To use UK Online from a Macintosh, you need four packages: MacTCP, which is Apple's control panel device that provides a standard network interface for TCP/IP applications; MacPPP; Microsoft Internet Explorer and NewsHopper. MacTCP is standard in System 7, and the other three packages are provided by UK Online. MacPPP is a Macintosh implementation of PPP, the Point-to-Point Protocol, which allows you to use TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) applications over asynchronous serial lines. Besides using the Internet Explorer and NewsHopper, you can also use telnet, FTP, Gopher and WAIS clients and other TCP/IP services directly from your Macintosh. MacPPP requires MacTCP 1.1 or higher, Macintosh System 6.0.5 or higher, and a Hayes-compatible modem for dial-in connections. Once you have finished installing and configuring MacTCP and MacPPP, as described below, your dial-in UK Online sessions will be handled automatically. You'll simply click on the Internet Explorer or NewsHopper icon, or use the Open button on MacPPP's Config PPP Control Panel. Your modem will dial automatically. You can then enter your password and proceed with your dial-in session.
2. Installing UK Online Software
Simply drop the three files in the folder labelled "Drop in System" into your System folder. On System 7.x machines, if the System Folder is closed when you selected the PPP and Config PPP icons, a dialog box will ask if you want to put these files into their special places in the system. Click OK. The files should go in the Extensions and Control Panels folders, respectively. On System 6.x machines, the 'PPP' and 'Config PPP' files should go in the System folder. The PPP Preferences must be placed in the Preferences folder. Then click on the Microsoft Internet Explorer Install icon to install it. Follow the instructions. Then click on the NewsHopper Demo Icon. This is a self-extracting archive, and it will ask you where you want to place the files. After you have installed everything reboot your machine.
3. Configuring MacTCP
Follow these steps to install and configure MacTCP for use with MacPPP. MacTCP is included in System 7. You must obtain it from Apple if you are still running System 6.
1. On System 7.x machines, select the MacTCP control panel icon. On System 6.x machines, under the Apple Menu, choose "Control Panel." Then choose MacTCP from the control panel window.
2. Select the PPP icon in the MacTCP control panel and then click "More ..." to bring up the MacTCP Configuration Information Box.
3. Choose "server" under "Obtain Address." You do not need to enter a gateway or IP address. Do not select dynamic or manual (static) addressing. The Gateway address is not needed. Ensure the IP address is specified as a Class C.
4. In the Domain Name Server Information part of the MacTCP Configuration Information Box, on the first line, enter ukonline.co.uk for the domain and 194.81.76.3 for the IP address. Click the button in the Default column. On the second line, enter '.' (a period) for the domain and 194.80.204.1 for the IP address.
4. Configuring MacPPP
4.1 Config PPP Control Panel
The Config PPP control panel leads to several dialog boxes and windows that you'll use to configure MacPPP. You can use the Config PPP control panel to begin and end your PPP sessions. Most users will only want to contact UK Online, and this is very simple.
The only parameters you need to set are the Port Name and the phone number you want to dial, which you do by clicking "Config..." to go to the Configure Server dialog box. The default UK Online setting dials the London Point of Presence (PoP); this is used for the registration process if you've never used UK Online before. Once you subscribe it can be altered to be the PoP nearest to you. You will also need to enter a userid and password. If you are using UK Online for the very first time, you will need to obtain a UK Online username and password by going through a registration process. This is described later, but you will need to use the username ukonline and the password freetrial for the authentication information in this case. If you already have a UK Online account then your username and password should be used. Note that we recommend for security reasons that you leave at least the password field blank so that you are prompted to enter it each time the program is run.
Other parameters can also be used to customize MacPPP. These optional settings are described below, but on the whole you will not want to change them. Optional setting are marked in Italic.
PPP Up/Down
This icon indicates the current state of the PPP driver-more specifically, the PPP IP Control Protocol. 'Open' indicates that PPP is ready for IP traffic. 'Down' indicates that it is not yet ready for TCP/IP traffic.
Open/Soft Close/Hard Close
Click these buttons to open and close your PPP session, once you've configured MacPPP. If you have problems using a particular application along with MacPPP, try opening MacPPP this way, rather than from inside the application. Click Hard Close to prevent MacTCP from reopening your connection after you've ended your PPP session, or to end your PPP session if you want to use your serial port to run a traditional asynchronous program, such as a terminal emulator. Click 'Open' to manually re-open your PPP session after you end it with Hard Close.
Statistics
When you click this button, a dialog box with a set of counters appears. Click the Update button on the Statistics dialog box to show the current value of the counters and the current state of all supported PPP options. Most users will not need to use the Statistics dialog box.
