ppp resources. version 0.1.1, Edward Vielmetti, emv@msen.com This file is supposed to indicate several sources of information about PPP, the Point to Point Protocol. It is incomplete. Updates would be welcomed. It is broken down into several parts: - standards documents - glossary - protocol development - features - freely available software - commercial software - hardware - internet ip vendors Other pieces are reasonable to add and will be added if there are volunteers. ---------------------------------------- ppp-faq 1991-10-17 ppp standards documents PPP is defined in the following Internet RFC's, as described in rfc-index.txt: 1144 Jacobson, V. Compressing TCP/IP headers for low-speed serial links. 1990 February; 43 p. (Format: TXT=120959, PS=534729 bytes) 1171 Perkins, D. Point-to-Point Protocol for the transmission of multi-protocol datagrams over Point-to-Point links. 1990 July; 48 p. (Format: TXT=92321 bytes) (Obsoletes RFC 1134) 1172 Perkins, D.; Hobby, R. Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) initial configuration options. 1990 July; 38 p. (Format: TXT=76132 bytes) 1220 Baker, F.,ed. Point-to-Point Protocol extensions for bridging. 1991 April; 18 p. (Format: TXT=38165 bytes) The following RFCs do not specify PPP per se, but are important reading for proper operations. 1072 Jacobson, V.; Braden, R.T. TCP extensions for long-delay paths. 1988 October; 16 p. (Format: TXT=36000 bytes) Note that RFC 1134 specifies a different negotiation sequence for Van Jacobsen header compression negotiation, so you'll need to get that one too for completeness. The CCITT standards on bruno.cs.colorado.edu:/pub/standards/ccitt/ will be useful in particular for the X.25 materials (XXX exactly which ones?) The following Internet Drafts are also available, and are in various stages of acceptance and utility. (XXX need current status on these) -rw-r--r-- 1 8000 151139 Aug 10 00:58 draft-ietf-pppext-lcp-01.txt -rw-r--r-- 1 8000 18530 Aug 10 00:58 draft-ietf-pppext-ipcp-01.txt -rw-r--r-- 1 8000 27286 Jul 26 00:55 draft-ietf-pppext-authentication-0 0.txt -rw-r--r-- 1 8000 10687 Jul 26 00:55 draft-ietf-pppext-osinlcp-00.txt -rw-r--r-- 1 8000 13441 Jul 9 01:01 draft-ietf-pppext-appletalk-00.txt -rw-r--r-- 1 8000 14158 Jun 5 00:52 draft-ietf-pppext-decnet-00.txt -rw-r--r-- 1 8000 9175 Dec 21 1990 draft-ietf-ppp-llcoverppp-01.txt -rw-r--r-- 1 8000 36435 Dec 21 1990 draft-ietf-pppext-bridging-01.txt -rw-r--r-- 1 8000 10152 Dec 21 1990 draft-ietf-ppp-32bitconfig-01.txt -rw-r--r-- 1 8000 135288 Oct 13 1990 draft-ietf-pppext-pppmib-01.txt -rw-r--r-- 1 8000 135288 Sep 12 1990 draft-ietf-ppp-pppmib-01.txt -rw-r--r-- 1 8000 1956 Jul 27 1990 draft-ietf-ppp-multidatagrams-02.t xt -rw-r--r-- 1 8000 1879 Jul 27 1990 draft-ietf-ppp-options-03.txt ---------------------------------------- ppp-faq 1991-10-17 PPP glossary Every new technology breeds its own set of acronyms. PPP is no different. Here is a glossary of sorts. ack Acknowledgement. AO Active open [state diagram] C Close [state diagram] CHAP Cryptographic Handshake Authentication Protocol D Lower layer down [state diagram] DES ??? [encryption] DNA Digital Network Architecture IETF Internet Engineering Task Force. IP Internet Protocol IPCP IP Control Protocol. IPX ??? FCS Frame Check Sequence [X.25] LCP Link Control Protcol. LQR Link Quality Report. MD4 MD4 digital signature algorithm MD5 MD5 digital signature algorithm MRU Maximum Receive Unit nak Negative Acknowledgement NCP Network Control Protocol. OSI Open Systems Interconnect PAP Password Authentication Protocol (pppext-authentication draft) PDU Protocol Data Unit (i.e., packet) PO Passive open [state diagram] PPP Point to Point Protocol (RFC 1171, RFC 1172) RCA Receive Configure-Ack [state diagram] RCJ Receive Code-Reject [state diagram] RCN Receive