From: rick@ee.uwm.edu Subject: Addressing for the Unaddressable... Date: 23 Oct 1992 17:21:57 GMT
*** For readers on "alt.mud": Linux is a free UN*X clone for IBM-PC's. ***
I've been thinking... (Uh, oh... :-)
Lots of us Linux'rs have either direct or dial-up access to a user-account
on an Internet-connected machine (be it at a university or at work). Of
course we'd like to get "hooked up" to the rest of the Internet, right?
There's one big problem: Addresses.
For most of us, a 'real' IP number means $200/year plus long-distance fees.
(Not to mention the initial cost for a better modem!) But this is where
my idea comes in... Why not do it THROUGH OUR *USER* ACCOUNTS?
Why not set it up on a *PORT* of the machine we've got user access to?
Every MUD and MUSH out there is set up in a similar manner. For example,
I might decide to hang my Linux-box off of TCP/IP port 9876. Then Joe
Schmoe could do a 'telnet ee.uwm.edu 9876' and find himself at the
"discus login:" prompt on my Linux-box!
Having no legitimate address would be a disadvantage, of course... but we
could run some sort of interface program such that our Linux-box logs onto
our user account (automatically?) and executes an interface application
that would allow a SLIP-like connection through tty0 (the tty through
which it logged onto the user account).
I'm *SURE* this is *POSSIBLE*. I'm just not sure how to *do* it...
Comments, anyone?
Rick Miller <rick@ee.uwm.edu> | <rick@discus.mil.wi.us> Ricxjo Muelisto
Occupation: Husband, Father, WEPCo. WAN Mgr., Discus Sys0p, and Linux fan