PLIP: The Parallel Line Internet Protocol Device

Donald Becker (becker@super.org)
I.D.A. Supercomputing Research Center, Bowie MD 20715

At some point T. Thorn will probably contribute text,
Tommy Thorn (tthorn@daimi.aau.dk)

PLIP Introduction
-----------------

This document describes the parallel port packet pusher for Net/LGX.
This device interface allows a point-to-point connection between two
parallel ports to appear as a IP network interface.

What is PLIP?
=============

PLIP is Parallel Line IP, that is, the transportation of IP packages
over a parallel port. In the case of a PC, the obvious choice is the
printer port.  PLIP is a non-standard, but [can use] uses the standard
LapLink null-printer cable [can also work in turbo mode, with a PLIP
cable]. [The protocol used to pack IP packages, is a simple one
initiated by Crynwr.]

Advantages of PLIP
==================

It's cheap, it's available everywhere, and it's easy.

The PLIP cable is all that's needed to connect two Linux boxes, and it
can be built for very few bucks.

Connecting two Linux boxes takes only a second's decision and a few
minutes' work, no need to search for a [supported] netcard. This might
even be especially important in the case of notebooks, where netcards
are not easily available.

Not requiring a netcard also means that apart from connecting the
cables, everything else is software configuration [which in principle
could be made very easy.]

Disadvantages of PLIP
=====================

Doesn't work over a modem, like SLIP and PPP. Limited range, 15 m.
Can only be used to connect three (?) Linux boxes. Doesn't connect to
an existing ethernet. Isn't standard (not even de facto standard, like
SLIP).

Performance
==========

PLIP easily outperforms ethernet cards....(ups, I was dreaming, but
it *is* getting late. EOB)

PLIP hardware interconnection
-----------------------------

PLIP uses several different data transfer methods.  The first (and the
only one implemented in the early version of the code) uses a standard
printer "null" cable to transfers data four bits at a time using
data bit outputs connected to status bit inputs.

The second data transfer method relies on both machines having
bi-directional parallel ports, rather than output-only ``printer''
ports.  This allows byte-wide transfers and avoids reconstructing
nibbles into bytes, leading to much faster transfers.

Parallel Transfer Mode 0 Cable
==============================

The cable for the first transfer mode is a standard
printer "null" cable which transfers data four bits at a time using
data bit outputs of the first port (machine T) connected to the
status bit inputs of the second port (machine R).  There are five
status inputs, and they are used as four data inputs and a clock (data
strobe) input, arranged so that the data input bits appear as contiguous
bits with standard status register implementation.

A cable that implements this protocol is available commercially as a
"Null Printer" or "Turbo Laplink" cable.  It can be constructed with
two DB-25 male connectors symmetrically connected as follows:

    STROBE output	1*
    D0->ERROR	2 - 15		15 - 2
    D1->SLCT	3 - 13		13 - 3
    D2->PAPOUT	4 - 12		12 - 4
    D3->ACK	5 - 10		10 - 5
    D4->BUSY	6 - 11		11 - 6
    D5,D6,D7 are   7*, 8*, 9*
    AUTOFD output 14*
    INIT   output 16*
    SLCTIN	17 - 17
    extra grounds are 18*,19*,20*,21*,22*,23*,24*
    GROUND	25 - 25
* Do not connect these pins on either end

If the cable you are using has a metallic shield it should be
connected to the metallic DB-25 shell at one end only.

Parallel Transfer Mode 1
========================

The second data transfer method relies on both machines having
bi-directional parallel ports, rather than output-only ``printer''
ports.  This allows byte-wide transfers, and avoids reconstructing
nibbles into bytes.  This cable should not be used on unidirectional
``printer'' (as opposed to ``parallel'') ports or when the machine
isn't configured for PLIP, as it will result in output driver
conflicts and the (unlikely) possibility of damage.

The cable for this transfer mode should be constructed as follows:

    STROBE->BUSY 1 - 11
    D0->D0	2 - 2
    D1->D1	3 - 3
    D2->D2	4 - 4
    D3->D3	5 - 5
    D4->D4	6 - 6
    D5->D5	7 - 7
    D6->D6	8 - 8
    D7->D7	9 - 9
    INIT -> ACK  16 - 10
    AUTOFD->PAPOUT 14 - 12
    SLCT->SLCTIN 13 - 17
    GND->ERROR	18 - 15
    extra grounds are 19*,20*,21*,22*,23*,24*
    GROUND	25 - 25
* Do not connect these pins on either end

Once again, if the cable you are using has a metallic shield it should
be connected to the metallic DB-25 shell at one end only.

PLIP Mode 0 transfer protocol
=============================

The PLIP driver is compatible with the "Crynwr" parallel port transfer
standard in Mode 0.  That standard specifies the following protocol:

   send header nibble '8'
   count-low octet
   count-high octet
   ... data octets
   checksum octet

Each octet is sent as
	<wait for rx. '1'>	<send 0x10+(octet&0x0F)>
	<wait for rx. '0'>	<send 0x00+((octet>>4)&0x0F)>

To start a transfer the transmitting machine outputs a nibble 0x08.
The raises the ACK line, triggering an interrupt in the receiving
machine.  The receiving machine disables interrupts and raises its own ACK
line. 

Restated:

(OUT is bit 0-4, OUT.j is bit j from OUT. IN likewise)
Send_Byte:
   OUT := low nibble, OUT.4 := 1
   WAIT FOR IN.4 = 1
   OUT := high nibble, OUT.4 := 0
   WAIT FOR IN.4 = 0
