[comp.sys.3b1] Starlan Woes

crtb@helix.nih.gov (Chuck Bacon) (02/06/91)

I have two 3b1 systems, both with HDB and starlan.  I've tried to
configure them both using the menu, and not insinuating any probably
wrong ideas of my own.

I have been able to bring up the test menu under ua, and it tells me
that the network is up, and that the other end is reachable.  

If I try cu from one end to the other, I get a connected message,
and cu hangs forever with no response from the other end.  If I
try Uutry, I get timed out.  No other part of uucp gets past
apologizing for failure (even with a cute mail message from uucp).
So here are some of my configuration files; I wonder if some kind
soul might explain what they do.

Systems
	eugene	Any	STARLAN_NAU,eg	- eugene "" "" ogin:--ogin: nuucp
	eugene	Any	STARLAN_cu	- eugene "" "" ogin:--ogin: nuucp

Devices
	STARLAN		starlan	- Any	STARLAN
	STARLAN_NAU,eg	starlan - Any	STARLAN	\D.serve pc_uucp
	STARLAN_UU,eg	starlan - Any	STARLAN \D.serve SLAN_uucico
	STARLAN_cu	starlan - Any	STARLAN \D.serve nls

Dialers
	STARLAN_NIU	"" ""	\r\d\r\d\r DIAL:-\r\d\r\d\r-DIAL: \D "" \d\d\c
	SLAN_uucico	"" ""	NLPS:000:001:101\N\c
	SLAN_login	"" ""	NLPS:000:001:1\N\c
	nls		"" ""	NLPS:000:001:1\N\c
	pc_uucp		"" ""	NLPS:000:001:102\N\c

/usr/net/nls/starlan/dbf
	1:na:NULL,:/usr/net/servers/sl	#Remote Login
	102:n:NULL,:/usr/net/servers/uucplogin	#Mail/File Transfer

(Of course, I haven't shown non-starlan-related entries in these files).
There are several questions about all this (apart from the Central Question:
how do I make it work?):

1. Does anyone have a sheet showing what utterances are interpreted by
  whomever hears those strings which start with NLPS?  Those numbers
  presumably mean something, but of course the documentation is mum.

2. The NLPS codes end in 1, 101, or 102.  In particular, SLAN_uucico
  ends in 101.  It would appear that there is no server for that.
  Should I add to /usr/net/nls/starlan/dbf a line something like
  101:n:NULL,:/usr/lib/uucp/uucico	#UUCP		?

3. Has anyone managed to get cu to work over starlan?

3. Do those ",eg" endings mean anything?  Or was that just a slavish
  copying of the "for-instance" examples in the comments?

5. Finally, how about the r-utilities in bsdslan.cpio?  Can I get these
  utilities up without succeeding with UUCP, or must UUCP come first?

Apart from feeling really dumb that I haven't gotten uucp working over
starlan, should I consider feeling dumber since if I can't get uucp up,
I probably won't succeed with bsdslan either?!  (I can feel fairly
comfortable with my ability to detect tortured logic, though).

Seriously though, I'd like some pointers on the interaction of HDB and starlan.
--
Chuck Bacon - crtb@helix.nih.gov - 301-496-4823
	"After all, computers have rights too!" - Ernst Bacon, 1898-1990

thad@btr.btr.com (02/07/91)

crtb@helix.nih.gov (Chuck Bacon) in <944@nih-csl.nih.gov> writes:

	I have two 3b1 systems, both with HDB and starlan.  I've tried to
	configure them both using the menu, and not insinuating any probably
	wrong ideas of my own.
	[...]
	If I try cu from one end to the other, I get a connected message, and
	cu hangs forever with no response from the other end.  If I try Uutry,
	I get timed out.  No other part of uucp gets past apologizing for
	failure (even with a cute mail message from uucp).
	[...]
	So here are some of my configuration files; I wonder if some kind
	soul might explain what they do.
	[...]

Welllll, some of this networking stuff requires "laying on of the hands" but
nothing so drastic as dancing under the full moon in one's Jockey shorts while
swinging dead chickens over one's head (THAT ritual is for HD problems :-)

Perhaps the best "answer" is a (re-)post of working config files.  The key to
getting StarLAN working properly on the 3B1 for both cu and uucp (at least for
me) was the use of /usr/lib/uucp/Sysfiles (which is NOT documented in the
O'Reilly "Managing UUCP and Usenet" book) and not well documented elsewhere.

This all presupposes you're also using HDB on the 3B1.  The reason I initially
switched to HDB was for the "e" protocol which dramatically increased transfer
performance from 2Kbytes/sec (standard UUCP "g") to approx 50Kbytes/sec (with
the "e" protocol) over the same StarLAN network.

