## SafeFire Links

### v1.3a

# Introduction

SafeFire Links is a new, powerful implementation of a PPP protocol.
SafeFire Links is native OS/2 software, implemented from scratch by highly experienced developers. This means solid 32 bit, heavy multithreaded, highly modularized design. It provides the greatest possible performance and flexibility. SafeFire Links can handle virtually any task which can be imagined for PPP: from simplest dial-up PPP to multilink ISP. Modular design provides incredible configuration flexibility while retaining consistence and unification of components and its configuration.

Most notable SafeFire Links features are:

- PPP implementation compatible with latest RFC

  > 1332 The PPP Internet Protocol Control Protocol (IPCP)
  > 1334 PPP Authentication Protocols
  > 1570 PPP LCP Extensions
  > 1661 The Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP)
  > 1662 PPP in HDLC-like Framing
  > 1877 PPP Internet Protocol Control Protocol Extensions for Name Server Addresses
  > 1962 The PPP Compression Control Protocol (CCP)
  > 1994 PPP Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP)
  > 2138 Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS)
  > 2139 RADIUS Accounting
  > 2433 Microsoft PPP CHAP Extensions
  > 2516 A Method for Transmitting PPP Over Ethernet (PPPoE)

- Callback
  Reduce your phone bills by using this feature. Provider will call you back and make a connection.

- Dial-On-Demand
  This money saving feature is complemented with powerful packet filtering feature.

- Modular design
  Full control over which parts of SafeFire Links will be loaded and how they will be connected together to accomplish the task.

- Three packet filters for various purposes:
  - Incoming filter to filter out dangerous packets before it will reach TCP/IP stack or NAT engine.

  - Secondary filter placed after NAT engine to filter, gathering statistics, logging and other tasks. Placed after NAT engine it sees packets just like there is no NAT.

  - Dial-On-Demand filter which makes possible to fine tune conditions when SafeFire Links will start outgoing connection.

- NAT (Network Address Translation)
  NAT enables transparent Internet access for workstations in LAN without any need of special client software or complicated setup for it.

- CCP (Compression Control Protocol)
  CCP makes your Internet access as fast as possible by using modern compression methods.

- Most of modern authentication protocols
  Supported protocols are:
  - PAP (Password Authentication Protocol)
  - CHAP (Challenge Authentication Protocol), including MD5 (standard) and Microsoft extension (MS-CHAP). for you to have no problems with any ISP.

- REXX API for customization.
  REXX API makes SafeFire Links exceptionally flexible in customization for user needs and tasks.

- REXX API for connection script.
  Standard PPP.EXE which comes with OS/2 provides REXX API for connection scripts.
  SafeFire Links retains compatibility with that API and extends it with some new useful functions which allows setting and getting modem control lines.

- REXX API for authentication.
  Authentication modules also implemented as plugins. One of the plugins contains a REXX API for user defined authentication functions. Example of using this API provided with SafeFire Links uses standard pap.sct/chap.sct files.

- A set of predefined configuration files for most common cases:
  - PPPoE client (Simple/Medium/Full versions)
  - Dial-Up client (Simple/Medium/Full versions, Simple/Medium/Full versions for ISDN)
  - Dial-Up server
  - Leased line client
  - Leased line server
  Refer to "Up and Running" book to choose appropriate configuration.

SafeFire Links has very flexible configuration. This means that if you don't need some of it's features (like NAT or CCP) they will not be loaded and will not consume RAM or CPU. To make the configuration simple we have provided set of prepared configuration file templates for different roles. Take a look at "Up and Running" book for more details.

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