Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Text Version FTP Site:
ftp.winternet.com
An asterisk (*) indicates a section which is new or has been significantly updated.
SECTION 1: WINSOCK BASICS
SECTION 2: WINSOCK RESOURCES
SECTION 3: STACKS AND COMMUNICATIONS
SECTION 4: WORLD WIDE WEB BROWSERS
SECTION 5: USENET NEWS READERS
SECTION 6: IRC / TALK / VOICE SOFTWARE
APPENDICES
Copyright Information and Disclaimer
This document will answer some of the most frequently asked questions about Winsock, Winsock-compatible TCP/IP stacks, Winsock applications, and related issues like SLIP/PPP emulation. If your question has anything to do with using Microsoft Windows or IBM OS/2 to access the Internet, this is the place to look for answers.
If you're new to computing or the Internet, I may have already used some unfamiliar terms. Don't let this throw you. Read sections 1-1, 1-2, and 1-3... take it step by step. I've done my best to make everything clear to you.
If you have further questions after reading this FAQ, take a look at sections 2-2 and 2-3. These list some places where you can pose your questions. If those resources fail you, feel free to e-mail me at
If you're using one of these platforms with a dialup (modem) connection to the Internet, you basically have two options: "shell" access or use of Winsock applications (via true or emulated SLIP or PPP).
Shell accounts are text only. You access them with a terminal program (just like calling a local bulletin board system, if you're familiar with those). You must often learn arcane Unix commands to move around the system. You're limited to the software installed by your Internet service provider, much of which is difficult to use.
Using Winsock applications to access the Internet is far more powerful. Winsock applications are Windows (or OS/2) applications -- they work and respond like your other software. There's far less need to learn arcane commands. You're not limited to text; your Internet experience may be visually oriented and can include rich graphics and sound. You can pick and choose which software to use according to your needs and preferences. You can easily multitask a variety of Winsock applications right alongside your other software.
(Of course, this is just a rough outline of the differences between these two types of Internet access. This document is not intended as a primer on this subject.)
1-1
Why Winsock?
If you're using Microsoft Windows or IBM OS/2, using Winsock applications is the preferable method of accessing the Internet. Those amazing Internet tools you've heard about, such as Netscape and NCSA Mosaic, are Winsock applications.
If you're new to computing, take a few steps back. There are certain basic skills and concepts that serve as a "foundation" for using Winsock applications to access the Internet.
You should know how to copy, move, and unzip files, how to install and start programs, and how to use the basic software included with Windows (or OS/2 for OS/2 users). You should also understand basic concepts like file transfer, copying and pasting, etc.
For most people, the best way to master these basic skills and concepts isn't to simply dive in head first. Why needlessly confuse yourself? "Please teach me to drive" and "How can I enter the Indy 500?" are two sentences which shouldn't be uttered in the same breath. Neither are "Please tell me how to run a program" and "How can I get on the Internet?"
There are many excellent books available which can get you up to speed. A popular one for Windows users (despite the condescending title) is "Windows for Dummies" by Andy Rathbone (ISBN 1-56884-370-4), which will set you back about seventeen U.S. dollars.
FTP, WWW, IRC? Outside of Washington D.C., the Internet is probably the world's largest collection of confusing acronyms.
Unfortunately, sorting through all of that would be far outside the scope of this document. If you don't know "what's what" on the Internet, you'll have to learn elsewhere.
I recommend staying away from books about the Internet. Most are either primarily concerned with Unix (and you're using either Windows or OS/2, so much of the information won't apply), are hopelessly outdated, or are actually thinly veiled advertisements to get you to use a particular software package or service.
Instead, take a look at some of the online guides. Most of these suffer from the same faults as the books, but at least you can read them for free:
http://www.yahoo.com/Computers/Internet/Beginner_s_Guides/
Of course, you'll need an IBM PC compatible computer. A 386DX-20mhz model with 4MB of RAM would probably be the absolute miminum you'd want to use; the faster your computer and the more memory you have, the better.
If you'll be dialing into the Internet by modem (see below), a 14.4kbps or faster modem is highly recommended. The older 2400 and 9600 bps modems are just too slow for this type of usage.
The Winsock standard was created for use with Microsoft Windows and the far majority of Winsock applications were written for Microsoft Windows. However, you can also use IBM OS/2 Warp. Warp can run most Winsock applications that were written for Windows, and a few Winsock applications were written especially for Warp.
Your connection to the Internet may take the form of a direct connection via a network card or a dialup account using a modem. If you'll be using a direct connection, you should speak to your local network guru about the particulars.
