Internet in a |  | by Al Austin, with supplemental information by Sid George |
Many companies are serious enough about their work to find the cash necessary to purchase the best or most reasonable software available on the market. When it comes to the internet some people (primarily minor service providers) might want the public to use shareware products.
These good spirited shareware products unfortunately often pale next to decent commercial software such as Internet in a Box by Spry software. (Spry's internet address is http://www.spry.com.) The following article will tell the reader how to configure Internet in a Box for use with HAL-PC's own internet service (HALNet). Obviously the first step is to buy the program. When installing it, pick your internet provider as "other." Do NOT pick Interserv, Prodigy, America on Line, Sprintlink, CompuServe, Bix, Delphi or Dow Jones as the default provider unless you are in great need of the information they may have.
Standard Disclaimer: HALNet and Internet in a Box are the product of humans, thus have human error via abstract communication built in into them. We all may hope for a perfect world, but progress remains slow and critical review is always necessary.
Configuration items for Internet in a Box
Open the Configuration Icon by double clicking on it. See that there are three sections to this screen. The first is the Software Setup, next the Current Configuration and finally the Profiles Section. You will need the Software Setup once; if you don't get it right the first time don't worry. The majority of settings are actually in the other two sections. The first section jumps back and forth to the second and third sections. You can always come back and change the software configuration later.
The first section icons show two sections, Instant Access and Software Registration. The registration won't hurt you but the company that now owns CompuServe (H & R Block) might put you into their promotional mailing lists. (NOTE: This may be a good idea. For instance, version 1 users can download an upgrade free from their web site if they have purchased the product since April. In addition, Spry also will keep registered users up to date with some pretty nice plug-ins for their products. Ed.) Instant Access is not labeled correctly. It should read Interserv/CompuServe access.
First let's create a profile or a configuration setup that will work with hal-pc.org. Under the Communications Icon we can create, open or delete a profile. The profile we want to create should be called hal-pc.org. You should pick New, then enter New Profile Name: hal-pc.org
Leave the "Copy setting from" section [blank].
Let's look at the Current Configuration section for the correct settings. Double click on the Communications icon to configure the modem, comm port and access account information. In Communications Setup, Modem Setupthere are 27 choices for the type of US Robotics modem you may be using, not to mention the other modems listed. If you are not sure which modem to choose, I suggest that you call 18007779638 for some free help on that.
That is also a good number to call if you are having any problem with Internet in a Box. Sid George thought he knew which modem he had but was wrong.
Next you will see two more base areas, the Dialer and Communications Setup. We'll go straight through all the icons in both sections.
Double click on the Dialer Setup. Enter the following information in the dialog box:
Dial Before: (leave blank unless you need to enter a "9" to get a dial tone or *70, to disable call-waiting on tone dial phones)
Dial After: (leave blank)
Phone Number: 963-4141
Network settings as follows:
Your IP Address: 204.52.135.80
Name Server #1: 204.52.135.1
Your Host Name: hal-pc.org
Netmask: 255.255.255.0
Name server #2: 204.52.135.1
Domain name: hal-pc.org
Configure using Boot: (leave unchecked)
Notice the button on the bottom of the Dialer Setup dialog box.
You may want to check the following settings under Timers.
In the Dial and Hang-up section you may find these settings usable:
Attempt to redial: [3] times
Timeout after: [90] sec.
Redial after: [30] sec.
[ ] Never Disconnect and
[ ] Prompt before reconnecting (leave
these both blank)
When any dial up application is open but inactive, hang-up after
hrs [0]:min [5]: sec: [0] and check the prompt before hang-up, inboard activity and outboard activity boxes.
When all dial up applications are closed, hang-up after:
hrs: [0]min: [0] sec: [40] and check the prompt before hang-up box.
Let's go back to the Dialer Setup and select the Interface button.
Select the SLIP connection (It's an older method that is currently in use at HALNet.) [NOTE: Since this article was written, HALNet's portmaster has upgraded the preferred protocol to PPP. Both SLIP and PPP are available to HALNet subscribers. Ed. See also footnote #3]
Be sure to select the Setting button for some important selections.
