File: APPHINTS.TXT Date: 16 Nov 1994 This file discusses some ethernet-based DOS applications that have been tested with PPPPKT, including comments on performance, quirks and critical configuration parameters to set. It is possible to put together a relatively nice suite of free- or share-ware applications which work quite well with PPPPKT by selecting the best items from below. Undoubtedly users will find other applications which work, and will find ways to improve upon the performance discussed here. The author would be interested to hear of such developments, for possible inclusion in future editions of this file. Each package is listed with an anonymous ftp source, its executable files with a brief comment, and finally some general comments and specific hints. The comments apply in the context of use with PPPPKT. In many cases they are based on rather limited testing. Noted problems are not intended to inflame. Obviously the performance on true ethernet is bug-free. MS-Kermit 3.13 (telnet, scripted dialing) ============== Source: math.ucla.edu:/pub/kermit/msdos/msker313.zip msr31212.pch msr313.pch oak.oakland.edu:/SimTel/msdos/kermit/msker313.zip msr31321.pch kermit.columbia.edu:/kermit/bin/msvibm.exe 231736 7-12-93 3:01p kermit.exe ok Seems to work fairly well, although response times during a given session can vary, sometimes becoming quite slow. Here is a sample configuration file's TCP/IP section (use IP numbers appropriate to your situation): ;-------- set tcp/ip address NN.NN.NN.NN ; set tcp/ip subnetmask 255.MM.MM.0 ; set tcp/ip domain machine.organization.country set tcp/ip gateway GG.GG.GG.GG ; set tcp/ip primary-nameserver N1.N1.N1.N1 set tcp/ip secondary-nameserver N2.N2.N2.N2 set tcp/ip broadcast 255.255.255.255 set tcp/ip Packet-Driver-interrupt \x60 ; set tcp/ip newline-mode on set tcp/ip debug-Options off set tcp/ip host HH.HH.HH.HH ; preferred default host set port tcp/ip def session set port tcp \%1, con ; TELNET macro, and macros for telnetting to particular hosts ; using appropriate terminal type. ; \%1 = IP host name or address ; \%2 = TCP port (optional, default is 23) ; \%3 = terminal type (optional) ; define telnet - set flow none,- set port tcp \%1 \%2,- if def \%3 set term type \%3,- pause 0, if fail end 1, connect ; pause will start connection set window 4 ;-------- NCSAPPP Package (telnet, ftp, finger, lp*) =============== Source: ftp.demon.co.uk:/pub/ibmpc/ncsa/ncsappp.zip 101919 3-06-92 11:44a finger.exe ok 143175 3-06-92 11:45a ftpbin.exe unreliable 101315 3-06-92 11:45a lpq.exe ok 105473 3-06-92 11:45a lpr.exe very slow 101059 3-06-92 11:45a lprm.exe ? 214709 3-06-92 11:45a telbin.exe best 247552 3-13-92 1:53p tn3270.exe no go The telnet application (telbin) is probably the best of the bunch in terms of response time, provided you make the "retrans=" parameter *small* enough, say 5 or less ticks. The feeding of 's is a bit quirky. The ftp server built into telbin gives quite good performance for downloads, while uploads are ok but too slow. This configuration file is possibly the hardest to set up properly. Note that you can use myip=RARP . The following parameters work for me: ;-------- arptime=2 # arp timeout in seconds [ticks? this ver.] domainretry=4 domaintime=20 contime=270 # timeout in ticks ?? to try connection # before returning error to user retrans=5 # starting retransmit time out in ticks # 1/18ths of sec mtu=1024 # maximum transmit unit in bytes # outgoing packet size, MAX=1024 maxseg=1024 # largest segment we can receive # whatever the hardware can take, MAX=2048 rwin=4096 # most bytes we can receive without ACK # =TCP window size, MAX=4096 # larger isn't always better ;-------- NCSA Telnet 2.3.07 (telnet, ftp, finger, lp*, etc.) ================== Source: ftp.ncsa.uiuc.edu:/PC/DOS/Telnet/tel2307b.zip oak.oakland.edu:/SimTel/msdos/ncsatlnt/tel2307b.zip tel23doc.zip 99008 11-19-93 8:17p finger.exe not reliable 168750 11-19-93 8:01p ftpbin.exe ok 98484 11-19-93 8:23p lpq.exe ok 103424 11-19-93 8:23p lpr.exe very slow 97892 11-19-93 8:23p lprm.exe ? 100308 11-19-93 8:34p rexec.exe ? 