Port Name
The Port Name pop-up menu allows you to select the Modem Port, Printer Port, or any other serial ports registered with the Communications Toolbox. (The Communications Toolbox is included with System 7.0, and optional on System 6.x machines.) The default is the modem port. If you have registered other ports, MacPPP will use the Communications Toolbox to automatically obtain their names and the names of associated drivers.
•PowerBook 100 users should select Internal Modem or External Modem on the PowerBook control panel. External modem users should select the Printer/Modem Port option from MacPPP's Port Name menu, and internal modem users should select Modem Port.
•PowerBook 145, 160, and 180 users should select Internal Modem or External Modem on the PowerBook control panel, and select Modem Port from MacPPP's Port Name menu.
•PowerBook Duo users with an Apple Express internal modem or a standard Apple internal modem should select the Modem Port option on MacPPP's Port Name menu. PowerBook Duo users with a non-Apple internal modem should select Internal Modem or External Modem on the PowerBook control panel, and select the Internal Modem option on MacPPP's Port Name menu.
Users with a PowerBook Duo that is not docked should select the Printer/Modem Port option from MacPPP's Port Name menu.
Users with a PowerBook Duo that is docked should select the Modem Port option from MacPPP's Port Name menu. AppleTalk users should be sure to quit AppleTalk before using the Duo's serial port for MacPPP.
Idle Timeout (minutes)
You can use the Idle Timeout pop-up menu to configure MacPPP so that if your PPP session remains idle for a specified amount of time, MacPPP will bring up an alert box asking you if you want to close the session. You can either close the session or ignore the message. Leave the setting at None, the default, if you don't want to set a timeout interval. If you want to set a timeout interval, click the pop-up menu and select a timeout interval from 5 to 120 minutes.
Echo Interval (seconds)
MacPPP uses a PPP packet called the "LCP (Line Control Protocol) echo request" to determine if your connection has been dropped. MacPPP sends the requests at the interval you specify; if the terminal server does not respond after 3 successive requests, MacPPP assumes that the link is down. If you leave the Echo Interval pop-up menu set off-the default-MacPPP will not send out any echo requests. If you want MacPPP to send out echo requests, click the pop-up menu to specify the interval at which MacPPP should send them out-from 2 to 20 seconds.
Terminal Window
Click this box to bring up a basic terminal emulator, which will appear when MacPPP is connecting with the local terminal server. You can then use the terminal emulator to manually type any commands needed to put the terminal server into PPP mode. Once you have entered these commands, click the 'OK' button to start your PPP session. If you click the Terminal Window box, MacPPP will ignore the Phone number and Modem init fields in the Configure Server and Connect Script dialog boxes. Currently, the terminal emulator offers only basic features, and does not provide a cursor or scroll bar. Most users will not need to use the MacPPP terminal emulator.
Hangup on Close
Click this box if you want MacPPP to send the modem a hangup string (+++ ATH) when you close your PPP session. This is normally what is wanted.
Quiet Mode
Click this box to disable notification of Password Authentication Protocol (PAP) messages and idle timeout conditions.
4.2 Configure Server Dialog Box
Click 'Config ...' in the Config PPP control panel to display the Configure Server dialog box, which you'll use to set the port speed, phone type (tone dial or pulse dial), and phone number. If your modem defaults are set up correctly, you can ignore the 'Modem Init' field. If the defaults are not set up correctly, you'll need to enter a modem initialization string, as described below. To enter the information needed to identify you to the terminal server, go to the Authentication dialog box. Several optional parameters can also be set on the Configure Server dialog box, as described below.
PPP Server Name
Normally if you only want to connect to UK Online then use the preconfigured setup. It is also possible for you to set up a separate configuration for each host you access with MacPPP, assign a name to that host, and connect to it by selecting its name on a pop-up menu. Now you can simply click the name each time you want to access that server. MacPPP will automatically establish a connection using the configuration you specified. If you want to add other servers, click 'New' in the Config PPP control panel. MacPPP will prompt you for each name, and you can then configure any desired options. Click the 'Delete Server' option button to delete server entries.
Port Speed
Enter the speed in bits per second for the port being used for your PPP session. This should be at least as fast as your modem speed.
