Netrom-Node mini-Howto

3. Some Details of the AX.25 Utilities

Below is a list of all the applications and files that are needed to set up a working ax.25 system. The Applications are all in the /usr/sbin/ directory and the Configuration files are in the /etc/ax25/ directory. Note: Kissattach is used only if you have TNC's in the Kiss Mode.

• kissattach Application
• call Application
• ax25d Application
• ax25d.conf Configuration file
• axspawn Application
• axspawn.conf Configuration file
• axports Configuration file

There are several names that a ax25-util user must invent. Since this paper uses the files of k5di, a listing of those names can be made.

Name            Call-sign       Alias           Other   

ax0             k5di-9                          ax25 9600 baud
ax1             k5di-10                         ax25 1200 baud
Netrom          k5di-1          #CRUCE          Real Netrom 
netnod          k5di-4          CRUCES          Node node-list
netbbs          k5di-3          LCBBS           BBS  node-list
netdx           k5di-5          LCDX            DX-Cluster

Kissattach is an application that connects the kernel to the TNC, sets the tcp/ip address up, sets the speed of the connection, and is given the serial port to use.

Axports is a file that defines the name of the ax.25 ports and tells kissattach what call-sign, baud-rate and window size to use. Below is an example of a 2 TNC system.

# /etc/ax25/axports
# Be very careful with the speed setting. This is the speed in
# bits/second that data passes from the computer to the TNC, and has
# nothing to do with the radio baud rate! 
#
# The format of this file is:
#
# name call-sign speed paclen window description
#
ax0     K5DI-9          9600    255     3       445.1 (9600 bps)
ax1     K5DI-10         9600    255     1       145.07 (1200 bps)

AX25D is the application that reads the ax25d.conf Configuration file and answers calls made to the system. Below is a sample ax25d.conf that has no Netrom defined. In fact all it will do is answer calls to k5di-9 and k5di-10. When it answers it starts the node application and logs the caller in.

# /etc/ax25/ax25d.conf
#
#  AX25D Configuration File.
#
# AX.25 ports begin with a '['.
#
[k5di-4 VIA ax0]
default  * *    *   *   *    0 - root   /usr/sbin/node  node 
[k5di-4 VIA ax1]
default  * *    *   *   *     0 - root  /usr/sbin/node  node 
#

# /etc/ax25/ax25d.conf
#
#  AX25D Configuration File.
#
# AX.25 ports begin with a '['.
#
[CRUCES VIA ax0]
default  * *    *   *   *    0 - root   /usr/sbin/node  node
[k5di-4 VIA ax0]
default  * *    *   *   *    0 - root   /usr/sbin/node  node 
[CRUCES VIA ax1]
default  * *    *   *   *    0 - root   /usr/sbin/node  node
[k5di-4 VIA ax1]
default  * *    *   *   *     0 - root  /usr/sbin/node  node 
#

If you have trouble, as root kill ax25d if it is running and then at the prompt type ax25d &. As ax25d loads the ax25d.conf file it will print out any errors it finds. This print out is very accurate and tells you which row in the file is wrong.

A connect from any adjacent node to k5di-4 or CRUCES will connect to the k5di node. But Netrom is not transmitting a node listing for CRUCES or k5di-4. This is done by changing some Netrom Configuration files.