TCP/IP: Pings, POPs and KISSes If you're an active packeteer, sooner or later someone will bring up the subject of TCP/IP--Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. Of all the packet networking alternatives used on the air today, TCP/IP is the most popular. Despite its name, TCP/IP is more than two protocols; it's actually a set of several protocols. Together they provide a high level of flexible, "intelligent" packet networking that isn't possible with AX.25. At the time of this writing, TCP/IP networks are local and regional in nature. For long-distance mail handling, TCP/IP still relies on traditional AX.25 NET/ROM networks. Even so, TCP/IP enthusiasts see a future when the entire nation, and perhaps the world, will be linked by high-speed TCP/IP systems using terrestrial microwave and satellites. Sending Mail with TCP/IP With TCP/IP you can send local and regional mail efficiently and reliably. You need only prepare the message and leave it in your own TCP/IP "mailbox." Within seconds your computer will attempt to make a connection to the target station and deliver the message directly. There are no PBBSs involved. The message packets simply travel through the network until they reach the other station. While this is taking place, you can talk to, or receive mail from, another station. If you're fortunate enough to own Windows, DESQview or similar multitasking software, you can leave the TCP/IP program entirely and play a game or write a letter while your message is being delivered! Before sending a message to another station, it's possible to use TCP/IP to see if the station is actually on the air. You use the ping function, which stands for Packet Internet Groper. I like to think of it as the sonar pings used by ships and submarines to find out what's in the water around them. It works in nearly the same manner, but it's much more specific! If I want to find out if WS1O is available on the network, I just ping him as follows: ping ws1o Note that TCP/IP is case sensitive. That is, the use of upper- or lower- case letters is important. Most TCP/IP commands are lower-case. If WS1O has his station on the air, I'll see: 44.88.0.23: echo reply id 0 seq 61531, 7000 ms This cryptic line merely confirms that WS1O is on the air. His TCP/IP address is shown (44.88.0.23) along with the time it took to send the ping from my station to his (7000 ms or 7 seconds). It lets me know that the mail I send now will arrive at his station within a reasonably short period of time. If you want to send mail to hams in cities outside your TCP/IP network, you'll need to post it on an AX.25 bulletin board. Some AX.25 PBBSs feature special ports that allow TCP/IP users to connect to the system. If your local PBBSs doesn't have a TCP/IP port, don't worry. Your TCP/IP software provides a means to communicate with AX.25 stations (and vice versa). As TCP/IP networks expand, you'll be able to reach hams in distant cities without having to resort to the AX.25 mail forwarding system. What if someone tries to send mail to you when you're not on the air? If they can't connect to your station, their computer will hold the message and try again later. Many TCP/IP packeteers also use Post Office Protocol (POP) servers to hold incoming mail when they're not on the air. When they activate their stations, the TCP/IP software sends an inquiry to the POP server to see if any mail is waiting. If mail is available, it's transferred automatically! Shooting the Breeze with TCP/IP Talking to another station on a NET/ROM network can be a difficult proposition--especially if the station is distant. You can only hope that all the nodes in the path are able to relay the packets back and forth. If the one of the nodes becomes