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- AANETW.HLP 1 Mar 93
-
- Accessing Kermit Files Via Computer Network
-
-
- This file describes how to get Kermit files over computer networks, including
- BITNET, the Internet (Arpanet and the networks connected to it), plus various
- dialup accesses including UUCP. You should also read AAFILES.HLP if you need
- more complete descriptions of the Kermit files themselves.
-
-
- * BITNET from the Columbia University CUVMA System:
-
- BITNET is a network of computers, mostly at universities, connected with leased
- phone lines, using IBM mainframe RSCS protocols (VAX VMS and Unix systems and
- other systems that can imitate these protocols are also on BITNET). BITNET
- covers North America, Europe (where it is called EARN), and has recently spread
- to the Far East. Information about joining BITNET may be obtained from EDUCOM
- Networking Activities, P.O. Box 364, Princeton, NJ (USA) 08540, Phone
- 609-734-1878.
-
- KERMSRV at CUVMA is a file server for the BITNET user community which
- accepts commands via messages or spool files, and sends the requested KERMIT
- files over the network. Most spool file formats are accepted including
- those used by SENDFILE, NOTE, PUNCH, PRINT, CARD DUMP, or DISK DUMP
- commands.
-
- To learn how obtain Kermit files from the Columbia IBM mainframes via BITNET,
- type the following command to your BITNET host:
-
- VM/CMS: TELL KERMSRV AT CUVMA HELP (or SMSG RSCS MSG CUVMA KERMSRV HELP)
- MVS/TSO/E: TELL KERMSRV AT CUVMA HELP (syntax may be site dependent)
- VMS JNET: SEN/REM CUVMA KERMSRV HELP
- UNIX UREP: netexec cuvma msg cuvma kermsrv help
-
- If you are not directly on a BITNET host and do not have these commands
- available, you can send electronic mail KERMSRV@CUVMA (through whatever BITNET
- gateway is available to you), with the message body consisting of only the
- word HELP.
-
- The Kermit files available from BITNET may be some days or weeks behind the
- announcements that appear in Info-Kermit (see below).
-
- Here is a brief summary of KERMSRV operation; see the HELP message for
- greater detail:
-
- The following file request commands are accepted: SEND, MAIL, PUNCH, PRINT,
- DISK, and CARD. These commands expect a file name or "DIR" or "?" as an
- operand. The DIR operand accepts an optional file name also. File names may
- contain * or % wildcard characters, but the filename portion may not consist of
- those characters only.
-
- Note that KERMSRV will always respond with some message; if you get a
- response please do not resubmit your request. If your request was received
- as a spool file, error messages are sent in a spool file, also.
-
- The NEWS command returns news about latest features and changes in KERMSRV.
-
- * BITNET from the University of Toledo VAX/VMS system UOFT02:
-
- The Kermit file server KERMSRV is not the same one as the one running at
- Columbia -- this is a VAX, and CUVMA is an IBM mainframe. The collection
- is maintained by Brian Nelson, author of PDP-11 Kermit, mail to BRIAN@UOFT02
- on BITNET, and due to lack of disk space, only the more popular Kermit
- versions are kept there.
-
- Examples of access from VM/CMS:
- CP SMSG RSCS MSG UOFT02 KERMSRV DIR
- CP SMSG RSCS MSG UOFT02 KERMSRV SEND K11*.*
- or TELL KERMSRV AT UOFT02 DIR, etc.)
-
- from VMS Jnet:
- $ SEN/REM UOFT02 KERMSRV SEND K11*.*
-
- Attempts to see if Kermsrv is 'logged in', e.g. SEN/COM UOFT02 CPQ U KERMSRV or
- SM RSCS MSG UOFT02 KERMSRV CPQ U KERMSRV will ALWAYS fail. This is a VMS node
- running JNET and JNET treats server processes in a manner unlike VM does.
-
- For all pratical purposes, KERMSRV is always running. If a message is sent
- to it, and for some reason it's not there, JNET will tell you.
