What's New In Network Toolbox Version 2.0

The new version of Network Toolbox broadens the functionality of previous releases. In addition to threaded multitasking, the following items have been added:

•	Customizable Tools -- Most functions now have user-defined options which enable one to fine tune tool functionality. An example of this the ability to change the packet size and timeout in Ping. To edit these options, click on the OPTIONS button.

•	Port Scanner Utility -- Port scanning allows a user to scan a host for available network services.

• Context Sensitive Help -- Help information may be used to obtain help on any tool within Network Toolbox's toolbar. Click on the "Help" icon; the cursor will change to a "Question Arrow", now move the cursor over the tool you want help on, and click on that icon. The requested help will then be displayed in a help window.	Help Icon

•	J. River News Update -- Use this function to get the latest release information on the J. River Products including Network Toolbox.

• Configurable Toolbar -- By double clicking on the "Gear" icon (which also functions as the STOP button while a task is being performed) you can set the order of tool icons.	Gear Icon


About Network Toolbox

Network Toolbox is an easy-to-use network tool that provides access to 10 "UNIX-like" utilities, which can be used to diagnose both your local machine as well as computers on a LAN or WAN.

DNS	Finger
IP Address Search	Ping
Port Scanner	Quote
Time Sync	Traceroute
Whois	Winsock Information
Definition of Tools

Domain Name Service (DNS) -- Converts IP addresses to hostnames or vice versa; Finger -- Obtains information about users on a specified computer; IP Address Search -- Searches for hosts in a specified range of IP addresses; Ping -- Determines if a network connection exists to a remote computer; Port Scanner -- Scans a host for available network services; Quote -- Also known as Cookie, returns a unique quote from a UNIX quote server; Time Sync -- Obtains precise atomic clock synchronized time, and sets your PC clock if needed; Traceroute -- Traces the exact route to a host; Whois -- Queries the InterNIC registration database and obtains information about registered domains; Winsock Information -- Provides information about your Windows 95 network stack.


 Finger

Finger is an Internet service that allows you to obtain a list of active users on a host and retrieve information on a specific user. The remote host must be running a Finger server to query that host.

By entering only the hostname (computer.company.com) you will obtain a list of users on that computer. You may also specify an exact username by entering the complete user address (user@computer.company.com) to retrieve information about the specific user.

Additionally, you can double click on a specific user's name when viewing a complete list of users on a host by double clicking on a username. This will allow you to see verbose information about that specific user, which is essentially the same as if you had entered the complete user address (user@computer.company.com).

Finger displays some of all of the following: user's login name, real name, terminal name, write status, idle time, login time, and either office location and office phone number, or the remote host. What you do or do not see is dependent on the setup of the server you are contacting.

Note: (1) An asterisk [*] before the terminal name (TTY) signifies that write permission is denied. (2) Unknown devices as well as nonexistent idle and login times are displayed as single asterisks.

For more information on the Finger protocol, see RFC 1288.


 Quote

Quote allows you to query a Cookie server, which most often contains an entertaining quote (otherwise known as a fortune cookie) each time you contact that server.


 Ping

Ping allows you to make a quick check to verify whether or not a host is accessible from your machine. It is most often used when you suspect that a host is down or not functioning properly.


 Time Sync

Time Sync provides you with a quick way to properly synchronize your Windows 95 system clock with the National Institute of Standards and Technology atomic clock.

This program can be run from within Network Toolbox, or executed separately with the Time Sync icon in the Network Toolbox folder. If you are on a computer which has permanent network connection, you may wish to make a shortcut of the Time Sync icon and place it in your Windows Program/Startup folder so that your computer will synchronize its clock each time you start your PC.


 IP Address Search

This service allows you to make a quick scan of a range of IP addresses. It is useful for locating and identifying hosts on a particular subnet.


 DNS

A Domain Name Service (DNS) query allows you to determine the IP address of a specified host by its hostname or conversely, a hostname by its IP address. For example, 198.137.240.92 is www.whitehouse.gov and www.whitehouse.gov is 198.137.240.92.


 Whois

The Whois "information base" is a service provided by InterNIC (the main Internet registration authority). It allows you to obtain information about registered Internet domains and their respective owners and contacts (both administrative and technical). Whois is helpful when you are trying to locate information about a particular domain or are attempting to determine if the domain name your company is considering already exists.

By double clicking on query reply, you will see verbose information about that entry.


 Traceroute

The Internet is a complex combination of networks around the world. Traceroute allows you to track the exact route your packets follow and identifies if there is a problem reaching your desired destination. When a problem exists, Traceroute allows you to easily determine where packets are being lost.


 Port Scanner

Port Scanner is tool used to scan a host for available network services using the TCP protocol. For example, Port Scanner can be used to verify that your packet filters are working correctly. You may scan specific services or a range of ports.


 Winsock Information

Winsock information provides you with complete information about the Windows 95 network stack you are currently running.

•	Description of the Windows Sockets Implementation: Description of the Windows Sockets implementation, including vendor identification.

•	System Status: Relevant status or configuration information.

•	Maximum Number of Sockets: The maximum number of sockets that a single process can open. The number may well reflect the way the Windows Sockets DLL or the networking software was configured.

•	Maximum UDP Datagram Size: The size, in bytes, of the largest UDP datagram that can be sent or received by a Windows Sockets application. If the implementation imposes no limit, the Maximum UDP Datagram Size is zero.

•	Hostame of this Computer: Hostname for the local machine.

•	IP Address of this Computer: IP address for the local machine.

•	Windows Network Computer Name: Windows Network name of your computer.


Push OK button to start chosen operation.


Push on Exit button to cancel operation and exit.


Click this button to access options dialog.


Click this button to synchronize your Windows 95 system clock with clock on remote time server.


Click this button to print contents of the screen.


Click twice on any item in list box to see more detailed information.


Enter host name or IP address of server you want access in the edit box.


Click OK button to save options you chose and close window.


Click Cancel button to exit the windows without saving.


Click Help button to see help topics.


Force Long Output Format

Produces a multi-line format displaying all of the information described for Finger option as well as the user's home directory, home phone number, login shell, mail status, and the contents of the files ".forward'', ".plan'' and ".project'' from the user's home directory.

If idle time is at least a minute and less than a day, it is presented in the form "hh:mm''. Idle times greater than a day are presented as "d day[s]hh:mm''.

Phone numbers specified as eleven digits are printed as "+N-NNN-NNN-NNNN''. Numbers specified as ten or seven digits are printed as the appropriate subset of that string. Numbers specified as five digits are printed as "xN-NNNN''. Numbers specified as four digits are printed as "xNNNN''.

If write permission is denied to the device, the phrase "messages off'' is appended to the line containing the device name. One entry per user is displayed with the -l option; if a user is logged on multiple times, terminal information is repeated once per login.

Mail status is shown as "No Mail.'' if there is no mail at all, "Mail last read DDD MMM ## HH:MM YYYY (TZ)'' if the person has looked at their mailbox since new mail arriving, or "New mail received" and/or "Unread since'' if they have new mail.


Finger Forwarding

Finger forwarding is a request to forward a query to another remote user information program (RUIP). An RUIP can either provide or actively refuse this forwarding service.


Enter remote host name or IP address here.


Click this button to stop any operation.


InterNIC

The InterNIC is a cooperative activity between the National Science Foundation, Network Solutions, Inc. and AT&T. AT&T supports Directory and Database Services. Network Solutions sponsors Registration Services, Support Services, and Net Scout Services.