This is modem22 (part 2 of 2 parts) >> From VM1.NoDak.EDU!wrair-emh1.army.mil!kipps Wed Sep 30 19:13:08 1992 >> From: What You Need To Know About Modems December 25, 1991 Version 1.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright (c) 1991 Patrick Chen. All rights reserved. Distribution Notice: This document may be distributed by electronic bulletin boards and commercial on-line services. This document may not be edited or changed in any way for redistribution. Setting Up Software To Work With High-speed Modems Getting a high-speed modem is only half the battle. You will need to get it to work with your communications program. Most communications programs still come with settings configured for standard 2400 bps modems. Since all 2400 bps modems are Hayes-compatible, it is relatively easy to set up the software. You simply install the software as if you had a Hayes modem. The software usually will work flawlessly. And you don't really have to worry about things like the initialization string. Getting a high-speed modem to work with your software is a different story. There is no longer a Hayes standard that everyone follows. Here are some of the reasons why you need to know how to configure your high-speed modem to work with your communications program. First, your high-speed modem may not be supported by your software. Secondly, even if your software supports your high-speed modem, the software may not be set up properly. Finally, even if your software is set up properly, the settings may not work all the times. The Proper Software Setup When we say that the software is set up properly, we mean that 1. the modem is initialized properly by the communications software, and 2. the settings of your software match those of the modem What is the proper way to initialize a high-speed modem? In general, your modem needs to be initialized to: * Enable V.42bis Data Compression * Enable hardware flow control * Handle the DTR and CD signals properly (by adding &C1&D2 to the modem initialization string) We'll use the ATI 9600etc/e modem as an example for our discussions below. The initialization string described here is for the ATI modem only. Refer to your modem manual for the equivalent initialization string for your modem. The ATI modem is supported by two popular communications programs: Qmodem and HyperAccess 5. Qmodem initializes the modem and also configures itself to use hardware flow control. HyperAccess 5 also initializes the modem properly, however it does not configure itself to use hardware flow control. All modems come with default settings pre-configured from the factory. Many V.32 high-speed modems are preset to use V.42bis and hardware flow control when they are turned on. This optimal configuration enables the modem to automatically negotiate a connection with either another V.32 modem supporting V.42bis or MNP protocols (or even a standard modem). Interestingly enough, not all high-speed modems are configured this way. The ATI 9600 etc/e modem, for example, is preset to use V.32 without error control or data compression at power-on. (Why? Good question.) As a result, your communications program needs to issue the appropriate initialization string (AT&F2) to set up the ATI modem to use V.32 with V.42bis and hardware flow control. There is another change required. And it has to do with the parameters controlling how the modem deals with two of the RS232 signals: DTR (Data Terminal Ready) and CD (Carrier Detect). CD is a signal generated by the modem which is used to indicate its connection status. DTR is a signal generated by your computer. DTR is used to enable the modem to accept commands from your communications program, it is also used by most modems to determine when to disconnect a call. The factory default setting for DTR tells the modem to ignore change in DTR (&D0), and the setting for CD forces CD always on (&C0). These specific settings are required by some dedicated dumb terminals in order to communicate with the modem. (Virtually all modems use &C0&D0 as the default setting.) However, these settings will often cause problems when hanging up the phone lines or produce an error message which says the modem is online when it is not. Most communications software programs expect the modem to follow DTR and expects CD to follow carrier. &C1&D2 set the parameters for the modem to handle the DTR and CD signals as expected by most communications programs. Therefore, the proper initialization string to use for the ATI modem should be AT&F2&C1&D2. Does Your Software Initialize the Modem Properly? Let's take a look at the initialization strings used by Qmodem and HyperAccess 5 for the ATI 9600etc/e modem. HyperAccess 5 use the following initialization string AT&F2E1V1L0Q0W2X4&C1&D2S11=55 This string is longer than the one we suggest. But does it do more? Actually it doesn't. Many of the commands in the string are redundant or not necessary. Only AT&F2&C1&D2 are crucial. Four of the commands - E1, V1, Q0 and X4 - are redundant since they are duplications of the factory default settings. (Check your modem manual to find out what they mean. Since you would