Configure-Nak or -Reject [state diagram] RCR+ Receive good Configure-Request [state diagram] RER Receive Echo-Request [state diagram] RFC Request for Comments (internet standard) RTA Receive Terminate-Ack [state diagram] RTR Receive Terminate-Request [state diagram] RUC Receive unknown code [state diagram] sca Send Configure-Ack [state diagram] scj Send Code-Reject [state diagram] scn Send Configure-Nak or -Reject [state diagram] scr Send Configure-Request [state diagram] ser Send Echo-Reply [state diagram] sta Send Terminate-Ack [state diagram] str Send Terminate-Request [state diagram] ST-II Stream Protocol TO+ Timeout with counter > 0 [state diagram] TO- Timeout with counter expired [state diagram] VJ Van Jacobsen (RFC 1144 header compression algorithm) XNS Xerox Network Services ---------------------------------------- ppp-faq 1991-10-17 PPP Protocol Development ---------------------------------------- ppp-faq 1991-10-17 PPP features Above and beyond compatibility with basic PPP framing, note whether the software implements the following features. Not all features are needed or even desired in every product. - "demand-dial". Bring up a PPP interface and dial the phone when packets are queued for delivery; bring the interface down after some period of inactivity. - "redial". (For lack of a better term). Bring up a PPP interface whenever it goes down, to keep a line up. - "scripting". Negotiate through a series of prompts or intermediate connections to bring up a PPP link, much like the sequence of events used to bring up a UUCP link. - "parallel". Configure several PPP lines to the same destination and do load sharing between them. (Not standardized, usually only see in SLIP implementations, noted there as "parallel-slip".) - "filtering". Select which packets to send down a link or whether to bring up a "demand-dial" link based on IP or TCP packet type or TOS, e.g. don't dial the phone for ICMP ping packets. - "header compression". TCP header compression according to RFC 1144. Marginally useful on high speed lines, essential for low speed lines. - "client". ---------------------------------------- ppp-faq 1991-10-17 Freely available PPP (and SLIP) software - Merit PPP collection at merit.edu:/pub/ppp/ - Ohio PPP collection at archive.cis.ohio-state.edu:/pub/ppp/ - MS-DOS PPP for KA9Q NOS (Bill Simpson code) - MS-DOS PPP for KA9Q NOS (Katie Stevens code) - KA9Q NOS collection at ucsd.edu:... - Perkins/Clements/Fox/Christy PPP for SunOS Version: patch level 6 of 1991-10-04 Anonymous FTP: merit.edu:/pub/ppp/ppp/sunos4.1.pl6.tar.Z premises1.quotron.com:/pub/ppp-sunos4.1.pl6.tar.Z E-mail: gmc@quotron.com (Greg Christy) Newsgroups: comp.protocols.ppp Supported systems: Sun 4, SunOS 4.1.1 Features: ??? - ... PPP for NeXT - ... BBN dialup IP - ... CMU PPP ---------------------------------------- ppp-faq 1991-10-17 Commercial PPP software - Morning Star PPP Price: $795 (40% discount for .edu) Supported systems: Sun 4, Sun 3, NeXT, DECstation. Features: demand-dial, scripting, filtering, redial, header compression, client, server - Brixton PPP Supported systems: Sun 4 Features: demand-dial - Marble Teleconnect Price: $??? Supported systems: NeXT. Features: ??? (does this really do PPP? PSI press release didn't say so) - FTP Software Supported systems: MS-DOS ---------------------------------------- ppp-faq 1991-10-17 Hardware that does async PPP - Telebit Netblazer N2-1-ES 1 ethernet + 1 56K + 2 RS-232, $3790 N10-1-ES 1 ethernet + 1 56K + 10 RS-232, $4588 - Merit SCP ---------------------------------------- ppp-faq 1991-10-17 Hardware that does sync PPP ( 56 kb/sec bottom of the line) Note that sync PPP is rather well established and it's not surprising to see lots of vendors using it as their only sync serial line protocol. Various folks do various of the configuration options, anywhere from a full implementation to very bare bones. The price point is arbitrary. These are list prices for the cheapest box that has at least 1 sync PPP port that runs at 56 kb/sec plus one ethernet. Prices approximate, your milage may vary, contact your vendor for details. - Cisco - Telebit Netblazer Phone: +1 800 TELEBIT E-mail: ...