********************************************************************** ***** PLEAESE READ THIS WHOLE FILE BEFORE CONTINUING ANY FURTHER ***** ********************************************************************** What is Slirp? ============== Slirp is a TCP/IP emulator which turns an ordinary shell account into a (C)SLIP/PPP account. This allows shell users to use all the funky Internet applications like Netscape, Mosaic, CUSeeMe, etc. Unpacking and Compiling Slirp ============================= To unpack Slirp type the following command at your shell prompt: gzip -dc slirp-VERSION.tar.gz | tar xvf - Where VERSION is the version of Slirp you are unpacking. This will unpack the Slirp package into a directory called slirp-VERSION. To compile Slirp type the following commands at your shell prompt: cd slirp-VERSION/src ./configure make Note: if you do not intend to use PPP you can give ./configure the flag "--disable-ppp". This will make a somewhat smaller executable. That's all there is to it. If the compilation failed, read "Getting Help" below for information on how to get help. You should be left with a file called "slirp", this is the Slirp executable. After compilation, you can type: strip slirp to make the Slirp executable smaller, but this will also remove any debugging information from the executable. Here are some common ./configure/compiler/pre-processor/etc. problems and suggestions for fixing them: * "configure: error: can not run test program while cross compiling" (or similar errors about cross compiling). This almost always happens due to an error in the setup of the compiler. Look in the file config.log for clues as to why it failed, or send it to your sysadmin for help. * "gcc: xxxxxxx.p: No such file or directory.": This can be completely ignored when running the pre-processor, and can probably be ignored in the actual compilation. The .p files only contain the function prototypes. * "gcc: warning: no previous prototype for XXX'": Again, you can ignore this. * "RUN_MAKE_AGAIN: not found ... *** Error code 1": This is normal. As suggested, simply run "make" again. Running and Quitting Slirp ========================== Once you have compiled Slirp you can delete everything except the file called "slirp", this is the Slirp executable. I suggest you also keep all the files in the "docs" directory, this is where all the documentation is kept. Copy the Slirp executable somewhere in your home directory (E.g.: ~/bin) then to run Slirp, you simply type: ~/bin/slirp (or whatever the full path to "slirp" is). That's it. Now you activate your SLIP/PPP software, and start your applications. All you have to remember is this: Once you run Slirp, your shell account now looks exactly like a SLIP/PPP account (with some limitations of course). Any documentation that you have telling you how to connect to a SLIP/PPP account is completely valid for Slirp as well. To quit Slirp you simply kill your SLIP/PPP software and type five 0's (zeroes), with a 1 second gap between each zero. Slirp will then exit and you will be back at your shell prompt. You can also "disconnect" Slirp by typing five 1's (one's), with a 1 second gap between each. This will disconnect Slirp from your shell's terminal and put Slirp in the background. Later, you can type "slirp -l 0" to "reconnect" Slirp again. Please read Section 10, "Load-balancing" and Section 11, "Link-resumption" of the Slirp manual for more information. Files in the Slirp package ========================== Here are the list of files you'll find within the slirp package: COPYRIGHT Conditions of the Copyright on Slirp. Please read this. ChangeLog Descriptions of changes made to slirp from version to version. Also details all contributors, and their contributions. README This file. docs/CONFIG List of configuration options (probably out of date) docs/alt.dcom.slip-emulators.FAQ This is the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) from the newsgroup alt.dcom.slip-emulators. docs/slirp.doc The Slirp manual. src/* The source code to Slirp. Getting Help ============ There are several sources of help. First, read the Slirp manual called slirp.doc in the "docs" directory of the Slirp package, especially Section 13, "Troubleshooting" and Section 14, "Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)". If that fails, try the Slirp Home Page at: http://blitzen.canberra.edu.au/slirp There are lots of neat links there to other pages which have specific configuration information. There is also a Newsgroup dedicated to SLIP-emulators called alt.dcom.slip-emulators. You will find lots of discussion about Slirp and other "SLIP-emulators". The FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for alt.dcom.slip-emulators is included in the "docs" directory, I would suggest reading this as well. If all else fails, send me e-mail to danjo@blitzen.canberra.edu.au with the following information: * Output of the command "uname -a" on the remote system; * Operating System name and version you run on your PC; * Version of Slirp you are using (IMPORTANT!!!); * If you managed to get Slirp running, run Slirp as "slirp -S" then try whatever failed. When you exit Slirp, you should have a file called "slirp_stats". Send me this file; and * Anything else you consider relevant. *PLEASE* include all the above information. If you do not, I may simply press "d". I can't guarantee a response, but I will try my best. Dan ...