You may need several external drivers for your BBS. For WinFBB: FBBCOMM.DRV BPQ For LinFBB: AF_AX25 domain socket AF_NETROM domain socket AF_ROSE domain socket It is necessary to compile the Linux Kernel with SLIP (serial line). For DosFBB: ESS.COM ESSKAM.COM FBBIOS.COM BPQ TFPCX/TFPCR Installation of a TELEPHONE MODEM. FBBCOMM.DRV: (Only for WinFBB) The port-driver FBBCOMM.DRV is installed in Windows during the installation- process of WinFBB. FBBCOMM.DRV is automatically installed in your Windows as you install WinFBB from the diskette. So there is nothing for you to do. The driver is automatically installed into your SYSTEM.INI in the [boot] section as comm.drv=fbbcomm.drv. If in doubt, you may want to check this. ESS.COM: (Only for DosFBB) ESS is an async port driver optimized for FBB software. It can drive either TNC2/PK232/clones or KAM. This small device driver is loaded as resident at the beginning of the machine initialization (TSR). One ESS handles one serial line and makes use of one IRQ. The COM number, the address of the serial interface and the IRQ number are given as parameters appended to the command line. The address should be given as a FOUR digit hex number. Example : Install ESS for COM1 at hex 03F8 and using IRQ 4 : ESS 1 03F8 4 If only the COM number is specified, the address and the IRQ will default to the standard DOS value. Thus ESS 1 would have had the same effect than the example. Any address or IRQ number can be specified. Carefully check that the address and the IRQ number match the board you intend to use, special attention should be given to the IRQ number which should not already be used by another peripheral device in the machine. On a PC the IRQ's can not usually be shared. Should there be more than one port to handle, several ESS can be cascaded. The IRQ should be different for each ESS, except for the case in which the interrupt sharing is supported by the serial card used. Example : ESS 1 03F8 4 ESS 2 02F8 3 This sequence will load ESS's for COM1 and COM2. ESS accommodates also the muxing arrangement of serial ports. Version 1.08 of ESS-driver (included with DosFBB distribution) must be used with the MUX ! ESSKAM.COM: (Only for DosFBB) ESSKAM works exactly as ESS.COM, but only for Kantronics Kam TNCs. FBBIOS.COM: (Only for DosFBB) FBBIOS is a serial line driver dedicated to the usage of a PSTN modem. Binary as well as ASCII file transfer are supported with the XMODEM protocol. FBBIOS handles one serial line, one IRQ is required. The COM number, the address of the serial interface and the IRQ number are given as parameters appended to the command line, the address should be specified in FOUR hex digits. Example : Install FBBIOS for COM1 at hex 03F8 and using IRQ 4 : FBBIOS 1 03F8 4 If only the COM number is specified, the address and the IRQ will default to the standard DOS value. Thus FBBIOS 1 would have had the same effect than the example. Any address or IRQ number can be specified. Carefully check that the address and the IRQ number match the board you intend to use, special attention should be given to the IRQ number which should not already be used by another peripheral device. On a PC the IRQ's can not usually be shared. If the modem in use is at the HAYES standard, FBBIOS can modify the line speed according to the one of the incoming call connection. In this case the parameter 'A' should be appended to the command line to activate this feature. This is not true with some buffered modems using a junction with a settled speed. Example : FBBIOS 1 03F8 4 A Upon receipt of the string CONNECT 1200 or CONNECT 2400, the driver will adjust its speed to the incoming call. From version 1.30, FBBIOS.COM can run up to 56 KBauds. Be sure that your computer is fast enough ! AF_AX25 domain socket (More in appendix 23) AF_NETROM domain socket (More in appendix 23) AF_ROSE domain socket (More in appendix 23) (Only for LinFBB) Standard kernel AF_AX25, AF_NETROM and AF_ROSE sockets AX.25, NET/ROM and ROSE protocol are built into the Linux kernel. I recommend to use these interfaces, because it will give you more flexibility to build a system with many futures.. This page was last updated