The Winsock FAQ Answers to Frequently Asked Questions May 28th, 1995 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- World Wide Web Sites: New Jersey = http://mars.superlink.net/user/mook/winfaq.html California = http://metro.turnpike.net/mookies/winfaq.html New York = http://www.liii.com/~softlord/mirrors/winfaq/winfaq.html Minnesota = http://www.winternet.com/~faz/winsock/winfaq.html Text Version FTP Site: ftp://ftp.winternet.com/users/faz/winsock/winfaq.zip --------------------------------------------------------------------------- A NOTE ABOUT THIS NEW TEXT VERSION... Most FAQs go from a regular text or word processor document to HTML (the markup language Web pages are written in). But this document went the reverse route. So bear with us, there are still some formatting oddities and other kinks to work out. Thanks! --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maintained by Mike J. M. (mook@mars.superlink.net). All topics written by Mike J.M. except where otherwise noted. Please read the Copyright Information and Disclaimer at the bottom of the file. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Table of Contents [*]Introduction SECTION 1: WINSOCK BASICS [*]1-1 What is Winsock? [*]1-2 Why Winsock? [*]1-3 What do I need to run Winsock applications? [*]1-4 What Winsock-compatible TCP/IP stacks are available? [*]1-5 What SLIP/PPP emulators are available? SECTION 2: WINSOCK RESOURCES [*]2-1 What lists of Winsock applications are available? [*]2-2 What Winsock related newsgroups are available? [*]2-3 What Winsock resources are available on the IRC? [*]2-4 Where can I find Winsock programming information? SECTION 3: COMMON WINSOCK STACK/APP PROBLEMS [*]3-1 What are the best MTU/MSS settings for Trumpet Winsock? [*]3-2 What causes "Comm Overrun" errors in Trumpet Winsock? [*]3-3 How do I cure "Call to Undefined Dynalink" errors? [*]3-4 How do I cure Netscape's "Can't Find C:\TEMP Directory" error? [*]3-5 How do I cure various errors in WinTalk? [*]3-6 Which IRC servers welcome Internet Phone? [*]3-7 How do I cure various errors in News Xpress? [*]3-8 What causes the "More Included Text than New Text" (too much quoted text) error in my News Reader? [*]3-9 How do I uudecode binary files? [*]3-10 How can I access my news server using TIA and Netcom? [*]3-11 Why am I receiving GPF errors in WSIRC? APPENDICES [*]Appendix A: Search files by keyword with SHASE [*]Appendix B: Trumpet Winsock Login Script Tutorial [*]Appendix C: Pegasus Mail Setup Tutorial [*]Appendix D: TIA Setup Tutorial [*]Appendix E: Lists of Internet Service Providers [*]Copyright Information and Disclaimer --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction This document is intended to 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 you're new to computing or the Internet, don't let these unusual terms throw you. Read sections 1-1, 1-2, and 1-3. I've done my best to make them to clear to you. Section 1 covers the basics of Winsock. Here you'll find out what Winsock is and how you can use Winsock applications. Section 2 covers the Winsock-related resources available on the Internet and Usenet. If you have other questions regarding Winsock, or are in search of certain files, examine these topics. Section 3 covers common questions concerning TCP/IP stacks and popular Winsock applications. Finally, there are several appendices. These include related resources and tutorials which are outside the scope of the FAQ proper. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1-1 What is Winsock? 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. This diagram roughly explains the relationship of the various items involved (this section gets just a little bit technical, but it's important): Your Winsock applications: E-mail, News, Web browser, etc. (Examples: Netscape or NCSA Mosaic) | | Your TCP/IP Stack including WINSOCK.DLL (Examples: Trumpet Winsock or Chameleon) | | Your modem or network card | | The Internet Your 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 1-3 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. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1-2 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 NCSA Mosaic and Netscape, are Winsock applications. 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 archane 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 archane 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.) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1-3 What do I need to run Winsock applications? Using Winsock applications to access the Internet requires: * A suitable computer system. 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. * A suitable connection to the Internet. 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). Many employers and universities provide dialup access. If this is unavailable to you, you'll need a commercial Internet service provider. See [*]Appendix E. * A TCP/IP stack. (which includes it's own WINSOCK.DLL) This is the software that allows your computer to "talk" to the Internet so that you can run Winsock applications. Microsoft Windows 95 and IBM OS/2 users: These operating systems include stacks. See: Windows 95 SLIP/PPP Setup Instructions http://www.mcs.com/~barry/html/wn95slip.html Warp Internet Setup. http://pclt.cis.yale.edu/pclt/winworld/os2.htm Microsoft Windows NT users: Recent releases of NT include a stack. If yours doesn't, you can get it via FTP from... ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/peropsys/windows/Public/tcpip/ Also, NT setup can be a bit difficult. See this file for help: ftp://ftp.winternet.com/users/faz/ntppp.wri Microsoft Windows for Workgroups users: Recent releases of Windows for Workgroups also include a stack. If yours doesn't, you can get it via FTP from ftp.microsoft.com. Unfortunately, this stack can only be used for direction connections, not for dialup (modem) connections. See below for info about add-on stacks. Microsoft Windows users: 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. * Winsock applications. And, of course, you'll need some Winsock applications. [*]Section 2- 1 points to lists of Winsock applications available. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1-4 What Winsock-compatible TCP/IP stacks are available? Trumpet Winsock Trumpet Winsock is probably the most popular stack in use today. So popular that many users think that Trumpet Winsock is the be-all and end-all of Winsock, rather than just one implementation of a standard. (Kind of like "Kleenex" versus "facial tissue.") While some of the commercial products below are "turn-key," Trumpet Winsock is very much a do-it-yourself operation. Configuration can be difficult if you're unfamiliar with the Interet; ask your Internet service provider if they have preconfigured login scripts, etc. But it's inexpensive and you're not paying for a suite of applications (which many users end up abandoning anyway, in favor of the many freeware and shareware applications available). Company: Trumpet Software International Latest Version: Shareware - 2.0b, Registered - 2.0f Type: Shareware (U.S. $25) Information: http://www.trumpet.com.au/ FTP: ftp://mirrors.aol.com/pub/cica/pc/win3/winsock/twsk20b.zip 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 Latest Version: Type: Commercial (street price approx. U.S. $100) Information: http://www.spry.com/sp_prod/index.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 Information: 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://pclt.cis.yale.edu/pclt/winworld/os2.htm Also: See 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/ 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.mcs.com/~barry/html/wn95slip.html --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1-5 What SLIP/PPP emulators are available? If you're limited to a shell account, you may still be able to take advantage of Winsock applications. Several SLIP/PPP emulators are available which "convert" standard shell accounts into makeshift SLIP/PPP accounts. 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 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.) The Internet Adapter (TIA) The Internet Adapter, or TIA, is the most popular of the current systems. 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. TIA is installed only on your provider's machine (your shell account). A normal TCP/IP stack (such as Trumpet Winsock) must be installed on your computer. For new users, setting up a stack itself can be a rough experience; adding TIA to the mix may push them over the edge. Compatibility Notes: SLIP only. TIA requires that you have an "8-bit clean" connection to the Internet. Check the TIA FAQs for more information. Companies: CyberSpace Development, InterMind, SoftAware Latest Version: 1.04 beta Type: Commercial with free evaluation (U.S. $25) Information (including setup information): http://marketplace.com/tia/tiahome.html FTP: ftp://marketplace.com/ Also: See [*]Appendix D, TIA Setup Tutorial. Twinsock (Troy's Winsock) Twinsock is a freeware alternative to TIA. Unlike TIA, Twinsock includes both a host program to be placed on your shell account and it's own special stack. Setup can be easier than TIA, since the stack requires no special configuration. Compatibility Notes: SLIP only. Twinsock will work even without an 8-bit clean connection, though the 6-bit mode is slower. Author: Troy Rollo Latest Version: 1.4 Type: Freeware (GNU license) Information: 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 SLiRP A recent addition to the SLIP emulation scene, SLiRP is quickly gaining momentum. Similar to TIA (it doesn't include a stack). 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. Compatibility Notes: SLIP, CSLIP, or PPP. Author: Danny Gasparovski Latest Version: 0.9k alpha Type: Freeware Information: http://blitzen.canberra.edu.au/~danjo FTP: ftp://freedom.wit.com/misc4/danjo/SLiRP No compiled versions are available yet; you'll have to compile it yourself. Remsock Remsock is a little-used SLIP emulator similar to Twinsock in that it includes its own stack. Much of the documentation is in Norwegian. Aside from compatibility problems, Remsock's biggest failing is that it's "crippleware." It stops working 15 minutes into each connection until you pay the registration fee. Compatibility Notes: SLIP only. Company: Oslonett Latest Version: 2.03a Type: Demoware (U.S. $15) FTP: ftp://oslonett.no/Shareware/Windows/Comm/remsock.zip --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-1 What lists of Winsock applications are available? There are several regularly updated lists of Winsock applications. If you're looking for something, try these lists first. You can FTP the files directly through either of the Web-based lists. 