On Mon, 18 Feb 2002, Marc Evans wrote:
> There is a draft RFC for the protocol. The Win32 version is known to run
> to some semi-useful degree under WINE. Looking through the starband news
> groups on dejanews can be somewhat useful.

  Indeed.  For those too lazy to look, here is some information:

  BST = Boosted Session Transport.  It appears to be a inline TCP proxy
designed to optimize TCP sessions for high-latency, unreliable links (like
satellite and some wireless).  Despite the RFC draft, it appears to be a
proprietary, patented protocol owned by a company named FlashNetworks, and
sold under the name of "NettGain".

http://www.flash-networks.com/Product.asp?table=Providers
http://www.globecom.net/ietf/draft/draft-azmak-bst-00.html

  StarBand used to offer a model 180 "satellite modem" which did something
kinda-sorta like BST, but in the modem itself.  They have replaced the 180
with a model 360 (which our customers have), and moved all that into
software running on Windows (NettGain).  Some discussion here:

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=BST+group:alt.satellite.starband+group:alt.satellite.starband&hl=en&selm=cq5g7.5214%24Qh2.1319535%40typhoon.san.rr.com&rnum=5

  Of note, FlashNetworks does have a Linux NettGain client.  However,
apparently StarBand and Microsoft are in bed together, and thus StarBand has
not purchased a license for the Linux client.

  But even if BST was an open standard and readily available for Linux, I
suspect the latency problem would still make itself felt for many
applications, especially anything like SSH (which, of course, I use
extensively at home).

-- 
Ben Scott <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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