[Dxspider-support] AX25 - Something Not Just Right Yet!

[Michel Asorne]

Hi,

I noted this problem at LX0PRG too. My first guess was that the AX.25 
implementation in the 2.4 kernels made this happen. We're using  spider 
v1.49 build 56.887 (an update to latest CVS version is planned) and 
kernel 2.4.9 with ext3 and VM patches.

The system just runs fine for one or two days after which the node is 
unreachable. The cluster connections stay alive, but no new connects are 
acknowledged. I saw other strange things while execting netstat: "1" was 
trying to establish a connection to "4", between "5" and "5" a connect 
recovery was taking place. Note that "1", "4" ... are the real callsigns 
shwon by netstat, not fakes or placeholders.

As the cluster-PC is installed some 200km away from my actual QTH and 
the links between here (Aachen/Germany) and south LX are out of order at 
the moment, remote control and precise observation is somewhat 
difficult. We deceided to reboot the PC every (or every second) night so 
that nobody has to restart the whole node remotly. I planned to update 
the kernel to 2.4.18 as some major changes have been made to the ax25 
implementation. Alternatively, downgrading to the latest 2.2.x kernel is 
an alternative.


But the first option should be a more thorouhly investigation of the 
phenomen.

73 Michel , DL/LX1NW

Jim Johnson wrote:

>Hello Ian and all
>
>Well after a week long delay I am back trying to resolve the problem of 
>users connecting to DXS.
>
>During this time I checked the TNC and the hook up cables between the 
>computer , TNC and the radio.  By the way, this hardware was a working 
>environment with PacketCluster and BPQ. 
>
>I am able to make connections via the Console to users.  I even placed a 
>entry in the crontab to check the connection every 20 minutes and if not 
>connected then reconnect the user(s).  These parts work pretty darn 
>good.  by the way, once connected the traffic seems to flow very well 
>between the system and the users.  
>
>Unfortunately the users can not make a connection to the DXSpider.  I 
>can see their connection attempts (SABM+) but no response from the 
>system.  The TNC is seeing the connection attempts as indicated with a 
>receive light and other activity as indicated by other lights on the TNC. 
>
>On 1 Mar 02, at 14:10, Ian J Maude wrote:
>
>>On Fri, 2002-03-01 at 13:40, Jim Johnson wrote:
>>
>>>Helllisteno Everyone, 
>>>
>>>My users are able to connect to DXSpider.  While Listen -ap VHF (my radio
>>>port) I am able to see the the user trying to connect by DXS will not
>>>acknowledge.
>>>
>>Hi Jim,
>>You don't say how you set it all up so it is a little difficult to be
>>precise.  
>>
>
>Not sure what you mean by this, but here is a brief description of what is 
>what at the node...  Computer is a P100 with Red Hat 7.2 and linux kernel 
>2.4.14, patched with 15,16 and 17.  KPC3 TNC in kiss mode.  I used the 
>rpm versions of libax25, ax25-tools, and ax25-app.  I run the node in 
>three xterm windows, one for the node, the second for the console, and 
>the third for listen (TNC traffic).  I start the node, then the console and 
>then kissattach the TNC and finally listen.  So if you need more 
>information, please let me know..
>
>>One idea that springs to mind is... have you set up ax25d.conf
>>correctly?  What call are they trying to connect to and what is in
>>ax25d.conf for your cluster?
>>
>
>Here is the configuration file.  I am not using NETROM so I just 
>commented out those lines.  This file is owned by root.
>
># /etc/ax25/ax25d.conf
>#
># ax25d Configuration File.
>#
># AX.25 Ports begin with a '['.
>#
>[KC4HW VIA VHF]
>NOCALL   * * * * * *  L
>default  * * * * * *  -	sysop /spider/src/client client %s ax25
>#
>[KC4HW-1 VIA VHF]
>NOCALL   * * * * * *  L
>default  * * * * * *  -	root  /usr/sbin/node	node
>#
>#
>#[OH2BNS VIA 2]
>#NOCALL   * * * * * *  L
>#default  * * * * * *  -	root  /usr/local/sbin/ttylinkd	ttylinkd
>#
>#[OH2BNS-2 VIA 2]
>#NOCALL   * * * * * *  L
>#default  * * * * * *  -	root  /usr/sbin/node	node
>#
>#[OH2BNS-3 VIA 2]
>#NOCALL   * * * * * *  L
>#default  * * * * * *  -	root  /usr/local/sbin/axwrapper	axwrapper 
>/usr/bin/finger finger
>#
>#[OH2BNS-9]
>#NOCALL  * * * * * *  L
>#default * * * * * *  -	root  /usr/sbin/node	node
>#
># NET/ROM Ports begin with a '<'.
>#
>#<netrom>
>#NOCALL  * * * * * *  L
>#default * * * * * *  -	root  /usr/local/sbin/ttylinkd	ttylinkd
>#
>#<netrom2>
>#NOCALL   * * * * * *  L
>#default  * * * * * *  -	sysop /spider/src/client client %s ax25e
>#
>#<netrom>
>#NOCALL  * * * * * *  L
>#default * * * * * *  -	root  /usr/sbin/node	node
>#
>
>>Ian
>>-- 
>>
>> Ian Maude G0VGS Morecambe Lancs UK | ian at gb7mbc.net
>> Sysop of GB7MBC, the Morecambe Bay Cluster
>> Running Linux and DXSpider
>>
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Dxspider-support mailing list
>>Dxspider-support at dxcluster.org
>>http://www.tobit.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/dxspider-support
>>
>OK, this is it...  Any help will be appreciated...
>
>
>
>
>Jim Johnson, Melbourne, Florida
>jim at kc4hw.net - http://www.kc4hw.net
>DXPacketCluster RF Connection: 144.97
>
>_______________________________________________
>Dxspider-support mailing list
>Dxspider-support at dxcluster.org
>http://www.tobit.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/dxspider-support
>

-- 
Michel Asorne <lx1nw at gmx.net>
Institut für Hochfrequenztechnik (IHF)
Melatenerstr. 25
D-52056 Aachen