-
- Secondly, KERMSRV can ONLY respond to interactive messages, it can not process
- mail.
-
- * BITNET/EARN LISTSERV ACCESS FROM EUROPE
-
- The complete KERMIT database is available on the EARN node HEARN in The
- Netherlands (Catholic University of Nijmegen). All files from the Kermit
- server in the USA (KERMSRV@CUVMA) are available on the Dutch node and every
- Sunday night the Dutch server is updated.
-
- All files are available via LISTSERV@HEARN and are listed in KERMIT FILELIST.
- This file can be requested by:
-
- VM/CMS: TELL LISTSERV AT HEARN GET KERMIT FILELIST
- VAX/VMS: SEND LISTSERV@HEARN GET KERMIT FILELIST
-
- A specific file is requested by:
-
- VM/CMS: TELL LISTSERV AT HEARN GET fn ft KERMIT
- VAX/VMS: SEND LISTSERV@HEARN GET fn ft KERMIT
-
- The use of the word KERMIT at the end of the command prevents LISTSERV from
- searching in other databases.
-
- This service is maintained by Marc de Lyon and Frans-Jozef Sprengers,
- INFOatHEARN (EARN Info Service in The Netherlands).
- Acknowledge-To: <INFO@HNYKUN11>
-
- * NETWORK ACCESS IN JAPAN
-
- A set of Kermit files is maintained at the Science University of Tokyo,
- JPNSUT30.BITNET, accessible via LISTSERV. There is also a LISTSERV-based
- discussion list for Kermit, KERMIT-L@JPNSUT30.BITNET, conducted in the
- Japanese language. This service is maintained by Masamichi Ute, UTE@JPNSUT30.
-
- Kermit software is also available from computer centers at major Japanese
- universities: University of Tokyo, University of Tohoku, etc, as well as from
- DECUS Japan, BBS's such as Nifty-serve, Nikkei-MIX, etc, and via anonymous
- FTP from onlnews.kek.ac.jp [130.87.97.1] in the ~/pub/kermit/kek directory.
-
- * INTERNET FROM THE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY WATSUN SYSTEM:
-
- Effective April 1988, the Kermit files are available on host
- WATSUN.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU, a SUN-4/280 running SUNOS 4.0. The IP host number
- is 128.59.39.2. You may get files from it with anonymous FTP. The Kermit
- files are in directories kermit/a, kermit/b, kermit/c, kermit/d, and kermit/e.
- You can also send mail to Info-Kermit and Info-Kermit-Request at this address.
-
- The process is roughly like this: FTP to WATSUN.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU, login
- anonymous (lowercase only), any password (we prefer that you use "user@host"
- for the password, specifying your userid and hostname, for our statistics),
- and then CWD (or CD) to kermit, which contains a file read.me, which you
- should read. Then CWD (or CD) to a, b, c, d, or e and GET or MULTIPLE GET (or
- MGET) the files you want. Note that file names are lowercase, and you must
- refer to them that way on WATSUN, even though all the Kermit documentation
- lists the filenames in uppercase!
-
- * INTERNET FROM OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY, COMPUTER SCIENCE:
-
- Effective February 1992, the Kermit files are available on host
- A.CS.OKSTATE.EDU. The IP host number is 139.78.9.1. You may get files
- from it with anonymous FTP. The Kermit files are in directories
- /pub/kermit-a, /pub/kermit-b, /pub/kermit-c, /pub/kermit-d, and
- /pub/kermit-e.
-
- The process is roughly like this: FTP to A.CS.OKSTATE.EDU. login
- anonymous (lowercase only), any password (we prefer that you use "user@host"
- for the password, specifying your userid and hostname, for our statistics),
- and then CWD (or CD) to the directories shown above and GET or MULTIPLE GET
- (or MGET) the files you want. Note that file names are lowercase, and you must
- refer to them that way on A, even though all the Kermit documentation
- lists the filenames in uppercase!
