RFC 417 UNKNOWN PROTOCOL · COMPATIBILITY

Link usage violation

Warning about TENEX link number violations of the Host-Host protocol

RFC EDITOR

Postel, J. and C. Kline, "Link usage violation", RFC 417, DOI 10.17487/RFC0417, December 1972, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc417>.

BIBTEX

@misc{rfc417,
  series = {Request for Comments},
  number = 417,
  howpublished = {RFC 417},
  publisher = {RFC Editor},
  doi = {10.17487/RFC0417},
  url = {https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc417},
  author = {J. Postel and C. Kline},
  title = {{Link usage violation}},
  pagetotal = 1,
  year = 1972,
  month = dec,
}

PUBLISHED: December 1972
AUTHORS: J. Postel, C. Kline
STREAM: Legacy
VIOLATION TYPE: Link numbers outside allowed range
AFFECTED SYSTEMS: All TENEX implementations
PROTOCOL SOURCE: Official Host-Host protocol specification
DOI: 10.17487/RFC0417

RFC text

Original text · RFC Editor View on rfc-editor.org ↗

Network Working Group                                 Jonathan B. Postel
Request for Comments: 417                                 Chuck S. Kline
NIC: 12574                                               6 November 1972


                          LINK USAGE VIOLATION


   We have noticed that TENEX systems use link numbers outside the
   allowed range.  This is a violation of the official HOST-HOST
   protocol.  This causes problems with some sites when attempting to
   establish connections with TENEX systems.  We urge that this problem
   be corrected by bringing all TENEX systems into conformance with the
   established official protocol


          [This RFC was put into machine readable form for entry]
      [into the online RFC archives by Helene Morin, Via Genie 12/99]

AI ELI5

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PROBLEMTENEX systems are using link numbers that fall outside the range allowed by the official Host-Host protocol, causing connection failures with other sites.

MECHANISMThe Host-Host protocol defines valid link number ranges that TENEX is violating.

PROTOCOL COMPLIANCE ISSUEThe authors urge TENEX system maintainers to correct their implementations to follow the established protocol standard.

§1Link Number Violations

TENEX systems on ARPANET are using link numbers outside the allowed range defined by the official Host-Host protocol. This violates the established protocol specification and causes problems when other sites attempt to establish connections with TENEX systems.

TENEX computers are not following the network rules about which connection numbers they can use.

§2Protocol Requirement and Consequences

The Host-Host protocol specifies which link numbers are valid for inter-host communication. When TENEX systems use numbers outside this range, other sites' connection attempts fail because their software expects standard link numbers. This incompatibility prevents successful communication between TENEX and other hosts.

When computers talk to each other, they use numbered connections. TENEX is using wrong numbers, so other computers cannot understand it.

§3Call for Correction

The authors, Postel and Kline, urge that all TENEX systems be brought into conformance with the official Host-Host protocol. This requires correcting the link number assignments in TENEX implementations.

The authors ask TENEX maintainers to fix their systems to follow the rules.