Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!ames!killer!convex!uunet!munnari!vuwcomp!dsiramd!csnz!paul From: paul@csnz.nz (Paul Gillingwater) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems Subject: Packet Switching (X.25) and BBS Keywords: X.25, BBS Message-ID: <62@csnz.nz> Date: 19 Sep 88 10:28:50 GMT Reply-To: paul@csnz.co.nz (Paul Gillingwater) Organization: Computer Sciences of New Zealand, Wellington, NZ Lines: 35 I'm planning to set up a UNIX based BBS on a 386 box, and I'd like some advice on various aspects. 1) New Zealand supports a nation-wide CCITT X.25 network. I have two options for providing access (I think): either direct dial-up to an auto-answer modem (by-passing the X.25), or through the Packet Switch network. 2) If I use the Packet Switch network, there seem to be two options: either lease a PAD with asynchronous ports, and hardwire each port to a getty on the UNIX box, or find BBS software that can support a direct X.25 connection. Does anyone know how this can be done? 3) I understand that classic BBS usage requires character-based connection, so that the BBS can support interactive editing and word-wrap. X.25 however is more suited for line-based usage, sending a packet for each line that is transmitted. Clearly, character mode connections are much less efficient - is there any BBS software that will cope elegantly with line-based interaction? Will this impinge upon, e.g. ZMODEM transfers? 4) Which flavour of UNIX is better suited for X.25 or BBS work - Xenix/386 or the MicroPort? I'm a SCO Xenix user at present. 5) I believe there are plug-in cards with multiple modems available that support multi-user BBS under DOS - will these work under UNIX, and more importantly, will they work with a 20 MHz 386 bus? Thanks in anticipation.... e-mail and I will summarize... -- Paul Gillingwater UUCP: {alberta,ubc-vision}!calgary!vuwcomp!dsiramd!csnz!paul Computer Sciences New Zealand Ltd. ACSnet: paul@csnz.co.nz Magic Tower BBS (24 hrs) NZ +64 4 753-561 (V21/V23/V22/V22bis/B103/B212A)