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

[David Ranch]

Hello Max,

> Why does ax.25 need to be in the kernel? What am I installing when I do apt-get install ax25? 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? Help me understand this as I'd really like to know.

Technically speaking, AX.25 doesn't have to be in the kernel.  AX.25 
could be an external program but it becomes much more universal for 
other high up applications *if* it's centralized like this.  If you 
needs for AX.25 are very simple like APRS (just UI packets), being in 
the kernel isn't necessarily as programs like Xastir does all of it's 
own AX.25 UI processing.  If you're doing more complex stuff like 
NETROM, FLEX, routing AX.25 packets to AMPR IP-IP networks, etc, it 
gives you a LOT of flexible and powerful options.  I would guess that 
the second most flexible AX.25 solution out there is BPQ32 which is a 
self-contained program that includes it's own AX.25 stack and it has 
some of it's own benefits (connectors to ARDOP & PACTOR TNCs, etc) but 
it's a bit of an "island".  Third could be Direwolf which has APRS, 
APRStt, and a complete "cutting edge" AX.25 v2.2 stack but it's 
connected modes are only accessible via AGW enabled applications.

Ultimately, Linux's AX.25 kernel code can be considered a "connector of 
AX.25 applications and islands" so to speak.

--David
KI6ZHD