>> One possible reason why your maxine didn't like the BOOTP
>> reply is that the reply was too long. (too many options
>> or so - which bootpd are you using?)
>> tcpdump should help to find out.
>
>I've checked it... it was the normal size of a bootp packet... say 54
>bytes ? ...

Here's a suggestion: can you give up on RARP and bootptab, and use dhcpd
instead? I've had much more success, and better diagnostics, from
dhcpd than from bootpd and friends.

I've never, ever needed rarpd or bootparamd for a pmax kernel.  (I'm a
curmudgeon, and I think we should remove all support for Sun's
non-standard boot suppport from NetBSD kernels[*], and go with the
standards-- bootp and/or dhcp).

I've used dhcpd at home for years. Works fine. Most of the pmaxes I do
kernel testing on boot diskless from another, diskful pmax, using a
second interface and a net-10 address. I've never had any pronlems
with that setup, other than PROM limits on pathnames. ANd those are
documented and described in the sample /etc/dhcpd.conf I post.

(I'd post it now but I seem to have a network outage and cant reach
that machine at home).


[*] except perhaps for kernels for old sun hardware where the PROMs
need that junk to netboot anyways.