most likely need to read it sooner or later, you might as well get started now.) L0 does not apply to the ATI modem. L0 normally is used to set modem speaker volume to the lowest level. However, the ATI 9600etc/e modem does not respond to the L0 command. Unlike most modems, the ATI modem has a slide volume control on the right side for adjusting the volume level. The other two commands (W2 and S11=55) are not redundant, but they are not necessary. W2 sets the modem to report Negotiation result codes in single line format instead of the default three line format (W1). Three line format: Single line format: ----------------- ------------------ CARRIER 9600 CONNECT 9600/LAP-M PROTOCOL: LAP-M CONNECT 38400 S11=55 (default is 95) sets the modem to dial at a faster speed than the factory setting. Despite the fact that its initialization string contains some redundant commands, HyperAccess 5 does properly initialize the ATI modem. Although HyperAccess 5 will initialize the modem with the string every time you dial a remote system, the program does not change the factory default settings for the ATI modem (which is V.32 without error control or data compression). Every time you turn the modem off and back on, the modem will revert to its factory defaults. Unlike HyperAccess 5 (and other communications programs), Qmodem does it in a different way. It actually replaces the old factory default setting (AT&F) of the ATI modem with a new default configuration (AT&F2&C1&D2). When you first install Qmodem to work with an ATI 9600 etc/e modem, the program sends the following two strings to the modem (make sure the modem is connected to your PC and is turned on): AT&F2^M AT&C1&D2&W^M The first string sets the modem as V.32 with V.42bis enabled, hardware flow control enabled (among other things). Note that ^M is equivalent to sending a Carriage Return to the modem. The second string changes the factory settings of the CD and DTR (&C0&D0) and then write (&W) all the new active configuration settings to the nonvolatile memory of the modem. The new settings are now stored by the modem and become the new default configuration when the modem is powered on (or when it received the ATZ command). Thus, Qmodem simply sends the initialization string "ATZ^M" (which resets the modem to its default state, now AT&F2&C1&D2) to the modem whenever you load the program. Although the two programs use different techniques, the result is the same. The modem is initialized as V.32/V.42bis with hardware flow control enabled, which is normally the optimum setting. Does Your Software Configure Itself to Match the Modem Settings? Besides sending the right initialization string to the modem, the communications software will also need to match the modem setting. Specifically, the communications software should also use hardware flow control since the modem is initialized with hardware flow control enabled. One would expect that when a software initializes the modem to use hardware flow control, the software itself would also use hardware flow control. But it is not always true. As we mentioned earlier, HyperAccess 5 initializes the modem with hardware flow control enabled, but expect you to change the flow control settings in each individual dialing entry. Why You May Need to Change the Initialization String In general, the string AT&F2&C1&D2 should work without any problem. But there is no guarantee that it will always work. When it does not work, you'll normally need to change the initialization string to solve the problems. Here are a few reasons why the initialization string used by your communications program may not work: 1. The settings need adjustments to work with the system you are calling. Case 1: When I called the Hayes BBS, the modem would abort and failed to make a connection. It turned out that the default setting (30 seconds) of the S7 register is not long enough for the ATI modem to make a connection with the Hayes Ultra 96 modem on the other end. Solution: To establish a connection to the Hayes BBS, I need to add "S7=60" to the modem initialization string and also change the setting in the communications software to wait 60 seconds for a connection. By initializing the modem with the string AT&F2&C1&D2S7=60, I was able to connect without any problem. (The default setting for the S7 register is not universal, the Hayes Ultra and Practical Peripheral use 50 seconds as the default value.) Note that there is nothing special about the number 60. In my particular case, any number larger than 45 will work. Case 2: When I call a system that uses the Telebit T1600 modems, I cannot make a connection if the ATI modem is set to use V.42bis or MNP-5. The ATI modem will only connect reliably when it is set to use MNP-4. Solution: To connect successfully, I have to set up the modem as V.32 with MNP-4 by sending the string AT&F1&U0 to the ATI modem. (AT&F1 sets the ATI modem as V.32 with MNP-5, &U0 turns off data compression.) 