Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

To get information on the following topics in this help file click on the bulleted items below:

Internet overview information

How do I download information from Frontier?

Performance Enhancements

Email questions

Dial-up questions

Other questions


Internet Overview Information

What is an Internet Service Provider (ISP)?

An Internet Service Provider is an organization that connects your computer to the Internet.  If you are using the Home installation, you are going to need to set up your own account with an Internet Service Provider.  Those who use the On-the-Road installation usually get the account information for their Internet Service Provider from their System Administrator.  Those who are always on a LAN do not need to establish an account with an Internet Service Provider. Using an Internet Service Provider that has default installation information simplifies installing SuperTCP Suite.

How do I Dial In to the Internet?

If you use the Home or On-the-Road or Custom dial-up installation, a telephone line connects to your computer through a modem.

1.	You dial in to your Internet Service Provider to connect to the Internet.

Those who use the Home and On-the-Road and Custom dial-up installations dial in to the Internet through an Internet Service Provider.  When you dial in, your computer automatically calls a phone number given to you by your Internet Service Provider.  The connection to your Internet Service Provider uses a communication protocol that can be PPP, SLIP or CSLIP.  These protocols require a script of information in order to work properly.  A script is part of the default installation information provided for the Internet Service Providers listed in the Help.

The connection is to the Gateway computer at your Internet Service Provider.  The Gateway receives messages and routes them to another Internet destination.

2.	After the connection is made, you log in to your Internet Service Provider.

Most Internet Service Providers require a login user name and password which they assign to you.  Some Internet Service Providers use a PPP Authentication Password (PAP) instead.  Whichever one your Internet Service Provider uses, you need to enter it to log in.  For example, your login user name could be Don and your password could be baseball.

3.	You log in to the Frontier product using your Local User Name and password.

4.	Suppose you go into the Browser and decide to get information from the World Wide Web site at Frontier Technologies Corporation.

The user-friendly name for our Web site is www.frontiertech.com.  This is a name you can understand, but a computer does not understand it.  A Domain Name Server at your Internet Service Provider translates user-friendly names into an IP address like 192.456.78.9.  The IP address is the address the computer can understand.  After the Domain Name Server translates the name, the message goes back to the Gateway computer.

The first tab in the Browser is the Frontier tab.  You would double click on Frontier Technologies Corporation World Wide Web to access our Web site.

5.	The Gateway computer checks if the IP address is for a computer that has an account with your Internet Service Provider.

6.	Assuming you have a different Internet link than Frontier Technologies Corporation, the Gateway computer does not find the IP address.

7.	The Gateway computer sends the message to its default Gateway which routes the message.

8.	Routing continues until the Gateway computer at an Internet site finds the IP address for www.frontiertech.com in its domain.

9.	The Gateway computer sends your message to www.frontiertech.com and you see the Home Page of our Web site on your screen.

How do I Use the Internet From a LAN?

1.	You log in to your LAN using your LAN user name and password.

2.	You log in to your Frontier Technologies' product using your Local User Name and password.

3.	Suppose you go into the Browser and decide to get information from the World Wide Web site at Frontier Technologies Corporation.

The user-friendly name for our Web site is www.frontiertech.com.  This is a name you can understand, but a computer does not understand it.  A Domain Name Server at your organization translates user-friendly names into an IP address like 192.456.78.9.  The IP address is the address the computer can understand.  After the Domain Name Server translates the name, the message goes back to the Gateway computer for your organization.

The first tab in the Browser is the Frontier tab.  You would double click on Frontier Technologies Corporation World Wide Web to access our Web site.

4.	The Gateway computer checks if the IP address is for a computer that is in your organization.

5.	Since you do not work for Frontier Technologies Corporation, the Gateway computer does not find the IP address.

6.	The Gateway computer sends the message to its default Gateway which routes the message.

7.	Routing continues until the Gateway computer at an Internet site finds the IP address for www.frontiertech.com in its domain.

8.	The Gateway computer sends your message to www.frontiertech.com and you see the Home Page of our Web site on your screen.


How to Download from Frontier
Downloading Patches from Frontier

You can use the Browser or FTP to download patches from Frontier.  For more information, click on one of the following:

How to download a patch from Frontiers Web site.

How to download a patch from Frontiers FTP site.


How to Download a Patch from Frontiers Web Site

Use the following steps to create a temporary directory and download a patch to the temporary directory from Frontiers Web site.

1.	Open File Manager.

Unless you have moved File Manager, it is in the Main group window in Program Manager.

2.	Make a temporary directory where you can store the patch you are downloading.  To make a temporary directory:

Click on the drive where you are saving the patch, for example:  C:

Click File, Create Directory.

Enter the name of the directory, for example:  patch.

3.	Start the Browser.

4.	Go to the Frontier tab.

5.	Double click on Frontiers Web site.

6.	Click the lion whos on the telephone giving support information.

7.	On the Technical Support Page, scroll down to Product Solutions, List of Patches.

8.	Double click the List of Patches.

9.	Double click the name of the patch you want to download.

10.	After you double click the patch, a screen of detailed information displays.  Double click the underlined name of the patch.