Most readers will probably be using the latter -- a dialup account. You'll need one or another of two special types of accounts called SLIP and PPP accounts. If you only have access to a standard shell (text-only) account, find out if your provider will allow you to use a SLIP/PPP emulator program (covered in Section 1-5).
Quite a few employers and universities provide dialup access, but many of you will end up needing a commercial Internet service provider. See Appendix D.
This is the software that allows your computer to "talk" to the Internet so that you can run Winsock applications.
These operating systems include stacks. See:
Windows 95 SLIP/PPP Setup Instructions
http://www.mcs.com/~barry/html/wn95slip.html
OS/2 Warp Internet Setup
http://pclt.cis.yale.edu/pclt/winworld/os2.htm.
Recent releases of NT include a stack. If yours doesn't, you can get it via ftp.microsoft.com: ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/peropsys/windows/Public/tcpip/.
Setup can be a bit difficult. See this file for help:
ftp://ftp.winternet.com/users/faz/ntppp.wri
Recent releases of Windows for Workgroups also include a stack. If yours doesn't, you can get it via FTP from ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/peropsys/windows/Public/tcpip/.
Unfortunately, under Windows for Workgroups, this stack can only be used for direct connections, not for dialup (modem) connections. See below for info about add-on stacks.
You'll need to add a stack. Section 1-4 of this FAQ covers some of the most popular. Some are free, some are shareware (if you continue to use them after an evaluation period, you must pay a small fee), and others are commercial. Some include no Winsock applications, while others include a full "suite" of them.
And, of course, you'll need some Winsock applications. Section 2-1 points to lists of Winsock applications available.
Fair enough. But it's still important to understand, so I hope you'll give this section a read.
Winsock is short for Windows Sockets. Today's popular Internet applications for Microsoft Windows and IBM OS/2 are developed according to the Winsock standard. Winsock is not a particular product or brand -- it's a standard utilized by many different products and brands.
This diagram roughly explains the relationship of the various items involved in a dialup Internet connection using Winsock applications:
Your Winsock applications: E-mail, News, Web browser, etc. (Examples: Netscape or NCSA Mosaic) | | Your TCP/IP Stack including WINSOCK.DLL (Examples: Trumpet Winsock, Chameleon, Internet in a Box, or the stacks included with Microsoft Windows 95 or IBM OS/2 Warp) | | Your modem or network card | | The InternetYour Winsock applications are the programs that you'll be using to access the Internet. Various Winsock applications let you use e-mail, Usenet news, the World Wide Web, and the many other services available with a connection to the Internet.
Your TCP/IP stack is the software that lets your computer "talk" to the Internet. TCP/IP stands for "Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol," the "language" that computers on the Internet use to communicate with each other.
Although your TCP/IP stack and WINSOCK.DLL are grouped together in the diagram (because they come together as a matched set), WINSOCK.DLL actually acts as a "layer" between your Winsock applications and your TCP/IP stack. Your Winsock applications tell WINSOCK.DLL what to do, WINSOCK.DLL tells your TCP/IP stack, and your TCP/IP stack tells the Internet!
This is important because Winsock doesn't refer to any specific product or brand, it's a standard. Dozens, perhaps even hundreds, of companies and individuals produce different Winsock applications for you to use. You can you use any of these, no matter which TCP/IP stack you own.
Section 1-2 explains a bit more about getting yourself a TCP/IP stack and connected to the Internet. Section 2-1 points to lists of Winsock applications available.
*** Chameleon Sampler
Chameleon Sampler is a demo version of more advanced packages available from NetManage. According to NetManage, it's "bookware" (bundled free with certain books) and shouldn't be placed on any public FTP sites, yet it's available for download from their own FTP site. [shrug] The Sampler package includes a TCP/IP stack and several applications. While many users begin with Sampler, most quickly move on.
Company: NetManage
Latest Version: 3.11
Type: Bookware
Information: http://www.netmanage.com/netmanage/products/chamsamp.html
FTP: ftp://ftp.netmanage.com/pub/demos/sampler/sampler.exe
*** Chameleon
A family of commercial Chameleon products are the "big brothers" to Sampler. The suites include various applications.
Company: NetManage
Latest Version: 4.5
Type: Commercial (product configurations and prices vary)
Information: http://www.netmanage.com/netmanage/nm3.html
*** Internet In A Box
A popular commercial suite including Air Mosaic.
