From: bob@comlab.gatech.edu
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans.misc
Subject: Serial NDIS driver available
Date: 11 Sep 92 19:38:45 GMT
Reply-To: bob@comlab.gatech.edu ()
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology

A few days ago I mentioned that I recently saw an announcement from a
company selling an NDIS driver for use over serial lines.  Several people
asked me to post the information so here goes.

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        ZDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD?
        3  Introduction to NIC Bridge/Async  3
        3   from Eighth Layer Systems        3
        @DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDY

        Thank you for expressing your interest in NIC Bridge/Async. The
following is an introduction to the capabilities and features of NIC Bridge
and its companion product NIC Async.

        The "engine" of NIC Async is a DOS or OS/2 device driver. This driver
acts as if it controls an Ethernet or Token Ring network card and meets the
NDIS version 2.01 specifications. Rather than controlling a network card,
however, NIC Async controls a serial port or modem.

        By combining NIC Async drivers with NDIS protocols, such as 3Com NBP or
Microsoft/IBM NetBEUI, these protocols can be used from remote sites to provide
remote access to Microsoft Lan Manager or IBM Lan Server systems.

        NIC Async can be used with any NDIS protocol which can be tuned for low
speed operation. Tuning information is provided for use of Microsoft/IBM NetBEUI
at any speed from 300 to 115,200 baud. Tuning information is also provided for
use of 3Com NBP at any speed from 2400 to 115,200 baud.

        The diagram below shows an example configuration for NIC Async. This
configuration allows a remote DOS workstation to access an IBM Lan Server or
Microsoft Lan Manager server via the NetBEUI protocol. Multiple protocol and
multiple port configurations, while not shown, are also available.

        ZDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD?                  ZDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD?
        3 DOS Workstation 3                  3   OS/2 Server   3
        3    Software     3                  3    Software     3
        @DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDY                  @DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDY
                 3                                    3
           ZDDDDDDDDDDD?                        ZDDDDDDDDDDD?
           3  NetBEUI  3                        3  NetBEUI  3
           @DDDDDDDDDDDY                        @DDDDDDDDDDDY
                 3                                    3
           ZDDDDDDDDDDD?                        ZDDDDDDDDDDD?
           3 NIC Async 3                        3 NIC Async 3
           @DDDDDDDDDDDY                        @DDDDDDDDDDDY
                 3                                    3
           ZDDDDDDDDDDD?  Fixed or Dialup Link  ZDDDDDDDDDDD?
           3   Modem   3DDDDDDDDDDD/ /DDDDDDDDDD3   Modem   3
           @DDDDDDDDDDDY                        @DDDDDDDDDDDY

        NIC Async drivers are available for DOS and OS/2 PCs. These drivers
offer many features to provide maximum speed. Highly optimized drivers are
provided which take maximum advantage of the 32 bit instruction set of 386 and
486 CPUs. The OS/2 drivers offer two serial port access modes: a high speed
"Direct Port" mode for IBM AT type serial ports as well as an "OS/2 File System"
mode for any serial port with an OS/2 driver.

        NIC Async also takes full advantage of high speed 16550 "FIFO" serial
port chips. These chips, when used with NIC Async, greatly reduce or eliminate
serial port "overrun" errors which plague modern serial communications. They
allow NIC Async to provide speeds of 115,200 baud in most environments, while
reducing CPU load by a factor of up to 16 at any baud rate. These high speed
chips are standard on all IBM PS/2s and can be retrofitted anywhere that IBM PC
8250 type or IBM AT 16450 type chips are socketed. They cost less than $ 20.00
and are highly recommended for use with NIC Async.

        NIC Async also provides optional compression, useful to 57,600 baud on
386 and 486 PCs. This has been observed to provide about 2:1 compression when
copying real-life text files. Unlike MNP compression, NIC Async compression is
intelligent and will only send compressed packets. It will not expand packets.
Compression may be manually enabled or disabled while on-line.

        NIC Async provides optional DES encrypted password validation to ensure
that only authorized persons have access to your network. For higher security
requirements NIC Async provides optional full-time full-packet DES encryption.
Due to the use of highly optimized 32 bit 386 and 486 specific code, this is
useful at up to 57,600 baud. Once connected and validated, this feature may be
manually enabled or disabled while on-line.

        The wide assortment of modems, modem command sets and response codes
are a major source of difficulty when configuring communications software.
NIC Async provides many features to reduce this difficulty to a minimum.

