[KLUG Members] some network questions

[Adam Tauno Williams]

> >You are taking advice from a telco engineer?!  He says that because they
> >don't know how to configure a routed network.  Never let a telco person
> >within 15 feet of your router.  If need be just install an automated
> >motion-activated machine gun turret and mow them critters down into
> >crimson sticky paste.
> agree completely. You have an address where to order this equipment?

I can't reveal my sources,  DHS might be listening.

> > I'll never forget the day I looked over the
> >shoulder of an SBC tech at one of our locations who way keying in static
> >routes to all our locations... this was the next step on the check list
> >AFTER enabling OSPF routing
> Okee. I understand that 255.254.255 is an illegal subnet. This case shows
> not all systems seem to recognize this, allow it and even have no problem
> with it.

Sure, a good system should take whatever parameters the administrator
provides;  onus on the administrator.

> I also understand that you should not have an overlap in you subnets. What
> I don't understand is the behavior seen on this networks. How more I try
> to find a resonal explanation how more fuzzy it gets.
> Maybe there is no real explanation and its all just irational that
> rarp/compression infuences router/subnet behavior in this way. At the end
> this could point to an flaw in router software.

Nope,  the input parameters result in an undefined result;  so it should
not be expected to make sense, like division by zero.  But it does make
sense.  RARP is defeating your subnetting by turning the whole mess into
a really slow LAN - that is what RARP is (or was) for, non-routable
protocols could be bridged over WAN links.  Different compression
techniques often only support given protocols or have topology
expectations - so they are always sort of a wild card.  It is always
best to get a network working, tested, and then if you want enable link
compression AND MEASURE THE RESULTS.  My experience is that link
compression is rarely worth the bother.  Don't pile stuff on all at
once.

> Maybe I should just leave it there and is the explanation those telco guys
> gave just the right answer: unlogical & unrepeatable.

I don't know what explanation they gave,  and as telco guys find most
things to be unrepeatable and illogical, I'm not terribly interested.
They certainly never manager to repeat getting something right.

Just setup the subnetting in a sane fashion and it will all just-work.
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