2. Your communication software may not be compatible with the setting. For example, America Online implemented an error-correcting scheme in the software (both the PC and the Mac versions) which is not compatible with the modem's error correction protocol. Solution: To use America Online, you need to turn off error control on the modem. AT&F configures the ATI modem as V.32 without error control. 3. Your computer hardware may not work with the setting. As I mention earlier, you need a properly wired cable for the Mac to use hardware flow control. If you do not have the right cable or if your Mac simply won't work with the cable, you will need to use software flow control. (&K4 tells the ATI modem to use software flow control.) Solution: To use the ATI modem in V.32/V.42bis mode with my Mac, I need to disable hardware flow control and use XON/XOFF software flow control instead. The string AT&F2&K4&C1&D2S7=60 sets up the modem properly (again, S7=60 is for calling the Hayes BBS). 4. You may need to change the setting to achieve better performance. It is advisable that you turn off MNP-5 while downloading pre-compressed files from a remote system that has a MNP-5 modem. You can initialize the ATI modem to turn off MNP-5 data compression with the string AT&F1&U0. Again, the initialization string used here is for the ATI modem only. If you use a different modem, you would need to check with the modem manual to find out the equivalent commands to use. Editing the Initialization String If the initialization string provided by your software does not work (or if your software does not support your modem at all), you'll need to edit the initialization string in your communications program. The modem initialization string consists of a series of commands (called the AT commands). They can be divided into three groups: 1. A capital character followed by a digit. For example, M1. 2. An ampersand & and a capital character followed by a digit. For example, &M1. Note that M1 is different from &M1. 3. Sr=n where "r" is the number of the register to be changed and "n" is the new value that is being assigned. For example, S7=60. There are some other characters that may also appear in the modem initialization string. These characters normally should not be changed. AT tells the modem that modem commands follow. Z resets the modem to default state ~ makes your software pause for half a second. You can use more than one ~ in a row. For example, ~~~~ tells the software to pause two seconds. ^M sends the terminating Carriage Return character to the modem. This is a control code that most communication software translate as a "carriage return." Let's assume that the appropriate initialization string to use is AT&F2&C1&D2S7=60 (for the ATI modem). You'll need to replace this string with the one provided by your communications software. If your software does not support your modem, you can install the program by telling it that you have a Hayes modem. After the installation, you'll simply edit the initialization string with the appropriate one. Please make sure you do not delete any ~ or ^M. Here are some examples, 1. To change the string provided by Procomm Plus ATE1 S7=60 S11=60 V1 X1 Q0 S0=0^M Use the string AT&F2&C1&D2S7=60^M 2. To edit the string used by Telix ATZ^M~~~AT S7=45 S0=0 V1 X4^M change it to ATZ^M~~~AT&F2&C1&D2S7=60^M 3. To replace the initialization string provided by ZTerm (Macintosh) ATE1M1 V1^M use the following string AT&F2&C1&D2S7=60^M Match Software Settings To the Modem Settings Besides using the right initialization string, you also need to make sure that the settings in your communications program match those of the modem. Speed setting If you have a modem that supports data compression. You want to make sure that the speed setting for the entries in your dialing directory is the maximum throughput. Here are the general rules of thumb: For a V.32bis/V.42bis modem, set speed to 38400 or 57600 bps (check your modem manual). For a V.32/V.42bis modem, set speed to 38400 bps. For a V.32/MNP-5 modem, set speed to 19200 bps. For a V.22bis/V.42bis modem, set speed to 9600 bps. For a V.22bis/MNP-5 modem, set speed to 4800 bps. Note: Your computer may not be fast enough to work reliably at 38400 or 57600 bps. Also, the communications programs you use may not support speed higher than 19200 bps. Hardware flow control Note that you will need to configure your software to use hardware handshaking if the modem is initialized to use hardware flow control. Dialing Time-out Value Independent from your modem setting, your software may also impose a limit on how long it will wait for a connection. If you initialize the modem with the command S7=60, you'll need to change the time-out value used by your software to 60 seconds accordingly. Configuring Popular Communications Software to Work with High-speed Modems Below are brief instructions for configuring some popular communications programs to work with a high-speed modem. The particular initialization string is for the ATI 9600etc/e modem. It is assumed that the appropriate initialization string to use is AT&F2&C1&D2S7=60. Make sure you save the changes you make. Procomm Plus 2.0 To change the modem initialization string: (Global, i.e. it works with every dialing entry) 1. Load Procomm, press Alt-S 2. Select Modem