(SLIP) Software allowing the internet protocol (IP), normally used on ethernet, to be used over a serial line, e.g. an eia-232 serial port connected to a modem. It is defined in rfc 1055.

SLIP modifies a standard internet datagram by appending a special SLIP END character to it, which allows datagrams to be distinguished as separate. SLIP requires a port configuration of 8 data bits, no parity, and eia or hardware flow control. SLIP does not provide error detection, being reliant on other high-layer protocols for this. Over a particularly error-prone dial-up link therefore, SLIP on its own would not be satisfactory.

A SLIP connection needs to have its ip address configuration set each time before it is established whereas point-to-point protocol (PPP) can determine it automatically once it has started.

See also slirp.