This starts up the FTP application in the Browser.  Enter your Email address as your password.  Write down the name of the startup directory and the file containing the patch.

The FTP List View screen displays.

11.	On the left side of the screen under Local, click on the directory of your PC where you want to save the patch.

12.	On the right side of the screen under Remote, click on the directory and file containing the patch.  Either drag the file to the directory on your PC or click the Copy button.

13.	On the menu, click Connect, Disconnect to end your connection.

14.	Click File, Exit to exit FTP.

15.	Exit the Browser.

16.	Apply the patch.


How to Download a Patch from Frontiers FTP Site

Use the following steps to create a temporary directory and download a patch to the temporary directory from Frontiers FTP site.

1.	Open File Manager.

2.	Make a temporary directory where you can store the patch you are downloading.

3.	Start up the FTP application.

4.	In the Connect dialog:

Enter ftp.frontiertech.com as the hostname.

Click default as the Profile.

Click default as the Port.

5.	In the Connection Information dialog:

Enter anonymous as the username.

Enter your email address as the password.

6.	Click OK.

The FTP List View screen displays.

7.	On the left side of the screen under Local, click on the directory of your PC where you want to save the patch.

8.	On the right side of the screen under Remote, click on the directory and file containing the patch.  Either drag the file to the directory on your PC or click the Copy button.

9.	On the menu, click Connect, Disconnect to end your connection.

10.	Click File, Exit to exit FTP.

11.	Apply the patch.


How to Apply Patches

Use the following directions to apply a patch, back up your existing files and put the files from the patch into your SuperTCP directory.  When applying patches, its always best to exit Windows.

1.	Download the patch.

To download a patch, see one of the following topics:

How to download a patch from Frontiers Web site.

How to download a patch from Frontiers FTP site.

2.	Open File Manager.

3.	Make a directory where you can put the files you are backing up.

4.	Click on the directory containing the patch, for example c:\patch..

5.	Unzip the patch.

6.	Write down the names of the files in the patch.

8.	Click on the backup directory you created, for example:  c:\backup.

9.	From your SUPERTCP directory, copy all of the files the patch replaces to your backup directory.

10.	Click on your SUPERTCP directory, for example:  c:\supertcp.

11.	Copy the files from your patch directory to your SUPERTCP directory.

12.	When you are asked if you want to replace the existing files, answer yes.

13.	Restart Windows and the patch is in place.


Creating a Directory with File Manager
Creating a Directory with File Manager or Windows Explorer

Use the following steps to make a directory.

1.	Open File Manager (or Windows Explorer for Windows 95 users).

Unless you have moved File Manager, it is in the Main group window in Program Manager.

2.	Click on the drive where you are creating the directory, for example:  C:

3.	Click File, Create Directory (or File, New, Folder for Windows 95 users).

4.	Enter the name of the directory, for example:  backup.

5.	Click OK.


Performance Tuning

Performance tuning options are available for enhancing the performance of your Frontier Technologies' product.  However, these tuning options have no effect on performance by a remote host running an application you are using via the product.

If you are connected to a remote host, the software running on it and its configuration affect your response time. To find out if the host is the cause of a slow response time, open a single window and try connecting to different hosts.  If some are fast and others are slow when you have just one window open, the host is responsible for the slow response time.  In this situation, tuning your computer can help, but some hosts will still be slower than others.

If you would like to enhance the performance of your Frontier Technologies' product, the following tuning options are available.

All Products

The following are suggestions for tuning all products within the SuperTCP family of products.

1.	Reduce the number of applications running on your computer.

If you have several programs running on your computer, this can reduce your response time.  Trying closing some of the applications you arent using.

2.	Change the SuperTCP window size.

To do this start SetupTCP and click the TCP Setup option.

Decrease the Maximum Window field to 3072 or to 2920 if you have:

A 386 PC

Only 4K of memory

A card that doesn't use shared memory

A lot of traffic on your network,.

Increase the Maximum Window field to 7300, 8192, 10240 or whatever is necessary up to 16384 if you have:

A faster PC, like a 486, Pentium or a P5.

Use SLIP or PPP.

have a slow link without much traffic.

If these changes dont work, reset the Maximum Window field to 7300 as a higher window size uses more memory and the default value does not translate very well to bulk data transfer rates.

2.	Enable your disk cache.

Some users have disk cache software such as SMARTDRV which enhance overall performance.  Disabling your disk cache can reduce SuperTCP Suite throughput by 50% or more.  If you want to increase your throughput, enabling your disk cache software can provide significant gains.

3.	Disable the NFS Client if it is not needed.

4.	The Routing Information Protocol (RIP) provides a way for your computer to know what Gateway computer to use.  If you have one Gateway computer and dont need RIP for other reasons, disable RIP and save the system overhead it uses.

To do this, open Setup TCP and choose IP Setup.  Uncheck the RIP check box and enter the IP address of your Gateway computer in the Default Gateway field.  The IP address is in the format of 999.999.999.999.   If you are using the Home installation, your Internet Service Provider can provide the IP address of your Gateway computer.  If you are using any other installation, your LAN administrator can give you the IP address of your Gateway computer.