Options 3. Select Modem Commands 4. Press A 5. Change the initialization string to AT&F2&C1&D2S7=60^M To set the software to wait 60 seconds for connection: (Global) 1. Load Procomm, press Alt-S 2. Select Modem Options 3. Select General Options 4. Press A 5. Type 60 and press Return To enable hardware flow control: (Global) 1. Load Procomm, press Alt-S 2. Select Terminal Options 3. Press D (hardware flow control) 4. Press Space Bar to toggle, press Return to accept 5. Press C (software flow control) 6. Press Space Bar to toggle, press Return to accept Telix To change the modem initialization string: (Global) 1. Press Alt-O 2. Select Modem and dialing 3. Select A (Init String) 4. Change the initialization string to ATZ^M~~~AT&F2&C1&D2S7=60^M To set the software to wait 60 seconds for connection: (Global) 1. Press Alt-O 2. Select Modem and dialing 3. Select K (Dial time) and enter 60 press Return To enable hardware flow control (Global) 1. Press Alt-O 2. Select Terminal options 3. Press J (XON/XOFF software flow control) 4. Select Off 5. Select K (CTS/RTS hardware flow control) 6. Select On 7. Press ESC to exit Qmodem To change the modem initialization string: (Global) 1. Press Alt-N 2. Press M to select Modem menu 3. Select Modem Commands 4. Press Return 5. Change the initialization string to AT&F2&C1&D2S7=60^M To set the software to wait 60 seconds for connection: (Global) 1. Press Alt-N 2. Press M to select Modem menu and Press Return to select Communication Parameters 3. Press H to select Timeout delay 4. Type 60 and press Return 5. ESC to exit To enable hardware flow control: (Global) 1. Press Alt-N 2. Select Toggles 3. Press Return to toggle XON/XOFF flow 4. Select CTS/RTS flow 5. Press Return to toggle 6. ESC 7. ESC 8. Press E for Exit 9. Save Changes HyperAccess 5 Note: HyperAccess 5 supports the ATI 9600etc/e. However, HyperAccess 5 does not let you edit the initialization string directly. You can add additional setup commands to change the modem settings for each individual dialing entry. To change the modem initialization string: (Individual, i.e. it works only with the particular dialing entry) 1. Select Define system settings from the Main menu 2. Select Modify 3. Use cursor to select the system to modify and press Enter 4. Select Hardware from the System settings menu 5. Select Modem 6. Select Additional modem setup commands 7. Type S7=60 8. Press ESC twice to go back the Main menu To set the software to wait 60 seconds for connection: N/A To enable hardware flow control: (Individual) 1. Select Define system settings from the Main menu 2. Select Modify 3. Use cursor to select the system to modify and press Enter 4. Select Hardware from the System settings menu 5. Make sure that Data terminal ready signal is output on DTR, delete RTS if it is listed 6. Select Communications port 7. Select Incoming hardware handshaking and type CTS 8. Select Outgoing hardware handshaking and type RTS Crosstalk for Windows To change the modem initialization string: (Global) 1. Pull down Setup menu and select Modem... 2. Select Custom and click on Settings 3. Change the initialization string to ^M~AT&F2&C1&D2S7=60^M 4. Click OK To set the software to wait 60 seconds for connection: (Individual) 1. Pull down File menu and select Open a phone book entry 2. Open the phone book entry 3. Pull down Setup menu and select Session 4. Click on More 5. Change the value in Allow xx seconds for the host to answer To enable hardware flow control: (Individual) 1. Pull down File menu and select Open a phone book entry 2. Open the phone book entry 3. Pull down Setup menu and select Device 4. Click on RTS/CTS and click OK MicroPhone II (for Macintosh) To change the modem initialization string: (Individual) 1. Choose Settings Menu 2. Select Communications 3. Choose V.32 Standard from the Modem Driver list box 4. Click OK 5. Hold down the Command key and choose Scripts menu 6. Select Modify Script 7. Click the Modem Scripts button 8. Double-click on Modem_Init 9. Double-click on the first line that says Set Variable * mcmd from Expression "'AT....'" 10. Change the initialization string in the lower right box to 'AT&F2&C1&D2S7=60^M' 11. Double-click on the second line that says Set Variable * mcmd from Expression "'AT....'" 12. Change the initialization string in the lower right box to 'AT&F2&C1&D2S7=60^M' 13. Click OK 14. Press the Option key and choose the File menu 15. Select Save Modem Driver (If you want to save the driver under a new name, select Save Modem Driver As... in the File Menu. Name the new driver, and save it into the Modem Folder.) To set the software to wait 60 seconds for connection: N/A To enable hardware flow control: (Individual) 1. Pull down Settings Menu 2. Select Communications 3. Click on the Hardware Handshake box ZTerm (for Macintosh) To change the modem initialization string: (Global) 1. Choose Settings Menu and select Modem 2. Change Init String to AT&F2&C1&D2S7=60^M To set the software to wait 60 seconds for connection: (Individual) 1. Choose Settings Menu and select Modem 2. Edit Dial Timeout To enable hardware flow control: (Global) 1. Choose Settings Menu and Select