[HECnet] BQTCP without DECnet

[Johnny Billquist]

On 2020-05-09 19:50, Lee Gleason wrote:
> 
> 
> On 5/8/2020 9:32 PM, Johnny Billquist wrote:
>> On 2020-05-09 03:51, Lee Gleason wrote:
>>>
>>>    I'm working on an 11/73 running Mplus  that is tight on disk 
>>> space, to the point that DECnet won't fit. I was wondering if RSX 
>>> TCP/IP (that consumes less disk space) would work on a Q bus machine 
>>> without DECnet. It's documented as possible for Unibus machines - can 
>>> it work on a QBus system?
>>
>> In theory it could. The problem is that you need some device driver 
>> for the Qbus ethernet card, and unfortunately DEC didn't provide any. 
>> There is for the Unibus ethernet, which is why that works.
>>
>> If DECnet is installed on the machine, TCP/IP will be using the 
>> drivers provided through DECnet, so that they can co-exist. And that 
>> is usually how it is used, so I have never bothered looking into 
>> writing a device driver of my own for the Qbus ethernet cards.
>>
>    OK, thanks for the info. I doubt I'll find a driver to use, and don't 
> have time to write one. For this project, looks like it's time for me to 
> Kermit like it's 1989.

Kermit is definitely always an option. With some fiddling around, you 
can get it to work pretty nice, although obviously transfer speeds 
aren't the greatest.

I have some vague recollection there was a driver on some DECUS tape, 
but I don't remember any details. It would need some looking in to.

   Johnny

-- 
Johnny Billquist                  || "I'm on a bus
                                   ||  on a psychedelic trip
email: bqt at softjar.se             ||  Reading murder books
pdp is alive!                     ||  tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol