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Date:      Sat, 25 May 2002 21:18:58 +0200
From:      Gerhard Sittig <Gerhard.Sittig@gmx.net>
To:        stable@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: 4.6-PRERELASE fxp alias woes
Message-ID:  <20020525211858.N1494@shell.gsinet.sittig.org>
In-Reply-To: <200205240009.g4O09Kb2081251@wattres.Watt.COM>; from steve@Watt.COM on Thu, May 23, 2002 at 05:09:20PM -0700
References:  <5.1.0.14.2.20020513142059.03741410@127.0.0.1> <200205240009.g4O09Kb2081251@wattres.Watt.COM>

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On Thu, May 23, 2002 at 17:09 -0700, Steve Watt wrote:
> 
> In article <5.1.0.14.2.20020513142059.03741410@127.0.0.1> you write:
> >network_interfaces="fxp0 lo0"
> >ifconfig_fxp0="inet 216.109.194.4 netmask 255.255.255.0"
> >ifconfig_fxp0_alias0="inet 216.109.194.8 netmask 255.255.255.0"
> 
> As everyone has pointed out, the kernel is now enforcing netmasks on
> same-subnet aliases.
> 
> But I've got a really simple question:  Why, if it is so easy to detect
> programatically, do we not just *fix* it automagically?  Is there *ever*
> a case where it is useful to have a same-subnet alias with a different
> subnet mask (besides the obvious point of it doesn't work with the
> current code).

Huh?  I trust a computer to detect _that_ there are collisions.
But I'd *never* trust the machine to decide _which_ one of
multiple parameters is the wrong one.  This would be some kind
of "no matter what I tell you, do what I mean" or even worse
"don't take me too serious, do what you think I meant".  This
is definitely not the UNIX way.  If you wish for this kind of
features, don't hesitate to install a different OS on your
machine. :>

> In other words, is there some useful future behavior that such a change
> would make unpleasant/undoable?

You seem to miss the point of applying an alias to your NIC
which lives in a different network than the primary address.
That's when a netmask different from 255.255.255.255 makes
perfect sense and actually is required.


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