filename: enftrs.txt USA Eastnet Network Features The Eastnet Packet Network of today, is known as the USA Eastnet FlexNet Network. For an overall packet map of the Eastnet FlexNet Network and detailed regional packet maps please select Packet Maps. To form the entire USA Eastnet FlexNet Network, RF linked PC/FlexNet-Digi nodes form RF regions which are linked by regional IGates to other FlexNet RF regions. These IGates use BPQ32 NetRom node crossport digi function to digi FlexNet internode communications and network traffic through internet tunnels from one FlexNet node in one region to another FlexNet node in another region. The IGates also use BPQ32 NetRom protocol for keyboard connects and BBS forwarding via the tunnels to other non FlexNet locations. The internet tunnels use encapsulated ax.25 packet frames within Ip frames. Eastnet Packet uses the FlexNet network protocol which extends the standard ax.25 Amateur Packet Radio Link-Layer protocol with additional networking features designed to improve operation via Radio. This protcol is used for all User up-link/down-link communications and between FlexNet-Digi nodes via RF links or Encapsulated Internet links. Some of the advanced networking features of FlexNet are, hop-to-hop-acknowledgement, adaptive parameter settings, adaptive routing by an auto-router at each node, and Sysop remote control. On a FlexNet network, each FlexNet-Digi node with Sysop set links to its network neighbors, uses regular polling to verify that the individual links are operational and measure rtt and retry for link quality calculations. An auto-router at each FlexNet-Digi node using internode communication exchanges network wide routing data with FlexNet-Digi node neighbors. Whenever link conditions change anywhere within the network, its routing data with rtt is updated network wide very quickly. A destination table with current network status info produced by the auto-router is maintained by each FlexNet-Digi node. It can be displayed by use of the estination command. In this table all destinations, where the auto-router knows a way to, with rtt, are shown. Important note about FlexNet-Digi node call-ssid: The FlexNet-digi nodes operate using a range of ssid. Can be 0 through 15 but often other values for various reasons. The low ssid number is known as the base ssid, normally to be used to connect to the Node "Infobox" and the high number is known as the top of the ssid range. The FlexNet node will respond to connect requests to its own node call with any ssid within its ssid range arriving on any port. When the Sysop has set links to other same node call destinations within the range, such as the -4 bbs, the request will be routed on to that destination otherwise to the FlexNet node "Infobox". Only the FlexNet-digi node call with ssid range shows in network wide destination tables, not the other same calls with ssid within the range. FlexNet addressing is based on Amateur Calls only. Alias or x.121 number addresses as used is other amateur network protocols are not used. Using the connect command is simple and has several forms that can be used as needed. Also Please note: The node_output-ssid specified can be the node_output_call-ssid of another FlexNet node on the network. If already connected to the FlexNet node called the "Info box", simply to connect to any destination in the destination table. This is using the default destination table routing. If the destination is not in the table the same connect command may work using link table routing, heard list routing, ssid routing, or no routing at all by specifying the node_output_port_number or node_output_call-ssid. If not already connected to the FlexNet node then the form of connect needs to be used. The same four routing methods will be used. Specifying the node_output_call-ssid at the end after the node_input_call-ssid is needed if the node_output port is different from the node_input port or is the the node_call_ssid of another FlexNet node on the network. Connecting to the FlexNet node Infobox provides a means of using User commands and after a password procedure, Sysop only commands which includes Remote control. Often used commands other than Connect are: MonitorHeard (mh) (mh port_number) Destinations (d) (d call) (d *) (d >) Links (l) (l *) Parameters Help Info There are many others with all User commands listed by the Help command. The FlexNet Node Talk command allows Users connected to a FlexNet Infobox to talk to others connected to the Infobox. "T " for each line of text. Or "T " to enter permanent Talk mode. "/q" to exit. The Flexnet Node Convers command is similar to the Talk commands except operate on channels. The Flex Node Find command command provides a means to search for other Users on standby via the node the command User is on or other FlexNet Nodes that have been specified by the Sysop. These can be viewed with the "s" command. On the Eastnet Flexnet network a PC/FlexNet-Digi node may be just that running on a MS-DOS computer. Many have DOS F6FBB Packet Bulletin Board running on the same computer connectable via an internal virtual FlexNet port 15. Others are running F6FBB Packet Bulletin Board on another computer connectible from the FlexNet-digi via a Ethernet or serial link. Packet Bulletin Boards use a standard ssid of -4. At IGate NetRom node sites BPQ32 is running on another machine and usually use an ssid of -3. Port 1 is the Internet port supporting ax/ip/udp. Port 2 is the FlexNet port which connects via a serial KISS link to a local FlexNet-Digi node or to a TNC in KISS mode for an RF link to a FlexNet-Digi node at another site. Other programs that may be running on the same machine are: BBS's with ssid-4, DX Clusters with ssid-5, Chat nodes with ssid-6 and Winlink RMS Gateways with ssid-10. Sending of E-Mail messages is now available via Packet Radio on the USA Eastnet Flexnet network. This service is provided by Winlink RMS Gateways interfaced to the FlexNet node via the BPQ32 Switch to connect the the Winlink CMS servers. About EastnetPacket: http://eastnetpacket.net is a web site providing information about Using the USA Eastnet FlexNet Network. The term Eastnet Packet refers to Amateur Radio Packet operations in the Eastern United States using both Radio and Internet. As like Amprnet, "there is no formal organization, no membership requirements, and no dues. All of the work is done by volunteers as they have time to do it." There are many Packet Sysop's who build, operate and maintain their own Packet systems which are part of Eastnet Packet operations. Some are supported by User donations or are sponsored by Amateur Radio Clubs. Many are not. They all do it because they are volunteers supporting Amateur Radio which is a Public Service and of course it is their hobby. eof 2009-11-28