-
- * USING KERMIT WITH AN INTERNET TERMINAL ACCESS CONTROLLER (TAC).
-
- (Thanks to Edward Haines <haines@BBNCCI.ARPA> for these hints)
-
- There are some conditions that must be met to successfully use Kermit on a
- personal computer through a TAC.
-
- Flow Control
-
- The buffer size for a terminal port on a TAC is typically about 64 bytes. (The
- size is a configuration parameter.) Since the default packet size in Kermit is
- usually 80-96 bytes it is quite likely that buffer overflow will occur.
-
- Some possible solutions:
-
- 1. Enable flow control in Kermit on the PC and on the TAC. Many PC versions
- of Kermit implement XON/XOFF flow control, including the MS-DOS version for the
- IBM PC. To enable flow control on the TAC issue the TAC commands
-
- @Flow Input Start
- @Flow Output Start
-
- These are usually abbreviated @f i s and @f o s. Note that flow control
- is not compatible with binary mode (except see note below).
-
- 2. Make the packet size on the PC Kermit small enough to not overflow the
- TAC buffer, e.g. 60 bytes. The normal command is "set receive packet-length
- 60", which you give to the Kermit that is about to receive files.
-
- 3. Increase the buffer size in the TAC. This is not usually practical
- and won't be considered further.
-
-
- TAC Intercept Character.
-
- The default TAC intercept character is the AT-sign. The AT-sign is also
- required by the Kermit Protocol, so unless you take one of the measures
- listed below, Kermit packets won't get through the TAC.
-
- Solutions
-
- 1. Have the PC Kermit automatically double AT-signs on output. This is
- probably the best solution in general. This feature is available on some
- PC implementations of Kermit. In MS-DOS Kermit, use SET SEND DOUBLE-CHAR 64.
- In CP/M Kermit, use SET TAC-TRAP ON.
-
- 2. Change the TAC Intercept character with the command
-
- @Intercept <decimal ASCII value>
-
- For instance, "@I 6" sets the intercept character to Ctrl-F.
-
- 3. Put the TAC into Binary mode. This has the side effect of disabling
- the Intercept character. It also will allow you to transfer binary files
- without special encoding. The TAC can be put into Binary mode with the
- commands
-
- @Binary Input Start (@b i s)
- @Binary Output Start (@b o s)
-
- Some host systems allow you to engage the binary mode from the host.
- DEC-20 Kermit has a command for this.
-
- There are several problems with binary mode:
- Some host systems don't support it.
- You lose the ability to control the TAC from the PC.
- You lose the ability to do XON/XOFF flow control.
-
- Binary Files
-
- It is sometimes desireable to be able to transmit an 8-bit binary file
- between a host and a PC. The TAC (which implements the DDN Telnet
- Protocol) normally provides just a 7-bit ASCII path.
-
- Solutions
-
- 1. Enable binary mode (if possible) as described above.
-
- 2. Enable 8th bit prefixing (if available) in both Kermits. (This is
- usually done by enabling parity via Kermit's SET PARITY command.)
-
- Notes
-
- 1. You will probably get the best throughput for ASCII files by keeping
- the packet size as large as possible and using flow control.
-
- 2. There is not much advantage in increasing the baud rate between the PC
- and the TAC beyond 1200 baud because of the relatively long turnaround
- time for the acknowledgement packet.
-
- 3. You may have problems when going through satellite hops or multiple
- gateways due to the occasional very long delays. This may result in Kermit
- giving up. The problem can be circumvented to by increasing the timeout
- interval; many Kermits have commands to allow this: SET SEND/RECEIVE TIMEOUT.
-
- 4. Only the first letter of a TAC command is required.
-
- 5. It is possible to set binary mode in only one direction. For example
- you can set Inbound binary and retain input flow control (XON/XOFF flow is
- in the opposite direction). You probably don't need outbound (input to
- the PC) flow control when using the Kermit protocol.
