In message <199408031613.MAA14343@cs.oberlin.edu> Jonathan Rochkind writes:

A while ago I thought about getting a Ham Radio license for doing TCP/IP over the airwaves. I never got around to learning the details, but I know that it is possible, and that many Hams in big cities have detailed digital nets running over the airwaves, using TCP/IP, or other protocols. There are even some gateways onto the internet.

For those interested in wireless Internet communications, this might be of interest: In message <Pine.3.07.9407180637.B7378-d100000@tech> James Horton <horton@cftnet.com> writes: < The next gereration of RF devices will make wireless, point to < point links, of 5-20 miles, very inexpensive. Small businesses < and individuals can build their own AS and negotiate with < national operators to get inter-connectivity! Options are increasing < daily, I just hope the RF chipsets can be purchased in the USA < and WE will not have to go overseas! < < CFTnet, the ISP of which I'm part of, is currently prototyping < an inexpensive board that combines, modems, ethernet, a unix OS, < ISDN ports, T1 or 56K ports, and network security features, into a < single system. I'm certain other designers are being creative < concurrently. < < The marketing strategy with this board is to offer, FLAT RATE < access, in every city in America. The board operates on 48VDC, < for telco co-location, or 115vac. Hopefully, the board will be in < production in 3-5 months. It seems that several of the < 'behind the technology innovation curve' telcos are interested in < jumping into the flat rate party. < Names withheld > < < Communication systems will continue to get less expensive, as < technology progresses and RF spectrum gets re-allocated to < non-licensed uses. Append to this argument: the 'HDSL, High Data-rate < Subscriber Line chipsets that convert ordinary POTS into T1 lines and dark < fiber companies and you get an enormous increase in bandwidth, at reduced < prices. [much stuff snipped] < Packet filtering may just give the internet hacker/cracker < community a new target. I've heard that now the Ci--- routers have < been comprimised and that 'source routing and virtual interfaces' < are the latest tool of the DARK side of the NET? ... < ******************************************************************* < * Creative Friendly Technologies 813 980 1317 * < * James Horton, CFTnet Operations horton@cftnet.com * < ******************************************************************* It is interesting that if in fact the FCC does forbid encryption of wireless Internet traffic, it opens the way for hacking on a massive scale. -- Jim Dixon