> I have just joined this forum. I have been running both Linux and FreeBSD for a few years now. I am trying to set up a Wormhole for the local club in Darwin to which I belong.
> I am seeking suggestions as to what is the best way to go. I have a preference for Linux and
For a quick overview of the Clear Lake ARC's Linux-based wormhole, check
out http://www.clarc.org/worm.html. It can also be reached from many
cities around the world as net/rom node WORMY:K5HOU-4. I'm sorry I don't
have a canned answer to your question yet, but our Wormhole Development
Team is pretty busy. We are going to write some magazine articles soon
about the system and probably give a "receipe" for building one. Until
then, here's the short answer:
* Using Linux kernel 2.0.29
* ax-utils-2.1.22b
* Custom login program on packet side
* Custom menu system for packet users (with shell available to those who
want it)
* Full TCP/IP services, including gatewaying
* No xNOS in use -- we are trying to grow beyond that
> Have used both Slackware and RedHat distributions, and probably prefer the latter. I have
We are using RedHat 4.1. We started out with Slackware, but quickly saw
that it was not suited to our purposes. We then tried Debian, but at that
time the Debian distribution was not quite where we needed it to be and
the Debian project seemed at a standstill (although I've heard that has
changed). We finally settled on RedHat 2.? then upgraded to 3.0.3 and now
4.1.
> Looked at AX25 via the kernel and also looked at TNOS, but have really not spent much time on either. Tried to compile TNOS on FreeBSD and had problems.
We're using the kernel AX.25 and it is working quite well for us. In the
early days, we had to get some help from Jonathan Naylor, G4KLX (author of
the kernel AX.25 code), but nowadays everything seems to move along quite
smoothly. Our upgrade from ax-utils-2.0.12a to 2.1.22b was quite smooth.
> Can anyone suggest the simplest way to get this up
Well, it's not simple :-) but it's really easier than you might think.
The big decision you have to make is whether you want to offer traditional
packet mail/bulletins/spam or not. If you do, then TNOS is probably the
way to go. We were not happy with the state of packet services in our
area, however, and decided to offer more Internet-like services instead.
We have several users who retrieve their mail over the air via POP3,
others who log in and read it on the server. We've even surfed the Web
over the air although in text-only mode and it was still painfully slow
over 1200 bps packet. When we get 9600 bps packet widely accepted, that
problem should go away. Our next step after 9600 is probably 2 Mbps.
> 73
> Andrew Hodges VK8AH
I notice several VK stations on our nodelist, but no VK8's. They must be
waiting for you to fill the void :-)
Kyle KB5IMO
--
"Never again is what you swore the time before"
-- Depeche Mode
Kyle Rhorer <terhi.victor@logonet.com>
http://www.clarc.org/~rhorer