ssw@cica.cica.indiana.edu (Steve Wallace) (10/31/89)
Does a packet driver for IBM's token ring card exist? Where can I get it? thanks, Steven Wallace ssw@lavanix.bacs.indiana.edu
jbvb@VAX.FTP.COM (James Van Bokkelen) (10/31/89)
So far, nobody has done one. This is because essentially all 802.5 cards already come with a software driver for IBM's Adapter Support Interface (TOKREUI or the LAN Support Program). This driver provides similar functionality to the Packet Driver, in that the protocol stack doesn't care what hardware is in use, and multiple protocol stacks can use a single hardware interface. If the question you are actually asking is "How can I run freeware TCP/IP on an IBM token ring card", the answer is that you can't just now. Because the header formats, MTUs and so forth for 802.5 are quite different from Ethernet, you need a protocol stack that understands 802.5 at all levels. So far, nobody has done this for the freeware packages (PC-IP already supports two media types, ProNET-10 and Ethernet, so a 3rd could be added; I don't know how married other packages might be to Ethernet). The only 802.5-capable TCP/IPs for DOS are 1) our PC/TCP, 2) IBM's TCP/IP for DOS and 3) the CMU/UMD evolutionary thread of IBM-licensed-academic-site-only software, which eventually turned into their commercial package. All three handle IBM-style source-routing through bridges (RIF fields), and at least ours can share the interface with other stacks (VINES, Netware). I know another commercial vendor who reads this list is working on 802.5, but I don't know if they're ready to announce yet, or if they're going to do RIF fields... James B. VanBokkelen 26 Princess St., Wakefield, MA 01880 FTP Software Inc. voice: (617) 246-0900 fax: (617) 246-0901
geoff@hinode.East.Sun.COM (Geoff Arnold @ Sun BOS - R.H. coast near the top) (10/31/89)
In article <8910301801.AA16195@vax.ftp.com> jbvb@VAX.FTP.COM (James Van Bokkelen) writes: >The only 802.5-capable TCP/IPs for DOS are 1) our PC/TCP, 2) IBM's TCP/IP for >DOS and 3) the CMU/UMD evolutionary thread of IBM-licensed-academic-site-only >software, which eventually turned into their commercial package. All three >handle IBM-style source-routing through bridges (RIF fields), and at least >ours can share the interface with other stacks (VINES, Netware). > >I know another commercial vendor who reads this list is working on 802.5, >but I don't know if they're ready to announce yet, or if they're going >to do RIF fields... A PC-NFS token ring driver is available as a consulting special, but we have not yet announced if/when it will be integrated into the standard PC-NFS release. At this time it does not support RIF. [So, James, were we the "other commercial vendor", or is there someone else?] Geoff Arnold, | Poetic justice: Senna pushing Prost off, PCDS Group, Sun Microsystems Inc.| restarting illegally, getting disqual- Internet: geoff@East.Sun.COM | ified and thereby handing the 1989 World Disclaimer: yeah, er... ok, sure | Championship to Prost. Way to go, Alain!