What is PPP?

[John Robert LoVerso]

In article <2121 at ncr-sd.SanDiego.NCR.COM> randys at otl.SanDiego.NCR.COM (Randy Smerik) writes:
> I'll bite ... What's PPP?

A proposed standard for the encapsulation of [higher level] protocols
over point to point connections; that is, the Point-to-Point Protocol
(PPP).  This is the end result of an over-two-year-old IETF working
group.  The draft documents (which have been submitted to be
published as RFCs) are available on nic.ddn.mil in the internet-drafts
directory.

The goal of PPP was to provide a standard protocol for what SLIP
(a non-standard) is used for today.  Among other things, PPP provides
protocol demultiplexing, configuration negotiation, and link testing.
It's intended to be used over everthing from 2400bps, 9.6bps to T1
links.  Several pilot implementions exist, most notably for BSD and
for Phil Karn's KA9Q.  These will be available when the RFC gets
issued.  The BSD implemention will include support for Van Jacobson's
TCP header compression alg, I believe.

[I've been semi-active in the working group]
-- 
John Robert LoVerso			Xylogics, Inc.  617/272-8140
loverso at Xylogics.COM			Annex Terminal Server Development Group