Flow Control
The Flow Control pop-up menu allows you to select among several hardware flow control options. Select CTS & RTS (Clear to Send/Ready to Send), if this option is supported by your modem. CTS flow control allows the modem to run at the higher speeds provided by data compression. If you select CTS & RTS, you must also enable CTS/RTS flow control in your modem, and configure the modem to ignore DTR (the Data Terminal Ready signal). In many modems, the command to ignore DTR is 'at &d0'. If you enable CTS/RTS flow control, you must be using a modem cable that supports "hardware handshaking." So that MacPPP can detect whether your cable supports hardware handshaking, configure your modem's DCD (Data Carrier Detect) signal so that it is only present when you are connected to the remote host. This is the default for many modems. If DCD is not set this way by default, the correct reset command for many modems is &C1. Be sure that your modem is not using XON/XOFF flow control on input or output. MacPPP does not support XON/XOFF flow control. If XON/XOFF flow control is enabled by default, check your documentation and use the appropriate modem initialization string in the Configure Server dialog box to disable it.
Tone/Pulse Dial
Click the 'Tone dial' or 'Pulse dial' button to select your type of phone service.
Phone number
Click this box to enter the phone number of the host you're dialing. See your UK Online booklet (or look online) for your nearest Point of Presence (PoP).
Modem Init
Click this box to enter any initialization strings required by your modem. The string must be a Hayes 'AT' command. If your modem defaults are set up correctly, you may not need to enter a Modem Init string in order to use PPP. The Modem Init string is typically used to disable XON/XOFF flow control or to enable CTS/RTS flow control, if supported by your modem (see the section titled "Flow Control" above.) MacPPP does not support XON/XOFF flow control. Be sure that your modem is not using XON/XOFF flow control on input or output. If XON/XOFF flow control is enabled by default, check your documentation and enter the appropriate modem initialization command in the Configure Server dialog box to disable it. If you enter a Modem Init string but the phone number field is not set (either because you are not using a modem or prefer to issue the dial command yourself), MacPPP will not send the Modem Init command. If the phone number field is set, MacPPP will automatically send the initialization command 'AT E0V1' to the modem. This will disable echoing and put the modem in verbose response mode. An 'OK' response is expected from the modem. If you have not entered an additional modem initialization command in the Modem Init box, the phone number will then be dialed. If you have entered a modem initialization command in the Modem Init box, the command will be sent to the modem after the 'AT E0V1' command. MacPPP will again expect an 'OK' response from the modem. After MacPPP receives an 'OK' response, the phone number will be dialed. You may include any characters in the phone number that your modem will accept, e.g., a comma (,) for a pause between numbers.
Modem connect timeout
By default, MacPPP will wait up to 90 seconds for a response from the modem before timing out. If it receives a CONNECT response, MacPPP will proceed to the next phase. If a BUSY response is received, MacPPP will attempt to redial. Click the Modem connect timeout box to change the timeout interval; you can select any number of seconds.
Click the option buttons on the bottom of the 'Configure server' dialog box to bring up the Connect Script, Authentication, and LCP/IPCP dialog boxes.
4.3 Connect Script Dialog Box
You do not need to enter any information in the Connect Script dialog box. If you are accessing a service other than UK Online and want to use the Connect Script dialog box to initiate your PPP session, you can enter up to eight dialog strings to establish the connection. All of these fields are optional. Once you've established a connection, your modem and the terminal server will exchange information contained in the dialog strings to initiate your PPP session.
Select the Out button in front of the seven dialog strings to indicate that your modem should send 5 out the string. Select the Wait button to indicate that the string is expected to be received from the terminal server. Control characters can be entered using the ^ (caret) convention, e.g., '^m' for a carriage return. The <CR> check boxes indicate that a carriage return should be appended to the end of the dialog string. Placing a '^m' at the end of the string also appends a carriage return to the end of the dialog string. The backslash (\) is a reserved character in the Connect Script dialog box. It can be used as follows for both Out and Wait strings:
\r carriage return
\^ literal '^'
\\ literal '\'
\nnn 8-bit octal value
The following can be used only in Out strings: \b send a break (100 milliseconds) \d delay for one second \t invoke the MacPPP terminal emulator
Wait timeout (seconds)
Click this box to enter the number of seconds MacPPP will wait for each Wait string to be received from the local terminal server. The default is 40 seconds. By default, if more than 40 seconds elapse, MacPPP will abort the attempt to establish a connection. An alert box will appear, asking if you want to quit MacPPP or retry the connect script from the beginning.
4.4 Authentication Dialog Box
The only information you need to enter in the Authentication Dialog Box is your authenticating username. Authenticating UserID and Password Use the Authentication dialog box to enter username and password details needed to identify you to UK Online. You can enter it once, or you can leave it blank and get MacPPP to prompt you for the details - useful if you have a UK Online Family account.