unusually busy, your link to the other station could collapse. Even when the path is maintained, your packets are in direct competition with all the other packets on the network. With randomly calculated transmission delays, collisions are inevitable. As a result, the network bogs down, slowing data throughput for everyone. TCP/IP has a unique solution for busy networks. Rather than transmitting packets at randomly-determined intervals, TCP/IP stations automatically adapt to network delays as they occur! As network throughput slows down, active TCP/IP stations sense the change and lengthen their transmission delays accordingly. As the network speeds up, the TCP/IP stations shorten their delays to match the pace. This kind of intelligent network sharing virtually guarantees that all packets will reach their destinations with the greatest efficiency the network can provide. With TCP/IP's adaptive networking scheme, you can chat with a ham in a distant city and rest assured that you're not overburdening the system. Your packets simply join the constantly moving "freeway" of data. They might slow down in heavy traffic, but they will reach their destination eventually. (This adaptive system is used for all TCP/IP packets, no matter what they contain.) If you want to check the status of your target station--and the path between--just use the ping function as we discussed earlier. Swapping Files via TCP/IP TCP/IP really shines when it comes to transferring files from one station to another. By using TCP/IP, you can connect to another station and transfer computer files--including software. As you can probably guess, transferring large files can take time. With TCP/IP, however, you can still send and receive mail or talk to another ham while the transfer is taking place! To transfer a file from one station to another, you use the File Transfer Protocol, or FTP. We already know that WS1O is on the air. Let's set up an FTP link with his computer and grab a file. ftp ws1o When the link is established, my terminal displays: SYN sent Established 220 ws1o.ampr.org FTP version 890421.1e ready at Sat Aug 13 18:22:26 19 Now I'm ready to log in. At the command prompt I send: user anonymous. My terminal displays WS1O's response. 331 Enter PASS command No problem. Most systems allow you to use your call sign as the password. pass wb8imy When I see 230 Logged in, it's time to check his computer to see what he has to offer. All I have to do is send dir and my screen displays: 200 Port command okay 150 Opening data connection for LIST\public switch.map 1,500 19:57 06/19/92 tcp/ip.doc 10,000 02:30 07/01/92 space.exe 20,000 22:25 07/16/92 3 files 13,617,152 bytes free. Disk size 33,400,832 bytes Get complete, 200 bytes received Whew! It looks complicated at first glance, doesn't it? All it's telling you, though, is that WS1O has three files available for transfer. The name of each file is shown along with its size and the date it was placed on his disk. If you have some experience with computers, this may look familiar. (You've just issued the "directory" command that's common to most machines.) I happen to know that "space.exe" is a game that WS1O has written for my particular computer. Regardless of whether it's an ASCII or binary file, I can transfer a copy by simply using the get command. get space.exe In response, I'll see: 200 Port command okay 150 Opening data connection for RETR space.exe As I've already pointed out, the transfer may take several minutes, especially if WS1O is distant or the network is busy. hat's okay because I can spend the time sending mail to other amateur friends in the area. When the transfer is complete, my screen displays: Get complete, 20,000 bytes received 226 File sent ok Great! The