FRL-1028.TXT
FTN Address Format
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FTSC FIDONET TECHNICAL STANDARDS COMMITTEE
**********************************************************************
Publication: FRL-1028
Revision: 2
Title: FTN Address Format
Author(s): Administrator
Date: 2015-01-05
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Status of this document
-----------------------
This document is a Fidonet Reference Library Document (FRL)
This document preserves FSP-1028.002 which was not considered for
promoting to a standard.
This document is released to the public domain, and may be used,
copied or modified for any purpose whatever.
=========================== Original document ========================
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FTSC FIDONET TECHNICAL STANDARDS COMMITTEE
**********************************************************************
Publication: FSP-1028
Revision: 2
Tit1e: FTN Address Format
Author: Stas Degteff
Issue Date: 04 Feb 2004
Review Date: 04 Feb 2005
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Contents:
1. FTN Address Format
2. Requirements To The Address Components
3. Special FTN Addresses
A. References
B. Glossary
C. Acknowledgements
D. The Author Contact Information
E. History
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Status of this document
-----------------------
This document is a Fidonet Standard Proposal (FSP).
This document is released to the public domain, and may be used,
copied or modified for any purpose whatever.
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Abstract
--------
This document describes a format of addresses used in any
Fidonet Technology Network such as FIDONET.
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Definitions
-----------
The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
"SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this
document are to be interpreted as described in FTA-1006 revision 2.
Other terms may be found in the Glossary at the end of this document
and other FTSC documents.
1. FTN Address Format
---------------------
A FTN address MUST be specified in the following form:
[zone:]network/node[.point][@domain]
where:
zone The zone number. This field is RECOMMENDED.
network The network or region number. This field is REQUIRED.
node The node number. This field is REQUIRED.
point The point number. This field is REQUIRED for points
and is OPTIONAL for nodes.
domain The FTN domain name. This field is OPTIONAL.
Any node has zero as a point number. Addresses like
"zone:network/node" and "zone:network/node.0" are identical.
An address like "network/node" is named a "2D address".
An address like "zone:network/node" is named a "3D address".
An address like "zone:network/node.point" is named a "4D address".
An address like "zone:network/node.point@domain" is named a
"5D address".
A node address like "zone:network/node@domain" is also named a "5D
address".
At processing time any optional address component MUST be
substituted with corresponding value for this node.
2D, 3D or 4D form of FTN address MAY be used only for the internal
network connections. An example: node 1:12/34@fidonet may use 2D, 3D
or 4D address form to communicate with the node 1:56/78@fidonet and
it should use 3D or 4D address to communicate with the node
3:456/789@fidonet.
FTN Addresses Examples
----------------------
A 2D FTN address example: 10/12
A 3D FTN address examples: 1:10/12, 2:50/-1
A 4D FTN address examples: 1:10/12.0, 2:10/12.12
A 5D FTN address examples: 2:50/207.1@fidonet, 13:1/7@bbsnet
2. Requirements To The Address Components
-----------------------------------------
The Zone Number
---------------
The zone number MUST be an integer number in the range from 1 to
32767. Implementations note: use a 16 bit integer. See also
[FTS-0001.016].
The Network Number
------------------
The network number MUST be an integer number in the range from 1 to
32767. Implementations note: use a 16 bit integer.
The Node Number
---------------
The node number MUST be an integer number in the range from -1 to
32767. Implementations note: use a 16 bit integer.
The Point Number
---------------
The point number MUST be an integer number in the range from -1 to
32767. Implementations note: use a 16 bit integer.
The Domain Name
---------------
The domain name MUST be a character string not more than 8
characters long and MUST include only characters as defined below in
BNF. Any other character cannot be used in a domain name.
domain = *pchar
pchar = alphaLC | digit | safe
alphaLC = "a" | "b" | ... | "z"
digit = "0" | "1" | "2" | "3" | "4" | "5" | "6" | "7" |
"8" | "9"
safe = '-' | '_' | '~'
3. Special FTN Addresses
------------------------
Some addresses are used for special purposes. These are "technical"
addresses (addresses of zonegates and internetwork gates, zone and
region coordinators, network hosts, node candidate's addresses).
A Coordinator's Addresses
-------------------------
A Zone Coordinator has a technical address like "zone:zone/0@domain".
This address may be shortened to a 3D form or a 2D form (the 2D form
is NOT RECOMMENDED). An example:
2:2/0@fidonet
A Regional Coordinator has a address like "zone:region/0@domain".
This address may be shortened to a 3D form. An example:
2:50/0@fidonet
A Host Address
--------------
A Network Host has the address like "zone:network/0@domain", where
the "network" is a network number. This address may be shortened to
a 3D form. An example:
2:5080/0@fidonet
A Zonegate Address
------------------
Usually the mail between zones is sent via special nodes. These
nodes are named "zonegates". A zonegate technical address is
assigned in such a way that its network number is set to the zone
number of its own and its node address is set to the zone number of
its communication partner. Here are two examples:
2:2/1 the zonegate from zone 2 to zone 1
1:1/2 the zonegate from zone 1 to zone 2
A Node Candidate's Address
--------------------------
A node candidate MAY send a node request to a network or a region
coordinator from an address like "zone:network/-1@domain" where
"network" is a network or region number correspondingly. (See
[POLICY4]).
An example:
2:22/-1@fidonet
Address like this is not supported with many modern FTN software and
it is obsoleted but it is specified in the Fidonet Policy v. 4.07
([POLICY4]).
A. References
-------------
[POLICY4]
A FidoNet Policy Document Version 4.07.
[FTS-0001.016]
A Basic FidoNet(r) Technical Standard Revision 16. Randy Bush,
Pacific Systems Group. September 30, 1995.
[FTS-5000.001]
The Distribution Nodelist. Colin Turner, Andreas Klein, Michael
McCabe, David Hallford, Odinn Sorensen. 27 June 1999.
B. Glossary
-----------
FTN
FTN compatible network
A data exchange network built on standards and technologies of
the FIDONET.
Domain
FTN domain
The largest FTN structure unit that unites all the nodes of
some FTN.
Network
FTN network
A FTN network structure unit that usually unites the nodes of
one area of a country. A FTN network is a part of a FTN region.
Node
FTN node
The main FTN network structure unit. A FTN node is a part of a
FTN network or a FTN region.
Region
FTN region
A FTN network structure unit that usually unites the nodes of
one country or several neighbouring countries or large
territory of big country. A FTN region is a part of a FTN zone.
Zone
FTN zone
A second (after domain) FTN structure unit. A FTN zone is a
part of the FTN domain. A zone usually unites nodes on one
mainland.
C. Acknowledgements
-------------------
The following person were helpful:
Michael Dukelsky (<dukelsky@aha.ru>, 2:5020/1042@fidonet)
The following persons have voiced valuable remarks:
Igor Romanovsky (2:5022/60@fidonet)
Gisbert Rudolph (2:2443/2161@fidonet)
Jame Clay (1:120/546@fidonet)
Aleksej R. Serdyukov (2:5020/1042.42@fidonet)
Michiel Broek (2:280/28)
Hiro Dudani (2:244/1512)
D. The Author Contact Information
---------------------------------
Stas Degteff 2:5080/102@fidonet, <g@grumbler.org>
E. History
----------
20031103: First public draft.
20040204: First public release.
================= End Original Document ==============================
Contact Data
------------
FTSC Administrator
Fidonet: 2:2/20
E-mail: administrator@ftsc.org
History
-------
Rev.2, 2014-01-05: Initial release.