FlexNet/BPQ Serial Link Info

FlexNet / BPQ Serial Link Info

by Charles Brabham N5PVL

General Info:

The following two-computer setup has proved satisfactory for interconnecting FlexNet, TexNet, ROSE, IP, and NetRom networks.
FlexNet node computer:

486-66dx, 4MB RAM, 1.44MB FD, 4 Serial Ports, Monochrome Video
Tigertronics BayPac BP-2 1.2kb modems (2)
RS-232 Null-Modem (1) for the serial link
Software: FlexNet 3.3e Node

\\
| | 19.2kb full-duplex serial link between 'BPQ and FlexNet
//
BPQ/BBS computer:

Microchannel 386-20dx, 8MB RAM, 82 MB HD, 1.44MB FD, VGA Video
DRSI PCPA-1 , 1.2kb TNC for TexNet access.
19.2kb FullDup Serial link to the FlexNet node.
Software: BPQ node and server (BBS) software.

---- From BPQCFG.TXT on the BPQ/BBS computer -----

PORT
   ID=Link Port
   TYPE=ASYNC
   PROTOCOL=KISS
   IOADDR=3F8H      ; COM 1
   INTLEVEL=4
   SPEED=19200      ; 19200 bd
   CHANNEL=A
   QUALITY=0
   MAXFRAME=1
   TXDELAY=0      ; TXD of 0
   SLOTTIME=100
   PERSIST=64
   FULLDUP=1      ; FULLDUP
   FRACK=7000
   RESPTIME=1000
   RETRIES=5
   PACLEN=230      ; Big Fat PACLEN
ENDPORT

From FlexTex.bat ( FlexNet Node batch file. )

LH FLEXNET 60
FLEXDIGI
LH KISS 3 /i=5   <---- COM 3, IRQ 5 ( Serial Link )
LH SER12 1   <--\
LH SER12 2   <---- BayPaks on Com 1 and 2
FLEX

Parameters loaded in for FLEXDIGI, using TNC.EXE:

MY N5PVL 0 3   <--- Mycall with SSIDs 0-3

MO 0 19200d   <--- Port 0, 19200 bd FullDup (Serial Link)
P T 0 0      <--- Port 0, TXD 0
P S 0 0      <--- Port 0, SSID -0

MO 1 1200   <--- Port 1, 1200 bd (BayPak)
P T 20 1   <--- Port 1, TXD 200 ms.
P S 2 1      <--- Port 1, SSID -2

MO 2 1200   <--- Port 2, 1200 bd (BayPak)
P T 20 2   <--- Port 2, TXD 200 ms.
P S 3 2      <--- Port 2, SSID -3

L 0 N5PVL-0 @   <--- Link Non-FlexNet neighbor on Port 0 ( BBS )
L 0 N5PVL-2 @   <--- Link Non-FlexNet neighbor on Port 0 ( BPQ switch )

C N5PVL for the BBS
C N5PVL-2 for the BPQ Switch
C N5PVL-3 for the FlexNet node.

From the FlexNet node, "M" brings up the BBS.
From the BPQ Switch, "BBS" brings up the BBS
Or you can connect to the BBS "direct".

When you connect to the BBS, you can do so "direct" due to the "Link" setup. It's as if the FlexNet node was not there, though actually everything goes through it.

The ability to connect "direct" to the BBS is important to local users.

The ability to connect to the BPQ node is important for incoming connections from TexNet, which uses the archaic "***Linked to" system. FlexNet does not process "***Linked to", and so is not capable of the callsign-negotiation that incoming TexNet connections require. When the callsign is not "negotiated", all incoming TexNet connectees get stuck that TexNet node's callsign. Their call gets "lost". - A recipie for chaos.
For this reason, all incoming TexNet connections should go to the BPQ node, and then to either FlexNet or the BBS, Cluster, ect. This ONLY applies to TexNet. If you do not have TexNet in your area, you do not have this problem, as TexNet appears to be the last hold-out on using "***Linked to".