5.	In the Windows WINDOWS\SUPERTCP.INI file under the Kernel section, add the following:

Num Preallocated Packets=4

Min Preallocated Packets=4

The default is 2 if these lines are missing.

6.	If problems persist, try using the SuperTCP experimental kernel.  To use the SuperTCP experimental kernel, do the following:

In your WINDOWS\SUPERTCP.INI file., under the Kernel section, add the following line and save your changes:

VxD Buffer Space=40960

The buffer space can be changed from 40960.  Usually, this is reduced to conserve memory.  Before changing the buffer space, monitor the Max Space Used in the SuperTCP Kernel, NetStats menu, Buffers item.  Set the buffer space in the WINDOWS\SUPERTCP.INI file so its at least 4096 to 8192 bits above the Max Space Used.

In the WINDOWS\SYSTEM.INI file, search for FTCTCPIP.386 and change the extension to BFR.  This points your system to the SuperTCP experimental kernel.  Save your changes and restart Windows.


FTP Performance Enhancements

1.	When you transfer a file using the File Transfer Protocol (FTP), the FTP progress bar displays.  Turning off this display enhances performance.  To turn this off, choose Settings, Preferences and uncheck the Show Progress of  File Transfer field.

2.	When you use FTP to transfer a file from another PC to your PC, the FTP file type has no effect on performance.

When you use FTP to transfer a file to your PC from a different type of computer like a UNIX host or Macintosh, the FTP file type does affect performance.  In this situation, use a Binary file type unless you are sure the file you are downloading is an ASCII file that you could display using Notepad.  To change to a Binary file type, choose Settings, Preferences and click the radio button for a Binary file type.

3.	If you mounted NFS drives while using FTP transfer, try unmounting the NFS drives to improve FTP performance.


News Reader Performance

Using the XHDR command to improve Network News Reader performance.

Use these directions to define whether you are using the XHDR command to improve Network News Reader performance.

1.	Click Options, Preferences and the Preferences dialog appears.

2.	Click on Server Compatible and click Configure. The Server Compatible window appears.

3.	Click on the options that define whether to use the XHDR command.

4.	Click OK and click Done.


Dial-Up Software Performance Enhancements:  PPP, SLIP and CSLIP

The following products provide dial-up access to the Internet:

SuperTCP Suite Home, On-the-Road and Custom Dial-Up installations

All versions of SuperHighway Access

The following tuning options are available for these products:

1.	Find the average round trip time by using continuous Ping to the final destination and write down the average value displayed on the bottom of the Ping dialog.  In SetupTCP, click the TCP Setup option and enter this value in the Initial Van Jacobson Round Trip Time field.  Don't change the other values, just the initial.  You can also increase the Maximum Window size (up to 18000) for more buffering.

2.	Since SuperTCP Suite doesn't support dynamic updating of IP gateway addresses, you'll also always want to have a Default Gateway entered in IP Setup parameters.

3	If you are connecting to a SLIP or PPP server on a different network (one whose IP Address doesn't match your IP Subnet Mask), you'll want to put an X next to Always Use Local Gateway as Next Hop in the SetupTCP, IP Setup.

4.	In addition, Address and Header Compression in PPP and CSLIP is available in SuperTCP Suite.  Compression will boost performance, provided the protocol being used is not a bulk data transfer.  Therefore, you should see better performance with some functions, such as Email, but not with FTP.


Tuning for LAN Software

The following products provide LAN access:

SuperTCP Suite Office, Power Office and Custom Office installations

SuperTCP/NFS

SuperTCP

SuperTCP Kernel

Before trying the other tuning options, make sure you are using the latest version of your LAN driver.

The following tuning options are available:

LAN Network Load

Someone else on the network may be responsible for heavy traffic. Many people do not realize that the transfer rate is very much determined by the network.

NFS Performance Enhancements

Driver Types and Performance

NDIS Driver Performance Enhancements

ODPKT Driver Performance Enhancements

Native ODI Performance Enhancements

Ethernet Performance Enhancements


NFS Performance Enhancements

1	If you dont need your NFS Client, disable it.

2.	Connecting to removable media

Check the Connecting to Removable Media box while mounting to the file system on a removable medium.  This box displays in the Connect Options dialog after you access the NFS Client from File Manager.

Examples of removable media are floppy disks and CD-ROMs.  Normally, this box is unchecked.  This enables the NFS Client to optimize performance by locally caching some information.  However, if the destination file system exists on a removable medium and the medium gets changed after mounting, the cached information would become invalid.  Checking this box instructs the NFS Client not to cache the information.  This affects the Clients performance slightly for dir operations.  You can leave this box unchecked even for mounting to removable media if  youre sure that the medium isnt going to be changed for the duration of the mount or the current Windows session.


Driver Types and Performance

Packet drivers are fastest, NDIS drivers are most reliable and ODI drivers can be slower than the others.  If you are using the native ODI driver that comes with the SuperTCP Kernel, its probably as fast as the other drivers.

For all drivers, make sure you are using the latest version of your driver.


