root/drivers/net/README2.PLIP

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(2nd attempt. 1st bounced.)
Hi again

About my previous mail: I've looked into parallel.asm, and I'm
rather confused. Looks like the code agrees with you, but not
the protocol description preceding it?? I got to look more
careful, but it wont be for a while (approx a week).

>From plip.c (v0.04):

>make one yourself.  The wiring is:
>    INIT        16 - 16         SLCTIN  17 - 17
>    GROUND      25 - 25
>    D0->ERROR   2 - 15          15 - 2

I saw you removed 1 and 14 from the cable description, but not
16 and 17. Why is that?

Have been successful in getting parallel.com working (the Messy-Loss
software). Using the pksend on the sender and pkall/pkwatch/whatnot
gives me a hung receiver. (The cable works, I've tried unet11, a DOS
cheap-net prog.)

Using PLIP v0.03 and trying to ping the other end gives
  88 timeout 88 timeout....(more) 2386 bogus packet size, dropped
on the receiver, and on the sender lots of timeout, but of
course I don't know how much is supposed to work.

The following to something I wrote when I should have gone to bed a
long time ago. Use it for whatever you like, or dump it in the bin. ;^)

/Tommy
-----
Becker [& Co] proudly presents PLIP

What is PLIP?
=============

PLIP is Parallel Line IP, that is, the transportation of IP packages
over a parallel port. In the case of a PC, the obvious choice is the
printer port.  PLIP is a non-standard, but [can use] uses the standard
LapLink null-printer cable [can also work in turbo mode, with a PLIP
cable]. [The protocol used to pack IP packages, is a simple one
initiated by Crynwr.]

Advantages of PLIP
==================

It's cheap, it's available everywhere, and it's easy.

The PLIP cable is all that's needed to connect two Linux boxes, and it
can be build for very bucks.

Connecting two Linux boxes takes only a seconds decision and a few
minutes work, no need to search for a [supported] netcard. This might
even be especially important in the case of notebooks, where netcard
are not easily available.

Not requiring a netcard also means that apart from connecting the
cables, everything else is software configuration [which in principle
could be made very easy.]

Disadvantages of PLIP
=====================

Doesn't work over a modem, like SLIP and PPP. Limited range, 15 m.
Can only be used to connect three (?) Linux boxes. Doesn't connect to
an exiting ethernet. Isn't standard (not even de facto standard, like
SLIP).

Performance
==========

PLIP easily outperforms ethernet cards....(ups, I was dreaming, but
it *is* getting late. EOB)

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