FlexNet has an AX25 stack, but no NetRom support. Briefly, that means that the FlexNet node will not appear on local NetRom NODES lists, and does not have an "alias", as NetRom Nodes do. For this reason, if full NetRom compatability is important on a particular frequency, then by all means allow the BPQ switch to handle that Radio port, with the serial link ( or ethernet ) providing the gateway to FlexNet from there.
This setup is very "flexible", in that between FlexNet and 'BPQ, just about any digital ham equipment can be hooked up to the system, from Baypaks to KISS TNC's to CLOVER boards. You name it. The same advantage holds for software, as it is possible to run servers (BBS, Cluster, ect) on both computers. And, as the FlexNet logo says, "We route everything".

When you connect to the BBS, you can do so "direct" due to the "Link" setup. It's as if the FlexNet node was not there, though actually everything goes through it.

The ability to connect "direct" to the BBS is important to local users.

The ability to connect to the BPQ node is important for incoming connections from TexNet, which uses the archaic "***Linked to" system. FlexNet does not process "***Linked to", and so is not capable of the callsign-negotiation that incoming TexNet connections require. When the callsign is not "negotiated", all incoming TexNet connectees get stuck that TexNet node's callsign. Their call gets "lost". - A recipie for chaos.
For this reason, all incoming TexNet connections should go to the BPQ node, and then to either FlexNet or the BBS, Cluster, ect. This ONLY applies to TexNet. If you do not have TexNet in your area, you do not have this problem, as TexNet appears to be the last hold-out on using "***Linked to".

FlexNet has an AX25 stack, but no NetRom support. Briefly, that means that the FlexNet node will not appear on local NetRom NODES lists, and does not have an "alias", as NetRom Nodes do. For this reason, if full NetRom compatability is important on a particular frequency, then by all means allow the BPQ switch to handle that Radio port, with the serial link ( or ethernet ) providing the gateway to FlexNet from there.
This setup is very "flexible", in that between FlexNet and 'BPQ, just about any digital ham equipment can be hooked up to the system, from Baypaks to KISS TNC's to CLOVER boards. You name it. The same advantage holds for software, as it is possible to run servers (BBS, Cluster, ect) on both computers. And, as the FlexNet logo says, "We route everything".

From the FlexNet node, "M" brings up the BBS.
From the BPQ Switch, "BBS" brings up the BBS
Or you can connect to the BBS "direct".

When you connect to the BBS, you can do so "direct" due to the "Link" setup. It's as if the FlexNet node was not there, though actually everything goes through it.

The ability to connect "direct" to the BBS is important to local users.

The ability to connect to the BPQ node is important for incoming connections from TexNet, which uses the archaic "***Linked to" system. FlexNet does not process "***Linked to", and so is not capable of the callsign-negotiation that incoming TexNet connections require. When the callsign is not "negotiated", all incoming TexNet connectees get stuck that TexNet node's callsign. Their call gets "lost". - A recipie for chaos.
For this reason, all incoming TexNet connections should go to the BPQ node, and then to either FlexNet or the BBS, Cluster, ect. This ONLY applies to TexNet. If you do not have TexNet in your area, you do not have this problem, as TexNet appears to be the last hold-out on using "***Linked to".

FlexNet has an AX25 stack, but no NetRom support. Briefly, that means that the FlexNet node will not appear on local NetRom NODES lists, and does not have an "alias", as NetRom Nodes do. For this reason, if full NetRom compatability is important on a particular frequency, then by all means allow the BPQ switch to handle that Radio port, with the serial link ( or ethernet ) providing the gateway to FlexNet from there.
This setup is very "flexible", in that between FlexNet and 'BPQ, just about any digital ham equipment can be hooked up to the system, from Baypaks to KISS TNC's to CLOVER boards. You name it. The same advantage holds for software, as it is possible to run servers (BBS, Cluster, ect) on both computers. And, as the FlexNet logo says, "We route everything".