Our satellite network is composed of a feed and a set of receivers that have full connectivity to the Internet. In order to allow routing protocols to run over this topolgy, the feed supports the implementation of the link layer tunneling mechanism . Basically, this mechanism hides to IP level the unidirectional feature of the link emulating a bidirectional connectivity.
Receivers are also FreeBSD routers connected to the satellite network and to a local network.
They all support the implementation of the link layer tunneling mechanism. The available bandwidth was of 3 Mbps offering a zero percent loss rate. Again, routing was statically configured to route packets over satellite links. Beginning of September 97, the first implementation of the link layer tunneling mechanism was released. From then on, this allowed routing protocols to be properly supported by feeds and receivers.