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<reference anchor='RFC0263'>

<front>
<title>"Very Distant" Host interface</title>
<author initials='A.' surname='McKenzie' fullname='Alex McKenzie'>
<organization>Bolt Baranek and Newman (BBN)</organization></author>
<date month='December' day='17' year='1971' />
<abstract>
<t>The normal method of connecting a Host computer to the ARPA Network is, and will continue to be, placing an IMP at the Host site and making a short-distance hard-wire connection.  However, during the past several months we have become increasingly aware of the occasional desire to interface a Host to some IMP via a long-distance connection (where long-distance, in this context, is any cable run longer than 2000 feet but may typically be tens of miles) via either a hard-wire or telephone circuit.  We believe that any good solution to the general problem of interfacing Hosts to IMPs must satisfy at least the following criteria:</t>
<t>1)  The characteristics of the connection should be such that the undetected error rate can be expected to be extremely low.</t>
<t>2)  The bandwidth of the connection should not be intrinsically limited to a low value.</t>
<t>3)  The nature of the connection should be such that the Host may establish multiple network "conversations", i.e., it should have all the power of a normal Host connection.</t></abstract></front>

<seriesInfo name='RFC' value='263' />
</reference>