NDIS Driver Performance Enhancements

1.	Changing the value of the NDIS Chain Vector parameter can improve the throughput of an NDIS driver.  This can be a hardware or software interrupt.  To change the NDIS Chain Vector,  consult with your System Administrator about changing the CHAINVEC field.

To change the CHAINVEC field do the following steps:

a.	Open SetupTCP, click Interfaces and click on your NDIS interface.

b.	Click Setup.

c.	If you have an NDIS driver installed, the Devices Available dialog appears.  Click OK and the Interface dialog displays.

d.	Click the Help button to get the valid chain vector values and choose the one that is right for your installation.

To determine the best setting, try the following options:

The usual value is 0x7E.

You can also try setting this value to the same hardware interrupt your network adapter card is using.

If you had a value in this field, try deleting the value.

e.	Click OK and the Interfaces dialog appears

f.	Click the Close button at the bottom of the SetupTCP window.

2.	SuperTCP provides an NDIS parameter called TXLOOP for NDIS drivers that don't report that the packet has been transmitted or queued.  The network adapter cards are supposed to report this information, but simply don't do it.

TXLOOP has no effect on drivers that work correctly.  The network adapter cards listed below are the only known network adapter cards where this parameter has any effect.  If you dont have one of these cards, setting a TXLOOP value has no effect.

Using TXLOOP helps the following network adapter cards:

SMC8003xxx

WD8003xxx

3C503

AT&T DE200

Only modify the TXLOOP parameter if: both of the following apply

You have one of the cards listed

You know the current value isn't working for you.  Indicators are corrupted file transfers with FTP or NetBIOS.

The specified network adapter cards would make the SuperTCP Kernel hang waiting for them to indicate transmit complete or queued.  The TXLOOP parameter prevents this from happening.

TXLOOP is a small loop in the code that literally wastes time. It will loop for the times specified on the TXLOOP line.  If the line isn't there, 100 is the default. If the TXLOOP is set very small, the transmitted packets can get corrupted because buffers are overwritten that werent already transmitted.  If the TXLOOP parameter is very high, time is wasted and performance drops accordingly.  The value 100 works best for most machines and has not effect on the performance of a fast or slow machine.

Put the TXLOOP parameter under the [STCPNDI$] tag in your PROTOCOL.INI.  For example:

[STCPNDI$]

Drivername=STCPNDI$

Swint=0X60

bindings=ELNK

txloop=100

The default value for TXLOOP is 100, and the range can be from 0 to 65535.


ODIPKT Driver Performance Enhancement
ODIPKT Driver Performance Enhancements

Earlier versions of SuperTCP, SuperTCP/NFS and the SuperTCP Kernel used the ODIPKT driver to support ODI.  The newer versions of these products support ODI using a native ODI driver.

1.	The first recommendation for enhancing performance is to replace the ODIPKT driver with the native ODI driver.  To make this change, do the following:

Download the Winsock9.zip file (or higher) from Frontiers Web site or FTP site.

Apply the patch to your SuperTCP directory.

2.	If you want to continue using the ODIPKT driver, try increasing the number of buffers in your NET.CFG file.  The buffers are in the Link Support section.  The number of buffers may be 8, 12 or 16.  If you are using Windows for Workgroups, you probably need 12 or 16 buffers.

Sample NET.CFG for Ethernet

Link Support

     Buffers 12 1600

     Mempool 4096

Sample NET.CFG for Token-Ring

Link Support

     Buffers 8 4236

     Mempool 24K

     Max Stacks 9


Native ODI Performance Enhancements

Try changing the buffer entry in the TCP section of the SUPERTCP.INI file.  The SuperTCP VxD Kernel allocates this memory buffer when Windows starts up.  The minimum buffer entry is:

ODISPACE=8192

Increments are 4K or 4096 bits.  A value of 16384 seems to work best with Ethernet.


Ethernet
Ethernet Performance Enhancements

1.	The speed of an Ethernet card varies depending on the type of Ethernet hardware you are using.  Changing to a faster network adapter card can provide significant performance improvements.

2.	If you are using are using an EtherLinkIII NIC, make sure that you are using the latest version of ELNK3.DOS.

Also See

Native ODI Performance Enhancements

ODIPKT Driver Performance Enhancements


Email Questions

How do I Set Up Email?

SuperTCP Suite comes with software you can configure to send and receive Email.  The information you enter during installation of SuperTCP Suite determines your initial Email configuration.  If you need to change your Email configuration later, you can use SetupTCP.

SuperTCP Suite provides one way of sending messages and three ways to receive them.  The Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) lets you send mail.  SMTP, POP2 and POP3 let you receive mail.

How do I set up my computer to Send Email?

To send Email messages, you need a Relay Host.  If you are using the Home, On-the-Road or Custom dial-up installations, get the name of your Relay Host from your Internet Service Provider.  If you are using the Office, Power Office or Custom office installations, get the name of your Relay Host from your System Administrator.

To set up your system to send messages, use SetupTCP to configure SMTP Mailer.  Do this even if you are using POP 2 or POP 3.

How do I set up my computer to get Email?