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). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-2 What Winsock related newsgroups are available? Newsgroup: alt.winsock General discussion of Winsock applications. Newsgroup: alt.dcom.slip-emulators Discussion of SLIP emulators. Newsgroup: comp.os.ms-windows.networking.tcp-ip TCP/IP networking under Windows, including Winsock. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-3 What Winsock resources are available on the IRC? #Winsock The IRC channel #Winsock was created by [*]Keith Veseleny (IRC nick: VC). Participants discuss the latest Winsock applications, assist new users, etc. For those unfamiliar with IRC bots, bots are special computer programs which look like other IRC users. Two bots on #Winsock provide help and files, 24 hours a day. alphaBot is #Winsock's help bot (this FAQ is based on the help file first created for alphaBot). Type "/msg alphaBot help" for answers to common questions. GigaBot is #Winsock's file bot. Many of the latest Winsock applications can be downloaded from the bot using DCC file transfer. Type "/msg GigaBot files" to see a list of available files, and then "/msg GigaBot filename.zip" to receive a particular file. #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. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-4 Where can I find Winsock programming information? Here's some information to get you started... 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 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-1 What are the best MTU/MSS settings for Trumpet Winsock? There is no consensus about the "best" settings for Trumpet Winsock. Certainly the effectiveness of various settings depends upon the hardware you're using. The "master" setting is MTU. The other settings are dependent on the size of MTU. TCP RWIN should be 2 to 3 times the size of MTU. TCP MSS must be exactly 40 less than MTU. The maximum MTU setting is 1500. The usual default settings are MTU - 1500, TCP RWIN - 4096, and TCP MSS - 1460. If these settings seem to work well for you, there's little reason to adjust them. If your connection seems unusually slow or if you're experiencing errors, you may wish to experiment with these settings. Try various MTU increments between 1500 and 256, keeping in mind that the other settings must be modified according to the MTU. Note: Some Internet service providers do not recommend an MTU setting below 1006. If you need to set your MTU lower than that, you may need a new UART and comm driver. See [*]Section 3-2 for details. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-2 What causes "Comm Overrun" errors in Trumpet Winsock? If your system is configured properly, Comm Overrun errors should be an extreme rarity. If you're receiving them regularly, there's a problem. These errors usually result from the use of a 28.8k modem with Microsoft Windows 3.1/3.11. 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. FTP: ftp://wuarchive.wustl.edu/systems/ibmpc/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" Trumpet Winsock's MTU/MSS settings. [*]Section 3-1 covers the adjustment of these settings. There's also a Windows Data Communications FAQ by Malcom Hoar: http://www.best.com/~malch/comfaq.html --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-3 How do I cure "Call to Undefined Dynalink" errors? Trumpet Winsock and other Winsock stacks can produce a "Call to Undefined Dynalink" error. It's usually easy to fix. 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. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-4 How do I cure Netscape's "Can't Find C:\TEMP Directory" error? Most Windows users have their temporary directory set to C:\WINDOWS\TEMP -- but Netscape assumes that you use C:\TEMP unless you tell it otherwise. To correct this problem, do the following: In Netscape, go to the "Options" menu. Choose "Preferences." At the very top of the dialog there will be a drop-down listbox. Click it, and choose "Directories, Applications, and News." Change C:\TEMP to C:\WINDOWS\TEMP (or whatever your actual temporary directory is) and click "OK." Users of Windows or Windows for Workgroups can determine their temporary directory by examining their AUTOEXEC.BAT file. The line will look similar to this: SET TEMP=c:\windows\temp\ If no such line exists, you'll want to add one. Make sure that the indicated directory exists. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-5 How do I cure various errors in WinTalk? Depending upon the version of WinTalk you use, you may either 1) have trouble running the program, with frequent "gethostname()" or similar error messages, or 2) the program may appear to work properly until you attempt to talk with someone, and you receive a "They don't recognize us!" error. 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. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-6 Which IRC servers welcome Internet Phone? Internet Phone users are not welcome on many IRC servers. You must use an IRC server which allows Internet Phone. 