On Thu, 24 Apr 1997, Max Bell wrote:

> >From: tmm@mcci.com (Terry Moore)
> >
> >Is anyone aware of a freely available package that allows NetBSD/i386 systems
> >to participate in a Novell IPX/SPX network (either as client or server),
> >especially as a print server?  I'm aware of the Novell Netware/IP offerings
> >that can provide similar function, but for a special application I'd like
> >to avoid that if possible.
> 
> The only freeware IPX software I am aware of is `lwared`, and afaik it only
> runs on Linux.  It could probably be ported, if the *BSD gods were interested
> (which I doubt).

Our FreeBSD friends have already done it. FreeBSD-current has netipx
support. Here's a transcript from ftp ftp.freebsd.org:

(in /pub/FreeBSD/FreeBSD-current/src/sys)
ftp> cd netipx
250 CWD command successful.
ftp> ls -C
200 PORT command successful.
150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for /bin/ls.
README          ipx_error.h     ipx_outputfl.c  ipx_usrreq.c  spx_timer.h
ipx.c           ipx_if.h        ipx_pcb.c       ipx_var.h     spx_usrreq.c
ipx.h           ipx_input.c     ipx_pcb.h       spx.h           spx_var.h
ipx_cksum.c     ipx_ip.c        ipx_proto.c     spx_debug.c
ipx_error.c     ipx_ip.h        ipx_tun.c       spx_debug.h
226 Transfer complete.
ftp> get README "|more"
200 PORT command successful.
150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for README (646 bytes).
This protocol implements IPX/SPX over Ethernet_II frame type 0x8137.
Please note: the SPX implementation may require further work and testing
to insure proper operation.

(there's more, but that's about it).

So now it's just a matter of porting it to NetBSD. I just finished the
NetAtalk port, and FreeBSD and NetBSD are close-enough together right now
to make the porting not too bad (though I neither have the time nor the
setup to help).

Take care,

Bill