        The first of these features is embodied in the design of NIC Async.
This design does not depend on returned modem responses and thus suffers none
of the problems of software which depends on fixed "Hayes compatible" modem
response codes. NIC Async also provides many configuration options which allow
it to be tailored to your modems.

        All transmitted and received serial data, whether modem commands and
responses or network data, may be viewed at any time with one simple command.
In addition, history buffers are maintained which record all modem control
signal changes and NIC Async connection state changes. These buffers may also
be viewed at any time with a single command.

        The NIC Async DOS and OS/2 drivers are identical and symmetrical in
design. Any IBM compatible PC, whether DOS or OS/2, standalone or networked,
workstation or server may initiate a call to, or answer a call from, another
NIC Async equipped PC. Alone, NIC Async may be installed on a PC to provide
remote access to that PC, most commonly a server.

        When combined with NIC Bridge, NIC Async can provide remote access and
remote bridging to virtually any device on a Token Ring or Ethernet network.
Like NIC Async, NIC Bridge provides DOS and OS/2 drivers that are identical
and symmetrical in design. Highly optimized 32 bit versions of these drivers
are also provided for 386 and 486 CPUs.

        In Ethernet environments NIC Bridge provides MAC layer bridging and is
thus protocol independent. In Token Ring environments NIC Bridge provides IBM
Token Ring source routing. This requires the use of a special high speed NDIS
driver, supplied with NIC Bridge, which allows use of the IBM Token Ring Adapter
in source routing bridge mode.

        NIC Bridge acts as an NDIS protocol driver and can be linked to two or
more NDIS network card drivers. An example configuration is shown below. Local
Ethernet and Token Ring bridging, while not shown, is also available.

                        ZDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD?
                        3      Dedicated DOS or      3
                        3       OS/2 Bridge PC       3
                        @DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDY

                        ZDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD?
                        3      NIC Bridge Driver     3
                        @DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDY
                              3                3
To Remote User          ZDDDDDDDDDDD?     ZDDDDDDDDDD?
       ZDDDDDDDDDDD?    3 NIC Async 3     3 Ethernet 3 Local Ethernet Network
DDDD//D3   Modem   3DDDD3   Driver  3     3  Driver  3DDDDDDDD//DDDDDDDDDDDDD
       @DDDDDDDDDDDY    @DDDDDDDDDDDY     @DDDDDDDDDDY


        NIC Bridge provides custom protocol and address filtering. Filtering
allows the reduction or elimination of bandwidth consuming broadcast packets.
It can also be used to bar access to specified network protocols and devices
for security or other reasons.

        In addition to the bridging functions, NIC Bridge may also be used
for high speed packet generation, packet capture and statistics gathering.
These features are invaluable for the analysis, tuning and trouble-shooting
of NIC Async, NIC Bridge and other network hardware and software.

        Both NIC Async and NIC Bridge are being ported to the Novell ODI
(Open Datalink Interface) and CRYNWR (formerly BYU Packet Driver) network
driver interface specifications. The current NDIS basis for these products
is due to the high performance, maturity and corporate acceptance of the
NDIS driver specifications.

        Support for the following features are under development and/or
consideration:

        - SLIP and PPP line protocols.
        - ISDN interfaces.
        - TCP/IP routing.
        - Token Ring MAC layer bridging.
        - Windows 386 enhanced mode virtual device drivers.
        - Windows NT drivers.
        - Windows and Windows NT user interfaces.
        - OS/2 Presentation Manager and Work Place Shell user interfaces.

        NIC Async and NIC Bridge are currently in the final stages of beta
testing. They will be publicly available in September 1992. For further
information please contact me via Compuserve ID 76236,1403, at 613-567-5366
or at the following address:

Michael Reid
Eighth Layer Systems
200 Bay St., Suite 602
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada
K1R 7W8

All trademarks are the property of their owners. This includes, but is not
limited to, the trademarks of 3Com, IBM, Microsoft, Novell, Hayes and CRYNWR.
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

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As is always the case, I have no connection to this company.  I don't intend
on buying their product but I would be interested in hearing about the 
experiences of anyone that does.

Bob
--
Bob Baggerman                         !  bob.baggerman@gtri.gatech.edu
Communications Laboratory             !  bob@comlab.gatech.edu
Georgia Tech Research Institute       !  qseclrb@prism.gatech.edu
Atlanta, GA  30332  USA               !  404-894-3525
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans.fddi