% Linux Installation and Getting Started    -*- TeX -*-
% networking.tex
% Copyright (c) 1992-1994 by Matt Welsh <mdw@sunsite.unc.edu>
%
% This file is freely redistributable, but you must preserve this copyright 
% notice on all copies, and it must be distributed only as part of "Linux 
% Installation and Getting Started". This file's use is covered by the 
% copyright for the entire document, in the file "copyright.tex".

\subsection{Networking}

Interested in communicating with the world? Yes? No? Maybe?
Linux supports the two primary
networking protocols for UNIX systems: {\bf TCP/IP} and {\bf UUCP}. 
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, for acronym
aficionados) is the set of 
networking paradigms that allow systems all over the world to communicate
on a single network known as the Internet. With Linux, TCP/IP, and a
connection to the network, you can communicate with users and machines
across the Internet via electronic mail, USENET news, file transfers with
FTP, and more. There are many Linux systems currently on the Internet.
\index{Internet}
\index{networking|(}
\index{TCP/IP|(}

Most TCP/IP networks use Ethernet as the physical network transport. 
Linux supports many popular Ethernet cards and interfaces for personal
computers, including the D-Link pocket Ethernet adaptor for laptops. 
\index{ethernet}

However, because not everyone has an Ethernet drop at home,
Linux also supports {\bf SLIP} (Serial Line Internet Protocol), which allows 
\index{networking!SLIP}
\index{SLIP}
you to connect to the Internet via modem. In order to use SLIP, you'll need 
to have access to a SLIP server, a machine connected to the network which 
allows dial-in access. Many businesses and universities provide
such SLIP servers. In fact, if your Linux system has an Ethernet connection
as well as a modem,
you can configure it as a SLIP server for other hosts.

NFS (Network
File System) allows your system to seamlessly share files with other 
machines on the network. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) allows you to 
\index{networking!NFS}\index{networking!FTP}\index{networking!news}%
\index{networking!NNTP}%
transfer files between other machines. Other applications include 
{\tt sendmail}, a system for sending and receiving electronic mail using 
the SMTP
protocol; NNTP-based electronic news systems such as C-News and INN;
{\tt telnet}, {\tt rlogin}, and {\tt rsh}, which allow you to login and
execute commands on other machines on the network; and {\tt finger}, 
which allows you to get information on other Internet users. There are
literally tons of TCP/IP-based applications and protocols out there.

The full range of mail and news readers are available for Linux, such as
{\tt elm}, {\tt pine}, {\tt rn}, {\tt nn}, and {\tt tin}. Whatever your
preference, you can configure your Linux system to send and receive
electronic mail and news from all over the world.
\index{news readers}
\index{mailers}

If you have experience with TCP/IP applications on other UNIX systems,
Linux will be very familiar to you. The system provides a standard socket
programming interface, so virtually any program which uses TCP/IP can be
ported to Linux. The Linux X server also supports
TCP/IP, allowing you to display applications running on other
systems on your Linux display.
\index{networking!and X~Windows}

In Chapter~\ref{chap-advanced} we'll discuss configuration
and setup of TCP/IP, including SLIP, for Linux.

UUCP (UNIX-to-UNIX Copy) is an older mechanism used to transfer files,
\index{networking!UUCP}%
\index{UUCP}%
electronic mail, and electronic news between UNIX machines. Classically,
UUCP machines connected to each other over the phone lines via modem,
but UUCP is able to transport over a TCP/IP network as well. If you do not
have access to a TCP/IP network or a SLIP server, you can configure your
system to send and receive files and electronic mail using UUCP. See
Chapter~\ref{chap-advanced} for more information.

\index{networking|)}
\index{TCP/IP|)}
