README for /pub/ct_net

modified: 17 February 2005

The files in the /pub/ct_net/ directory are contributions by Claudio Tantignone <ctantignone@hotmail.com>. There is support for networking over media other than ethernet, using SLIP and PPP protocols. Also found here are ports of various packages to Minix.

The newest version of each package can be found in the /pub/contrib directory, as well as here. This directory was created in order to have a place where all versions could be preserved, and to make navigation of the /pub/contrib directory a little simpler for those who want only the latest versions.

Quick links:

• Click here to go to the raw /pub/ct_net directory.
• Click here to go to the raw /pub/contrib directory.

More info

• SLIP (Serial Line Internet Protocol) -- for point to point networking over serial lines.
• PPP (Point to Point Protocol) -- also for point to, point networking over serial lines, newer and somewhat more complex than SLIP.
• PLIP (Parallel Line Internet Protocol) -- for short-distance local networking between peer computers, using the parallel (printer) ports.
• NAT (Network Address Translation) -- a gateway protocol that allows a single computer to serve as an address-translating router presenting a single IP address to the outside world while serving any number of computers on a private inside network. If properly configured it can be one part of a firewall strategy, making it impossible for an outside system to connect to, or even learn the IP addresses of, nodes on the inside network.

Ported packages

In principle, software written for a Unix or Linux system should be easy to compile on Minix, but in fact it sometimes requires some tweaking to make it work. Claudio has ported various versions of elm (a mail program), lynx, a text-based browser, gzip, the Gnu project file compression utility, and tin, a threaded news reader, as well as a number of other packages.

PPP DOS-Minix Demos:

Claudio has provided compressed images of 16- and 32-bit Minix systems with a PPP interface ready-to-run using the Minix under MS-DOS method which does not require creating a Minix partition -- Minix is loaded by MS-DOS or Windows and uses a large DOS/Windows file as a simulated disk. For more information. There is a page in the FAQ directory on the Demos of DOS-Minix with PPP.

Claudio has also made other contributions which can be found in the /pub/contrib directory and which are not duplicated here because there are not multiple versions.

Claudio's own website is http://www.geocities.com/ctantignone. The newest versions of his software will always be found there.

The Net Software link below will take you to Michael Temari's Minix Networking Software page.