Very Computer

 "Patented Dynamic Address Translation (DAT) offers network connectivity
 covering every PC configuration (static IP, DHCP, DNS), allowing users to
 roam transparently from subnet to subnet."
 (http://www.nomadix.com/solutions/enterprise/specifications.asp)

Basically, it allows client workstations with any given IP address and
default gateway to gain access to the Internet through the Nomadix
gateway. This feature is really useful in public network environments,
such as university campuses, where people frequently roam with
ill-configured laptops.

I think this feature could be implemented quite easily in OpenBSD (and
probably the other BSDs too). Here's how:

1. Modify the ARP server to catch ARP requests that fall outside the
   subnet served by the gateway's interior network
   interface.

2. Each time an ARP request comes through for an address (let's call it
   'X') that is outside the subnet of the interior interface, add an IP
   alias for address X on that interface.

3. Add nat-ing rules that NAT _any_ address on the interior interface to
   the outside world.

So every time some ill-configured box tries to contact its gateway server,
our hacked gateway adds an alias for the foreign gateway and the
ill-configured box carries on as if it never left its home network.

Of course, I'd love to add this feature to OpenBSD myself. My company has
built an OpenBSD-3.1-based wireless gateway that would benefit from such a
feature. But I'm not much of a kernel hacker.

Any chance the community interest is great enough for this feature that we
could get it added for free?

Thanks,
Ken Simpson
CTO, FatPort

--
Secure Broadband Wireless. Why wait? FatPort is here.
http://www.FatPort.com -- 1-866-FAT-PORT (328-7678)

Quote:>Any chance the community interest is great enough for this feature that we
>could get it added for free?

And really, it sounds like a fancy DHCP.  Just tell people "use DHCP" and
you've solved all your problems.  Or your clients' problems.

--
If you ever would give them a helping hand,
You can be sure they'll chop off the arm.
Never, ever, never trust a Klingon; you will always regret it.