---
name: "spattach"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "ax25-tools"
version: "0.0.10-rc5+git20230513+d3e6d4f-3"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/kissattach"
---

# spattach(8)

Attach a KISS or 6PACK interface

Part of [kissattach(8)](/kissattach/8.md).

## NAME

kissattach, spattach - Attach a KISS or 6PACK interface

## SYNOPSIS

**kissattach \[-b\] \[-6\] \[-l\] \[-m mtu\] \[-v\] \[-i inetaddr\] tty port \[inetaddr\]**

**spattach \[-b\] \[-6\] \[-l\] \[-m mtu\] \[-v\] \[-i inetaddr\] tty port \[inetaddr\]**

## DESCRIPTION

Attach a KISS or a 6PACK interface to what is normally a tty line connected to a TNC in KISS or 6PACK mode. This program will turn itself into a background process. To down an interface send its attach process a SIGTERM.

**Kissattach** takes many of the parameters for the port from the [axports(5)](/axports/5.md) file. If the speed parameter in the file is not equal to zero then it is used for the serial port speed, a zero value means that no speed is set. The paclen parameter is used for the device mtu unless overridden by a value on the command line.

The tty argument will typically be that of a serial port with a KISS or 6PACK TNC attached, although it could be a pseudo tty or a KISS port emulator such as an SCC card. Kissattach supports BSD-style pseudo-terminals as well as the Unix98 pty's. If the tty argument is "/dev/ptmx", then Unix98 behaviour will automatically take effect. With Unix98 pty's, the slave tty name could not be forseen. That's why kissattach will print the corresponding slave pty name as a separate line on stdout.

The port argument is the name of a port as given in the [axports(5)](/axports/5.md) file.

The optional inetaddr argument is the IP address of the new interface. Some time it was mandatory argument (although due to historical reasons this restriction is lifted if the old -i option is used). But there's really not a need for the interface to have an IP address assigned to.

## OPTIONS

- **-6**

  Use the 6PACK line discipline instead of KISS. This is the default if the program is called as spattach so the option is a no-op for spattach.

- **-i inetaddr**

  Set the internet address of the interface. This address may either be a dotted decimal address or a host name. This option is now depreciated and the program will complain about it, though still work.

- **-l**

  Log messages to the system log, the default is not to.

- **-b**

  Allow broadcasts on the interface (default no - because for e.g. samba broadcasts are a pain..)

- **-m mtu**

  Sets the mtu of the interface. If this value is not given then the value is taken from the paclen parameter in axports.

- **-v**

  Display the version.

## SEE ALSO

[**kill**(1)](/kill/1.md), [**stty**(1)](/stty/1.md), [**ax25**(4)](/ax25/4.md), [**axports**(5)](/axports/5.md), [**axparms**(8)](/axparms/8.md), [**ifconfig**(8)](/ifconfig/8.md).

## AUTHOR

```
Alan Cox GW4PTS <alan@cymru.net>
Jonathan Naylor G4KLX <g4klx@g4klx.demon.co.uk>
```