Flow Control 2. Uncheck Xon-Xoff Receive 3. Uncheck Xon-Xoff Send 4. Check HW Handshake Other Settings for Your Communications Software Telephone Number Online services use different phone numbers for different kinds of modems. To get the best throughput, make sure you dial the right phone number. Note that many bulletin board systems do not allow calling their high-speed modem lines with 2400 bps modems. You would be disconnected. For example: EXEC-PC, the largest BBS in the United States, has the following telephone numbers: #1: Standard 2400 bps modems 414-789-4210 #2: US Robotics HST 9600 MNP5 414-789-4337 #3: US Robotics HST 14400 & V.32/V.42bis/MNP5 414-789-4352 #4: US Robotics V.32bis/V.42bis & HST 414-789-4360 #5: CompuCom Speedmodem 9600 MNP5 modems 414-789-4450 #6: Hayes 9600B V-series modems, NON-V.32 414-789-4315 If you have a 9600 bps HST modem, call #2. If you have a 14400 bps HST modem, call #3 or #4. You can also call #2 but you won't be able to get the best throughput. If you have a V.32 modem, call #3 or #4. If you have a V.32bis modem, call #4. You can also call #3 but you won't get the best throughput. If you have a CompuCom SpeedModem Champ, call #5 If you have a CompuCom SpeedModem Storm, call #3 or #4 (V.32), #5 (CSP) If you have a CompuCom SpeedModem Star, call #4 (V.32bis), you can also call #3 or #5 but you can only connect at 9600 bps. If you have a Hayes V-series Smartmodem 9600 (or 9600B) modem, call #6. Dial String: ATDT You don't have change the dialing string unless you use a PBX system or have call waiting service. PBX If you have to dial the digit 9 to obtain an outside line, Use ATDT9, (the comma , instructs the modem to pause two seconds). This allows enough time for the dial tone to occur before the modem dials. You can use as many commas as you like. Call Waiting Call waiting service will disrupt modem sessions. If your telephone company supports the ability to disable call waiting, use the dial string ATDT*70, (make sure you add the comma ,) instead of ATDT. ATDT*70,123-4567 Also, adding 1170 after the ATDP dial command can be used to disable call-waiting on some pulse-dialing phone systems. Check with your phone company to see if these features are supported. 8-N-1 or 7-E-1 (data bits-parity-stop bits) In general, set the parameters to 8-N-1. If you are calling a commercial online service (such as GEnie), you may need to set the parameters to 7-E-1. Half vs. Full Duplex: Local Echo The only popular on-line service that uses half duplex is GEnie. Terminal Emulation If you are using an IBM compatible, choose IBM PC or ANSI. Otherwise, try VT102, VT100, VT52, TTY. Comm Port For your computer to talk to your modem, you need to tell the software where to find the modem. If you use a PC with an external modem, you need to specify which serial port the modem is connected to. If you have an internal modem, you need to configure the modem and tell the software which COM port the modem is configured for. If you use a Macintosh, specify whether your modem is connected to the modem port or the printer port. File Transfer Protocols Errors that occur during file transfer are automatically detected and corrected by file transfer protocols. If a block of data is received incorrectly, the receiving system sends a message to the sending system and requests the re-transmission. This process is automatic. When errors occur during file transfer, the communication program shows an error in the file transfer status window. ASCII This is designed to work with ASCII text files only. Notice that you do not have to use this protocol when transferring text files. The ASCII protocol is useful for uploading a text file when you are composing e-mail online. Xmodem Xmodem is one of the most widely used file transfer protocols. The original Xmodem protocol uses 128-byte packets and a simple "checksum" method of error detection. A later enhancement, Xmodem-CRC, uses a more secure Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) method for error detection. Xmodem protocol always attempts to use CRC first. If the sender does not acknowledge the requests for CRC, the receiver shifts to the checksum mode and continues its request for transmission. Xmodem-1K Xmodem 1K is essentially Xmodem CRC with 1K (1024 byte) packets. On some systems and bulletin boards it may also be referred to as Ymodem. Some communication software programs, most notably Procomm Plus 1.x, also list Xmodem-1K as Ymodem. Procomm Plus 2.0 no longer refers to Xmodem-1K as Ymodem. Ymodem Ymodem is essentially Xmodem 1K that allows multiple batch file transfer. On some systems it is listed as Ymodem Batch. Ymodem-g Ymodem-g is a variant of Ymodem. It is designed to be used with modems that support error control. This protocol does not provide software error correction or recovery, but expects the modem to provide the service. It is a streaming protocol that sends and receives 1K packets in a continuous stream until instructed to stop. It does not wait for positive acknowledgement after each block is sent, but rather sends blocks in rapid succession. If any block is unsuccessfully transferred, the