To receive Email messages you need SMTP, POP2 or POP3.  The information you enter during installation depends on how you are going to receive your mail.  Home, On-the-Road and Custom dial-up installations use POP2 or POP3.  Ask your Internet Service Provider for your POP user name and password.

To enhance security, many Internet Service Providers give you a POP user name and password that are different from your login user name and password.  Having them different makes it harder for someone to intercept your messages and get into your Email.

Those using Office, Power Office and Custom office installations may only use SMTP and may not have a POP account.  Ask your System Administrator for more information.

To configure your system to receive Email, do the following:

1.	Configure one of the following

An SMTP Server

A POP 2 Client if you have a POP 2 account.

A POP 3 Client if you have a POP 3 account.

If you are not sure whether you are using POP 2 or POP 3, set up a POP 3 account.  This is the newer technology and is the one that is most commonly used.

If you set up a POP 2 account and get an error message that the command helo is unknown, set up a POP 3 account.

For the On-the-Road Installation, what Email Address do I use?

If you are using the On-the-Road installation, you have two Email accounts.  The first is the Email account your System Administrator assigns to you for LAN access.  The second is the Email account assigned by your organizations Internet Service Provider when you use Dial-Up access.

The Email address assigned to you by your System Administrator is the one most often used.  To ensure that replies to your messages come to this Email address, check the following:

The Internet Email Address assigned by your System Administrator using SetupTCP

To check this value, click SetupTCP, Users, and the More button.  Confirm that the value in the Internet Email Address field is correct.

The Reply To field in your Email preferences

To check this value, click Options, Preferences, Send Configuration and the Configure button.  Confirm that the value in the Reply-To field is the Email address assigned by your System Administrator.

The Reply To field in messages your are sending

To check this value, in the Compose window in Email, click Options. Confirm that the value in the Reply-To field is the Email address assigned by your System Administrator.


Dial-Up Questions

What is Scripting?

SuperTCP Suite requires a script or set of statements called SENDS and EXPECTS.  A send is a line of information which you send to the provider to identify yourself.  A send could include your as username, password or protocol.  An expect is what the Internet Service Provider send to you to ask you specific questions.

Default Script

For many Internet Service Providers the dial-up script is basically the same.  SuperTCP Suite uses the following script as a default:

EXPECT TEXT:	SEND TEXT:

INIT1=	INIT2=Initialization String

INIT3=OK	INIT4=ATDT Phone Number

INIT5=CONNECT	INIT6=

INIT7=login	INIT8=username

INIT9=password:	INIT10=password

INIT11=Last Expect

SuperTCP Suite requires a Last Expect or string sent from the Internet Service Provider to you telling you that the dial-in process was successful.  Some common examples of last expects are:

Fixed IP addressing with SLIP and CSLIP will usually be:

"SL" or "sl"

Dynamic IP addressing with SLIP and CSLIP will be either:

"\i" or "to \i"

If the local address is handed first use:

"\i".

If the remote address is handed first use:

 "to \i".

The \i tells SuperTCP Suite to keep the IP address sent by the Internet Service Provider.

Dynamic or Fixed IP addressing with PPP will usually be:

"PPP" or "ppp"

Other common last expects include "success", "beginning" and "mode".  These are words that are including in a string sent indicating the connection is good.  Look at the kernel message log to see what is actually sent.

Some Internet Service Providers will require you to include one of the following right after your username to identify the protocol you are using.

%ppp  or %slip

Usually a default script can be used.  Just include the string as a part of your username. Cyberstore is an example of a Internet Service Provider using this dial-up script.

Special Scripts

Some Internet Service Providers require more information that others.  SuperTCP Suite can handle as many lines of sends and expects as you need.  Some common special scripts are displayed below.

Type 1

If your Internet Service Provider uses a piece of equipment called a terminal server, you may need a script like this:

EXPECT TEXT:	SEND TEXT:

INIT1=	INIT2=Initialization String

INIT3=OK	INIT4=ATDT Phone Number

INIT5=CONNECT	INIT6=

INIT7=login	INIT8=username

INIT9=password:	INIT10=password

INIT11=>	INIT12=slip default

INIT13=\i

Databank is an example of a Internet Service Provider using this dial-up script.

Type 2

If your Internet Service Provider asks for the protocol before the username and password your script may look like this:

EXPECT TEXT:	SEND TEXT:

INIT1=	INIT2=Initialization String

INIT3=OK	INIT4=ATDT Phone Number

INIT5=CONNECT	INIT6=

INIT7=host	INIT8=ppp

INIT9=login	INIT10=username

INIT11=password:	INIT12=password

INIT13=ppp

MSEN is an example of a Internet Service Provider using this dial-up script.

Type 3

If your Internet Service Provider asks you to identify your protocol after your username and password your script may look like this:

EXPECT TEXT:	SEND TEXT:

INIT1=	INIT2=Initialization String

INIT3=OK	INIT4=ATDT Phone Number

INIT5=CONNECT	INIT6=

INIT7=login	INIT8=username

INIT9=password:	INIT10=password

INIT11=Net>	INIT12=ppp

INIT13=switching

elroNet is an example of a Internet Service Provider using this dial-up script.

