Post by bungeejmp on Oct 4, 2005 23:23:35 GMT -5
Tonight I had great success working with my ISP to provide my C128 with a REAL dialup connection to Q-Link!
I'll preface this by saying that the ISP and I have a working relationship, and specifically the network admin was my boss at another ISP. So, unless you're this kinda close to your ISP admins, I wouldn't recommend hounding them to do the same.
To accomplish this feat, their CVX 1800 RAS box was configured with a special user account which immediately connected to Jim's Q-Link host via TCP-Clear, which is simply a data-forwarding TCP connection.
Of course, I had to use the Q-Link manual dialer (other command driven modem) to connect, since the CVX does not speak any of the protocols the Q-Link client expects.
The next problem was with log in. The Q-Link command mode sends raw PETSCII, not ASCII. For user accounts this is not normally a problem, but it is for passwords. Therefore, we had to use a numeric password.
This setup works fine, and we'll keep it for a while.
On to the rest of the experiment. I decided that we should be able to allow shell account users to connect as well. We tried setting up a dial-in shell to my Solaris server, but we ran into two problems: the first being the PETSCII issue (required the username to be all uppercase, and numeric password again,) but also that the telnet/rlogin connection protocols from the CVX appear to be massively broken when speaking to a server and having to down-sample data to a slow speed, such as 300 or 1200bps.
TCP-Clear worked to the server, and I was able to log in, but I could not open a connection to the Q-Link host, seeming for a similar problem.
So, one experiment successful, another failed, but we believe due to hardware limitations.
IF YOU USE A C64 TO ACCESS THE INTERNET VIA A SHELL ACCOUNT, YOU CAN HELP!
Yes, but it requires a few things:
1) The username for the dialup account must be case-insensitive, and probably passed to the shell server as lowercase
2) You must use a numeric password, or any letters must be uppercase
3) You will need to create a script named QLINK (uppercase is important!!), give it executable permission (chmod 700) with these contents:
#!/bin/sh
telnet qlink.quantum-link.org 5190
Note1: change /bin/sh to the real location of your shell if necessary
Note2: I recommend using netcat (nc) if your admin makes it available (which s/he probably doesn't for security reasons.) Check the man page for the proper syntax.
Before going on to the next steps, I *highly* recommend that you remove any special welcomes or banners from your login profile, as they will probably take a REALLY LONG TIME at 300/1200 bps.
Now, boot up your Q-Link disk (should be in manual dial mode, if not, load the "CHANGE ACCESS" program first.) Manuall dial your ISP using the atdt command string. When connected, log in like you normally would in your terminal, using your username (type it in lowercase!) and your password (again, enter letters in lowercase, as PETSCII lowercase = ASCII uppercase.)
Then, when you get your shell prompt, enter
qlink
(remember, the script is named in uppercase, and you type the command in lowercase due to the PET/ASCII conversion.)
You should get something like this:
Trying 66.135.38.238...
Connected to qlink.quantum-link.org.
Escape character is '^]'.
When you do, hit F1, that SHOULD connect you. If it does not, please try again. If it fails, let me know.
I believe the shell account method will work, though it may not and you may not actually get past the login point due to the PETSCII/ASCII conversion problem. I do not have access to the proper equipment to test this. YMMV, nothing guaranteed, only moral support provided.
Good luck!
I'll preface this by saying that the ISP and I have a working relationship, and specifically the network admin was my boss at another ISP. So, unless you're this kinda close to your ISP admins, I wouldn't recommend hounding them to do the same.
To accomplish this feat, their CVX 1800 RAS box was configured with a special user account which immediately connected to Jim's Q-Link host via TCP-Clear, which is simply a data-forwarding TCP connection.
Of course, I had to use the Q-Link manual dialer (other command driven modem) to connect, since the CVX does not speak any of the protocols the Q-Link client expects.
The next problem was with log in. The Q-Link command mode sends raw PETSCII, not ASCII. For user accounts this is not normally a problem, but it is for passwords. Therefore, we had to use a numeric password.
This setup works fine, and we'll keep it for a while.
On to the rest of the experiment. I decided that we should be able to allow shell account users to connect as well. We tried setting up a dial-in shell to my Solaris server, but we ran into two problems: the first being the PETSCII issue (required the username to be all uppercase, and numeric password again,) but also that the telnet/rlogin connection protocols from the CVX appear to be massively broken when speaking to a server and having to down-sample data to a slow speed, such as 300 or 1200bps.
TCP-Clear worked to the server, and I was able to log in, but I could not open a connection to the Q-Link host, seeming for a similar problem.
So, one experiment successful, another failed, but we believe due to hardware limitations.
IF YOU USE A C64 TO ACCESS THE INTERNET VIA A SHELL ACCOUNT, YOU CAN HELP!
Yes, but it requires a few things:
1) The username for the dialup account must be case-insensitive, and probably passed to the shell server as lowercase
2) You must use a numeric password, or any letters must be uppercase
3) You will need to create a script named QLINK (uppercase is important!!), give it executable permission (chmod 700) with these contents:
#!/bin/sh
telnet qlink.quantum-link.org 5190
Note1: change /bin/sh to the real location of your shell if necessary
Note2: I recommend using netcat (nc) if your admin makes it available (which s/he probably doesn't for security reasons.) Check the man page for the proper syntax.
Before going on to the next steps, I *highly* recommend that you remove any special welcomes or banners from your login profile, as they will probably take a REALLY LONG TIME at 300/1200 bps.
Now, boot up your Q-Link disk (should be in manual dial mode, if not, load the "CHANGE ACCESS" program first.) Manuall dial your ISP using the atdt command string. When connected, log in like you normally would in your terminal, using your username (type it in lowercase!) and your password (again, enter letters in lowercase, as PETSCII lowercase = ASCII uppercase.)
Then, when you get your shell prompt, enter
qlink
(remember, the script is named in uppercase, and you type the command in lowercase due to the PET/ASCII conversion.)
You should get something like this:
Trying 66.135.38.238...
Connected to qlink.quantum-link.org.
Escape character is '^]'.
When you do, hit F1, that SHOULD connect you. If it does not, please try again. If it fails, let me know.
I believe the shell account method will work, though it may not and you may not actually get past the login point due to the PETSCII/ASCII conversion problem. I do not have access to the proper equipment to test this. YMMV, nothing guaranteed, only moral support provided.
Good luck!