entire transfer is canceled. Zmodem This is generally the best protocol to use if the electronic service you are calling supports it. Zmodem has two significant features: it is extremely efficient and it provides crash recovery. Like Ymodem-g, Zmodem does not wait for positive acknowledgement after each block is sent, but rather sends blocks in rapid succession. If a Zmodem transfer is canceled or interrupted for any reason, the transfer can be resurrected later and the previously transferred information need not be resent. Kermit Kermit was developed at Columbia University. It was designed to facilitate the exchange of data among very different types of computers (mainly minicomputers and mainframes). You probably will not need to use Kermit unless you are calling a minicomputer or mainframe at an educational institution. Sealink Sealink is a variant of Xmodem. It was developed to overcome the transmission delays caused by satellite relays or packet-switching networks. Which file transfer protocol should you use? In general, I recommend Zmodem. If Zmodem is not supported by the system you are calling, use Ymodem-g. (If you are connecting to a UNIX system in a university, you may have to use Kermit or Xmodem to transfer files.) Here are the test results obtained by downloading the files using various file transfer protocols. The number before the parentheses is the transfer speed (in cps) and the number in the parentheses is the time elapsed (in seconds). Protocol Xmodem Xmodem-1K Ymodem Ymodem-g Zmodem --------------------------------------------------------------------- the-wave.txt 429(334) 1508(95) 1527(94) 3261(44) 3296(43) dayrpt.arc 314(26) 758(11) 761(11) 1042(8) 1025(8) dayrpt.wks 415(47) 1252(15) 1244(15) 2314(8) 2337(8) sunset.arc 337(15) 771(6) 745(6) 987(5) 965(5) sunset.pic 399(41) 1337(12) 1297(12) 2594(6) 2588(6) text109k.arc 343(86) 817(36) 814(36) 1089(27) 1064(27) text109k.txt 410(271) 1379(80) 1351(82) 2812(39) 2885(38) ************************************************************************ Appendix A: Resources Here is a list of selected modem manufacturers. Manufacturer Information Tech Support Support BBS -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ATI Technologies (416) 756-0718 (416) 756-0711 (416) 756-4591 Cardinal (800) 233-0187 (717) 293-3124 (717) 293-3074 Compucom (800) 228-6648 (408) 732-4500 (408) 738-4990 Hayes (404) 441-1617 (404) 441-1617 (800) 874-2937 Image Communications (201) 935-8880 (201) 935-8880 n/a Intel (800) 538-3373 (503) 629-7000 (503) 645-6275 Microcom (800) 822-8224 (617) 551-1313 (617) 551-1655 Multi-Tech (800) 328-9717 (800) 328-9717 (612) 785-9875 Practical Peripherals (800) 442-4774 (818) 991-8200 (818) 706-2467 Prometheus (800) 477-3473 (503) 624-0571 (503) 691-5199 Supra (800) 727-8772 (503) 967-2440 (503) 967-2444 Telebit (800) 835-3248 (800) 835-3248 n/a U.S. Robotics (800) 342-5877 (800) 982-5151 (708) 982-5092 Zoom (800) 666-6191 (617) 423-1076 (617) 451-5284 Support BBS for Communications Programs -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Procomm Plus (Datastorm Technologies, Inc.) (314) 875-0523 Telix (Exis Inc.) (416) 439-9399 Qmodem (The Forbin Project, Inc.) (319) 233-6157 HyperAccess 5 (Hilgraeve Inc.) (313) 243-5915 Crosstalk for Windows (DCA) (404) 740-8428 MicroPhone II (Software Ventures) (415) 849-1912 ZTerm n/a ************************************************************************ Appendix B: How to reach the author If you have any comments or suggestions, I'll love to hear from you. You can reach me via America Online: Pat Chen CompuServe: 70754,3162 DELPHI: POC FidoNet: 1:161/444.38 GEnie: p.chen2 MCI Mail: 445-6669 Internet: 445-6669@mcimail.com 70754.3162@compuserve.com pchen@cup.portal.com U.S. Mail: Patrick Chen P.O. Box 5325 Irvine, CA 92716 ************************************************************************ Appendix C: About "The Joy of Telecomputing" What is "The Joy of Telecomputing?" "The Joy of Telecomputing" is a 200-page (and growing), three-part report consisting of the following articles: "What you need to know about modems,""Life beyond CompuServe" and "Is AT&T the right choice?" A glossary and an index are also provided. The discussions in "The Joy of Telecomputing" are devoted to the following online activities: file transfer (downloading shareware, exchanging files with colleagues or friends), electronic mail, conferences (forums, newsgroups, SIGs), chatting. You won't find discussions on stock quotes, shopping malls, online databases, etc. Going online has become a way of life for many computer users. It is undeniably fascinating, fulfilling and fun. But there is also a down side to it: the cost can be prohibitive. I have yet to meet an avid modem user who didn't wish that he could afford to be online longer. To get the most mileage from your online dollars, you need to know the answers to the following three questions: 1. What is the right modem to use? 2. What online services are available and how do they compare? 