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 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-7 How do I cure various errors in News Xpress? * "Authentication" or "No Authorization" Error 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 3-8. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-8 How do I cure the "More Included Text than New Text" (too much quoted text) error in my News Reader? If you receive a "More Included Text than New Text," "More Quoted Text than Original Text," or a similar error when trying to follow-up to a Usenet news article, your news reader software is not to blame. 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. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-9 How do I uudecode binary files? There are several ways to uudecode files: Use your news reader. Many news reader packages, including News Xpress, Free Agent, and WinVN, include built-in uudecoding. Use your e-mail software. Some e-mail packages, such as Pegasus Mail, include built-in decoding of various file types. Use a stand-alone decoder. WinCode 2.61 is probably the most popular. FTP: ftp://oak.oakland.edu/SimTel/win3/encode/wncod261.zip Also see Jim Howard's alt.binaries.pictures FAQ: http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/pictures-faq/top.html --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-10 How can I access my news server using TIA and Netcom? TIA cannot access Netcom's news server without a special "patch." 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. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-11 Why am I receiving GPF errors in WSIRC? Some releases of WSIRC have a bug which allows other IRC users to easily cause WSIRC to crash (GPF, General Protection Fault). A simple CTCP command is all it takes. Look for version 1.14g or above, or switch to another IRC client. See [*]Section 2-1. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix A Search files by keyword with SHASE Can't find something? Use SHASE to search by keyword. 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.) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix B Trumpet Winsock Login Script Tutorial [Not written yet...] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix C Pegasus Mail Setup Tutorial Pegasus Mail for Windows is a popular mail client, but because it is so flexible (it can be configured to run on just about any type of network, not just the Internet, and in just about any kind of circumstance), some users are confused by the setup process. This tutorial will breifly explain the basics of setting up Pegasus for use with Winsock. 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. * Getting Pegasus. As of this writing, the latest version of Pegasus is version 2.0 beta 3. 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/winpm2b3.zip ...and copy the included files to your Pegasus directory. * Setting Up Pegasus. 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! * A Few Usage Tips. 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 "Jerk@annoying.com" 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. * Other Resources. 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 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix D TIA Setup Tutorial [This section was written by Iggy@metronet.com] 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. * Getting TIA. 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 tia-eval-support@marketplace.com.) 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 .tia to 'tia'--Example: mv sparc.sunos.tia tia 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!) * Getting a TIA License. Send a blank e-mail message to tia-single@marketplace.com. 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. * Setting Up & Using Trumpet Winsock. 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 joeblow@foobar.com, 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. * Other Resources. http://marketplace.com/tia/tia.faq.pointers.html TIA FAQ's and other documents from Marketplace.com http://marketplace.com/tia/tia.user.faqs/mark.stout/tiasetup.html Windows and TIA FAQ by Mark Stout http://marketplace.com/tia/tia.user.faqs/jay.shepherd/win95tia.html Windows 95 and TIA FAQ by Rupa Schomaker http://venus.ee.ndsu.nodak.edu/os2/rupa/tiafaq_idx.html OS/2 Warp and TIA FAQ by Jay Shepherd http://www.webcom.com/~llarrow/tiarefg.html TIA Setup Reference by Lynn Larrow --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Appendix E Lists of Internet Service Providers The first step in getting connected to the Internet is, of course, finding a connection. Here are several lists of dialup Internet service providers. 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://colossus.net/list.html 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.teleport.com/~cci/directories/pocia/foreign/foreign.html U.S. provider list from Commerce.Net: http://www.commerce.net/directories/products/isp.usa.ix.html --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright Information and Disclaimer Copyright C 1995 MXS Consulting Group. All Rights Reserved. This file may be freely distributed so long as it is distributed complete and intact and for non-commercial purposes. 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 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