Discussion:
Netsoft LAN
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T. Ment
2019-03-27 17:14:37 UTC
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The idea of LAN over serial cable made me curious so I found a copy of
nslan140.zip and installed it. By selecting minimal options, and using
emm386 to provide UMBs, my low DOS memory is more than 600k.

Next, I will connect a null modem serial cable and install it on another
computer, to see that it works.

If you can't get more than 350k, you're doing something wrong. And if
you refuse to start from scratch, with a minimal config, to figure out
what the problem is, that's your fault.

Does anyone have a registered copy? The unregistered one is limited to
2 nodes. That's OK for a serial LAN, but the registered software allows
more.
T. Ment
2019-03-27 19:49:15 UTC
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Post by T. Ment
I will connect a null modem serial cable and install it on another
computer, to see that it works.
Serial ports work at 115200, which is good, but still slow compared to
ethernet. But if you don't have ethernet NICs, it's better than nothing
for small file transfer.

Netsoft LAN supports ethernet too, but unregistered, the two node limit
is crippling.
Mateusz Viste
2019-03-28 07:03:55 UTC
Permalink
Post by T. Ment
Post by T. Ment
I will connect a null modem serial cable and install it on another
computer, to see that it works.
Serial ports work at 115200, which is good, but still slow compared to
ethernet. But if you don't have ethernet NICs, it's better than nothing
for small file transfer.
Netsoft LAN supports ethernet too, but unregistered, the two node limit
is crippling.
Use PLIP. https://bit.ly/2U1sO06

Mateusz
T. Ment
2019-03-28 15:53:10 UTC
Permalink
Post by Mateusz Viste
Use PLIP. https://bit.ly/2U1sO06
How much memory does YAPCBR take? EtherDFS?

Netsoft supports parallel port too, and apparently, routing. Might do
the same job. It's conservative with memory. A two node serial LAN takes
30k for peer to peer (server and client), and another 1k for the serial
driver.

Microsoft LANMAM takes about 75k for NETBEUI and the basic redirector,
and that's only client. With LANMAN, NETBEUI seems to be required, but
Netsoft works without it. NetBIOS is an extra option you can omit.

I wonder how Netsoft uses the DOS 3+ network redirector. Undocumented
DOS says it's poorly documented. Maybe Netsoft figured it out. What a
pity its creator is long gone.

Netsoft has 23 .COM files, the largest at 57431. Except for the few
Windows related files, it might be a doable disassembly project, given
enough time.

T. Ment
2019-03-27 20:45:20 UTC
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Post by T. Ment
Does anyone have a registered copy? The unregistered one is limited to
2 nodes. That's OK for a serial LAN, but the registered software allows
more.
Source code would be interesting.

But all I can find on Albert Graham or Netsoft Network Software at 20
Sea Road, Galway, Ireland, is a post to comp.archives.msdos.announce in
1997.

www.netsoft.ie is no more.
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