3. What is the most cost-effective way to reach those services? These are not isolated questions. The answers to these questions will help you decide what online systems are right for you. People live in different cities, use different kinds of computers and do different things online. It should come as no surprise that there isn't a single online system that is right for everyone. The goal of "The Joy of Telecomputing" is to help you get the most from telecomputing. Our goal is not to tell you that so-and-so is the best but to present you with enough information so that you will be able to determine what is right for you. We'll provide you a survey that is both comprehensive and specific. To be comprehensive, we'll cover the three main groups of online systems: commercial online services (CompuServe and others), bulletin board systems and the Internet. To be specific, we'll present you all the necessary information to help you make a decision. Take electronic mail, for example. Virtually all online systems offer electronic mail service. However, listing dozens of services and saying that they all offer e-mail would do little to help you make an intelligent decision. We'll also provide specific details about each service such as * How much does it cost? * How fast does a message get delivered? * Is the e-mail message protected? (Can someone else besides the recipient read your mail messages?) * Can you send e-mail to people that are not subscribers of the service? * Can you send a file with your message? * Is there a limit on the size of the file you can send with your message? * How can you reach the service? * Can you read and reply messages offline? I use MCI Mail, CompuServe and the Internet for e-mail on a daily basis. Do I need all these accounts? Not really. Theoretically I only need one of them. (Yes, you can send e-mail from MCI Mail to a CompuServe or an Internet user, and vice versa.) Why do I have three accounts then? Because each has its pros and cons. And I use e-mail so much so that the three accounts combined offer me the best solution. (Note: CompuServe is a good deal for e-mail only if you join the Basic Service Plan. To join this experimental program, type GO NEWBASIC at any ! prompt. For $7.95 per month, you are allowed to send 60 messages. Each message can have up to 7500 characters. Note that there is a surcharge for sending e-mail to MCI Mail users. Also, reading e-mail sent to you from Internet also count against your monthly allowance.) For the past eight years, I've worked as a computer consultant. I decided to pursue my career as a computer writer a few months ago. In the past three months, I have signed contracts for two computer books to be published in 1992. "The Joy of Telecomputing" is a project that I believe is sorely needed. Initially I have considered submitting it to the computer book publishers. However, I have learned that it can easily take six to nine months (if no longer) to get a book published. As a result, by the time the book gets to the readers, it is probably obsolete. (It may not be too bad if this is a book on C programming. But a book on the online world?) Therefore, I decide to try it on my own to see whether the online community would support such a project. The online world is constantly changing and it will remain one of the hottest growing area in microcomputing for many years to come. By keeping the project under my own control, I'll be able to provide you the information you need on a timely basis. "The Joy of Telecomputing" is an ongoing project. It will be updated every quarter. Future updates of "What you need to know about modems" will remain available on BBS and other online services. If there are enough supporters for this project, I would like to set up a BBS. (What else?) You will be able to exchange informations, download files and participate in discussions about the ever evolving online world. What's in "Life Beyond CompuServe?" Part II of "The Joy of Telecomputing" provides a comprehensive survey of the online world. It covers the three major groups of online systems: * Commercial online services (America Online, BIX, CompuServe, DELPHI, GEnie, MCI Mail, Prodigy, etc). * BBS (including discussions on FidoNet, RIME, etc) * The Internet (including discussions on UUCP, Usenet, Bitnet, etc). Commercial Online Services In general, commercial online services do not offer good price/performance, though some of them excel in certain areas (such as e-mail). We'll look at the major commercial online services (CompuServe, GEnie, Prodigy, etc.) and see what they offer and what they are good for. Major topics covered are: * What are the major commercial online services? * How much do they cost? * How can you access those services? * What do they offer? How do they compare with each other? * How do they compare with BBS? The World of BBS It is estimated that more than 30,000 bulletin boards exist in the United States. If you live in a metropolitan area, you'll probably find hundreds of BBS that are local. Most BBS operate as a hobby by their owners and without charge to their users. There are many BBS that have members all over the United States (and the world). The world of BBS has become a phenomenon. BBS are no longer isolated