![['Nestor', by Hergé]](./Nestor.png)
I bought a second-hand 486 PC in 1999 for running NetBSD and to replace my Amiga as an Internet gateway. I got an Ethernet card for it, installed NetBSD, and called it Nestor.
The reason I wanted to replace the Amiga as a gateway is simple: Linux cannot run the Amiga's built-in serial hardware at data rates higher that 57600 kb/s. As I have a 56kFlex modem, using the Amiga would give poor performance because, with in-modem compression, the computer would not be able to drive the modem fast enough. Although Nestor is in almost all respects lower-spec than Tintin, it can handle 115200 kb/s rates and should therefore be able to run the modem at full speed.
Among other things, Nestor runs a MacIP server, macipgw. MacIP is a protocol for encapsulating IP network packets within AppleTalk DDP packets, and it can be used to allow AppleTalk-only systems to converse with IP systems. The macipgw program, source code for which is available here, was originally written for FreeBSD, but, with some help, I got it to compile OK under NetBSD. A document describing the MacIP protocol is available from Apple.
Nestor has the following hardware, as if you're interested:
Nestor exclusively runs NetBSD/i386 1.4.
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This document last modified and © 2001-06-13 13:40:27 NZST