On 14 Nov at 18:02, Mike Bilow of 1:323/107 wrote to Chris Maddock:
MB> Chris Maddock wrote in a message to Mike Bilow:
CM>> Second try. I'll get it right (I hope) this time. :)
MB> I've got it now.
CM>> I wondered if you have had anything to do with any of the
CM>> "software" bridges and routers that were available.
MB> I've used PC Route, but it was a long time ago.  Of course, I am one of 
the 
MB> developers associated with KA9Q NOS, and many people used that as a 
router.
Aha! PCROUTE ! I had a look at PCBRIDGE and the program wouldn't work at all. 
:(
CM>> I have a Bridgit! bridge at work and there used to be others
CM>> that were available. 
CM>> The Bridgit! bridge works great for me. Two versions, local
CM>> coax/coax bridge and a coax/modem bridge to another office.
CM>> Runs on a 286/16.
MB> I've never used Bridgit!, and I see little value these days in having 
MB> software that will run on a 286.  I don't have a problem with software 
that 
MB> requires a 386 as a minimum machine, and that is a huge jump in 
capability 
MB> that buys you an enormous amount for what today costs nothing.
Generally true. But for an application like a bridge it is fine. It does 
however work much better on a 386.
CM>> I tried one of the shareware ones but couldn't get the
CM>> software to load. 
CM>> Do you know of any that have been developed and can you
CM>> recommend any ?? 
MB> I haven't seen anyone try to make serious use of bridging in years.  The 
MB> only real benefit to bridging over routing is that the hardware is 
simpler.  
MB> In theory, you can bridge/switch prospectively without doing store and 
MB> forward, but no software bridge/switch does this.  Switching has made 
MB> something of a comeback in order to eliminate store and forward in very 
MB> high speed situations, as with ATM or IP, but even there it is not 
MB> mainstream technology.
Okay. What about when the bridge uses a serial link (modem) ??
MB> When you can use Linux running on as little as a 386SX to act as a full 
MB> router for all of the major protocols, including IP and IPX, I just don't 
MB> see any point to worrying about bridging unless I had some really oddball 
MB> proprietary protocol that I needed to support.  For that matter, I assume 
MB> Linux could do bridging, but I've never looked into it.
I've thought of using Linux. Just haven't really had the need. Or the spare 
hardware.
MB> As I often ask, what is it that you are really trying to accomplish?
Bridging two networks via modems. 10MBit each end. 33.6K modems for the link.
ISDN here in Oz is way too expensive even though they bought the cost down to 
a fraction of what it was, otherwise I'd use that.
Regards,
Chris Maddock
chrism@bbs.st.net.au
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