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- .TOPIC:
- Interfacing with FidoNet
-
- VBBS 6.12 Documentation--12-A-1
-
- ╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
- ║ CHAPTER 12 ANNEX A INTERFACING WITH FIDONET ║
- ╚═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
-
- FidoNet and how it works
- ════════════════════════
- FidoNet is the largest network of BBS's in the world, and at
- the time of this writing it has well over 24,000 nodes. The
- unique feature of FidoNet is in the fact that it is not confined
- to the IBM world. There is a very wide platform of hardware in
- FidoNet. Amiga, IBM, Apple, Commodore, and many more can share
- FidoNet. So keep this in mind as you learn about some of the
- rules in FidoNet.
-
- FidoNet is made up of Zones, Regions, Nets, then Nodes. Each
- zone has a Zone Co-Ordinator who handles the Regions, each
- Region has a Region Co-Ordinator who is assigned by the Zone
- Co-Ordinator, each Net has a Net Co-Ordinator who assigns node
- numbers to BBS's in their Net. So when I now explain how
- FidoNet's node numbering system works it'll be easy to see. The
- node numbering System is ZONE:NET/NODE. EXAMPLE... I'm in Zone
- 1, in Net 129, and I'm the 201st BBS in that net, therefore my
- node number is 1:129/201.
-
- There are 2 ways to communicate with other nodes in FidoNet.
-
- 1. ECHOMAIL which is similar to Virtual Net's Message Subs.
- ECHO's have names like "The International Amiga Forum",
- Echo's have Moderators, and the main difference is that echo's
- don't have Sub Numbers, but rather names which are called AREA
- names. Generally when you join a Net, one of the BBS's in
- that Net will be the ECHOMAIL Hub where all ECHOMAIL for that
- Net is routed.
-
- There are 2 basic types of ECHOMAIL Echos. Local and Backbone.
- Local Echos are message areas confined within that Net, or the
- Moderator is doing the hubbing of the Echo. Backbone Echos are
- transmitted along FidoNet's massive network of Hubs, and are
- available to all nodes.
-
- 2. NETMAIL which is similar to Virtual Net's Email function,
- in that it is more private. Netmail can be routed along
- FidoNet's backbone system, provided one can find a Netmail Hub
- that agrees to route the mail. Or netmail can be "crash mailed"
- from your system directly to the node you're sending the mail
- to. This is similar to VBBS's DIRECT MAIL function and requires
- that your BBS call the other BBS directly.
-
- File FREQing
- ════════════
- File FREQing in FidoNet is commonplace. In most cases you can
- send a File REQuest to almost any FidoNet node. Most have a list
- of FREQable files avaiable called FILES. This is called a magic
- name, which is really unique. VBBS/VFIDO is capible of recieving
- and sending FREQs by either the files full DOS name, or Magic
- name. A magic name is assigned to a file that is prone to
- VBBS 6.12 Documentation--12-A-2
-
- changing versions a lot. For example... I update the Fido
- NODELIST every time it changes, and it would be impossible for
- you to know the exact file name. So I set up a Magic Name
- "NODELIST" which when requested will send you the file I have
- chosen to send. Or to pick up the most current version of VFIDO,
- you can FREQ the magic name "VFIDO", and you'll get the version
- I tell my BBS to send you. A rather nice feature for those of us
- that can't keep track of some of the fast changing versions of
- utilities and programs. You can also FREQ by the files actual
- DOS name... such as VFIDO610.05, and if it's available, you'll
- get it. I've actually made a couple CD-ROM's FREQable, and
- created a file list that can be FREQ'd.
-
- The NODELIST
- ════════════
- FidoNet's NODELIST is formatted like this NODELIST.###, where
- ### is equal to the day of the year that the nodelist was
- created. So a nodelist generated by FidoNet on January 1st would
- be named NODELIST.001. You can obtain a nodelist from your NC in
- FidoNet, or from many FidoNet BBSs. Once you have a current
- nodelist, your NC will send you NODEDIFF files that contain
- changes as they occur, and there are many utilities that will
- update your nodelist by making the changes issues in the
- NODEDIFF files you will recieve. I use a utility called NLGEN,
- and run it in a nightly event batch file. This way my nodelist
- is alway current. NLGEN and FidoNet's nodelist files are
- available on my BBS for DLing. This is a good reason to be sure
- to poll your NC regularly.