Company: Spry (part of CompuServe's Internet Division)
Latest Version: 2.0
Type: Commercial (street price approx. U.S. $100)
Information: http://www.spry.com/sp_prod/index.html
Note: Internet In A Box version 1.0 Retail has some bugs; a fix is available...
http://support.spry.com/public/techdocs/upgrade.html
*** NetCruiser
NetCruiser probably doesn't belong on this list, as it's not 100% Winsock compatible. A stack and suite of applications included with SLIP accounts from Netcom (a large Internet service provider), the latest version has added some Winsock compatibility. NetCruiser itself works only with Netcom.
Compatiblity Notes: Winsock applications known to have difficulty with NetCruiser include WinTalk and mIRC.
Company: Netcom
Latest Version: 1.6
Type: Included with account
NetCruiser FAQ: http://www.netcom.com/netcom/nc16_faq.html
*** IBM OS/2 Warp
IBM's OS/2 Warp operating system includes a stack and a suite of applications that have been well-received. Aside from the included applications, native Winsock software for OS/2 is sparse. Most Windows Winsock applications run well.
Company: IBM
Latest Version: 3.0
Type: Included with the operating system (street price approx. U.S. $70-140 depending upon configuration)
Information: http://www.austin.ibm.com/pspinfo/warp.html
Setup Help: http://pclt.cis.yale.edu/pclt/winworld/os2.htm
Also: See The OS/2 Internet Apps Page, http://www.phoenix.net/~vccubed/os2apps.html, for a list of Winsock apps designed for OS/2.
*** Microsoft TCP/IP-32
Microsoft's stack for use with Windows NT or Windows for Workgroups 3.11. Unfortunately, this stack does NOT support dialup connections under Windows for Workgroups.
Company: Microsoft
Type: Free for owners of Windows NT or Windows for Workgroups
FTP: ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/peropsys/windows/Public/tcpip/
Setup Help for NT dialup users:
** Microsoft Windows 95
Microsoft Windows 95 (now in "preview" pre-release) includes a 32-bit stack and some minimal applications, ready for network or dialup connection.
Company: Microsoft
Latest Version: Preview
Type: Included with the operating system (U.S. $32 - limited availability)
Information: http://www.microsoft.com/pages/peropsys/win_news/chicago/wwwhtml/home/w95.htm
Setup Help: http://www.mcs.com/~barry/html/wn95slip.html
Note: Many providers do not allow you to run a SLIP/PPP emulator. Some are concerned about system resources; others want you to buy a real SLIP or PPP account (which are almost universally more expensive). If your provider bans use of SLIP/PPP emulators, using one may result in loss of your Internet access. (Yes, system administrators can tell if you're using a SLIP/PPP emulator even if you change the executable's file name or size.)
*** SLiRP
SLiRP has quickly become one of the most popular applications on the Net. Big selling points: It's the first emulator to work with DCC sends (sending a file while in IRC), it allows CSLIP and PPP, and it's free. Problem: No binary versions are available due to the author's legal concerns. Hopefully, he'll reconsider this policy.
Installation Notes: SLiRP is installed only on your shell account. You'll need a stack (like Trumpet Winsock or the one included in Windows 95) to connect and make use of it.
Compatibility Notes: SLIP, CSLIP, or PPP. DCC sends allowed.
Author: Danny Gasparovski
Latest Version: 0.9o (o as in orange) alpha
Type: Freeware
Information: http://blitzen.canberra.edu.au/~danjo
Setup Help: http://www.webcom.com/~llarrow/slirp.html
FTP: ftp://freedom.wit.com/misc4/danjo/SLiRP
FTP: ftp://blitzen.canberra.edu.au/pub/slirp
No compiled versions are available yet; you'll have to compile it yourself. Read the documentation for details.
*** The Internet Adapter (TIA)
The Internet Adapter, or TIA, is the original and still the favorite of many. TIA is a commercial product with a one-time cost of U.S. $25 ($35 if you want it installed for you on your shell account), but includes a free 14 day evaluation period.
Installation Notes: TIA is installed only on your shell account. You'll need a stack (like Trumpet Winsock or the one included in Windows 95) to connect and make use of it.
Compatibility Notes: SLIP only. No DCC sends.
Companies: CyberSpace Development, InterMind, SoftAware
Latest Version: 1.04 beta
Type: Commercial with free evaluation (U.S. $25)
Information and FAQs: http://marketplace.com/tia/tiahome.html
FTP: ftp://marketplace.com/
Also: See http://ugsparc0.eecg.utoronto.ca/~luk/tsfaq.html
See the above FAQ to FTP the latest compiled versions for various hosts. You must FTP the complete package (see below) to obtain the required stack, which is compiled. Source code for the host program and the stack is included.
