@BEGIN Getting the Most out of your Internet Access Kit (IAK) Version 1.0 -------------------------------------------------------------------- by Matthew S. Staben mstaben@us.net 2-26-95 With the OS/2 Warp (3.0) package, one has the option of installing the Internet Access Kit which comes on the bonus-pack CD. This package is a hacked subset of the original TCP/IP 2.0 package. It includes utilities allowing a user to read and post to newsgroups, do electronic mail, and much more. It also offers a service through IBM.NET at an outrageous price. I have purchased time through an alternate provider which is much cheaper and allows more flexibility, including the use of the PPP (Point-to-Point) protocol. ** IF YOU ARE NOT USING THE PPP UPGRADE, EVEN IF YOU USE SLIP, YOU CANNOT DO STEP 5 IN THIS DOCUMENT. Unfortunately, the programs which are provided by IBM are slow and kludgy unless the user has 16 megabytes of RAM. I demand total performance and do not care much for the fancy graphics if it means I'll be sacrificing performance. The Ultimail package is, I admit, an extremely good product however. It offers drag-and-drop, bit-map editing, among other features. The newsreader however, leaves much to be desired. Some of you will notice that when posting with the newsreader, IBM has put in a stupid notice which pops up asking if you have read the guide to network ettiquete. "Are you sure you want to post?" I'd have to say that when I press "Post", I mean it! This article is designed to help you get up and running on TCP/IP, trim out the unnecessary junk, set up the TIN and ELM newsreader and mailer, set up the POP client, and create a command file which will dial your service. This article also assumes you have already completed an installation of the IAK (TCP/IP). You will need to first obtain, from any service, the following files: (I suggest either ftp'ing hobbes.nmsu.edu, or ftp-os2.cdrom.com) TIN122.ZIP Un*x port of the TIN newsreader. ELM23-2.ZIP Un*x port of the ELM mail program. POPCL221.ZIP Allows one to set up a POP client for ELM. PPPFK101.ZIP PPP fake, pretends to be the dialer. EMXRT.ZIP The EMX runtime files. You may already have them. ------------------------------------------------------------------ PPP.ZIP The PPP/SLIP update from IBM. INSTALL THIS FIRST IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE SO. IF YOU ALREADY HAVE, FORGET IT. RETRIEVE SOFTWARE UPDATES DOES THIS FOR YOU AUTOMATICALLY. ------------------------------------------------------------------ NOTE: When UNZIPPING files, always unzip with directories. InfoZIP's UNZIP utility does not require any parameters, but PKUNZIP requires that the -d parameter be supplied. You MUST use HPFS partitions for both TIN and ELM as long filenames are used, as well as the temporary directory to where you unzip these files. THESE ARE UNIX PORTS, not some DOS KLUDGE! Step 1: Clean up your CONFIG.SYS Place REM statements in front of several of the DOS drivers. You're not going to need them unless you're running TCP/IP from DOS. It's a waste of memory. Even if you plan to later, you can always remove the REM statements and reboot. You will NOT need to reboot unless you want to have that memory *now*. Mine look like this: rem DEVICE=h:\tcpip\bin\vdostcp.vdd -- DOS TCP/IP Virtual Device Driver rem DEVICE=h:\tcpip\bin\vdostcp.sys -- DOS TCP/IP Stack rem RUN=h:\tcpip\bin\vdosctl.exe -- DOS TCP/IP OS/2 <-> DOS (Coordinator) Step 2: Install TIN Unzip the TIN122.ZIP file into a temporary directory. This will break out several files. You will need to delete the junk files. These are README.OS2 and TCPIPDLL.ZIP. ** If you want to read README.OS2 for your education, go ahead. I will be providing the relevant information below: Rename TIN.EXE to RTIN.EXE. This will cause TIN.EXE (through some inner PSP magic) to revert to NNTP newsserver mode instead of UUCP. Then, create a TIN.CMD file which looks like mine: ----------------BEGIN---------------- @echo off set USER=mstaben set REALNAME=Matthew S. Staben set HOME=H:/tcpip/home set TMP=H:/tcpip/tmp set NNTPSERVER=news.us.net set HOSTNAME=usnet.us.net set TIN_SPOOLDIR=H:/TCPIP/TIN set TIN_LIBDIR=H:/TCPIP/TIN set TIN_NOVROOTDIR=H:/TCPIP/TIN set LINES=25 // WANT 50 lines, set it to 50 set COLS=80 rem MODE CO80,25 // YOU CAN SET YOUR VIDEO set EDITOR=T32.EXE // TO YOUR PREFERENCE set VISUAL=T32.EXE RTIN -----------------END----------------- You'll notice I use the Technical Editor. If this is left blank, the default is the EPM editor. README.OS2 explains each of these fields. Next, copy all three of the files, RTIN.EXE, TIN.CMD, and TIN.MAN to the \TCPIP\BIN directory. TIN.MAN can be anywhere you wish, but I keep mine in the BIN directory for easy lookup. Delete the source files after the copy. You will be using this empty directory for the ELM executable. Step 3: Install ELM Next, in the same directory, unzip ELM23-2.ZIP file. Installation of this is much more complex, and the program includes the SOURCE files which are not needed. When ELM is unzipped it will place files in a directory tree. You will not need the files in any of the directories except the BIN and DOC directories. First, copy all the files in the temp\BIN directory to the \TCPIP\BIN directory, or alternatively, create a path that points to the ELM files so you can tell them apart. You will need to add to the PATH statement in the CONFIG.SYS if you do so. For my installation, I just copied the files into my \TCPIP\BIN directory, and the documentation files from the temp\DOC directory to the \TCPIP\ETC\ELM directory (you