-
- Some Rules to follow
- ════════════════════
- Because of the shear mass of mail moved in FidoNet, and the
- number of possible hardware systems that mail may go through,
- there are many rules for the IBMer to keep in mind. For example,
- you may not use ANSI code or DOS extended ASCII characters in
- Netmail or Echomail that is routed along the backbone. This is
- because that mail may be read by an Apple, or Amiga computer
- that may crash upon handling IBM Extended ASCII or ANSI. In a
- local situation where all systems involved are known to be IBM,
- it is OK. So this means you may not be able to have the fancy
- boxes in you tagline, or the fancy quote mods that contain
- extended ASCII characters.
-
- Because Netmail is important to FidoNet, you will be required
- to keep your BBS open to incoming mail calls for 1 hour per
- day. This one hour is called Zone Mail Hour, and for Zone 1 it
- is 4AM to 5AM EST. So make sure the NC of the Net you join can
- test this feature.
-
- I recommend setting up net hours in VCONFIG to keep users off
- the BBS, thus allowing net calls ONLY. Also, you may not poll
- your FidoNet ECHOMAIL Hub during ZMH, as it is for NETMAIL ONLY.
-
- As is at the present time, a Moderator of a FidoNet Echo has
- complete control of the Echo. The Moderator can easily send
- your ECHOMAIL Hub, and/or NC a netmail to have you disconnected
- from the Echo should you not follow rules. It is a very serious
- VBBS 6.12 Documentation--12-A-3
-
- offense to try to re-aquire an echo you've been removed from,
- and many Sysops have been removed from FidoNet completely for
- this. So you'll need to keep a close eye on your users. And
- you'll need to poll your NC once per day to be sure you recieve
- any Netmail from Moderators. As a Sysop, you are directly
- responsible for your users' actions.
-
- You'll find that the Nets inside of FidoNet are all run a tad
- differently and will no doubt have a set of rules for you to
- follow. BUT, they must at least comply with FidoNet's rules
- which are available in a file called POLICY4.ZIP (again
- downloadable from my BBS). You should read these rules carefully.
-
- How to obtain a Node Number
- ═══════════════════════════
- Keep in mind that FidoNet is broken up into Zones, Regions,
- Nets, and Nodes. A Zone is usually an entire country, the USA
- and Canada are Zone 1. Regions are like VNET regions, and have
- little to do with node numbering but the Regional Co-Ordinator
- setups the Nets in his/her region. A net is simply a group of
- BBS's inside FidoNet. Each net has a different net number. Each
- Net has a Net Co-ordinator. Each Net also has different policies
- and rules. You'll be attempting to join a net.
- FidoNet node numbers are VERY easy to understand they look like
- this:
- ZONE : NET / NODE . EXAMPLE: I'm in Zone 1 in Net 129 and I'm
- node 201.. so my node number is 1:129/201 Simple ?
-
- 1. Obtain a copy of FidoNet's NODELIST. I have it on my BBS for
- Dling if you want it. And it's the FULL list (all zones).
- 2. Install VFIDO according to the DOC's using a bogus node number
- of 1:999/999. See commented docs below.
-
- 3. From your Main Menu hit X, then S for search. Type your area
- code. You're looking for a FidoNet node in your area that
- ends in /0 ie 1:129/0. That indicates the NC for that NET.
- NOTE: I joined a NET that was out of state for Long Distance
- reasons. It's cheaper to call LD out of state than in state.
- 4. Lets use 129 as the NET number you've decided to apply to.
- Change your node number to 1:129/999 and re-run VFIDO /c
- NETWORKID=4.
-
- 5. Generate a crash mail to the NC of that Network. In our
- 129 example you would address the crash mail to
- SYSOP +C @1:129/0 . Make the title "Node Application
- Request ". Now type up a nice Email stating that you would
- like an application to join their network. You may even get
- an application automatically on the first call. If not wait
- a couple days and from WFC poll that Fido System again and
- see if you get mail and/or a file.
-
- 6. Fill out the application, read their NET rules file. Then
- send the application back to the NC. Poll once a day till
- you get a node number.