FTP: ftp://oak.oakland.edu/SimTel/win3/winsock/twnsck14.zip
FTP: ftp://archive.orst.edu/pub/mirrors/simtel/win3/winsock/twnsck14.zip
FTP: ftp://micros.hensa.ac.uk/mirrors/simtel/win3/winsock/twnsck14.zip
*** Remsock
Remsock is a little-used emulator from Norway. Aside from compatibility problems and poor documentation, Remsock's biggest failing is that it's "crippleware." It stops working 15 minutes into each connection until you pay the registration fee.
Installation Notes: Remsock has two parts, one of which is installed on your shell account, the other on your own computer. It includes it's own stack.
Compatibility Notes: SLIP only. No DCC sends.
Company: Oslonett
Latest Version: 2.03a
Type: Demoware (U.S. $15)
FTP: ftp://oslonett.no/Shareware/Windows/Comm/remsock.zip
The Consummate Winsock Applications List (CWSapps List):
http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~neuroses/cwsapps.html
- or -
http://homepage.eznet.net/~rwilloug/stroud/cwsapps.html
Larsen's List (Winsock Application FAQ):
http://www.lcs.com/faqhtml.html
The Winter List:
ftp://cica.indiana.edu/pub/pc/win3/winsock/winter11.zip
The OS/2 Internet Apps Page:
http://www.phoenix.net/~vccubed/os2apps.html
Note: This is a list of Winsock apps which require the OS/2 operating system.
If your question was "How do I find blah-blah," odds are, this is your answer. If you can't find what you need above, try searching by keyword with SHASE (Appendix A).
alt.winsock.trumpet
Troubleshooting for Trumpet Winsock users.
alt.winsock.programming
Developers discuss coding for the Winsock standard.
alt.dcom.slip-emulators
Discussion of SLIP/PPP emulators.
comp.infosystems.www.browsers.ms-windows
Discussion of World Wide Web browsers.
comp.os.ms-windows.networking.tcp-ip
TCP/IP networking under Windows, including Winsock.
The last newsgroup has a very comprehensive FAQ:
Part 1: http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/ibmpc-tcp-ip-faq/part1/faq.html
Part 2: http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/ibmpc-tcp-ip-faq/part2/faq.html
Part 3: http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/ibmpc-tcp-ip-faq/part3/faq.html
The IRC channel #Winsock was created by Keith Veseleny (IRC nick: VC). Participants discuss the latest Winsock applications, assist new users, etc.
#Windows95
Frequented by users of Microsoft Windows 95, questions about Winsock use with Windows 95 may also be directed here.
#OS/2
Frequented by users of IBM OS/2 Warp, questions about Winsock use with OS/2 Warp may also be directed here.
Winsock Programming FAQ by John Thomas Willis:
http://www.LCS.com/program.html
(Has links to source code for C/C++, Visual Basic, and Pascal.)
Winsock 1.1 Standard:
ftp://SunSite.UNC.EDU/pub/micro/pc-stuff/ms-windows/winsock/FAQ
Winsock 2.0 Standard (in development):
ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/micro/pc-stuff/ms-windows/winsock/winsock-2.0
Microsoft's Winsock Developer Info:
http://www.microsoft.com/pages/developer/winsock/default.htm
Try the settings suggested above. If your connection seems unusually slow or if you're experiencing errors, you may wish to experiment with your settings. Try various MTU increments between 1006 and 256, keeping in mind that the other settings must be modified according to the MTU.
If you find that you need to adjust your settings significantly lower than the suggested settings, you may need a new UART and comm driver. See Section 3-2 for details.
For an explanation of what these settings actually do, see part 1.8 of Lynn Larrow's Trumpet Winsock Troubleshooting Reference:
http://www.webcom.com/~llarrow/trouble.html#1.8
These errors usually result from the use of a 28.8k modem with Microsoft Windows 3.1. A number of factors come into play to cause the situation.
*** An old UART.
The UART is the chip which handles your computer's serial input and output. If you're using an external modem, the UART on your computer's I/O board or motherboard is used. Internal modems use their own UART. If this UART is an older model such as an 8250 or 16450, and not a 16550, Windows will have trouble keeping up with your modem. You can determine what kind of UART you have by using the Microsoft Diagnostic (MSD.EXE) program included with later versions of DOS and Windows. If you're not using a 16550 UART, you may wish to upgrade your I/O board or internal modem. (Don't write off this possibility just because you have a new computer, I/O board, or modem. The outdated UARTs are still in wide use.)
*** Windows' COMM.DRV.
The comm driver included with Windows 3.1 and 3.11, COMM.DRV, is not quite "state of the art." It's designed for the older UARTs, not the 16550. Many users report vast improvement with the use of a replacement comm driver, such as Cybercom. (You do NOT need this driver if you're using Windows for Workgroups, Windows NT, or Windows 95.)
