Heddle is a serial networking host designed to bring DOS, Windows 9x, and other retro computers onto modern networks.
Highlights
- SLIP and PPP networking over serial connections
- Self-contained NAT networking with DHCP, DNS, and WINS support
- OpenWrt TAP bridging for direct LAN integration
- IPX networking for compatible multiplayer games
- Hayes-compatible modem emulation
- Direct dial-up connections between Heddle hosts over LAN or WAN
- Automatic PPP-over-TAP address assignment
- Configurable static addresses and connection profiles
- Hostname registration and network name resolution
- Browser-based management interface
- Native Windows and Linux builds
OpenWrt Integration
- OpenWrt packages for multiple router architectures
- LuCI configuration and service management
- procd startup, supervision, and automatic boot
- TAP integration with the OpenWrt LAN bridge
- Automatic DHCP lease allocation
- Support for common USB serial adapters
Documentation
This release includes guides for:
- SLIP and PPP setup
- OpenWrt installation and configuration
- TAP bridge networking
- LAN and internet dial-up connections
- Multiplayer IPX gaming
- Building Heddle and its OpenWrt packages
- Troubleshooting common configurations
Notes
This is Heddle's first public release. Although it has been tested with several DOS, Windows 9x, Linux, and OpenWrt configurations, hardware and serial-driver behavior can vary.
Bug reports, compatibility results, and feature suggestions are welcome.