Select Dynamic to parse the IP Address from the Terminal window.
Parse the [1st] IP address sent from the remote host.
Check the Enable VJ CSLIP.
The Maximum Transmission Units setting is MTU: [1006].
Double click on the Log in Setup.
This is the script area for the Log in. If you want to log on manually you can skip this section. Select Auto to automate your Log in by associating your Log in responses with the prompts you expect from the remote host.
In the Auto Log in section include these settings:
Initial Carriage Returns: [0] Timeout: [30] Attempts: [3]
Now we need to enter the script to connect with the HALNet server.
Pick the new button and enter the following information in the Auto Log in Event dialog box.
Wait for: [Log In], then . . .
...pause: [0] seconds before . . .
Response:[austin]
The options section should have a send response, do not prompt (none) selected.
The only other entry in this section is the seconds spot which defaults to zero.
Select OK and then create the next line.
Pick the new button and enter the following information in the Auto Log in Event dialog box:
Wait for: [password], then . . .
...pause: [1] seconds before . . .
Response:[ FirenBelly]< an old password
The options section should have a send response to start the packet mode. Check this option.
If the auto script doesn't work, try the manual log in. If you try the manual version you will be prompted for your user name and password. After these are entered you will need to initiate the packet mode by clicking the Pck Mode icon that appears with a "P" at the top of your "Dialer" window. If you did this all correctly you will see the "balloons explode" and you will then be on line with the connection to the HALNet. But for now let's finish the configuration.
The only other entry in this section is the seconds spot which defaults to zero.
Select OK and then go back to the Log in Setup box to check all your settings and if they are OK go to the next setup section.
Double click on the Port Setup. You will see options for COM1 through COM4. If you have a 28.8 or 14.4 modem set the baud rate one step higher than your modem speed [e.g., 19200 for a 14.4 modem]; if that doesn't work try 9600 baud. Now check the communications parameters by selecting the Advanced button. The data bits should be [8], Parity [none], Stop bits [1] and the Flow Control set to [Hardware].
Double click on the Modem Setup. Here you might find your particular brand of modem. Your phone line probably is a [tone] interface; if not, set it to [pulse]. Select the Advanced button and set AutoBaud to [on], Hang-up Method to [both] and leave the Ignore Clear to Send Signal [blank].
Going back to the Communications Setup area, there is a last button for custom settings. I suggest that you leave all these defaults exactly as they appear.
Double click on the Custom Setup. Make a mental note related to the information here. You might want to change the settings, but I don't suggest it. If your initiation startup string does not work you probably have chosen the wrong modem type.
The next section is important to get all the HALNet running correctly. Select the Host button from the Configuration Utility box. Here we will set the defaults for Mosaic, News, Mail, Gopher, the FTP File Manager and the Relay Host.
Under the E-mail Account area enter the following information:
E-mail User name: [austin] <-enter your own user name
E-mail Password: [FirenBelly] <-enter your own password
POP3 E-mail Host: [mail.hal-pc.org]
SMTP Relay Host: [mail.hal-pc.org]
E-mail Address: [austin@hal-pc.org]<-enter your own e-mail address
Next select the: Default Internet hosts
Spry Mosaic: [http//www.hal-pc.org] See the Mosaic description below
Spry Gopher:[gopher.hal-pc.org] See the Gopher Description Below
Spry News: [news.hal-pc.org]
If you have been using a service provider other than HALNet, you will have different settings for the HOST and Communications Profile. It is important that you make sure the settings are the same for both HOST and COMMUNICATIONS PROFILE. Therefore, if you are using HALNet, make sure the HALNet's settings are used for both the HOST and COMMUNICATIONS PROFILE.
Please note that you do not have to use these HALNet operations, your personal tastes and interests may vary. It is important that the e-mail and FTP systems are 99.99% stable and perhaps HALNet might fit your needs. I find however that HALNet's mail [Readers should not confuse e-mail and USENET news groups. Ed.] section is light on business and commerce issues while being heavier on other "less professional" (Small or Home Office or zero productivity) filler. You can easily find some other news groups that might fit your interests. See the news section below. [If there are Newsgroups that you would like to access, send an e-mail message to the HALNet news administrator or helpdesk and request them, chances are they can be made available. Ed.]