FTP: ftp://wuarchive.wustl.edu/systems/ibmpc/simtel/win3/commprog/cybercom.zip
FTP: ftp://oak.oakland.edu/SimTel/win3/commprog/cybercom.zip
FTP: ftp://micros.hensa.ac.uk/mirrors/simtel/win3/commprog/cybercom.zip
Read the documentation and install according the instructions. After installing, add these lines to the [386Enh] section of your SYSTEM.INI file (changing com1 to com2 or 3 or 4 if appropriate):
com1FIFO=1
com1buffer=1024
comboosttime=8
*** Incorrect MTU/MSS settings.
While the UART and comm driver are important, many times Comm Overunn errors can be reduced and performance enhanced by "tweaking" your stack's settings. If you're using Trumpet Winsock, see Section 3-1 for more details.
Two FAQs offer more in-depth examinations of this topic:
Windows Data Communications FAQ by Malcom Hoar
http://www.best.com/~malch/comfaq.html
28.8k Modem FAQ by John Novas
http://www.aimnet.com/~jnavas/modem/faq.html
WINSOCK.DLL is not a generic file. Each TCP/IP stack (such as Trumpet Winsock) includes it's own version of WINSOCK.DLL. Although they all have the same name, you cannot mix and match.
To avoid problems, be sure that the only WINSOCK.DLL on your system is the one used by your stack. Rename or delete all other WINSOCK.DLL files.
As for the correct WINSOCK.DLL file, it's usually enough to leave it in your stack's directory or elsewhere in your path. However, a few applications may still have trouble locating the file, so we suggest keeping it in your WINDOWS or WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory.
*** Windows NT
If you have an older release of NT that does not include a stack, you can obtain it from:
ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/peropsys/windows/Public/tcpip/
See this file for setup help:
ftp://ftp.winternet.com/users/faz/ntppp.wri
*** Windows 95
For setup help, see:
http://www.mcs.com/~barry/html/wn95slip.html
To correct this problem, do the following:
SET TEMP=c:\windows\temp\
If no such line exists, you'll want to add one. Make sure that the indicated directory exists.
*** If using Trumpet Winsock
Trumpet Winsock users can startup TCPMAN.EXE, choose "Manual Login" from the "Dialler" menu, type "at&C0" (that's a zero) and hit Enter. Then hit the ESCape key, minimize Trumpet Winsock, and start Netscape.
*** If using some other stack
Try loading your stack or dialer program, but not logging in. In some cases, Netscape may work while off-line under these circumstances. If not, you can login, start Netscape, and then logoff. Netscape will continue to work.
*** The messiest solution: MOZOCK.DLL
MOZOCK.DLL is a dummy version of WINSOCK.DLL created by Netscape. It needs to be copied to your Netscape directory or somewhere in your path, and renamed to WINSOCK.DLL.
FTP: ftp://ftp.netscape.com/unsupported/windows/mozock.dll
If you don't already have a WINSOCK.DLL on your system, then you're all set. Unfortunately, most of us do, and this can cause a problem.
You should only have one file named WINSOCK.DLL on your system at a time. You can create two batch files to do some renaming for you, to avoid that problem. Here are two example batch files:
; When your TCP/IP stack is not in use and you want to use
; Netscape off-line, run this batch file.
ren c:\windows\system\winsock.dll c:\windows\system\winsock.not
ren c:\netscape\mozock.dll c:\netscape\winsock.dll
-and-
; When you're finished using Netscape off-line, run this batch
; file. You'll be able to use your TCP/IP stack again.
ren c:\netscape\winsock.dll c:\netscape\mozock.dll
ren c:\windows\system\winsock.not c:\windows\system\winsock.dll
Unfortunately, none of the Winsock FTP servers I am aware of allow this.
There is also a DOS application available, HTMLCon, which does the same thing, but with more bells and whistles, and cleaner output.
FTP: ftp://ftp.crl.com/ftp/users/ro/mikekell/ftp/htmlcon.exe
To convert HTML to other types of documents, or other types of documents to HTML, there are a variety of options available. Yahoo has a page dedicated to the subject:
http://www.yahoo.com/Computers/World_Wide_Web/HTML_Converters/
If you receive an "Authentication" or "No Authorization" error in News Xpress, do the following:
Choose "Setup" from the "Config" menu. Delete any information you typed into the "Username" and "Password" fields. Click "OK."
This assumes that you're trying to access the correct news server in the first place.