transfer was a success. I can send a file to his station using the put command, or I can close the link and go play the game! FIN wait 1 Time wait Closed (Normal) TCP/IP Switches Most TCP/IP networks depend on dedicated switches to move data through the system. NET/ROM nodes are also used when necessary. Like NET/ROM nodes, TCP/IP switches communicate with each other over high-speed backbone links on the 222- or 420-MHz bands. Many TCP/IP packeteers access their local switches on the 2-meter band with 144.91 MHz being a popular frequency. Access on 2 meters currently takes place at a data rate of 1200 bit/s. However, TCP/IP switches use backbone links to relay data throughout the network at rates of 9600 bit/s or higher. When you try to contact another station using TCP/IP, all network routing is performed automatically according to the TCP/IP address of the station you're trying to reach. In fact, TCP/IP networks are transparent to the average user. Your packets may flow back and forth through several switches and you won't even know it! On conventional NET/ROM networks, access to backbone links is restricted. This isn't true on TCP/IP. Not only are you allowed to use the backbones, you're actually encouraged to do so! If you have the necessary equipment to communicate at the proper frequencies and data rates, you can tap into the high-speed TCP/IP backbones directly. By doing so, you'll be able to handle data at much higher rates. This benefits you and everyone else on the network. What Do I Need to Run TCP/IP? You'll be pleased to know that you can join the TCP/IP community with the packet equipment you probably own already. In terms of hardware, all you need is a computer (it must be a computer, not a terminal), a 2- meter FM transceiver and a TNC with KISS capability. What in the world is KISS? KISS stands for Keep It Simple, Stupid and most modern TNCs and MCPs have this feature. When you place your TNC in the KISS mode, you disable the AX.25 protocols and reduce the unit to a basic packet modem. All of the incoming and outgoing data will be processed directly by your computer, not your TNC. As you might guess, the heart of your TCP/IP setup is software. The TCP/IP software set was written by Phil Karn, KA9Q, and is called NOSNET or just NOS. The program is available for IBM-PCs and compatibles, Apple Macintoshes, Atari STs and Commodore Amigas. NOS takes care of all TCP/IP functions, using your "KISSable" TNC to communicate with the outside world. The only other item you need is your own IP address. Individual IP Address Coordinators assign addresses to new TCP/IP users. All you have to do is contact the coordinator in your area. It sounds almost too simple, doesn't it? Well, learning a new protocol such as TCP/IP presents a challenge to some. There's a completely different set of abbreviations and "buzz words" that you'll need to know. It also takes some time to completely set up the NOS software and get it running properly. Most experienced TCP/IP users are more than glad to help you solve any problems. -- WB8IMY AMPRNet IP address coordinators as of 8 July 1996 Corrections and updates to brian@ucsd.edu. Note: the people listed here have volunteered to issue IP addresses for their areas. They are not paid to do this service; please understand that they are perfectly at ease to deal with coordination responses at a lower priority than the things that matter more, such as job and family. Please be patient when requesting an address. 