[comp.protocols.tcp-ip] Convergent Technologies

CF4A8X@IRISHMVS.BITNET ("Mark D. Eggers 239-7258", 219) (03/02/88)

We are installing a campus network based on proNET 80,
tcp/ip, and DECnet. One of the first colleges to connect
will be the College of Engineering. They have several
Convergent Technologies 'miniframe' boxes that run System V
Unix and have tcp/ip. According to the grad student in
charge of their networks, they have the latest tcp/ip
software from Convergent Technologies.

Unfortunately, there are problems.

1. The 'miniframes' do not seem to understand any other
   class B addresses than xxx.yyy.0.zzz. Class C addresses
   seem to work fine. Class A addresses must be xxx.0.0.yyy.
   Would someone comment on the feasibility of using
   xxx.yyy.0.zzz as a subnet ?

2. No subnet support. Engineering currently has two subnets,
   and the 'miniframes' cannot communicate from net A to net
   B.

3. No route support (goes with the above).

4. No ARP.

Another annoying habit is that ftp between the 'miniframes'
and an Ultrix 1.2 microVAX hangs on files larger than 1019
bytes (and yes, I have turned off trailers on the microVAX).

Any possible solutions to the above problems (including
using the boxes for boat anchors) would be greatly
appreciated.

/mde/

shore@REASON.PSC.EDU (03/02/88)

I never had any problem with class B addresses (128.135.12.x).

The arp problem can be fixed by using adb to change the value of
"oldmap" to 0x7fffffff.  The code assumes that if the address is
greater than some value (I forget what) the hardware address can be
obtained by glomming together the first few bytes of your own Ethernet
address and the last two bytes (in the case of a class B network) of
the IP address of the host you're trying to reach.

Melinda Shore
Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center

andrew@mitisft.Convergent.COM (Andrew Knutsen) (03/08/88)

in article <8803020723.AA11973@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>, CF4A8X@IRISHMVS.BITNET ("Mark D. Eggers  239-7258", 219) says:
> 
> We are installing a campus network based on proNET 80,
> tcp/ip, and DECnet. One of the first colleges to connect
> will be the College of Engineering. They have several
> Convergent Technologies 'miniframe' boxes that run System V
> Unix and have tcp/ip. According to the grad student in
> charge of their networks, they have the latest tcp/ip
> software from Convergent Technologies.
> 
> Unfortunately, there are problems.
> 

        Unfortunately, the Miniframe is an obsolete product. It has an
ethernet interface different from the MightyFrame line, so the actual
latest software does not run on it.  The software you have is probably
several years old, and is based on 4.2BSD rather than 4.3, as our Streams
(latest) product is.

        Actually, you shold not be having problems with (non-subnet) route
or ARP. Perhaps you meant routed; true, that isnt supported but should port
easily.  There does seem to be a bug with some kinds of internet addresses,
and subnets were not supported in 4.2.  I dont know about the Ultrix hang;
you might want to try ifconfig'ing -trailers on the Mini...

	If you are interested, I can check into getting you a source
release of just the network part of the Mini kernel, so you can upgrade it.
I'm an engineer though, so no promises.

Andrew Knutsen
Convergent Technologies
(408) 435-3623