*** "CTL3DV2.DLL" Error
The full error text is: "This application uses CTL3DV2.DLL, which has not been correctly installed."
This error will occur if you have more than one copy of CTL3DV2.DLL on your system, or if the program cannot find your copy. Check to ensure that only one copy exists on your system, located in your WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory.
*** Retreiving All Groups
News Xpress can retreive all active groups from your news server, a time consuming process. To correct this:
Select "Preferences" from the "Config" menu. Set "Retrieve Active Groups" to either NO or ASK.
*** "More Included Text than New Text" Error
See Section 5-2.
This is an option set by your system administrator to prevent users from sending articles which contain, for example, 100 lines of quoted text with "I agree" added to the bottom. Such articles are considered a nuisance. Consider editing the quoted text for clarity.
Some users adjust their news reader to use an unusual quote character. In some cases, this can fool the news server software and thwart your provider's options. Please be aware that this is a blatant circumvention of your provider's policies, and may result in loss of your Internet access. This type of action is unadvisable.
If the quoted text limitation really bothers you, try politely asking your provider to change this option in their news server software.
First, be sure to use the latest beta version of TIA. Since Netcom uses Sparc workstations with the SunOS operating system for their shell servers, that would be:
ftp://marketplace.com/tiabeta/sparc.sunos.tia
Then you need the patch file, NNTPD:
ftp://marketplace.com/tiabeta/sparc.sunos.nntpd
NNTPD must be installed and executed correctly. The documentation file is:
ftp://marketplace.com/tiabeta/readme.nntpd
Note: NNTPD reportedly works with other SLIP emulators, such as Twinsock and SLiRP.
The solution depends upon the way you're accessing the Internet. If you're not sure which the of the below you're using, ask your provider for help.
Regular SLIP or PPP with Static IP: Your machine may not be listed in your provider's DNS. Ask your provider to add you to the DNS.
Regular SLIP or PPP with Dynamic IP: It's very likely that some, if not all, of the IP addresses in the dynamic IP pool are not registered in the DNS. Ask your provider to please do this, if possible.
Emulated SLIP (TIA, TwinSock, SLiRP, etc.): WinTalk is incompatible with emulated SLIP. Sorry, there are no workarounds at this time.
Netcom "NetCruiser" account: WinTalk is incompatible with NetCruiser.
Four which currently do are:
iphone.pulver.com
iphone.vocaltec.com
iphone.interserv.net
iphone.wau.nl
For an up-to-date listing, check:
http://www.vocaltec.com/ircsrvrs.ini
Look for version 1.14g or above, or switch to another IRC client. See Section 2-1.
If you're not using a SLIP/PPP emulator, a number of factors come into play. If you're using mIRC, see the mIRC FAQ at:
http://mars.superlink.net/user/mook/mirc.html
If you're using Internet in a Box, version 1.0 Retail has a bug which can cause major problems with DCC. For the free fix, see:
http://support.spry.com/public/techdocs/upgrade.html
SHASE lets you search for files by searching the file descriptions of several major sites. It's quick, easy, and extremely useful. More than 90,000 files are indexed.
Please pick the site closest to you.
United States:
http://www.acs.oakland.edu/cgi-bin/shase
United Kingdom:
http://shase.doc.ic.ac.uk/SHASE
Finland:
http://www.uwasa.fi/cgi-bin/shase
Slovenia:
http://www.fagg.uni-lj.si/cgi-bin/shase
(For best results when searching for Windows/Winsock-related software, click the "Microsoft Windows" icon. This automatically searches the CICA, Sim-Win, and Microsoft archives.)
You'll probably want to change many of the options we specify later, according to your personal preferences. But if you're following this tutorial, we ask that you please follow these instructions as closely as possible. There'll be plenty of time later to customize (and complicate) your setup.
All you need to get started are the files described below in "Getting Pegasus" and the names of your SMTP and POP servers. If you're not sure of these, ask your Internet service provider.
As of this writing, the latest version of Pegasus is version 2.0 beta 4. To use this, you need to download two files.
First, download and install:
ftp://risc.ua.edu/pub/network/pegasus/winpm200.zip
...preferably, install it into a directory named PMAIL.
Then download:
ftp://risc.ua.edu/pub/network/pegasus/winpm2b4.zip
...and copy the included files to your Pegasus directory.
1) Check to ensure that you only have one copy of WINSOCK.DLL on your system, and that it's located in either your WINDOWS or WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory.
2) Run WINPMAIL.EXE.
3) A dialog will appear asking for your User name. Click CANCEL.
