TCPIP via ethernet under DOS? (I know that is possible...but!)

From: Jim Strickland <jim_at_calico.litterbox.com>
Date: Sat May 22 14:56:48 1999

>
> Here is I have this:
>
> Cable modem, few classic and (few not so-classic) machines w/
> ethernet cards, DOS.
>
> Got drivers for netcards alright except:
>
> What s/w is needed to do the ip polling to gather in ip numbers on
> outset of connecting to cablemodem?
>
> Is there's an good FAQ on this?
>
> I have seen the FAQ's for dos and ppp, TCPIP setup by modem is easily
> found by net searches but I'm not able to find any on this premises
> I'm looking for.
>
> Ever there's is a FTP program for DOS at all as well?
>
> WHY? I had enough troubles with win9x's file mangler when d/ling
> linux files and fragile files that breaks (once in a while).
>
> Ram is no problem, I can choose any machines and/or add more than
> 1MB. :-)
>
> I'm aware of web browsers for DOS but I dunno know what they're
> capable of as I outlined here.
>
> I have heard of Pmail 3.40 and Arachne solution by popping by pmail
> these to be sent files in correct location for Arachne to pick up and
> send it and vice vesa. Again, that's partially ppp but I wanted to
> know if Arachne does it themselves too? It would be nice if there is
> a addon that works with pmail so I don't have to depend on arachne
> for both ways. (Remember each of two have to run seperately).
>
> Is there's a good email for DOS that still meets standards that pmail
> does? Ditto mime and uueneoded attachments.
>
> I seems to sound like newbie, yeah it is!
>
> Wizard

Okay, it sounds like you're looking to build a LAN around your cable modem.
Some things to consider: 1. Your cable modem probably is only going to
assign you one IP address. If you only use one machine at a time, this probably
isn't a problem. 2. If your cable modem is giving you a different IP address
each time you connect with it (I think this is called DHCP, but I'm not sure)
you're going to have problems getting classic DOS network tools to work with
it.

Having said this, there are of course ways to make this work.

I would really suggest loading Linux on an appropriate machine connected to
both the cable modem and an ethernet board, and configuring the kernel so
it can do IP forwarding and masquarading. Then set the linux box up to get the
address from the cable modem. Set a second address on the linux box to
addresses in the series 10.0.0.1 and set static addresses in that series
on all the other boxes you want to run on the network. From the internet's
perspective the only machine that's talking to the net will be the linux box
on its valid IP address. You won't be able to run servers that can be touched
by the outside world on your network, since the outside world can't see anything
but your linux box (and since the linux box's address changes each time it
connects via the cable modem.)

To make the dos boxes work, go to WUarchive and look for either CRYNWYR or CMU
packet drivers appropriate to your ethernet boards. (I'd go Crynwyr,
personally). Then look for a telnet package that works with those drivers
on the same archive. Also look for Minuette - a really nice package of e-mail
news, gopher (and maybe telnet, I forget) that the university of minnesota
put out for packet driver connected DOS machines years ago.

And welcome to the bad old days of PC networking. It worked, but it was
absolutely dependant on static IP addresses, and on several layers of TSRs
calling each other. It's hard to believe how much of an improvement winsock
was when it came out, considering how crummy a TCP implementation it is
generally speaking.
-- 
Jim Strickland
jim_at_DIESPAMMERSCUMcalico.litterbox.com
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Received on Sat May 22 1999 - 14:56:48 BST

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