100216 11-19-93 8:39p rsh.exe ok 100746 11-19-93 8:06p setclock.exe ok 273734 11-19-93 7:55p telbin.exe slow response 98586 11-19-93 8:44p whois.exe ok The ftp application (ftpbin) works reasonably well, although could be a bit faster. This telbin gives me about 7 seconds delay in echoing characters back to the session -- molasses! WATTCP (ftp, many utilities, telnet daemon) ====== Source: dorm.rutgers.edu:/pub/msdos/wattcp/apps.zip telnetd.zip oak.oakland.edu:/pub/msdos/pktdrvr/telnetd.zip 46272 9-15-94 4:09p cookie.exe ? 46048 9-15-94 4:08p daytime.exe ok 54240 9-15-94 4:08p finger.exe times out too quick 188800 9-15-94 4:19p ftp.exe best 46800 9-15-94 4:09p lpq.exe ok 66144 9-15-94 4:08p lpr.exe ? 50528 9-15-94 4:09p ntime.exe ? 52016 9-15-94 4:09p ph.exe ok 50208 9-15-94 4:08p ping.exe best 56352 9-15-94 4:09p popdump.exe ok 54288 9-15-94 4:09p rexec.exe ? 52128 9-15-94 4:09p tcpinfo.exe ? 76320 9-15-94 4:09p tcpport.exe ? 51152 9-15-94 4:09p tcptalk.exe no go The ftp program is the best I've found for direct downloads to the pc. It downloads files very quickly, though the connection can time out unexpectedly. Unfortunately, on uploads it becomes slower and slower so as to make it useless for all but the smallest of files. Cautions: - popdump will delete the mail on the server. - telnetd reportedly reboots the PC on exit. NCSA/Univ. Port Elizabeth Telnet 2.3.07.04 (ping, hopchk, nslookup) ========================================== Source: ftp.upe.ac.za:/pub/msdos/ncsa/tel23074.zip 80204 9-15-94 8:48p finger.exe unreliable 133006 9-15-94 8:48p ftpbin.exe no go 97304 9-15-94 8:49p hopchk.exe good 81296 9-15-94 8:49p netstat.exe no go 78660 9-15-94 8:49p nslookup.exe ok 97410 9-15-94 8:49p ping.exe unreliable 268966 9-15-94 8:47p telbin.exe no go 9088 2-27-94 10:34p packetid.exe (ok) The main programs telbin and ftpbin get nowhere, but some of the other utilities are quite useful. NUPOP 2.1 alpha 18 (new Post Office Protocol mail, gopher, finger, etc.) ================== Source: casbah.acns.nwu.edu:/pub/nupop/nupoppro.zip nupopsch.zip nupopsup.zip /pub/nupop/nupop210_test_release/nupop210.zip 784896 3-17-94 10:43p nupop.exe ok 64984 1-16-94 5:48p nutcpwat.exe ok nupop seems to collect mail ok, although a bit slowly, and most of the built-in utilities work, with the exception of telnet which dies miserably. But it works well for nutcpwat; in either case, testing of the connection is flawless. It appears crucial to set the "Retransmit Timeout" parameter to a *small* enough value, say 2 (ticks or seconds, the documentation is ambiguous). Trumpet News (NNTP newsreader) ============ Source: oak.oakland.edu:/SimTel/msdos/pktdrvr/trmp106b.zip 201264 9-07-93 5:50p news.exe ok 237056 9-07-93 5:49p newsdpmi.exe ok newsdpmi will use expanded memory, so is preferred. Trumpet IRC 1.01 (Internet Relay Chat) ================ Source: cs.bu.edu:/irc/clients/msdos/irc101.zip 136608 11-07-93 0:35a irc101.exe ok Hey all, it works!!!!!!!!!! ... but the LAG :-( TALK-13 (talk) ======= Source: oak.oakland.edu:/SimTel/msdos/pktdrvr/talk-13.zip 47890 4-05-94 9:16p talk.exe ok Works fairly well (occasionally claims to "give up" but connects anyway). PC Gopher III 1.04 (gopher) ================== Source: oak.oakland.edu:/SimTel/msdos/pktdrvr/pcg3.zip 270625 5-24-93 10:43a gopher.exe ok In this case, it's critical to set the Retransmit Timeout *large* enough, say 30 seconds. Not real fast. CUTCP ARCHIE 2.2TN/TC-E (archie) ======================= Source: nic.switch.ch:/mirror/msdos/lan/archie.zip 129984 1-27-92 10:18a archie.exe ok? Works some of the time. POPMail 3 (old POP mail, finger, IP resolver, etc.) ========= Source: oak.oakland.edu:/SimTel/msdos/pktdrvr/popml322.zip 374937 5-11-93 8:20p popmail.exe partly ok The link tests perfectly, and many of the minor utilities work, but can't get it to collect mail. KA9Q / NOS 2.16 (telnet, ftp, finger, ping, bbs, etc.) =============== Source: ftp.demon.co.uk:/pub/ibmpc/DIS/dis216b.exe nos215.zip 414726 3-23-94 3:14p net.exe cement Haven't got this to do much more than connect. Performance unacceptable over PPPPKT. DOSLYNX (lynx Word Wide Web browser) ======= Source: ftp.demon.co.uk:/pub/ibmpc/lynx/dlx0_71a.zip 530192 5-24-94 5:52p doslynx.exe no go Always gives "CTCP: Port unreachable." PKTMUX (packet multiplexer) ====== Source: oak.oakland.edu:/SimTel/msdos/pktdrvr/pktmx12h.zip Useful for running simultaneous applications over a single packet driver in a multitasking environment.