44.002 Bob Meyer K6RTV Calif: Sacramento 44.004 Douglas Thom N6OYU Calif: Silicon Valley - San Francisco 44.006 Don Jacob WB5EKU Calif: Santa Barbara/Ventura 44.008 Brian Kantor WB6CYT Calif: San Diego 44.010 Terry Neal AA6TN Calif: Orange County 44.012 Steven King KD7RO Eastern Washington,Idaho 44.014 Derek Young WH6BH Hawaii & Pacific Islands 44.016 Jeff Angus WA6FWI Calif: Los Angeles - S F Valley 44.017 Dana Myers KK6JQ Calif: Antelope Valley/Kern County 44.018 Geoffrey Joy KE6QH Calif: San Bernardino & Riverside 44.020 Fred Schneider K0YUM Colorado: Northeast 44.022 John Stannard KL7JL Alaska 44.024 Bob Donnell KD7NM Washington state: Western (Puget Sound) 44.026 Ron Henderson WA7TAS Oregon 44.028 Eric Martin KC5ENU Texas: North 44.030 Tim Baggett AA5DF New Mexico 44.032 Bdale Garbee N3EUA Colorado: Southeast 44.034 Jeff Austen K9JA Tennesee 44.036 Doug Reed N3AIA Georgia 44.038 Mike Abbott N4QXV South Carolina 44.040 Matt Simmons KG7MH Utah 44.042 John Martin KB5GGO Mississippi 44.044 Bob Wilson KA1XN Massachusetts: western 44.046 Stan Wilson AK0B Missouri 44.048 John Naab KA8TNA Indiana 44.050 Ron Breitwisch KC0OX Iowa 44.052 Gary Grebus K8LT New Hampshire 44.054 Ralph Stetson KD1R Vermont 44.056 Gordon LaPoint N1MGO Eastern&Central Mass 44.058 Rich Clemens KB8AOB West Virginia 44.060 Howard Leadmon WB3FFV Maryland 44.062 Jim DeArras WA4ONG Virginia 44.062 Jon Gefaell KD4CQY Virginia (Charlottesville Area) 44.064 Dave Trulli NN2Z New Jersey: northern 44.065 Bob Applegate WA2ZZX New Jersey: southern 44.066 Butch Rollins NF3F Delaware 44.068.1 Steve Dworkin N2MDQ New York: NY & Long Island 44.068.48 Frank Garofalo WA2NDV New York: NYC 44.068.64+ Bob Bellini N2IGU New York: ENY 44.069 Dave Brown N2RJT New York: WNY 44.070 John Ackermann AG9V Ohio - oldnet 44.071 John Ackermann AG9V Ohio - newnet 44.072 Ken Stritzel WA9AEK Chicago - North Ill. 44.073 Chuck Henderson WB9UUS South/Central Ill. 44.074 Mark Bitterlich WA3JPY North Carolina (east) 44.075 Charles Layno WB4WOR North Carolina (west) 44.076 Kurt Freiberger WB5BBW Texas: south 44.077 Rod Huckabay KA5EJX Texas: west 44.078 Joe Buswell K5JB Oklahoma 44.080 Doug Crompton WA3DSP Pennsylvania: eastern 44.082 Don Heide WB7ETT Montana 44.084 Bob Ludtke K9MWM Colorado: Western 44.086 Reid Fletcher WB7CJO Wyoming 44.088 Bill Lyman N1NWP Connecticut 44.090 Mike Nickolaus NF0N Nebraska 44.092 Thomas Landmann N9UDL Wisconsin, upper peninsula Michigan 44.094 Bob Brose N0QBJ Minnesota 44.096 Richard Cramer N4YDP District of Columbia 44.098 Brian A. Lantz KO4KS Florida 44.100 Bruce Tenison KE4NJB Alabama 44.102 Dan Thompson N8WKM Michigan (western lower peninsula) 44.102 Jay Nugent WB8TKL Michigan (eastern lower peninsula) 44.104 Charles Greene W1CG Rhode Island 44.106 Allan B Dayton N0KFO Kentucky 44.108 James Dugal N5KNX Louisiana 44.110 Richard Duncan WD5B Arkansas 44.112 Bob Hoffman N3CVL Pennsylvania: western 44.114 Steven Elwood N7GXP N&S Dakota 44.116 Tom Kloos WS7S Oregon: NW&Portland,Vancouver WA 44.118 Carl Ingerson N1DXM Maine 44.120 Richard Hallman KI3V special use in Nevada 44.122 Dale Puckett K0HYD Kansas 44.123 Bernie McDonnell NP2W Virgin Islands 44.124 Keith Justice KF7TP Arizona 44.125.0-126 Earl Petersen KF7TI Southern Nevada 44.125.128-254 Bill Healy N8KHN Northern Nevada 44.126 Karl Wagner KP4QG Puerto Rico # # 44.128 is reserved for testing. Do not use for operational networks. # You may safely assume that any packets with 44.128 addresses are bogons # unless you are using them for some sort of testing # 44.128 TEST # # International subnet coordinators by country # 44.129 Japan JF3LGC Toshiyuki Mabuchi 44.129.192/24 Japan JM1WBB Isao SEKI 44.130 Germany DL4TA Ralf D Kloth 44.131 United Kingdom G1PLT Paul Taylor 44.132 Indonesia YB1BG Robby Soebiakto 44.133 Spain EA4DQX Jose Antonio Garcia. Madrid. (EA4DQX @ EA4DQX) 44.134 Italy I2KFX 44.135 Canada VE3JF Barry McLarnon 44.136 Australia VK2ZXQ John Tanner 44.137 Netherlands PE1CHL Rob Janssen 44.138 Israel 4X1GP Peleg Lapid 44.139 