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tcpoperating-systemkernelbios

How to access the Internet only via BIOS?

I'm writing a mini OS just for fun. I want to save some key information to one securiry server on the Internet and ever fetch it BEFORE booting my OS.

So my problem is: How to access the Internet only via BIOS? i.e. How to use the TCP protocol in BIOS environment?

PS.

It is obvious that diskless workstations use such a technique. So it is technically possible.

Solution

  • Diskless workstations use PXE which is part of NIC (network card) ROM or a BIOS extension, it's a simple environment that implements TCP/IP stack that can get a executable over TFTP and run it.

    There is an open source one that you could modify iPXE to your needs and replace your existing PXE ROM.