Netrom-Node mini-Howto: Some Details of the AX.25 Utilities

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## 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.

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