Here are extracts from the actual files in daily use on my systems:

/usr/lib/uucp/Sysfiles:

	service=cu	systems=Systems.cu:Systems \
			devices=Devices \
			dialers=Dialers

	service=uucico	systems=Systems.uucico:Systems \
			devices=Devices \
			dialers=Dialers

/usr/lib/uucp/Systems.cu:  (Note that "access0" is a StarLAN RS-232 NAU)

	# StarLAN entries for cu activity
	#
	amiga Any STARLAN - access0 "" \r\d\r in:--in: nuucp
	thadlabs Any STARLAN - thadlabs "" \r\d\r in:--in: nuucp
	tlabs3 Any STARLAN - tlabs3 "" \r\d\r in:--in: nuucp
	tlabs4 Any STARLAN - tlabs4 "" \r\d\r in:--in: nuucp
	tlabs5 Any STARLAN - tlabs5 "" \r\d\r in:--in: nuucp

/usr/lib/uucp/Systems.uucico:

	# StarLAN entries for uucico activity
	#
	thadlabs Any STARLAN_NAU,eg - thadlabs "" \r\d\r in:--in: nuucp
	tlabs3 Any STARLAN_NAU,eg - tlabs3 "" \r\d\r in:--in: nuucp
	tlabs4 Any STARLAN_NAU,eg - tlabs4 "" \r\d\r in:--in: nuucp
	tlabs5 Any STARLAN_NAU,eg - tlabs5 "" \r\d\r in:--in: nuucp

/usr/lib/uucp/Systems:

	(contains "standard" non-StarLAN uucp and cu info)

/usr/lib/uucp/Devices:

	STARLAN        starlan - Any STARLAN
	STARLAN_NAU,eg starlan - Any STARLAN \D.serve pc_uucp
	STARLAN_UU,eg  starlan - Any STARLAN \D.serve SLAN_uucico

/usr/lib/uucp/Dialers:

	STARLAN_NIU "" "" \r\d\r\d\r DIAL:-\r\d\r\d\r-DIAL: \D "" \d\d\c
	pc_uucp ""	"" NLPS:000:001:102\N\c
	SLAN_uucico ""	"" NLPS:000:001:101\N\c
	SLAN_login ""	"" NLPS:000:001:1\N\c
	nls	""	"" NLPS:000:001:1\N\c

/usr/net/nls/starlan/dbf:

	1:na:NULL,:/usr/net/servers/sl	#Remote Login
	102:n:NULL,:/usr/net/servers/uucplogin	#Mail/File Transfer

Continuing with Chuck's questions:

	1. Does anyone have a sheet showing what utterances are interpreted by
	  whomever hears those strings which start with NLPS?  Those numbers
	  presumably mean something, but of course the documentation is mum.

The StarLAN docs are quite comprehensive (from my recollection).  Contrasted
with the "Device Driver Guide", the StarLAN manuals all bear copyrights and
I cannot legally copy them for anyone UNLESS I receive a signed document from
a pertinent party at AT&T permitting reproduction "at cost".  If anyone at AT&T
sees this and knows how to arrange for legal copying of out-of-print but
copyrighted documents, please email me.  The "good will" can only be a win-win
situation for AT&T and the AT&T User Community (especially when the interested
parties already possess the pertinent hardware).

	2. The NLPS codes end in 1, 101, or 102.  In particular, SLAN_uucico
	  ends in 101.  It would appear that there is no server for that.
	  Should I add to /usr/net/nls/starlan/dbf a line something like
	  101:n:NULL,:/usr/lib/uucp/uucico #UUCP ?

If you peruse the file extracts (above), you'll see this is not necessary.
Damifino how some of this "magic" works, but it does!  :-)    My areas of
expertise do NOT (yet) include networking; I muddle through the docs and try
"reasonable" things until it works.

	3. Has anyone managed to get cu to work over starlan?

Yes!  Works fine (for me) with the config files as shown above.

	4. Do those ",eg" endings mean anything?  Or was that just a slavish
	  copying of the "for-instance" examples in the comments?

The "e" means first try "e" protocol (which assumes an error-free connection
as StarLAN is), then, if not available (at both ends), use "g" protocol.

	5. Finally, how about the r-utilities in bsdslan.cpio?  Can I get these
	  utilities up without succeeding with UUCP, or must UUCP come first?

Though I haven't tried them yet, all indications are (from their docs) the
"bsdslan.cpio" utilities will work just fine.

	Apart from feeling really dumb that I haven't gotten uucp working over
	starlan, should I consider feeling dumber since if I can't get uucp up,
	I probably won't succeed with bsdslan either?!  (I can feel fairly
	comfortable with my ability to detect tortured logic, though).

You obviously didn't see my initial condemnation of HDB UUCP during January of
last year ("... even Mother Theresa would go on a killing rampage ..." :-)

As I reiterate time and time again, there is NO such thing as a dumb question.
If you don't know, ASK.  And, believe me, there WILL be answers forthcoming.

I don't want to sound like I'm on a soapbox, but one, of many, things I like
about the 3B1/UNIXPC is the user community who is always there to help.  The
responses I see here in these newsgroups remind me of the people who helped
me when I first started with computers (a l-o-n-g time ago :-) and that's why
I kinda jump in as a way of repaying those who helped me and to encourage
others to do the same when they are able and willing to do so.

There's NO obligation to chime-in with one's own responses, but if you have
something to say, do it!  It's my informal observation that the ratio of
readers to posters is probably greater than 100 to 1, but that's no problem.

It's also my observation the 3B1/UNIXPC community comprises a calibre that is
rarely seen in other SIG newsgroups.  If you think I would have openly posted
my home address (re: the WD2010 group buy and the Device Driver distribution)
to ANY of the other newsgroups which I frequent, you better think again!  :-)

To those who've asked, I sincerely ENJOY helping others when I can.  Don't ask
me why, I dunno.  Some have said I should have gone into teaching, but my
hobbies and interests require a "bit" more $$$.  Ah, well.  :-)

Thad

Thad Floryan [ thad@btr.com (OR) {decwrl, mips, fernwood}!btr.thad ]