We are almost finished with the Setup, but look at the Profiles section. Under the Communications Icon we can Create, open or delete a hosts profile. The profile we created earlier should be called hal-pc.org. Select the Hosts button to Create, open or delete a Hosts Profile. All the defaults from the previously entered data should be transferred to this setup. This should conclude the software configuration; you may now be ready to "surf" the net. If you are happy with all the settings select exit. All your settings will automatically be saved in the profile file that you created.
We should all now be looking at the main Internet in a Box screen. There you will see the main Internet components, Mosaic, Mail, News, Gopher, Network File Manager, Telnet, Configuration, Dialer, Quick View and Quick Tour of the Internet.
Spry Mosaic is a GUI browser program for Home Pages and the World Wide Web. The only competitor to this program is the Netscape browser. Netscape is an aggressive newcomer on the block. You might like it for the background graphics support, but I'm sticking to the tried and true 32-bit Mosaic which has more than enough functionality to serve my browsing needs. [Netscape was around well before Spry Mosaic and it is still a fact that Mosaic won't recognize Netscape extensions. However, the Spry Mosaic Browser does have some features that Netscape lacks, such as the ability to readily convert web graphics to wallpaper. Ed.]
Spry News is a program that lets you read a variety of news items. The news items listed are related to a wide ranging spectra. The government is trying to control the news available to the public by censoring some opposing views. Some Internet providers are also limiting the accessibility to many news areas.
Spry Gopher is an interface for information searching into servers that provide that service.
Spry Mail is a mail reader, composition and storage program. [Many internet users think the e-mail or AIRMAIL program is far superior than other readily available mailers they have used. They also think it much easier to use. Ed.]
Spry NFM is a file manager program. It is configured like the Windows File manager program. Remote File Transfer Protocol sites act like bulletin board sites that have files that you can copy to your local hard disk. You can copy files to an FTP site if you have been given that privilege. This varies with each site so check the read write attributes of any "folder" or directory of the accessible remote site before attempting to copy a file to its system. [Don't pass over this tool too quickly because it is a formidable one, particularly if you download many files from the internet. It uses a file manager metaphor and one will see two windows - the remote site and one's own files tree, making it very easy to drag and drop files from one to the other. Ed.]
Spry Telnet is a terminal emulation program. Some Telnet remote sites are extremely crude, others surprisingly in-depth with detail. They act as a front end to databases for a variety of purposes. You might not be able to appreciate the operations of the unconventional operating systems because they are usually a plain, text-based interface. These sites can be very graphically boring, but may contain information that is not available elsewhere. Some of the Telnet sites are exceptional databases of extremely valuable information. They do provide a means of locating otherwise inaccessible information. Luckily the Internet in a Box lets you personalize the Log in scripts and has other editing features to help the user interface become more robust.
Spry Image View is a viewing/drawing/painting program. It is very similar to many other minor programming attempts such as Microsoft's Draw/Paint programs.
System requirements: 386 CPU, 4Megs of RAM, Windows 3.1 or 3.11 and at least a 9600 bps modem.
Al Austin with supplemental information provided by Sid George, both of whom are HAL-PC members.
[NOTES: 1) Internet in a Box includes a copy of Ed Krol's famous book, "The Whole Internet Users Guide" as well as the "Internet Quick Tour"; 2.) Internet in a Box for Kids is also available and includes SURFWATCH built-in, a subscription to SPRY KIDS (no adults allowed) and an area set aside for kids only; and, 3.) Although the Win95's "windsocket" is about the best on the market, Spry's highly regarded Air Dialer is the most stable windsocket for 16-bit applications such as Win 3.1/3.11. Al Massey, HAL-PC member.]
This page is best viewed using Netscape ver. 2.0b5 or higher. Designed by Meredith Foster. E-mail me at webmaster@hal-pc.org with any comments you have and tell me what you want to see here.
Back to the User Journal Home Page