Type 4

If your Internet Service Provider using PPP protocol asks you to enter LCP negotiations immediately upon dial in your script may look like this:

EXPECT TEXT:	SEND TEXT:

INIT1=	INIT2=Initialization String

INIT3=OK	INIT4=ATDT Phone Number

INIT5=CONNECT

Unlike other Internet Service Providers, your username and password are not used during the dial in process but later after the initial connection has been established. Your username and password would be inserted into the PAP Authentication fields accessible from  SetupTCP, Interface, Setup, Setup, LCP Options after installation.  PSI is an example of a Internet Service Provider using this dial-up script.

What are some guidelines for setting up SLIP/PPP Scripts?

Here are some general rules to follow when setting up scripts:

If you are using an ISP which appears on the default provider menu, use the menu item instead of setting it up by hand.  The configurations and scripts should be ready to use after the unique username and password (IP address if needed) is entered.

You must end a script with an <expect>.  If the script is ended with a send, the connection may appear to be up but you will not be able to ping or do any of the higher applications.

Make sure the case is correct.  You must match case exactly. If the service provider prompts with Login and the user enters login, you will not recognize the prompt.  We recommend to leave off the first letter of the word, i.e. ogin instead of Login, to avoid this problem.  (An entire word is not required.)

You may need to have at least 3 characters in the <Expect> fields.

When using SLIP/CSLIP with dynamic addressing use \i, to \i or some variation to direct the \i to the correct IP address sent by the server.

When connecting to a server using a terminal server, one of your send strings will be ppp default or slip default.  Contact your system administrator or ISP to confirm where this send should go in the script.

When using PPP and dynamic addressing you may be handed 0.0.0.0 as both remote and local addressing.  To correct this you must use a last expect, with PPP, ppp, [b]eginning.... and mode as the most popular choices.  Watch your Kernel Log or use Windows Terminal to find out the correct last expect.

When you need a last expect but are unsure of what to use try

.~5-\r  and are not using SLIP/CSLIP with dynamic IP addressing.

How do I change Providers?

Go into SetupTCP, click on your SLIP or PPP interface, and click Setup.  The SuperTCP Suite Setup screen appears.  Pick a new Internet Service Provider from the Select Your Provider list box.  Click the Setup button to edit your script and click Setup to change values for your connection.

Why are Modem, Login, Password and Phone Number greyed out on the SuperTCP Suite Setup dialog?

Once you go into the Script Editor and change the script, you can no longer change these items.  Any changes will need to be done in the script itself.  This is to assure your entries will not be over-written by defaults.

What type of PPP authentication do you support?

SuperTCP Suite supports PAP negotiations, not CHAP.

*What can cause an Expect text not found message?

The two most common causes of this error message are that you entered the wrong case in an expect field, or entered a string that the SLIP or PPP server never sent.  Please remember that the expect and send text strings are case-sensitive.

How can I force a username or password prompt in my initialization script?

Using the special characters \w (username) or \u (password) in the script will accomplish this task.

How can I hide my password in the kernel log or in the script for security.

The special character \u will accomplish this, the password will not be stored anywhere and the kernel log will show only *******.

How can I Increase the Script Expect field timeout?

Simply append a tilde (~), followed by the number of seconds (up to 99) in the desired expect fields.

What do I do if my Modem Doesn't Dial?

If the modem has dialed in the past using the current setup and scripts, it may simply need to be reset.  This can sometimes be accomplished with a reset button on the modem or by selecting the Phone menu, Hangup option in Windows Terminal.

Or the COM port may need to be reset.  To do this, exit and restart Windows.

If the modem has never dialed using the current setup and scripts, check to make sure you have a phone number present in your script, with the characters ATDT at the beginning of the first send field.

You may want to ensure that your modem is accepting AT commands by using the Windows Terminal application.  Another approach is to use a delay to send the A and the T:  A\dT\dDT(the phone number).  Consult your modem user's guide.

My Phone Number Will Not Save in Interface Setup!

Your phone number is saved in the Initialization Script in the 2nd field after the ATDT text, so if some other item, like ATH, is there instead, the phone number will not be saved.  In field 2, enter ATDT and try again.

I Can't Change My Phone Number, Modem, Username or Password Interface Setup!

You have edited your Initialization Script and those fields are grayed out to avoid writing over your changes.  If you would like to start over with default settings select SetupTCP, Interfaces, Setup and Edit Script.  There will be a popup screen with three buttons - OK, HELP, and DEFAULT.   Chose the DEFAULT button, your changes will be overwritten by defaults and you can edit the specified fields in the Setup screen.

If you would like to keep the changes you have made in your script but need to change one of the specified fields simply select SetupTCP, Interfaces, Setup, Edit Script and Edit.  Change any field in the script to your desired settings and choose OK.  The new settings will be saved in your Initialization Script but not show up in the Setup screen.

PPP1051:  LCP handshake fail

PPP2015:  Peer not listening.  Closing LCP or IPCP

Verify that it is indeed a PPP server to which you are trying to connect.