systems. Fidonet, the network linking thousands of BBS around the world, allows users on one BBS to communicate with those on other BBS. Recently, with gateways to the UUCP network, many BBS has allowed their members to exchange e-mail with users of the Internet and to participate in Usenet newsgroups. We'll cover the following topics: * How many BBS are there? How do they compare? * How much does it cost to become a member? * What are the limitations? * How to find BBS numbers? * Which BBS offers the latest and greatest files for PC users? Macintosh users? Amiga users? * Which BBS are good for chatting? Which are good for conferences? * What is Fidonet? How does it work? What does it offer? * How to join Fidonet as a node? * How to become a point on Fidonet? * How to send e-mail from Fidonet to Internet (and from Internet to Fidonet)? * What is RIME? * What are the major BBS software available? * How to use BBS effectively? * What software tools you need and where to find them? * BBS Etiquette * Why ZTerm is the best program to use for calling BBS? (For Macintosh users only) * What are MacBinary files? How to download a Macintosh file to a PC? How to download a PC file to a Macintosh? (For Mac users or people who use both Mac and PC.) Internet If you want someone to learn UNIX, show him the Internet. (You don't need to be a UNIX expert to use the Internet though. Besides, UNIX is not really that hard.) Internet is a global computer network linking hundreds of thousands of computers (mainly UNIX computers) at universities, research institutions and government agencies. Internet is unsurpassed for e-mail and conferences (called newsgroups in the UNIX world). It is also an invaluable resource for free software. Some major topics covered are: * What is Internet * What is UUCP? What is Usenet? What is Bitnet? * What can you do on the Internet? * How to send e-mail on the Internet? * How to send e-mail from Internet to CompuServe, MCI Mail, Fidonet (and vice versa)? * How to send binary files? * What newsgroups are available? * How to participate in a newsgroup? * Etiquette * What is FTP? * What is Anonymous FTP? * How to use FTP? * What are the FTP sites available? * How to find the files you need? * What is telnet? * What can you do with telnet? (Read "The Cuckoo's Egg" by Cliff Stoll for a first-hand account on how a German hacker use telnet to break into computers on Internet.) * How to use telnet? * How can you get an Internet account? * What services are available? What kind of access level do they offer? * How much do they cost? * How to transfer files from a UNIX host to your personal computer? * What are uuencode and uudecode? * What are compress, tar and shar? What's in "Is AT&T The Right Choice?" Part III of "The Joy of Telecomputing" provides detailed discussions on the various ways you can reach a remote system (i.e., a system which is not local to you). What is the most cost-effective way to reach those systems? There are generally two options you have to reach a remote system: 1. You can place a distance call using AT&T, MCI, etc. 2. You can reach the system via some packet-switching networks by dialing a local number (the system you are calling may already have a deal with a packet-switching network and charge you accordingly, or you may subscribe to one of the packet-switching networks yourself). However, packet-switching networks differ widely in what they offer, how much they charge, and how well they perform. We'll look at some of the services available (PC Pursuit, Connect-USA, Accu*Link, Tymnet, REDI-Access, etc.). * How many ways can you reach a remote system? What are the pros and cons? * What are packet-switching networks? * How do they work? * What services are available? * What do they offer? * What kinds of modems do they support? * What are the differences in performance among different packet-switching network? * How much do they cost? * Are packet-switching networks cost-effective? How to order "The Joy of Telecomputing" 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee: If you are not satisfied with your purchase of "The Joy of Telecomputing," return it in resalable condition with all the original packaging within the guarantee period for a refund check. Shipping cost is not refundable. To order a printed copy of "The Joy of Telecomputing," send a check or money order to the following address: Patrick Chen P.O. Box 5325 Irvine, CA 92716 (USA) "The Joy of Telecomputing"..................................$19.95 Shipping & Handling (see below).............................$_____ California residents please add 7.75% tax ($1.55)...........$_____ Total.......$_____ Note: Shipping to 48 continental states is $5.00. Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada is $10.00. Other countries, please send e-mail before ordering. Please allow 2-4 weeks for delivery. There is no need to fill out the order form if you are sending a check with your name and address printed on it. Non U.S. residents: please send checks or money orders drawn on U.S. Banks in U.S. Funds. Name: Phone: Company: Address: Comments/Suggestions: /end of part 2 of two parts/