NetworkCard Programming | Dos

[schwepZ]

Hi there.
Actually someone already started similar thread but i figured to start a new one.

i would like to get some resources about network card in asm. i've never used nasm, i've used a86 intead.
i know that NASM is much more powerful and it has more features, probably i will eventually learn that as well.
so, the assembly it self should be basically the same, shouldn't it? what differs is the syntax though.
i've figured to make a Messenger-like program over Local Area Connection or over internet (should be possible).
there's nothing hard to organize other stuff in such program but i just don't know how to "say hello" to network card and how to command it to do something :)

i've heard something about TCP stack. i don't know what it is but i don't care how complicated it is i want to understand it. it must be complicated because i started similar thread in another forum and there was told that:"Omg you would need to write whole TCP stack." sounds like loads of lines or what? :P
i am pretty sure that there must be some libraries for that, so it would be somewhat easier to implement.

All right.
i want it to work in DOS, i don't like such windows applications because they're already there. who cares about msn messenger, just so common program, yes i use it to communicate.  but imagine Dos messenger :D it sounds awesome. it would be much more funnier if you turn your PC on, and then starts your messenger. or under windows, doesn't really matter, although as a boot-up programm it would be cooler :)
my friend told me that under windows windows doesn't allow DOS to use network card or smth.
well he himself doesn't know much about network card either, i reckon. But is it true then? hopefully not :)
So i haven't got any skills in 32-bit protected mode programming and i'm not even intrested in it,
but if there is someone out there who got my message i would preciate if anyone could share his/her knowledge ;)

thank you all :)

[nobody]

> what differs is the syntax though.

A86: probably MASM

NASM: not MASM: no OFFSET, ADDR, PTR, ASSUME

> i want it to work in DOS
> my friend told me that under windows windows doesn't allow DOS to use network card or smth.

Just boot DOS __instead__ of "windows windows" ... and it will shut up about "don't allow" ;-)

> well he himself doesn't know much about network card either, i reckon. But is it true then? hopefully not

I don't know too much either ... you don't need to care about the card if you have a Packer Driver sitting on INT 60 ;-)

Next thing: there is "WATTCP" lib for DOS ...

Also check out Arachne DOS browser ;-)

[nobody]

Arachne DOS browser < i couln't get it to work because i hadn't proper driver i think, i didn't find any better either, but it looks cool :)
WatTcp well. looks like there isn't many people there who know things more low-level.
i'll ry to find by googling more´:)
 thanks

[nobody]

Oh, my! That brings back some fuzzy memories...

As I remember Arachne, my opinion was that it "tried too hard to look like Windows". I've just downloaded the latest version, and will attempt to install it "when the spirit moves me". (waste of time trying it in dosemu, I suspect)

I also remember "Nettamer"... I don't think either of 'em had source code.

As I recall, the stuff from Waterloo University *did* have source code - in C, and pretty cryptic, but source code! Seems to me I managed to paste together a couple of those apps, via a batch file, into a crude mail/ftp "client".

Then Win95 came along... I think 3.11 - "Windows for Workgroups" - had the mysterious "winsock" that we need, too... and that was *so* much easier than wrestling with dos that I caved in. :(

So I never really learned what this stuff "is", at a low level. Very seductive to just socket/connect/bind/send/recv, and let "others" worry about the complicated parts. I don't know if I've got the ambition to go another round, or not. It would be "satisfying" to really grasp what's going on at a low level... even to "write your own driver", perhaps... Not the easiest way to get connected, though!

I'll be interested to "follow along" with anything you discover, in any case!

Best,
Frank

[ras]

google "intwin" it's ralph browns interrupt list
also linux/bsd kernel/driver code may lend you some hints
it may be somewhat out+of+date
but it'll have io port documentation
for various device's hardware registers and such