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From: dcrocker@ubvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans
Subject: Re: Internet Gateways on IEEE 802.3
Message-ID: <628@ubvax.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 25-Jan-87 13:16:01 EST
Article-I.D.: ubvax.628
Posted: Sun Jan 25 13:16:01 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 31-Jan-87 09:23:33 EST
References: <1147@icom.COM>
Reply-To: dcrocker@ubvax.UUCP (Dave Crocker)
Organization: Ungermann-Bass, Inc., Santa Clara, Ca.
Lines: 18
Keywords: Internet, Gateway, Ethernet, IEEE 802.3, IP

In article <1147@icom.COM> andy@icom.COM (Andrew H. Marrinson) writes:
>
>The problem: some devices interfaced to a (not necessarily THE)
>Internet via an 802.3 Ethernet have no user interface which would
>enable them to obtain from a human the name of at least one gateway.

Unfortunately, the problem is worse than you describe.  There are two
different levels of mapping that need to occur.  The first is from
host name to host IP address.  The second is the one you describe, from
IP address to Ethernet address.  RARP and ARP operate only for
IP/Ethernet mapping.

To turn this problem into an advantage:  You refer to the convenience of
ARP in satisfying your requirement to get to the host.  Question:  How did
you find out the IP address of the host?  Suggestion:  Use the same
technique for specifying your default IP Router, letting your terminal
server record it.  (You also will need to record sub-net mask, but
you can try to use ICMP for that; not all networks support it, tho.)