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 It's a good idea to make a list like this on paper before you start to change things. It is easy to put the wrong name in a control file. 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 # The next step is to get ax25d to answer a call to the alias CRUCES as well as the call-sign. This is easy to do and is shown below: # /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.