[Xastir] AX 25 networking kernel warnings --- heads up all AX.25 users Re: Error in Syslog

[Ken Koster]

On Monday, February 5, 2018 6:39:11 AM PST Max Harper wrote:
> Why does ax.25 need to be in the kernel? 

Because it's part of the network stack.

> What am I installing when I do
> apt-get install ax25?

Probably the ax25-tools.

> What about the millions of users that don't use
> ax.25, doesn't that just make the kernel a little larger for them without
> any benefits? 

The kernel doesn't work that way.   The linux kernel is modular and there are thousands of 
modules for special purposes that get loaded when needed.   Modules for different hardware,  file 
systems, different protocols and interfaces. 

The ax25 kernel support is what provides a network interface (like ethernet drivers)  and a 
protocol stack.  It's a module so it doesn't take up space if it's not needed.  When you setup and 
configure ax25 the kernel module will be loaded and do it's job.

N7IPB

> Help me understand this as I'd really like to know. Max
> KG4PID      From: Tom Russo <russo at bogodyn.org>
>  To: Xastir - APRS client software discussion <xastir at xastir.org>
>  Sent: Sunday, February 4, 2018 9:46 PM
>  Subject: Re: [Xastir] AX 25 networking kernel warnings --- heads up all
> AX.25 users Re: Error in Syslog
> On Sun, Feb 04, 2018 at 11:16:41AM -0800, we recorded a bogon-computron collision of the 
<xastir at trinnet.net> flavor, containing:
> > Hey Tom, Everyone,
> > 
> > > I would appreciate it if *everyone* on the list who uses AX.25
> > > networking
> > > routinely would test out this code --- it impacts *everyone* who uses
> > > AX.25
> > > networking in Xastir.
> > 
> > The Ax.25 stack in the Linux kernel is falling apart and there have been
> > various discussions about this on the UROnode list and elsewhere.  The
> > situation is that other (non-AX25) Linux kernel developers have been
> > making changes, updates, deprecations, etc. to keep up with general
> > kernel modernization efforts but without testing any of the changes on
> > the AX.25 side of things.  It seems that if it compiles, it must be
> > working.  Not true!  For various classic packet uses, 3.17.x was the
> > last version before things started getting really broken.
> 
> Hmmm.  It still worked for APRS with my 4.4 kernel, but then APRS is all I
> use AX.25 for.
> 
> > Most of these have been reported to the "AX25 kernel maintainers" but
> > those people say they *aren't* the maintainers on the kernel side.. just
> > the userland side.  Putting it another way, we don't have any Linux
> > AX.25 maintainers anymore!  Unless we can find some folk who have the
> > technical chops to fix some of these issues (I wish I did), I imagine
> > the native AX.25 stack in Linux will become toxic and ultimately
> > removed.  If there is anyone who is willing to give this a try, I can
> > connect you with a few other people who have a consolidated list of
> > issues and some possible fixes.  Some of those fixes were previously
> > rejected from the kernel maintainers for various reasons without
> > offering solutions.
> 
> Sigh.  Wish I had the chops for it, but I don't.  It'll be sad if AX.25 dies
> in the Linux kernel.


-- 
Ken - N7IPB
Email: n7ipb at wetnet.net
JID: n7ipb at jabber.wetnet.net
PGP Sig: F42B EF90 3CD3 31C7 3056  122E 993A 7B2E 5138 C42A 
I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
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