4) Next you'll see the "Welcome to Pegasus Mail" dialog. The "Home Mail Path" will look something like this:
C:\PMAIL\~8
Replace the "PMAIL" portion with the name of the directory you installed Pegasus in, if necessary.
For "Your User name": The User name is used internally by Pegasus, since it can be configured for multiple users on the same computer. Enter whatever you'd like to call yourself here, but do NOT include any spaces. A good idea is to use your usual login name.
Check "Save your user name in WIN.INI for future use" and click OK.
5) You should be in the main Pegasus window at this point. Select File->Preferences->General Settings.
For "Personal Name," enter your full name or initials; whatever you'd like. What you enter here will be seen in all of your outgoing mail.
There are eight checkboxes. Make sure that all of them are NOT checked, except for "Ask for confirmation before deleting" and "Save desktop state between sessions."
If you'd like to keep copies of all of your outgoing mail, do the following: Click the "Select" button. Click "New." Type "Copies to Self" and click OK. Double-click on "Copies to Self." You'll find yourself back where you started, except that under "Folder for copies to self:" you'll now see "Copies to Self." If not, try again.
Click OK.
6) Select File->Preferences->Advanced Settings.
Check "Accept 'confirm reading' requests" and "Send enclosures instead of attachments."
Make sure that "If Winsock.dll is available, load it - " is set to either ALWAYS or ON DEMAND.
Click OK.
7) Select File->Preferences->Button Panel. Select "A horizontal floating window" and click OK. (Most users prefer a regular tool bar, but Pegasus' tool bar is unlabeled, so it's a good idea to start off with this easier-to-use version.)
8) Select File->Network Configuration. If you don't see this menu item, then go back to #1 and make sure!! If you need to correct the situation, you can exit Pegasus at this point and resume from here later. You won't have to repeat steps 2 through 7.
Set "TCP/IP socket timeout value" to 45.
"Relay Host": Enter your SMTP mail server.
"From Field": Enter your e-mail address.
Make sure that "Send all mail at once (don't queue)" and "Prefer for outgoing Internet mail" are NOT checked. Make sure that "Use for all outgoing mail" IS checked.
"Host": Enter your POP mail server here.
"Username" and "Password": Enter the same username and password you use to login. Generally, these will also be your POP username and password.
"Leave mail larger than __ KB": Set to 0 (zero).
"Poll new mail after __ secs idle": Set to 0 (zero).
Make sure that "Message count only on idle poll" and "Download only unread mail" are NOT checked. Make sure that "Allow checks when minimized," "Delete retrieved mail on host," and "Check when opening new mail" ARE checked.
Your Pegasus mail is now setup!
1) Sending Mail... Of course, click "Send mail." Enter your message, then click the "Send" button. But, if you've followed the installation instructions above, Pegasus has not actually sent your mail to it's destination -- it's sent it to the queue.
To REALLY send your mail, select "Send All Queued Mail" from the File menu. To review queued mail before sending, select "Review Queued Mail..." from the File menu.
The queue is useful because it allows you to compose mail while you're off-line, and then send the queue the next time you are. To shut off this feature, go to File->Network Configuration and check "Send mail at once (don't queue)."
2) Automatically Checking New Mail... Pegasus can automatically check your mail at regular intervals. In File->Network Configuration, set "Poll new mail after __ secs idle" to some value other than zero.
You'll see in File->Preferences->Advanced Settings that you can also assign an "alert sound" to play whenever new mail is received. However, in the current beta release, this sound will not play unless Pegasus is minimized and there is already at least one message in the new mail folder.
3) Sending and Receiving Files... To add a file to your message, click "Attach." When receiving a file, read the message and click "Attachments." The program supports all of the popular encoding methods.
4) New Mail Filtering... One of Pegasus' most powerful features is new mail filtering. Pegasus can automatically send replies, move messages to different folders, or otherwise take action based on the content of incoming mail.
For example, all messages with "John" in the subject can be sent to your "John" folder. All messages coming from "[email protected]" can be automatically deleted. All messages from your Mom can automatically be replied to with a short reply saying, "You're absolutely right Mom. I love you Mom. The kids miss you."
Get the idea? This is a life-saving feature for anyone who uses mailing lists! Check out File->New Mail Filtering.
There's also a simple password-protection method for your mail, address books, distribution lists, a glossary, a spell checker, customizable fonts, and much more... Read the help file for details.
Pegasus for Windows FAQ:
ftp://risc.ua.edu/pub/network/pegasus/FAQs/winpmail.faq
Pegasus for Windows with Winsock FAQ:
ftp://risc.ua.edu/pub/network/pegasus/FAQs/winsock.faq
This is a very basic setup tutorial for TIA, The Internet Adapter. The "Getting TIA" and "Getting a TIA License" sections are generic; the "Setting Up & Using Trumpet Winsock" section (obviously) applies only if you're using Trumpet Winsock.