need to create it first!) You will have also copied a file, ELM-TCP.RC file with the other files in temp\BIN. Edit this file and make the appropriate changes as I did mine: (( YOU DO NOT NEED TO REMOVE THE COMMENTS )) ----------------BEGIN---------------- Rmail=sendmail Options=background NodeName=mstaben Domain=us.net FromDomain=us.net ReplyTo=mstaben@us.net ConfDir=H:/tcpip/etc MailDir=H:/tcpip/mail TempDir=H:/tcpip/tmp Mailbox=mstaben Name=Matthew S. Staben Home=H:/tcpip/home Editor=T32.EXE %s Pager=T32.EXE %s -----------------END----------------- And then, edit your CONFIG.SYS so that the following lines are added to it, as I did mine: (( My EMX runtime DLLs are in H:\EMX, SEE (!!!) BELOW FOR MORE INFO. )) [You can search for !!! and find the reference] ----------------BEGIN---------------- SET HOSTNAME=usnet.us.net SET TERM=mono SET TERMCAP=H:\EMX\ETC\TERMCAP.DAT SET UUPCSYSRC=H:\TCPIP\BIN\ELM-TCP.RC SET UUPCUSRRC=H:\TCPIP\BIN\ELM-TCP.RC -----------------END----------------- ** VERY IMPORTANT ** ELM requires a file called \TCPIP\ETC\SENDMAIL.CF. This file is supplied with the IAK as SENDMAIL.UML (for Ultimail). You should COPY this file to SENDMAIL.CF and with the "E.EXE" editor, and NONE OTHER, edit this file and change the lines as I did: (( The E.EXE editor does not expand tabs or do anything with them, as other editors do. This caused me much unnecessary grief! )) ----------------BEGIN---------------- # The unqualified (domain-less) name of the mail relay DVmail # The fully-qualified domain name of the mail hub DHus.net # Version # of this file DZ1.0um -----------------END----------------- Step 4: Install the POP Client The next step is to remove all other traces of the ELM23-2.ZIP file, and unzip the POPCL221.ZIP file. When this is done, you should edit the POPCLID.CMD file on the relevant lines as I've done: ----------------BEGIN---------------- host = 'us.net' /* POP host name */ loginname = 'mstaben' /* Login name on the host */ password = 'dontwork' /* Password on the host */ delay = 120 /* Seconds between mail checks */ mda_path = 'filter.exe' mda_args = '-v -u mstaben' -----------------END----------------- And then, you should copy POPCLIENT.EXE, POPCLID.CMD, LAMAILER.CMD to the \TCPIP\BIN directory. This program requires that the EMX runtime files be set up. These are avaialable from the EMXRT.ZIP files. I recommend that the EMX files be set up in a separate directory and the path pointed to in CONFIG.SYS. These files are updated every few months. (!!!) Step 5: Set up your alternate provider. If you are using an alternate provider, and have set up (as per the instructions) the dialer (presentation manager), you are ready to go on. If you have not successfully connected to a provider, STOP HERE and WORK ON CONNECTION. There are many FAQ's on how to connect using this option. Assuming you've already managed to get a working connection, you should unzip the pppfk101.ZIP file and follow the instructions. They are straightforward -- except they do not mention where the files it creates will be placed. I found mine in the root directory of the C:\ directory! These files are simply command files which call SLIP.EXE or PPP.EXE just as if you had called them with the presentation manager dialer. I've included my PPPCMD.CMD file in case PPPFK101.ZIP is unavailable or for whatever other reason you may have: ** NOTE: The only change I made was to change my password to "dontknow," and the phone number. This command file will also redial if there is no answer or busy, a very handy ability. I also placed this file in H:\TCPIP\BIN as I did everything else. ----------------BEGIN---------------- :begin ppp.exe com2 57600 mru 1500 rtscts modem defaultroute (( SAME LINE )) netmask 255.255.0.0 priority 1 notify exit user mstaben (( SAME LINE )) name mstaben secret dontknow -vj idle 120 connect "slattach (( SAME LINE )) ATZ OK AT&C1&D2&K3&Q5S11=55S95=47 OK ATDT301-555-1212 NNECT (( SAME LINE )) \r login: mstaben ssword: dontknow usnet ppp\r" (( SAME LINE )) if errorlevel 4 goto 4 if errorlevel 3 goto 3 if errorlevel 2 goto 2 if errorlevel 1 goto 1 if errorlevel 0 goto 0 echo NONE goto exit :1 echo BUSY/FAILED DIAL goto begin :2 echo TWO goto exit :3 echo THREE goto exit :4 echo NORMAL EXIT BY KEY goto exit :exit -----------------END----------------- Step 6: Make your directories. For the last, and most simple step, you need to make the directories that ELM and TIN will need. These are the: H:\TCPIP\TMP H:\TCPIP\HOME H:\TCPIP\MAIL H:\TCPIP\HOME\.TIN (yes, that's a DOT) H:\TCPIP\HOME\ELM The signature file can be placed here, as .signature and signature, one for each of the packages (I've not found exactly which one it is). There, you have it. I have detailed my entire installation for the alternative utilities. To start it off, I attached an ICON to my file STARTPPP.CMD, which is as follows: ----------------BEGIN---------------- start /c /b /fs pppcmd.cmd start /c /b /fs popclid start /c /b /fs elm exit -----------------END----------------- Sure, your computer will hog up at first ... but once its going, and a couple of minutes have passed for POPCLID to reset once (since it first tries before PPPCMD.CMD connects), you should get your mail. To get into the newsgroups, simply type "TIN" and you're on your way. GOOD LUCK, and HAPPY SURFING! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at mstaben@us.net. I check my mail every time I walk up to the computer (by starting STARTPPP.CMD). I can also be reached at 11MSTABEN@GALLUA.GALLAUDET.EDU. This mailbox is checked more frequently. @END