@telebit.com N2-1-ES 1 ethernet + 1 56K + 2 RS-232, $3790 N10-1-ES 1 ethernet + 1 56K + 10 RS-232, $4588 - Livingston E-Mail: ...@livingston.com IR-4 1 ethernet + 4 56K + 1 RS-232, $3400 (???) - 3com - Morning Star SNAPlink SnapLink SCSI-attached serial interface for Unix systems 1 T1 + 2 56K, RS-232 or RS-449, $1500 plus cables HDLC driver for sun4c ttya and ttyb included with PPP software - Merit SCP ---------------------------------------- ppp-faq 1991-10-17 Hardware that does sync PPP ( T1 ) These are capable of driving PPP channels at T1 (1.544 mbps/sec) or better. Not a complete list. Your milage may vary. - Cisco - Wellfleet - Morning Star SNAPlink SnapLink SCSI-attached serial interface for Unix systems 1 T1 + 2 56K, RS-232 or RS-449, $1500 plus cables HDLC driver for sun4c ttya and ttyb included with PPP software ---------------------------------------- ppp-faq 1991-10-17 Hardware that does sync PPP ( T3 ) These are capable of driving PPP channels at T3 (45 mb/sec) or better. - Cisco - Wellfleet ---------------------------------------- ppp-faq 1991-10-17 Internet service providers that support async PPP This list is not complete. These are internet service providers that will connect a customer-owned async PPP router (as specified) to their network. Not included are the service providers who require a network-owned router at the customer premises. Listed prices are for a V.32bis (or V.32) dedicated modem connection, with a dedicated phone line and a permanent IP address assignment. Other services may be available at different prices with different conditions. - Alternet Available: now CIX member: yes Price: $xxx/mo + $xxx startup. Supported client software: xxx Locations served: xxx - UUNET Canada Available: ??? CIX member: yes Price: $xxx/mo + $xxx startup. Supported client software: xxx Locations served: xxx - PSI Available: now CIX member: yes Price: $xxx/mo + $xxx startup. Supported client software: xxx Locations served: xxx - MSEN Available: ??? CIX member: ??? Price: $xxx/mo + $xxx startup. Supported client software: xxx Locations served: xxx ---------------------------------------- ppp-faq 1991-10-17 Internet service providers that support sync PPP These are internet service providers that will connect a customer-owned PPP router (as specified) to their network. Not included are the service providers who require a network-owned router at the customer premises. - Alternet - PSI ---------------------------------------- ppp-faq 1991-10-17 Vendor contacts - Marble Software Phone: +1 408 436 7299 Fax: +1 408 436 7147 E-mail: teleconnect-info@marble.com Snail mail: Marble Software 1641 North First Street San Jose, CA 95112 - Morning Star Technlogies Phone: +1 800 558 7827, +1 614 451 1883 Fax: +1 614 459 5054 E-mail: marketing@morningstar.com, support@morningstar.com User mailing list: ppp-users@morningstar.com Snail mail: Morning Star Technologies 1760 Zollinger Road Columbus, OH 43221 - Telebit Phone: +1 800 TELEBIT E-mail: ...@telebit.com User mailing list: netblazer-users@telebit.com Anonymous FTP: ftp.telebit.com:/pub/ - FTP Software E-mail: ...@ftp.com Anonymous FTP: vax.ftp.com:/pub/ - Livingston Enterprises Phone: +1 800 458 9966, +1 415 426 0770, +1 201 647 4980 E-mail: ...@livingston.com Snail mail: Livingston Enterprises 6920 Koll Center Parkway #209 Pleasanton, California 94566 - Brixton - Cisco - 3Com - Wellfleet - Merit - Alternet - UUNET Canada - PSI