Retries
Click this box to specify how many times MacPPP should attempt to resend your ID and/or password, if it is unable to establish a connection with the local terminal server. The default is 10 retries. By default, MacPPP will abort the attempt to establish a connection after 10 retries.
Timeout (seconds)
Click this box to enter the number of seconds MacPPP should wait for the terminal server to respond to your ID and/or password authentication request. You can enter any number of seconds; the default is 3 seconds.
4.5 LCP and IPCP Options Dialog Boxes
The LCP (Line Control Protocol) and IPCP (IP Control Protocol) Options dialog boxes allow you to configure the options that PPP negotiates with the local terminal server. In most cases, the defaults should work. Changing them is not recommended.
5. Hanging Up Your Modem
In order to hang up your modem and end your PPP session, you must hang up explicitly by clicking Hard Close on the Config PPP control panel or by turning off your modem. Simply quitting your TCP/IP application, such as Internet Explorer, will not hang up your modem.
6. Registering and using UK Online
There are four steps to using UK Online.
1 Register to get a username and password which works on our demonstration system. To do this, start up Internet Explorer and specify the username ukonline and the password freetrial. Abandon the attempt to load Microsoft's home page by pressing the X icon. Enter the text demo.ukonline.co.uk/UKOnline/regme.html in the location box at the top of the page. Press return and you will be asked for a password again. Re-enter the username and password and then you should see the registration screen. Fill this out and make a note of your username and password which will be given to you at the end of the process. Then hangup the line.
2 Use your username and password to sign into the system once again. This time you should try going to the page demo.ukonline.co.uk/UKOnline. Again you will need to specify it once to the dial-up mechanism and once to the service once you are online. Here you can see around the service, and try out what the Internet and UK Online is all about. Also look at our local call numbers and find the one that's nearest to you, and make a note of it. Once you've convinced yourself, you'll need to subscribe. Click the icon marked Subscribe and follow the instructions. Your username and password remain the same, but your account will be marked as a live account and you will have full access to the service. Hangup the line once you've subscribed.
3 Now change the number to be called to the local PoP. Dial up again using your username and password. Specify this time www.ukonline.co.uk/UKOnline as your destination, and then make this your default home page by selecting the Options menu item from the Edit menu, and choosing the Home/Search tab.
4. Once you have subscribed you can also use the demonstration offline news reader supplied. Read the introductory file for more information: you must specify the name news.ukonline.co.uk as the name of the news server to use.
Troubleshooting
Here are several tips that may be helpful when installing UK Online software for the Mac: You must disable XON/XOFF flow control on your modem in order to use MacPPP, as explained above.You should enable CTS/RTS flow control in both MacPPP and in your modem, and you must be using a modem cable that supports "hardware handshaking." If you have problems using Internet Explorer, try launching MacPPP with the Open button on MacPPP's Config PPP control panel, rather than from inside the application. If you have call waiting enabled on your phone, ensure it is turned off before you call (by codes in the dialup number) because the call waiting tones will affect the operation of the modem if a call comes through while you are online.
Contains portions by: University of Michigan, Information Technology Division,
Step-by-step S4122. November 1993
UK Online 1996
Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of Michigan and the Merit Network, Inc. All rights reserved. This publication may be reproduced or reprinted without the permission of the Information Technology Division of the University of Michigan as long as the copyright and source are clearly acknowledged. MacPPP was developed at, and is copyrighted by, the Merit Network, Inc. and the University of Michigan. Merit and the University of Michigan grant an unlimited license for use and redistribution of the executable program provided that it is not sold for profit, either as is or as part of another product. Charges to recover the cost of duplication and distribution are permitted. MacPPP is offered "as is"-neither Merit nor the University of Michigan make any guarantees about the performance or reliability of the software. Acknowledgments The PPP core software engine is based on public domain code written by William Allen Simpson, taken from KA9Q. All modifications to the PPP core software engine necessary to develop MacPPP and bring the implementation to compliance with RFCs 1331, 1332, and 1334 have been performed by Merit Network, Inc. and the University of Michigan. In recognition of his original work, William Allen Simpson has been granted copyright for the PPP core software engine. The TCP header compression routines used in MacPPP were written by Van Jacobsen and are Copyright 1989 Regents of the University of California. These routines were heavily modified by Katie Stevens and William Allen Simpson. Primary development of MacPPP at Merit Network, Inc. and the University of Michigan was performed by Larry J. Blunk. Eric Schneider wrote many of the "LAP" interface routines necessary for a MacTCP mdev, as well as additional support code. Glenn McGregor provided additional code, as well as valuable input on the project. Many other individuals also provided input, and their support is appreciated.