Finland OH1MQK Matti Aarnio 44.140 Sweden SM0ORB Anders Tornqvist 44.141 Norway LA6KJ Sven Astrup 44.142 Switzerland HB9CAT Marco Zollinger 44.143 Austria OE1KDA Krzysztof Dabrowski 44.144 Belgium ON7LE Eric Langhendries 44.145 Denmark OZ1BVN Soren B. Jensen 44.146 Phillipines DU1UJ Eddie Manolo 44.147 New Zealand ZL1TK Roger Harrington 44.148 Ecuador HC5K Ted Jaramillo 44.149 Hong Kong VS6YHJ Thomason FAN 44.150 Slovenija S53AD Tomo Stegovec 44.151 France F5BQP Pierre-Francois Monet 44.152 Venezuela YV5CIV Pedro Jose Colina P. 44.153 Argentina LU7ABF Pedro Converso (+Paraguay,Bolivia) 44.154 Greece SV1UY Demetre Valaris 44.155 Ireland EI9GL Paul Healy 44.156 Hungary HA8FN Laszlo Fidrich 44.157 Chile CE6EZB Raul Burgos 44.158 Portugal CT1CUM Carlos Sousa 44.159 Thailand HS1JC Kunchit Charmaraman 44.160 South Africa ZS6BLY Wessel du Preez 44.161 Luxembourg LX1YZ Erny Tontlinger 44.162 Cyprus 5B4TX C. Costis 44.163 Central America Coordinator General YN1TV Theo Vlaar Secretariate YN7DS Humberto A. Diaz S. 44.163.16 Panama (none yet) 44.163.32 Costa Rica TI2YO Minor Barrantas Fallas 44.163.48 Nicaragua YN5JAR Jose Antonio Roman 44.163.64 Honduras HR2JAE Jorge A. Escoto (San Pedro Sula) HR1BY Wolf Baron (Tegucigalpa) 44.163.80 El Salvador YS1TG Mario Giolitti 44.163.96 Guatamala TG9CL Carlos Eduardo Estrada 44.163.112 Belize V31LO Tony Rath 44.163.128-191 Netherland Antilles PJ2JW Joop Willems 44.164.0 Surinam PZ2AC Otto Morroy 44.164.4 French Guiana 44.164.8 Guyana 44.164.128 Trinidad&Tobago 9Y4UWI Dr. Patrick Hosein 44.165 Poland SP5WCA Andrzej K. Brandt 44.166 Korea HL1DKK LEE Jong-Jin 44.167 India VU2LBW Lakshman ("Lucky") Bijanki 44.168 Taiwan BV5AF Bolon 44.169 Nigeria 5N0OBA Kunle 44.170 Croatia ?? Sinisa Novosel 44.171.16 Colombia HK3EGI Daniel E Visbal 44.171.32 Peru 44.171.48 Uruguay CX7AP Dennis Cahill 44.172 Sri Lanka 4S7EF Ekendra 44.173 Mexico XE2/WP2B Regnerus Dantuma 44.174 Brazil PP5AQ Luiz F. Catalan 44.175.0 Cuba CO2JA Jose Amador 44.175.8 Haiti none 44.175.16 Dominica HI8GN Jose Ramon 44.176 Turkey TA2T A. Tahir DENGIZ 44.177 Czech Republic OK2XTE Karel Odehnal 44.178 Russia RA3APW Karen Tadewosyan 44.179.0-31 Gibraltar ZB0D Jim Watt 44.179.32-64 Malta/Gozo G0DEO/9H1IA William Batey 44.180 (formerly)Yugoslavia YT7MPB Miroslav Skoric 44.181 Slowak Republic OM3WKW Branislav Chvila 44.182 Romania ? Ionel Pusca 44.183 Iceland TF3BNT Benedikt Sveinsson 44.184 Lebanon OD5NZ Ramzi Abdallah 44.185 Bulgaria LZ1NY Victor ? 44.186 Singapore 9V1ZY Edwin Teh 44.187.0-7 Lithuania LY2IC Vytas Matonis 44.193 Outer Space-AMSAT W3IWI Tom Clark 44.194 Oceana (none yet) 44.195 Antarctica KC4AAA Brent Jones (all treaty zones) 44.196 Arctic (none yet) 44.197 African Continent (subdivided) 44.197.16 Ivory Coast [unknown] J.V. Mayega 44.197.64 Central (none yet) 44.198 Pacific Islands 44.198.0-3 Guam KH3EI Phil Weber TCP/IP Software Sources The various versions of TCP/IP software may be obtained from the following sources: IBM-PC/MS-DOS version of NET is available from: Tucson Amateur Packet Radio (TAPR), 8987-309 East Tanque Verde Rd No. 337, Tucson, AZ 85749, (817) 383-0000 (voice mail), (817) 566-2544 (FAX) Apple Macintosh version of NET is available from: Doug Thom, N6OYU, c/o Thetherless Access Ltd, 1405 Graywood Dr, San Jose, CA 95129-2210 Atari ST version of NET is available from: Mike Curtis, WD6EHR, 7921 Wilkinson Av, N Hollywood, CA 91605-2210 Commodore Amiga version of NET is available from: John Heaton, G1YYH, MCC Network Unit, Oxford Rd, Manchester M13 9PL, England. There's typically a nominal fee charged to cover the cost of disk(s) and postage, so send an SASE first to find out what is required. Also, some versions of TCP/IP software may be downloaded from CompuServe's HamNet library 9.