You may also need to identify to the server that you want to use PPP by entering ppp  or PPP in the send text side of the script in the appropriate sequence.  This can be before or after you are asked for your username and password.  Ask your system administrator or ISP provider when it is appropriate.  Some ISP providers require you to enter LCP negotiations immediately upon dialing in.  To do this, end your Intitialization Script at the CONNECT expect and remove any delays in that field.

In the connect options, verify that you are using the default settings.

Confirm that what you need to connect and login to the PPP server is in your Initialization Script by tracing the login process with Windows Terminal or some other terminal emulator.

Turn on/off  Protocol Field and the Address & Control Field Compression in Setup, LCP parameters to match your Server's settings.

If you are using the WIN.INI file for your COM parameters, turn on 8 bit data bits.  If you need another setting for initial negotiations, in the Initialization Script enter \ps9600,n,7,1 or whatever baud rate and parameters the server requires.  But note that SLIP/PPP must use 8 data bits once negotiations are complete.  This is part of the SLIP/PPP protocols.

Try turning on hardware flow control in PPP Interfaces, Setup, User Defined..., the Flow Control box.  Frad servers apparently need this.

If you are using a fixed address type, try using RARP and/or BOOTP changeable in SetupTCP, Interfaces.   Ask your system administrator or ISP what is appropriate.

Make sure that the flag bits are set correctly under LCP Configuration Options.

Finally, if PPP negotiations are required, verify that your PPP server supports IPCP negotiations.

NOTE:  The 8250 serial chip has only a one-character buffer.  If you have this chip (verifiable with msd), you should not exceed 9600 Baud, and you may need to slow down further if you are still experiencing difficulty.

NOTE: You cannot use the '\i' character in the initialization script to retrieve an IP address for PPP; it's built into the PPP negotiations.

I Can't Ping after PPP Kernel message: [Data] Link Open or Can't Ping after SLIP Kernel message: COMx up

In the Kernel menu choose Netstats, Interfaces and confirm that there is a local IP address assigned.  If not, look at the Kernel Log to confirm you have a valid expect in the last field.

In the Kernel menu choose Netstats, Interfaces and confirm that the local IP address assigned is not the same as the remote IP address.  A network will not work if there are two identical IP addresses.  Typically, this is found in SLIP or CSLIP connections with dynamic addressing which have been user defined.  The server can hand you IP addresses in differing ways.  Some servers send Your IP address is ###.###.###.###., in this case the default setting of \i will work.  Others send Your connection is from ###.###.###.### to ###.###.###.###, in this case you would need the string to \i to work.  Still others send many IP addresses such as Your (peer) IP address assignment is:   ###.###.###.### which comes after remote IP addresses.  In this case it may be best to include the entire line -  Your (peer) IP address assignment is: \I.  Any case but the default will require you to edit your Initialization Script with the other possibilities.

The IP Mask is wrong.   Ask your system administrator or ISP what IP Mask is appropriate.

If  you can ping the IP address but not the name of some machine on the WAN, it's possible that either the Domain Name you entered is wrong or the Domain Name Server machine is down or entered incorrectly.  Contact your provider to verify that the Server is up and the IP address you entered is correct.

In SetupTCP, under IP Setup, enable the Limit MTU size.

Eliminate the end-of-line \r from all fields in your script.

NOTE: Sometimes it may take a few tries for a ping to be successful.  Set Ping to be continuous and let it try about 30 times.

I Can't get negotiations to start, and then the kernel closes.

It could be that you aren't getting through the script to start negotiations.  You may have a bad expect.  Check this by starting the Windows terminal and watching what the provider sends to you.  This should match your expect, exactly.

Make sure you are ending your script on an expect.

Confirm that your password and login are valid and correct.

Watch your Kernel Log for error messages, it will tell you where the Initialization Script is hanging.

Confirm with your System Administrator or ISP what you need to include in your script.

Could Not Negotiate IP Address For Interface SLIP/PPP

Try using RARP or BOOTP instead of fixed in the SLIP or PPP interface setup.  Also, check to see that the Frontier Technologies' product set environment variables are running from AUTOEXEC.BAT or SUPERTCP.BAT and that the modem is set for 8-bit and not 7-bit mode.  You may need to add a \i or some variation in the last expect field of your script if you are using SLIP and RARP together.

Losing Data / Data Corruption

The 8250 serial chip has only a one-character buffer.  If you have this chip (verifiable with msd), you should not exceed 9600 Baud, and you may need to go even slower if you still experience difficulty.  Also, buffers may not be set high enough or packet size may not be set low enough.  In SetupTCP, under TCP setup, change the Maximum Window size from 6144 up to 18000.  (It may not need to be set this high.)

What Is The BOOTP Default Timeout Value and Can I Change It?

SuperTCP's default timeout for BOOTP is 45 seconds; you can change this by adding a section in the SUPERTCP.INI file such as that shown below:

[BOOTP]

MAXTIMEOUT=x

where x is the number of seconds to attempt connecting.

What is the easiest way to redial if the line is busy?

Open up the kernel.  Under File,  hit Hang up.  Wait for the modem to hang up and then hit this again and it will redial. An alternative method would be to close the kernel and restart.

Why Can't I connect using the predefined scripts?

