PPP for KA9Q (was SLIP)

[Russ Hobby]

This is a summary of the latest features of the PPP implementation for
the KA9Q code done by Katie Stevens here at UCDavis. The current
version can be used for both the client environment (a remote PC
connecting to the network) and the server environment (like a terminal
server only doing PPP).  Like previous versions this one does Van
Jacobson's compression.

The main new feature of this version is that it does authentication and
based on that authentication can verify or assign IP addresses. The
remote PC can tell the server what address he is and it can be verified
by the server via the authentication. Or the remote PC can ask the
server to tell it what its addresses is. The address can be a fixed
address based on the authentication for those that need a fixed address,
or the server can assign a temporary address from a pool of addresses.
The main advantage of having the server assign the address is that the
same software distribution can be handed out to all users with out
having to worry about the configuration file, they're all the same.

Support for an eight line async board is just about done. This is will
make getting more lines into a server easier. We have also be using this code
as low cost routers to sites with low bandwidth requirements and limited
funds. I know that a 9600 baud link to the Internet doesn't sound like
much, but their other option is nothing at all and the 9600 baud line
helps them demonstrate the need for a more reasonable connection. Katie
is also working on the interface to a PC sync board that will allow use
of 56K or 64K sync lines. 

The README file on the the code is below.

                                Russell Hobby               
                         Data Communications Manager 
     U. C. Davis                 
     Computing Services      INTERNET: rdhobby at ucdavis.edu  
     Davis Ca 95616          BITNET:   RDHOBBY at UCDAVIS  
     (916) 752-0236          UUCP:     ...!ucbvax!ucdavis!rdhobby 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------


KA9Q Internet Software Package with Point-to-Point Protocol
===========================================================

Files available via anonymous FTP from ucdavis.ucdavis.edu
dist/ppp directory:

NETPPP.ZIP	-- compiled code; KA9Q with PPP, sample startup files
		   and KA9Q documentation
SRC.ZIP		-- source code; unmodified distribution file for
		   KA9Q Internet Software Package v900828 NOS
PPPSRC.ZIP	-- source code; additional files for PPP

-- Katie Stevens
   dkstevens at ucdavis.edu
   Computing Services
   University of California, Davis