-
- 7. When you get a node number, change it in VCONFIG and do a
- vfido /c again.
- VBBS 6.12 Documentation--12-A-4
-
- 8. Now send another netmail to the NC asking who you may use
- for your ECHOMAIL Hub, AND who you may use for your
- NETMAIL HUB, and ask about costs involved in getting echos
- (Local and/or backbone).
-
- ECHOMAIL is like Subs. FidoNet has 2 types of ECHOMAIL .. LOCAL
- (Confined to the Net you're in) ... BACKBONE (National and
- Internatiionally distributed ECHOMAIL). Some Nets charge for
- BACKBONE echos. The Net I'm in charges $2.50 per month for 1 -
- 15 backbone echos. The Net you join will probably have a BBS
- that is the "ECHOMAIL Hub" for the Net. So you would route
- ECHOMAIL to that Node.
-
- NETMAIL is like Email, and routes differently than ECHOMAIL. So
- you also need a NETMAIL Hub *IF* you wish to send NETMAIL
- worldwide. Or you can Crash Mail NETMAIL. This, of course, means
- that your BBS will call the BBS you crash mail to.
-
- Setting up VFIDO and Understanding It
- ══════════════════════════════════════
- I'm simply going to load up the documentation from the author's
- current version, and insert comments where I feel Sysops have
- had problems. Since I recieve many voice calls, and Emails
- regarding VFIDO/VBBS setup I'm fairly familiar with the commonly
- misunderstood areas, and common mistakes made.
-
- VBBS 6.12 Documentation--12-A-5
-
- VBBS / Fido Gateway 6
- =====================
-
- Copyright Neil J Marshall 16th June 1993
- TransAtlanticBBS {+44-689-890937}
- 1 @ 440 VirtualNET
- Neil J Marshall @ 2:440/211 Fido
-
- Introduction
- ============
-
- This program is designed to create an interface between the VBBS
- software written by Roland de Graaf and any Fido-compatible
- network. FidoNET itself is the largest hobbyist network in the
- world, with over 14,000 BBS as members, and there are literally
- thousands of smaller Fido-compatible networks worldwide.
-
- This version of the interface program allows the exchange of
- private mail and public message areas between VBBS and Fido. It
- no longer requires the use of FrontDoor to handle the calls to and
- from other Fido BBS, although you can continue to use FrontDoor if
- you so desire.
-
- Contents
- ========
-
- Initial Configuration Of VFIDO To Give E-Mail Functionality
- Configuration Of VFIDO To Add Conference Functionality
- Configuration Of VFIDO To Add Interface To FrontDoor
- Creation Of A Fido Network List For Use By VBBS
- Summary Of VFIDO Command Syntax
- Technical Information
- Development History
-
-
- Initial Configuration Of VFIDO To Give E-Mail Functionality
- ===========================================================
-
- Place the VFIDO.EXE program in your VBBS directory.
-
- Run VCONFIG.EXE, and select Network Configuration for the Fido
- (type 4) network you are configuring.
-
- NOTE: Do this complete installation proceedure for each Fido type
- network.
-
- 1. Fido Address: 2:440/211
- Your Fido network primary address in Zone:Net/Node.Point
- format)
- 2. NetMail Directory: C:\VBBS\NETMAIL
- Where Fido netmail will be stored - must be the same for all
- your Fido networks
- 3. OutBound Directory: C:\VBBS\OUTBOUND
- Where Fido EchoMail will be stored - must be the same for all
- your Fido networks
- VBBS 6.12 Documentation--12-A-6
-
- NOTE: If you're installing more than 1 FidoType network the
- netmail and outbound directories MUST be the same for all
- of them!!!
