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Using TCP/IP networking in shells

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Networking (Bash)

Bash can open network connections!

# Make connection
exec 4<>/dev/tcp/www.griffith.edu.au/80

# Send request
printf >&4 "%s\n" "HEAD http://www.griffith.edu.au/ HTTP/1.0"
printf >&4 "\n"

# parse XML file returned
while read line; do
  echo $line
done <&4

# close
exec 4>&-

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Other tools

   nc         a cat program for the network ("netcat")
   tcputils   utilities to send/recieve tcp network connetions
              includes a "getpeername" program.

   ssh        Just run commands on another host or forward connections

   socat      A bi-directional relay client (netcat at ends, socat in middle)

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