Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!ames!pasteur!ucbvax!wb6rqn.UUCP!brian
From: brian@wb6rqn.UUCP (Brian Lloyd)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip
Subject: SLIP link error correction
Message-ID: <8804021851.AA03124@wb6rqn.UUCP>
Date: 2 Apr 88 23:51:49 GMT
Sender: usenet@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 22

The most important feature is to permit the link driver to discard
damaged packets.  For this reason a SLIP link checksum is a good idea. 

On the other hand this attitude of, "...but link error correction is
braindamaged," makes me uncomfortable.  There MAY be an occasion where
doing link error correction could result in an improvement in
performance.  I am not advocating that all SLIP links should offer link
error correction but rather am pushing for it as an option.  Perhaps it
could be negotiated at link establishment and could be placed in the
"you don't really have to implement this option" catagory for those of
you who find the thought of link error correction repugnant.

As a user of TCP/IP over packet radio I can assure you that link error
correction does indeed have a place, especially when you have several
lossy links concatenated in given IP route.  The throughput increase can
be dramatic.  It may not be useful in all situation but it is HIGHLY
desireable in some.

Brian Lloyd, President
Sirius Systems, Inc.
(301) 540-2066
{bellcore, syscad, cp1, irs3, n3dmc}!wb6rqn!brian
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