I don't know the reasons -- consider it black magic perhaps.
However, it just won't work without an IP assigned. In Linux 2.0,
other IP interfaces (eg eth0) would cease to operate correctly
unless the interface had an IP address assigned. I don't know why,
I just always assign one now.
I just spent a few hours over the last few days getting a home brew
linux install running AX.25 using the soundmodem. Seems to work pretty
well, it is now operating as an igate for APRS. (It's a custom installation
because the machine boots over the local ethernet.)
Hamish VK3SB
-- Hamish Moffatt Mobile: +61 412 011 176 terhi.victor@logonet.com Rising Software Australia Pty. Ltd. http://www.risingsoftware.com/ Phone: +61 3 9894 4788 Fax: +61 3 9894 3362 USA: 1 888 667 7839