KA9Q

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KA9Q, also called KA9Q NOS or simply NOS, was a popular early implementation of TCP/IP and associated protocols for amateur packet radio systems and smaller personal computers connected via serial lines. It was named after the amateur radio callsign of Phil Karn, who first wrote the software for a CP/M system and then ported it to DOS on the IBM PC.

KA9Q was later maintained by Anthony Frost <vulch@kernow.demon.co.uk> (callsign G8UDV) and Adam Goodfellow <tcpip2@comptech.demon.co.uk>. It was ported to the Acorn Archimedes by Jonathan Naylor (G4KLX). Until 1995 it was the standard access software provided by British dial-up internet service provider Demon Internet.

Most modern operating systems provide a built-in implementation of TCP/IP protocol, so NOS is regarded as obsolete by its original developer. It still may have its uses for embedded systems that are too small for Linux.

KA9Q is also a name for the IP-over-IP Tunneling protocol.

[edit] References

This article was originally based on material from the Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, which is licensed under the GFDL.

"KA9Q" is Phil Karn's ham radio call sign. Phil wrote a network operating system that implemented TCP/IP (from scratch) over amateur packet radio. We are not sure why he did this, but he sure did a good job. Phil calls sometimes calls his operating system, "NOS", but most other people call it KA9Q.

KA9Q runs in a DOS environment and uses just about any network adapter that supports a packet driver interface. Here are some places to go to learn more about it:

http://www.ka9q.net/code/ka9qnos/