- 4. Archiver: PAK
- Compression for outgoing EchoMail - ZIP PAK ARJ LHA ARC
- PKPAK HYP
- 5. UnArchiver: PAK
- This field is now redundant as archive format is
- detected automatically
- 6. FIDO Front-End: Standalone
- Standalone or FrontDoor are only valid options at this stage
- 7. Nodelist Name: NODELIST
- The name of the nodelist for the network
-
- NOTE: Place the NODELIST.### file, unarchived into your \NETMAIL
- directory
- If you're in more than one Fido Type Network, plae those nodelist
- files in here also. They'll have different names. ie EchoNet uses
- ECHOLIST.###
-
- 8. Zones: 1-7
- The range of Zones that belong to that network (ie the Domain)
-
- NOTE: If you are in some other Fido Style Network, the zones
- setting will be different for that Network's setup. Zones
- applied to the possible #: nodes in that particular network
- ... FidoNet messages can arrive at you BBS addressed FROM
- a 1:, 2:, 3:, 4: thru 7: node number, and VFIDO will
- (according to the zones setting above) properly process the
- mail. EXAMPLE: I'm in EchoNet and all their nodes start with
- 50: So the correct setting would be 50-50 for me.
-
- D. Dial List
- 1. System Address: 2:440/59
- Fido address of node to call
- 2. Phone Number: 0689-824890
- Full phone number to dial
- 3. Poll Priority: Hold
- Hold means never call, Priority is call as soon as mail is
- waiting, once a day is the final option
- 4. Preferred Session Type: EMSI (FSC-0056) w/Zmodem (DSZ)
- EMSI or TSYNCH handshaking selection
- 5. Session Password: FRED
- The password to use in the EMSI session with the other BBS,
- which may be blank
-
- R. Routing
- 1: 2:440/59 2:440/59
- Fido address of server and routing mask including wildcards.
- The routing logic works top to bottom through this list so you
- can't add anything meaningful after the last line with the
- *:*/* on it.
- 2: 1:1/1 1:*/*
- 3: 2:440/6 *:*/*
- A)dd Lines E)dit Lines D)elete Empty Lines Q)uit:
- VBBS 6.12 Documentation--12-A-7
-
- NOTE : Understanding routing is the single biggest problem I've
- gotten Email on. So I'll try to explain it. If you recieve
- a ECHOMAIL from a particular node, you must have them in
- your routing, or when a user posts in that Echo, VFIDO
- won't know who to send the post back to. So if you recieve
- echomail(Subs) from 1:129/201 and from 1:999/3 you should
- at least have:
-
- 1:129/201 1:129/201
- 1:999/3 1:999/3
-
- The System you assign the *:*/* to is generally your NETMAIL hub
- because netmail could go to any of 24,000 BBS's in FidoNet, so it
- routes through your NETMAIL hub. Let's assume your netmail hub is
- 1:999/0 ... now your routing should look like this:
-
- 1:129/201 1:129/201
- 1:999/3 1:999/3
- 1:999/0 *:*/*
-
- Here are some examples of message tossing and routing using the
- routing lines above.
- 1. A user posts on an echo that you recieve from 1:129/201, when
- VFIDO tosses that post, it looks at the routing and uses the 1st
- line, and tosses that post into a packet pending for 1:129/201.
- 2. A user posts on an Echo you recieve from 1:999/3, when VFIDO
- tosses that post it skips line one, sees line 2 in the routing
- list and packs up the post for 1:999/3.
- 3. A user REPLIES with EMAIL (NETMAIL) to a post from 2:440/211.
- The post is addressed to 2:440/211 so when VFIDO tosses the
- netmail it skips line 1 and 2 above and routes the netmail to
- 1:999/0, who in turn routes it thru the mail system to 2:440/211.
- 4. You send a netmail addressed to "Sysop @1:129/201". Vfido reads
- the routing lines and packs it up directly to 1:129/201.
- 5. CRASH MAIL totally ignores the routing lines, and forces your BBS
- to directly dial the node you're mailing to! BTW, only a 255 SL
- can send CRASH MAIL.
- 6. NETMAIL with files attached also ignore the routing, so be sure
- to make those crashmail unless the node you're sending it to
- will be polling you, or you'll be polling them.
-
- A. AKAs
- 1: 2:440/59.3
- Alternative address for the board - must be same Zone
- 2: 2:440/0
- A)dd Lines E)dit Lines D)elete Empty Lines Q)uit:
-
- NOTE: Do not enter your Primary node number as an aka!
-
- Once this configuration is completed, go to the main VBBS directory
- and run:
-
- VFIDO /C NETWORKID=#
-
- You must rerun this every time you change the above configuration
- information.
