Begin
File:          511test.tgz
Description:transmission media test
Keywords:test transmission diagnostic  
Version:       
Entered-date:   
Author:         
Ported-by:	
Original-site:	
Copying-policy:	
Supplemental:
This archive contains the source code/executables for two programs  used 
to  test  a  transmission  media  for  defects,  or  transient errors.  The 
technique used is the 511-test pattern. It is a classic telephone line test 
suite.  We at PETS have found these programs to be useful in a  variety  of 
diagnostic situations (serial ports/cables, networks, hard drives, etc...)

The test is done with one program generating the test pattern,  and  one 
program receiving the test pattern. If the receiver encounters an error, it 
will report the error, resync with the sender and continue.

The advantage to using the 511-test pattern is it's predictability. Once 
a process has an initial seed  value,  the  next  byte  can  be  determined 
algorithmically.  Not only can a receiver predict the data stream, but the 
pattern will quite thoroughly  cover  the  avaiable  combinations  of  byte 
patterns.

Since  the  sender and receiver do not "communicate" through any type of 
protocol, any media you test that  has  independant  transmit  and  receive 
paths, you must test each path seperately. For example, if you were testing 
the  line  quality  of  a four-wire (two pair) leased phone line, you would 
need to try sending from each site sperately.

The  test suite is made up of send511 and recv511. The generator program 
(send511) will write to standard out, and the  receiver  program  (recv511) 
will  read from standard in. This allows the output to be piped (say if you 
want to test inter-qnx-node reliability).

Sample usage:

	//1/dev/con1>  send511 > /dev/ser1
	//1/dev/con2>  recv511 < /dev/ser2

	This would test two serial ports (or the cabling between them) that
	were connected through a null modem cable.

	//1/dev/con1>  //1 send511 10240|//2 recv511

This would test the network between nodes 1 and 2 on a qnx network. This 
is useful if you suspect the CRC hardware on an ethernet card.

	//1/dev/con1>  send511 > /dev/fd0	# wait a minute or so
	//1/dev/con1>  recv511 < /dev/fd0

This will test a floppy in drive A for defective media.

There are many other uses for these useful utilities.

To compile the code, we use:

	cc -O -orecv511 recv511.cpp
	cc -O -osend511 send511.cpp

Feel free to contact us through email if you have any questions or comments 
about the code.

internet:	jcarroll@panix.com
quics:		jcarroll
 
archive contents:

drwxrwxr-x  0 jwall    techies 	         Jan 24 09:07 511test
-rw-rw-r--  0 jwall    techies 	    2408 Oct 11 14:01 511test/readme.511
-rwxrwxr-x  0 jwall    techies 	   26337 Oct 11 11:27 511test/recv511
-rw-rw-r--  0 jwall    techies 	    4085 Oct 11 11:27 511test/recv511.cpp
-rwxrwxr-x  0 jwall    techies 	   26635 Oct 11 11:37 511test/send511
-rw-rw-r--  0 jwall    techies 	    5446 Oct 11 11:36 511test/send511.cpp
End