The first few requests I received for 44 net addresses came from MSYS BBS operators wanting an IP address. In every case, it was a very short time before they asked for another address or two. Eventually, when I got requests regardless from who or why, I just assigned a block of 4 addresses, then 8. The addresses naturally fell on boundaries that could be segregated by a netmask. They became de facto subnets. I made it clear that was not the purpose but merely convenient for both of us. The node operators of Netrom nodes were continually installing TheNET X1J and instituting subnets for IP routing. Basically, the hardware or software was driving the implementation of the network. Not the other way around.
As I understand it, the intent was to develop a network with enough sophistication that mobile stations (IP addresses) could remain connected because the network would dynamically discover and track/route without having the operator consciously change IP address or any other identifier. RSPF is one effort toward that goal.
__Reid, WB7CJO__
Reid Fletcher Chief Engineer, KUWR Wyoming Public Radio - University of Wyoming
On 2/22/2012 7:47 PM, Geoff Joy wrote:
On Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:19:31 -0800, David Josephson WA6NMF wa6nmf@josephson.com wrote:
I am puzzled that we want to assign 44-net addresses one by one as shown in amprhosts rather than as subnets. Perhaps there is a historical reason for that. The routing table could get to be very large (we can hope!)
I think the reason we started it that way was the sparse population of addresses and the fact we coordinators didn't initially know any better coupled with the geographical/topological distribution of IP nodes where we couldn't really count on a node being in any specific location within the net. Nodes had to determine their neighbors by discovery and they were routed manually.
I didn't start subnetting until users wanted blocks of IP addresses for specific purposes, like UHF vs VHF gateways, digipeaters, or ARES/RACES. I wrote a paper on it but I don't know how widely it was distributed or how well it was received.