-
-
- * United Kingdom (Information from Alan Phillips, Lancaster University):
-
- Though there is a central registry of UK site names known as NRS, it is not
- automatic and many people have no access to it, so include the actual DTE
- addresses if you can. Details for mail:
-
- JANET network : SYSKERMIT @ UK.AC.LANCS.VAX1
- (actual address is 000010404000.FTP.MAIL)
-
- PSS network : SYSKERMIT @ 234252400101.000010404000.FTP.MAIL
- or to the JANET address via the Rutherford gateway
-
- BITNET : SYSKERMIT%LANCS.VAX1 @ UK.AC
-
- ARPA : SYSKERMIT%LANCS.VAX1 @ CS.UCL.AC.UK
-
- We do not support file transfer to BITNET/ARPA - users have to log in as a
- terminal and use KERMIT. Over PSS and JANET we support ftp using Blue Book
- protocol: For details pull file 00INFO.TXT from user KERMIT, quoting password
- KERMIT. FTP address is
-
- JANET : 000010404000.FTP
-
- PSS : 234252400101.000010404000.FTP"
-
- Or people can just mail me and I'll send details. Afraid we have no equivalent
- of the BITNET KERMSRV server or Arpa anonymous ftp over here. Dial-up ports
- are available; I'll send details to anyone wanting them.
-
- While we're very happy for anyone to ftp from us or log in to us from anywhere,
- and we'll put anyone on the mailing list, we can't handle letters and phone
- calls from outside the UK and Eire. Nor can we send files to people who can't
- ftp them.
-
-
- * Mail:
-
- There is a network mailing list for Kermit information; it is available to
- users of BITNET and the Internet and most networks that are connected to them,
- inclusing CSnet, Usenet, Mailnet, CCnet, and others. To get on the mailing
- list, send mail:
-
- - From - - To -
- BITNET KERMIT@CUVMA
- Arpa Internet Info-Kermit-Request@WATSUN.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU
- CSNET Info-Kermit-Request%WATSUN.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU@CSNET-RELAY
- Usenet ...!uunet!columbia!watsun!info-kermit-request
- DEC Easynet DECWRL::"Info-Kermit-Request@WATSUN.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU"
- UK JANET SYSKERMIT@UK.AC.LANCS.VAX1
-
- If your system won't let you use long names or names with dashes in mail
- addresses, then just substitute "KERMIT" for "Info-Kermit-Request".
-
- Also, as of December 1988, the Kermit mailing list is available via BITNET
- LISTSERV. This is a facility that lets you subscribe and unsubscribe yourself.
- To subscribe via LISTSERV, send an electronic mail message to LISTSERV@CUVMA.
- The body of the message should contain the line:
-
- SUBSCRIBE I-KERMIT your personal name
-
- For instance:
-
- SUBSCRIBE I-KERMIT Fred C. Dobbs
-
- To remove yourself from the list, send the following message:
-
- UNSUBSCRIBE I-KERMIT
-
- To learn more about LISTSERV, send it a message "HELP" or "INFO ?".
-
-
- * Dialup:
-
- Two publicly accessible dialup Kermit collections are available in the US:
-
- 1. The University of Toledo allows limited dialup access to its UOFT02
- VAX/VMS system:
-
- (419) 537-4780 (1200/2400 bps)
- (419) 537-7937 (9600 bps, V.32/V.42bis)
- Service class VX785A (or VX6220)
- User: KERMIT
- Password: KERMIT
-
- Source and hex files are in KER:, binaries are in KERBIN:
-
- 2. Oklahoma State University:
-
- UUCP and Kermit access to the complete Kermit distribution is available from
- the Department of Computing and Information Sciences, Oklahoma State
- University, Stillwater, Oklahoma. The procedures are somewhat complicated,
- and are described in a separate file, AANOKS.HLP.
-
- [End of AANETW.HLP]
-