Networking a Powerbook Duo: serial -> OS X/unix -> internet

[equant]

I would doubt you can just wire two modems back to back and expect them to work, they normally expect ring tone before dialling out.

There are ways to do it using a battery circuit and some hayes commands that turn off dial-tone detection. I don't have the details, but it's not a dead end.

 

[benjgvps]

I actully am connecting My iMac G3 to my POwerBoook 180c with a plain phone cable, I just put these commands on both ends: ATX3&C0 then one one I put: ATA and on the other I put: ATD . I do have xubuntu 7.04 on my iMac, I am wondering if I can do the PPPD with the modems. Another thing I am wondering about is directly hooking my modem attached to my PowerBook 180c, and printing to a fax machine. I have the modem installed, and I can fax all documents to a fax machine, is there any way to fax directly?

 

[porter]

There was a thing called Apple Remote Access which did this kind of thing, and ran AppleTalk over PPP.

 

[benjgvps]

Is there a version that would work on Mac OS 7.5.3? I have it in OS 9 on my iMac so it might be possible to do a direct connect. But is there any software (Mac OS 9 or Linux) that could help me out here?

 

[Morrick]

5. Run the following with root privileges on the iMac:

sysctl -w net.inet.ip.forwarding=1

(tell the Kernel we want to forward IP packets)

I want to try this ingenious solution as soon as possible. But I'm a bit ignorant in many things UNIX. My question is: when I want to stop the connection and the IP forwarding, I just type:

sysctl -w net.inet.ip.forwarding=0

or is it more complicated than that?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Rick

 

[porter]

Is there a version that would work on Mac OS 7.5.3? I have it in OS 9 on my iMac so it might be possible to do a direct connect. But is there any software (Mac OS 9 or Linux) that could help me out here?

Oh, like this one then?

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=22085

The recommended system software version for Apple Remote Access 3.0 is 7.5.3 or later, updated with Open Transport 1.1.1. or later networking software. System Software versions 7.1, 7.1.1, and 7.1.2 releases are also compatible with Apple Remote Access 3.0 updated with Open Transport 1.1.1 or later.

 

[porter]

If you have Linux with AF_APPLETALK stack enabled then pppd should help you out.

 

[benjgvps]

Oh, like this one then?

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=22085

Thanks! I will have a go at this!

If you have Linux with AF_APPLETALK stack enabled then pppd should help you out.

How would I know if I have the stack installed? Does netatalk have this?

I would need help figuring out what I need in the pppd command. This is what I have that can probably help: Connecting with the internal modem on the iMac G3, internet is connected through the Ethernet port (IP is 192.168.0.174), speed is 38400 baud. Once I get this working I will post a tutorial somewhere.

EDIT: Well I got ARA 3.1... It will only work with 8.1 or higher. I cannot find ARA 3.0, only updaters. I can't seem to find it on the kdx server as well (It might be there, I just can't find anything!). If I just had a Mac with a PCI or Comm slot that I could shove an ethernet card and localtalk bridge onto...

 

[porter]

How would I know if I have the stack installed? Does netatalk have this?

Not sure how pppd and netatalk play together, you may or may not need netatalk, I've never done this myself. The AF_APPLETALK enabling is part of the Linux kernel.

 

[benjgvps]

The AF_APPLETALK enabling is part of the Linux kernel.

Okay, I searched for information about this and I came up with this:

8.2 Appletalk (AF_APPLETALK)
The Appletalk support has no special device names as it uses existing network devices.

Kernel Compile Options:

Networking options --->

<*> Appletalk DDP

Appletalk support allows your Linux machine to interwork with Apple networks. An important use for this is to share resources such as printers and disks between both your Linux and Apple computers. Additional software is required, this is called netatalk. Wesley Craig netatalk@umich.edu represents a team called the `Research Systems Unix Group' at the University of Michigan and they have produced the netatalk package which provides software that implements the Appletalk protocol stack and some useful utilities. The netatalk package will either have been supplied with your Linux distribution, or you will have to ftp it from its home site at the University of Michigan

It appears that netatalk is needed.

