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From: mosemann@hoss.unl.edu (Russell Mosemann)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.appletalk
Subject: AppleTalk Across America (Summary)
Summary: AppleTalk can be done over Internet
Keywords: AppleTalk across over Internet
Message-ID: <1990Aug17.031325.29918@hoss.unl.edu>
Date: 17 Aug 90 03:13:25 GMT
Sender: news@hoss.unl.edu (Network News Administer)
Organization: University of Nebraska, Computing Resource Center
Lines: 38


   A few days ago I posted a question asking if it was possible for people
to access each other's resources (file servers, etc.) if they were on two
geographically distant LocalTalk networks connected to Internet.  The
overwhelming response was, "Yes!".  Now, how is it done?

1.  FastPath - There were some seemingly conflicting responses here.  Some
    people swore that it couldn't be done with a FastPath.  Others swore
    that it could be done if you were using KIP for both FastPaths and had
    the pertinent information in the routing tables (IP address of each
    FastPath, gateways, option 11 checked, etc.).  The packets would be
    encapsulated in IP and sent on their merry way.  The rest just swore
    (no, not really).

2.  Everyone agreed that the Cayman GatorBoxes could do it.  The official
    term is "tunneling".  New software has been specially written to do
    this, but it hasn't been released, yet.  A kind person at Cayman
    volunteered to help if someone is trying to do this with GatorBoxes.

3.  The IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) has formed a Working Group
    to define a standard to do this very thing.  Apple is working closely
    with this group.  So, some day this kind of access will be
    "official".

   In the meantime, several people have told me that they have done it.
It is possible now if you try out 1 or 2 above.  Remember that there can't
be any conflicts with zone names.  No one promised anything about
performance.  (Hmmm.  I wonder if broadcast storms can occur across
Internet?  What a scary thought.)  We might try it out with our FastPaths
if I have the time.  If anyone else gets it to work with their FastPaths,
send me a note about how it went.
   I would like to thank all of the knowledgeable people who responded to
my posting.  My summary wouldn't have been nearly as interesting without
you!  Thanks.

Russell
mosemann@hoss.unl.edu
uunet!hos.unl.edu!mosemann