You may need to edit the phone number by removing the area code or adding a 9 to dial out.  If you need to edit the script it is in the SetupTCP application under Internet Providers.  Go to the Advance section and hit Edit Script and then Edit.  Your Internet Provider can assist you in the proper Sends and Expects.

In my Kernel message log, I get the connect message when dialing but then get a screen of funny characters?

The most likely reason is that your baud rate is set incorrectly.

Why do I get name resolution errors?

This could be either that the Domain Name Server is down or that you have not set up the domain name server correctly.  Your Internet Provider will have the proper information for you regarding configuring your Domain Name Server.

How do I know I made a connection?

In the kernel messages, you should look for "Link open" if you are using PPP or "Com 2 up" if you are using SLIP/CSLIP.  This is just an initial test.  The true test is to see if you can ping the remote host.  The kernel icon also shows a connection occurred when the balls representing the kernel connect, but a ping should be issued to confirm that the connection is valid.

How do I disconnect when I am finished with the connection?

Simply close the kernel or open the pull down menu in the kernel and select "Dial/ Hang up".


Other Questions

What is a User?

A user is an individual authorized to use the Frontier Technologies' product as documented in the User module under SetupTCP (assuming the product has this module).  Much of the information requested is later used as signatures for Email and Posting in the NewsReader.

Why doesn't login work?

Login's function is to provide local security to the SuperTCP Family of applications.  It can also signify that mail is waiting to be read for the user.  Security and Access rights are configured in the User module under SetupTCP.  You should not confuse this login with dialing into your Internet Provider.

Why can't I close my kernel?

You are likely in the middle of a script.  You cannot close the kernel while the script has control.  If there is an error in your script, wait a couple of seconds until it times out and then close the kernel.

What is a Default Gateway?

In this usage, Default Gateway is the IP address of  the machine to which you are connecting.  This information can be obtained from the Internet Provider.

What is Master Services?

Master Services is a running log of the various applications' activity.  For example it is Master Services that informs you that a document is being printed or that Email is being sent, etc.

FTP Reports an error:  Can't get directory listing

Try unchecking the RFC1579 Firewall Support (PASV) option in the FTP Settings dialog.  To access this dialog, click the Settings menu and choose Preferences.

If this doesn't work and you are connecting to a Unix system, make sure the Don't use extra flags radio button under Directory Flags is selected.

When should I use Binary vs ASCII in FTP?

The safest way to download a executable file is always to use binary.  Text files should use ASCII. This will assure that both applications and text downloads will transfer correctly.

How do I make upper memory block memory exclusions?

Certain adapters have onboard memory mapped to the 384 Kb reserved I/O memory space between 640 Kb and 1024 Kb (known as the Upper Memory Block, or UMB, area).  In 386 Enhanced Mode, Windows 3.1x needs to be informed as to which addresses in the UMB area are reserved for adapter usage.  Refer to the documentation that came with the network board for information on the addresses the board uses.

If your network card uses memory in this range, you can inform Windows of this fact by adding the appropriate EMMExclude statement to the [386Enh] section of the Windows SYSTEM.INI file.  the SYSTEM.INI file is located in your Windows directory.  It can be modified using Windows/Windows NT Notepad or any other text editor.  Perform the following steps:

Open SYSTEM.INI using your text editor.

Locate the section marked [386Enh].  Under this heading, ad the line:

EMMExclude=start_address-end_address

where start_address  and end_address are the starting and ending memory segment of the addresses used by your network interface board.  For example, assuming a network adapter provides 8 Kb of shared memory at absolute memory address D0000 the appropriate SYSTEM.INI entry is as follows:

[386Enh]

; Exclude network adapter 8Kb shared

; RAM at address D000:0000-D1FF:000F:000F

EMMExclude=D000-D1FF

Save your changes and exit the text editor.

Once you have modified the SYSTEM.INI file, you must restart Windows for the changes to take effect.

Cannot Open COM Port

If you receive this error message, you may be using the WIN.INI file with Xon/Xoff  flow control.  If so, set flow control to Hardware or none.  Another alternative is to use the Use Defined settings in the Interfaces Setup button of SetupTCP .

COM Port Not Available

The COM port you are trying to use is already in use.  You must either disable the other interface that is currently using this COM port or use a different COM port.  If this is a third party application that can't get through to the COM port and you need to disable the SLIP or PPP interface, you can do this in SetupTCP, under interfaces, by unchecking the Enabled box for that interface.

What is Ping error 1151?

This tells you your network is down.  Ping is a utility for testing the validity of  your connection.  Ping sends a packet to another machine and listens for it to be echoed back.  If it fails, either the remote system may be down or your system may not be running correctly.

In the Browser, how do I know when a file is done downloading?

The activity bar icons change their appearance when a download is complete.  For example, the icon changes from night to day when downloading image files,  from a closed folder to an open folder with gophers and WAIS, from a web to a web with a world within it for WWW, from a blank sheet to a sheet with writing on it for text and from an off hook to on hook phone for CSO.  The window will also have a Done! in its status bar.

The News Reader keeps issuing an error message that there is more included text than new text when I do a followup to a message.

This is a policy enforced by the server; it is the server that is generating this response.