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From: jbvb@FTP.COM ("James B. Van Bokkelen")
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip.ibmpc
Subject: Re: answers to commonly asked questions periodic posting
Message-ID: <9103251548.AA15638@ftp.com>
Date: 25 Mar 91 15:48:40 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: jbvb@ftp.com
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 53


    1)  Exactly what is a packet driver?

A TSR module or DOS device driver which implements a sharable software
interface to some sort of communications hardware (e.g. Ethernet card,
802.5 card, serial line) that conforms to the Packet Driver Spec (v1.09
is current, get it from vax.ftp.com in pub)
    
    2)  What is the relationship b/w the packet driver(s) and the DOS
        application?

The DOS application asks the Packet Driver to do all network I/O for it.
The DOS application needs to know the framing for the low-level protocol
it uses (IPX, IP, XNS, OSI or whatever), but it doesn't need to know what
kind of card, where it's I/O port is, what the interrupt is, etc.  Another
protocol stack can share the network hardware through the PD, provided that
it is using a different low-level protocol.
    
    3)  What are the common packet driver package names & sources/prices/etc.

Russ has a readme for the Clarkson freeware Packet Driver collection.  In
addition, FTP Software has released as freeware an NDIS to Packet Driver
adapter module, and a number of board vendors and other commercial companies
offer Packet Drivers: Acer, Accton, Aquila, Cabletron, D-Link, DSC, Gateway,
IMC Networks, Interlan, Longshine, Persoft, Schneider & Koch, Tiara,
Western Digital, Xircom.  Some of these are free with the board, or shipped
on request, others are part of software you have to buy.

    4)  What is PC/IP and how does it interact w/the other stuff like packet 
        drivers (if it does at all?)

It is the first TCP/IP ever written for PCs.  It has gone through several
versions, and the most recent is available from husc6.harvard.edu.  Only
the most recent version can use Packet Drivers.
    
    5)  What do I need in order to open sockets from a DOS Application to a
        host capable of dealing with them (like a Sun or RS-6000)?

If you really mean "4bsd sockets", you need one of the commercial TCP/IP
packages for DOS and its development environment (usually an extra-cost
item).  These are supported to varying levels, and the 4bsd conformance
is usually pretty good (don't expect fork() to work, though).  If you only
mean a TCP connection through some sort of API, you can do that with the
source to any of the free TCP/IPs.  Check the one you like to determine if
it has a reasonable API, and supports the compilers and memory model you
prefer (most link the stack into the application, and require C language).
    
    6)  Is there any TLI oriented stuff out there (yet)?

Not for DOS that I know of.

James B. VanBokkelen		26 Princess St., Wakefield, MA  01880
FTP Software Inc.		voice: (617) 246-0900  fax: (617) 246-0901