- VBBS 6.12 Documentation--12-A-8
-
- You will also need to set up a file containing phone prefix aliases
- called VFIDO.FON in your DATA subdirectory. This is used to ensure
- that the phone numbers listed in the nodelist are converted to a
- format that can be dialed from your BBS. This is used for removing
- your country code for national calls and area code for local calls.
- VFIDO needs the correct phone numbers listed so it can call any BBS
- in the nodelist when Crash Mail, File Attaches or File Requests are
- sent.
-
- An example of this file for the USA would be:
-
- 011- The prefix for dialing international phone numbers
- 1-616-399- 399- Sets up the toll free codes for your area code
- 1-616- 1- Makes all other calls in your area code long distance
- 1- 1- Ensures all US phone numbers are not made international
-
- This example would convert a phone number listed as 1-616-399-4818
- to 399-4818, or convert 1-616-772-0482 to 1-772-0482, or
- 44-689-890937 011-44-689-90937
-
- and for Europe:
-
- 010- The prefix for international calls
- 44-689- Strip the country and area code for local calls
- 44- 0- Add a 0 prefix for national calls
-
- As an example, the above would convert an international phone number
- listed in the nodelist as 1-616-399-4818 to 010-1-616-399-4818, or a
- national number in the nodelist as 44-689-890937 to 0-689-890937.
-
- Place the unarchived nodelist into the C:\VBBS\NETMAIL directory
- and run:
-
- VFIDO /A NETWORKID=#
-
- You will need to rerun this every time you receive a new NODELIST
- or you change the VFIDO.FON.
-
-
- Sending E-Mail Using VFIDO
- ==========================
-
- To send an E-Mail message from VBBS to any Fido-type network,
- invoke the E-Mail routine as normal. The User Network Address
- field should be completed in the format User Name@Fido Address,
- so to send E-Mail to me use Neil J Marshall@2:440/211.
-
- If you want to send Crash Mail, that is where the E-Mail is sent
- directly to the addressee's BBS, ignoring the routing logic, then
- add a " +c" after the addressee's name, so to send Crash Mail to
- me use Neil J Marshall +c@2:440/211.
-
- In Fido-type networks it is policy that messages with files
- attached must go directly to the addressee's BBS and ignore the
- routing logic, so if you attach a file to a message it will be
- held on your board awaiting a call from the addressee's BBS unless
- you send it Crash Mail or the addressee is one of the BBSs in your
- dialing list that you call.
- VBBS 6.12 Documentation--12-A-9
-
- File Requests Using VFIDO
- =========================
-
- If you want to send a File Request to another Fido-type BBS invoke
- the e-mail routine as normal. The User Network Address field should
- be completed in the format Sysop +f@Fido Address, where the " +f"
- is the switch to indicate this is a File Request. The Filename
- requested is put in the Title field of the message. All File
- Requests are sent direct to the addressee's BBS and ignore routing.
- If the addressee's BBS is not one that you have set up in your
- dialing list, then you must also use the +c switch to make the File
- Request a Crash E-Mail. To request the latest version of VFIDO from
- me, you would invoke the E-Mail function and address it to Sysop +f
- +c@2:440/211, then make the Title of the message VFIDO.
-
- VFIDO also supports incoming File Requests. When a File Request is
- received, VFIDO searches each of the File Areas that you have set
- up in VCONFIG and sends the file back if it is found. VFIDO also
- supports "Magic Names" for File Requests - this is where a
- pseudonym is associated with an actual file for ease of access by
- calling systems. Magic Names should be set up in the file
- VFIDO.MAG in your DATA directory. The format of this file is one
- entry per line, giving the "Magic Name" followed by the full path
- and filename of the file to associate with the Magic Name, for
- example:
- VBBS C:\VBBS\FILES\SYSOP\VBBS620.ZIP
- FILES C:\VBBS\MASTLIST.TXT
-
- might be some of the most common ones. Magic Names may also call
- up wildcard downloads as well. For example, entering VBBS*.ZIP
- instead of VBBS620.ZIP above, would send all files with the prefix
- VBBS in that path.