UPDATE: I probably know why I can't get it connected, Linux might not have the modem init string... Maybe, but does anyone know the modem in the iMac G3 350 MHz and where to configure the modem string or add it in the command?

 

[equant]

I'm confused... Why are you worried about Netatalk? Aren't you just trying to get a ppp connection to you mac from the linux box via a modem-pair?

 

[porter]

I'm confused... Why are you worried about Netatalk? Aren't you just trying to get a ppp connection to you mac from the linux box via a modem-pair?

In order for pppd to route AF_APPLETALK packets it *may* need the assistence of netatalk, we're not sure.

http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc1378.html

 

[benjgvps]

I just want to get TCP/IP on there for FTP, IRC, and basic web. What I think is happening is that there is no init string on the iMac.

 

[porter]

I just want to get TCP/IP on there for FTP, IRC, and basic web. What I think is happening is that there is no init string on the iMac.

If all you want is TCP/IP then MacPPP, OT/PPP, FreePPP should all work.

 

[Bunsen]

Slightly OT but I just had a thought.

Let's say you have a Duo 2300 motherboard, and use a SCSI internal disk, leaving the IDE header free. (Yes, it's been shown that you can use both at the same time). Then attach a 2.5" IDE to CF adapter.

Let's say also that you can find a Compact Flash format WiFI card that has the same chipset as a PCMCIA WiFI card that's known to be usable under OS 9.x and/or earlier (like the Proxim/Lucent/Avaya Orinoco).

Trick the installer to put the appropriate drivers on the Duo's hard drive. (ie using SCSI Disk Mode from a 1400 or other Powerbook with a PCMCIA slot)

Does it seem even remotely possible that the CF card would be recognised?

 

[porter]

Does it seem even remotely possible that the CF card would be recognised?

I would have thought IDE devices were driven in a very different way to PCMCIA.

IDE (ATAPI) are basically storage devices, end of story.

 

[equant]

I just want to get TCP/IP on there for FTP, IRC, and basic web. What I think is happening is that there is no init string on the iMac.

And remind me again why you're trying to do this through two modems sans phone line? Can't you connect the powerbook to the linux box via a null modem cable on the serial ports?

equant

 

[Bunsen]

Pardon the thread necromancy, but is there any compelling reason that would prevent jcassara's original solution from working over a wireless serial adapter? For example, the following unit, to a Bluetooth-equipped Mac:

Bluetooth SMD Module - Roving Networks

This Bluetooth module is designed to replace serial cables. The Bluetooth® stack is completely encapsulated. The end user just sees serial characters being transmitted back and forth.
Features {selected}:

* Fully configurable UART

* UART Data rates up to 3Mbps

* Over air data rate of 721kbps to 2.0Mbps

* Compatible with all Bluetooth® products that support SPP (almost all do)

* Includes support for BCSP, DUN, LAN, GAP SDP, RFCOMM, and L2CAP protocols

Then it hit me -- I have a UNIX based machine sitting in front of me. One that surely has a PPP daemon. / Would you believe it worked right out of the box?
I am now cruising the internet, telnetting, FTPing, and other wonderful things on the Powerbook Duo 280, courtesy my own private non-dial-up dial-up ISP.

 

[Charlieman]

Great thread. Somehow, I missed it first time around.

Bluetooth on modern Mac: easy.

Bluetooth on 68K: err, no.

 

[Bunsen]

Why not? The unit above is designed for industrial and embedded applications. It appears to the host as a standard serial connection. As far as the OS is concerned, there is no "Bluetooth", just a serial port that goes ... somewhere. jcassara's ppp setup takes care of the rest - provided a serial tty can be opened on the receiving Bluetooth Mac.

At least that's how I read it.