited success with KA9Q, but even it seems
   flaky.

Unless your software handles SLIP-class packet drivers, you'll do
better sticking with ethersl.  It emulates ethernet by transmogrifying
SLIP packets into Ethernet packets.

And in config.tel, unless you're using an actual SLIP-class packet driver,
you should comment OUT everything in the hardware= section except the
one line that says hardware=packet.

--

Crynwr Software   | Crynwr Software sells packet driver support | ask4 PGP key
11 Grant St.      | +1 315 268 1925 (9201 FAX)    | Quakers do it in the light
Potsdam, NY 13676 | LPF member - ask me about the harm software patents do.

1)  Using the winpkt.com front-end that comes with the Crynwr package and/or
        specifying "-w" in the plip.com invocation line.

2)  Booting off a vanilla DOS floppy to get rid of any conflicting TSR or
        drivers.

3)  Checked config.tel for any hardware-specific options, other than
        "packet=".  There are a few entries specifying MTU size and maximum
        wait after transmission, etc., but nothing that looks to be
        incompatible with a packet driver.

Any ideas?  I'm sure the Linux end is working fine (Linux <--> Linux PLIP
still works with the modified driver, on the *same two computer* I've been
using all alone).  This is getting rather frustrating!  Any help would be
greatly appreciated.

To anyone who actually has NCSA Telnet/FTP working with the Crynwr PLIP.COM:
could you possibly post a copy of your config.tel file to the newsgroup, or
mail me a copy?  Thanks.

--
______
\    / //////////////////////////////////////////////

  \/ //////////////////////////////////////////////

Parallel ports can often be found at 0x3bc rather than 0x378,
particularly on PS/2s and some of the better clone stuff (ie big brand
names; some Compaq stuff for example).

hamish

System Administrator                  Fax: +61 (0)3 803 6954
Cloud Nine BBS, Melbourne.          Voice: +61 (0)3 803 1326

Alan

--
______
\    / //////////////////////////////////////////////

  \/ //////////////////////////////////////////////