-
- If you want a "standard letter" sent in response to each file
- request, create this letter in a file called FILEREQ.TXT in your
- TEXT path. Generally a Fido Sysop should use this to list the
- Magic Names applicable to their BBS.
-
-
- Configuration Of VFIDO To Add Conference Functionality
- ======================================================
-
- If you want to access public message areas in Fido, you will
- need to know the AREA name that uniquely identifies each Fido
- conference. Supposing, for example, you wished to set up VBBS to
- participate in a Fido conference whose AREA name was HARPOON:
-
- Run VCONFIG.EXE and select Database Configuration, Message Bases,
- the relevant Group and Database. Then select Networks
- Configuration, A for add, select the network, and on the line for
- the Network Conference Identifier, put the AREA name of the Echo-
- mail conference in the network, then a space, then the Fido address
- of the EchoMail server from whom you receive the conference. If you
- are acting as a local hub, also add, separated by a space, the Fido
- addresses of the nodes to whom you directly circulate the
- conference. You are currently limited to 80 characters in VCONFIG
- although you can manually edit the file to create longer
- subscription lists.
- VBBS 6.12 Documentation--12-A-10
-
- The line will look like this:
-
- Network Conference Identifier: HARPOON 2:440/59 1:2/3 1:3/4
- ^ ^ ^
- * * *
- * * These are the addresses
- * * of BBS whom you pass the
- * * conference on to when
- * * you are a local hub
- * *
- * This is the Fido address of the
- * EchoMail server from whom you
- * collect the conference
- *
- This is the AREA name of the Fido
- conference
-
- After you have set up all your conferences, you must run VCONFIG,
- Database Configuration, Compile Network Configuration - and you
- will have to rerun this every time you change the network
- configuration of a database.
-
- With these simple steps taken, every message posted on that
- conference will be echoed to Fido, and every message from Fido
- on that conference will be fed into VBBS.
-
-
- Using AreaFix To Request Conferences
- ====================================
-
- You can add or remove your BBS to the subscription list for
- conferences on other Fido BBS using AreaFix.
-
- All you have to do is to send a NetMail to AreaFix at the BBS
- address with your AreaFix password as the title (the AreaFix
- password is agreed in advance by yourself and the other Sysop)
- and a content that lists, line by line, the Area name of a
- conference, preceded by a - for remove.
-
- For example, a message whose content read:
-
- VFIDO_SUPPORT
- -GAMES_DISCUSSION
-
- would add your BBS to the VFIDO_SUPPORT conference and remove it
- from the GAMES_DISCUSSION conference.
-
- VFIDO supports incoming AreaFix requests as well, included
- AreaFix passwords for Add and Delete Echo requests. The password
- is the same as is set up as the session password in VCONFIG.
-
- VFIDO also supports the use of the LIST command to give a list of
- all the Echoes set up on the BBS for any specific network, by
- placing the word LIST on its own on a line in the NetMail to
- AreaFix.
- VBBS 6.12 Documentation--12-A-11
-
- Summary Of VFIDO Command Syntax
- ===============================
-
- VFIDO {channel number} {option} NETWORKID=#
-
- # is the network identifier as specified in the NET.0 file for
- the network you are connecting to.
-
- {channel number} is only necessary with /DIAL, /HOST and /POLL
- options.
-
- {option} is one of:
-
- /A Build network list from nodelist
- /C Compile initial Fido information
- /DIAL Make a call to another Fido address, specifying the
- address right after the switch like /DIAL2:440/211
- /HOST Answer an incoming Fido call
- /POLL Call all systems for whom Crash Mail is pending
- /U Scan VBBS mail and toss to Fido
- /T Scan Fido mail and toss to VBBS
-
-
- Technical Information
- =====================
-
- VFIDO creates FTS-0001 packets for NetMail with FSC-0039
- extensions for Zone and Point 4D addressing, FTS-0004 ARCmail
- packets for EchoMail, and FTS-0006 WaZOO-format File Requests.
-
- Connections can be using FTS-0001 (TSynch) using XMODEM or
- FSC-0056 (EMSI) using ZModem.
-
- VFIDO requires the presence of the DSZ, and the appropriate
- archiver program (PKZIP, PAK, ARJ, LHA etc) in a directory
- accessable through the PATH statement.
-
-
-