This text assumes that you have some basic knowledge about using your Unix shell account, like knowing how to FTP, rename files, etc.
1) Go to ftp://marketplace.com/tia/
2) Get file 'config.guess' (Make sure you get it as a binary file!!)
3) At the Unix prompt type 'sh config.guess'
4) Look at the version of the OS you're using... (If you get an error, send e-mail to [email protected].)
5) Go to ftp://marketplace.com/tiabeta/.
6) Look for a file with your OS Brand and version. Example: 'sparc.sunos.tia'
7) If you can't find it there, go to ftp://marketplace.com/tia/ and see if it's there...
8) Get the correct version.
9) From the Unix prompt rename the
10) Now, from the Unix prompt type "chmod u+x tia"
11) Finally, from the Unix prompt type "tia -address"
12) Write down the three addresses at the bottom... those are your DNS Ip addresses. (Remeber THOSE!)
Send a blank e-mail message to [email protected]. You'll automatically be mailed back a copy of the TIA single user order form. Fill it out and send it back.
Again automatically, you'll be sent back a message that includes your TIA license code. Save the e-mail to a file and name it '.tia' (that's 'tia' with a period in front of it).
This evaluation license will be good for 14 days. To order a full license (U.S. $25), call SoftAware at 310-314-1466 during normal business hours.
1) Go to ftp://marketplace.com/tia/shareware/windows/
2) Get the file 'twsk20b.zip'
3) Download it off of your provider, and install it on your hard drive.
4) Once installed, run TCPMAN.EXE. A Setup dialog should appear if this is the first time you've used Trumpet Winsock; if not, just choose "Setup" from the "File" menu. Enter 192.0.2.1 as your IP address, one of those three DNS numbers from "Getting TIA" #12 as your Name Server, 255.255.255.0 as your Netmask, and the last part of your e-mail address as your Domain Suffix (i.e., if your e-mail address is [email protected], enter 'foobar.com'). Check 'Internal SLIP.' Check 'Hardware Handshaking' and then click OK.
7) Choose "Manual Login" from the "Dialler" menu.
8) Type 'atdt [phone number]' and hit Enter. Example: atdt 555-5555
9) Login as usual and get to your Unix prompt. Then start TIA by just typing 'tia' and hitting Enter.
10) Hit the Escape (ESC) key on your keyboard. You should see the words "SLIP Enabled."
And if so, then...
Your TIA and Trumpet Winsock setup should be complete!
Of course, Trumpet Winsock doesn't do anything special after it says "SLIP Enabled." You need to minimize it and run some Winsock applications to make sure that your new emulated SLIP connection is working. Check out Section 2-1.
11) When you're ready to log-off, choose "Manual Login" from the "Dialler" menu again. Then hit Control-C five times, giving yourself a short pause between each keystroke. If it worked, you'll find yourself back at the Unix prompt. If not, try again. When you do, type "logout" to log-off the system.
12) Choose "Bye" from the "Dialler" menu.
Here are some other places to look for help with TIA:
TIA FAQ's and other documents from Marketplace.com
Windows and TIA FAQ by Mark Stout
Windows 95 and TIA FAQ by Rupa Schomaker
OS/2 Warp and TIA FAQ by Jay Shepherd
TIA Setup Reference by Lynn Larrow
http://marketplace.com/tia/tia.faq.pointers.html
http://marketplace.com/tia/tia.user.faqs/mark.stout/tiasetup.html
http://marketplace.com/tia/tia.user.faqs/jay.shepherd/win95tia.html
http://venus.ee.ndsu.nodak.edu/os2/rupa/tiafaq_idx.html
http://www.webcom.com/~llarrow/tiarefg.html
Tip: Many users find that smaller, local or regional providers offer the best value and service.
"The List", a very complete list, sorted by area code:
http://thelist.com/
POCIA list of U.S. & Canadian providers, sorted by area code:
http://www.celestin.com/pocia/domestic/d_rega.html
POCIA list of international providers:
http://www.commerce.net/directories/products/isp.usa.ix.html
INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
Use this information completely at your own risk. It has been compiled in good faith as a public service, but we cannot guarantee that the information is up to date or accurate. In fact, we cannot guarantee that it won't cause your computer to explode or your home to burn down. All we can guarantee is that we've tried to provide a useful service, and that you're welcome to make use of it if you wish. Anything beyond that is completely your own responsibility.