Computing Dictionary
Serial Line Internet Protocol definition
communications, protocol (SLIP) Software allowing the
Internet Protocol (IP), normally used on
Ethernet, to be used over a
serial line, e.g. an
EIA-232 serial port connected to a
modem. It is defined in
RFC 1055.
SLIP modifies a standard
Internet datagram by appending a special SLIP END character to it, which allows datagrams to be distinguished as separate. SLIP requires a port configuration of 8 data bits, no
parity, and
EIA or
hardware flow control. SLIP does not provide
error detection, being reliant on other high-layer protocols for this. Over a particularly error-prone
dial-up link therefore, SLIP on its own would not be satisfactory.
A SLIP connection needs to have its
IP address configuration set each time before it is established whereas
Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) can determine it automatically once it has started.
See also
SLiRP.
(1995-04-30)
