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Text File | 1995-11-12 | 14.5 KB | 322 lines

Step-by-Step instructions for setting up FidoNet using SBBSecho and InterMail ============================================================================= One of the most difficult tasks that the novice sysop will encounter is the setting up of FidoNet. These instructions will take you step by step through the process of setting up FidoNet on your BBS. Be warned that these steps are very basic, just enough to get FidoNet up and running on your system, but it may still be necessary for you to refer to the documentation which accompanies the programs referred to in these steps. For any advanced operations you will definitely need to refer to the documentation of programs referred to in these steps. If you know of anyone who is already on FidoNet that is willing to help you out, by all means ask them for their help! NOTE that while it doesn't cost anything to have a node number (for sending and receiving netmail) or to receive local conferences, there is usually a nominal fee (called "cost recovery") to receive conferences from the FidoNet backbone or files from the FidoNet filebone. 1) First of all you will need to obtain a copy of FidoNet's Policy 4 document (the filename is usually POLICY4.ZIP or POLICY4.TXT), a recent nodelist (usually named NODELIST.???), AND a front-end mailer program. All three of these can normally be downloaded from any local BBS which carries FidoNet (if not, an e-mail to the sysop of a FidoNet BBS can usually point you in the right direction). There are several front-end mailers available such as FrontDoor, InterMail, D'Bridge, SEAdog, Dutchie, BinkleyTerm, and Portal of Power to name a few (the latter two are referred to as "FLO-Style" mailers and the others are referred to as "Attach-Style" mailers). Most front-end mailers offer a limited evaluation version which you can try out before you decide to purchase the program. 2) Read the Policy 4 document, it will give you information about FidoNet as well as some specifics on how to obtain a node number for your system. 3) If you do not plan to run InterMail (or FrontDoor which is very similar) you must set up the front-end mailer you plan to use by following the directions which accompany the program and then skip to step number 9. The documentation will also tell you how to "compile" the nodelist file you've downloaded so that your front-end mailer can use it. Use the temporary address specified in Policy 4 when specifying your node address in the front-end mailer. Setting up InterMail v2.xx or FrontDoor v2.xx ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4) Install InterMail per IM.DOC (included with InterMail). a) If using FrontDoor, follow the FD.DOC file and substitute the letters FD where ever you see an IM in this section. 5) Copy the MAILER.BAT included with SBBSecho and the EXEBBS.BAT from the Synchronet DOCS directory into the InterMail directory (C:\IM). 6) Change into the InterMail directory, run IMSETUP, and perform the following: a) Under Global->Address->Main, enter your FidoNet address (or the temporary address specified in Policy 4 until such time as you have received your own address). b) Under Global->Filenames, verify that the paths are set similar to the following: ╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Filenames and paths ╗ ║ ║ ║ System C:\IM\SYSTEM\ (or C:\FD\ for FrontDoor) ║ ║ Netmail C:\IM\MAIL\ ║ ║ Files C:\IM\INBOUND\ ║ ║ Sec Files C:\IM\INBOUND\ ║ ║*Packets C:\IM\PACKETS\ ║ ║*Log file C:\IM\IM.LOG ║ ║ Banner ║ ║ Nodelist C:\IM\NODELIST\ ║ ║ In-event ║ ║ Hudsonfmt ║ ║ Wildcat! ║ ║ Swapping C:\IM\ ║ ║ Semaphore C:\IM\ ║ ║ ║ ║ * = Must be unique for each Mail Server ║ ╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ c) Under Modem->Advanced Setup->Connect Strings set ALL "BBSexit" levels to 100. (For FrontDoor under Mailer->Errorlevels set all baud rates to 100, Received Mail to 50, and Create .BAT file to Yes). d) Under Manager->Events, make sure all your events are set to exit when mail is received (under Event Behavior). This allows for the immediate importation of new messages into the BBS. e) Under Manager->Events, add the following event: ╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Edit ╗ ║ Tag X ║ ║ Days -------A ║ ║ Modifier Ignore eventbase (*) ║ ║ Start time 04:30 ║ ║ Length 00:01 ║ ║ Errorlevel 75 ║ ║ Not used ║ ║ Behavior ║ ║ Use alias 1:103/705 ║ ║ Retry delay 0 ║ ║ Comment Synchronet exclusive event ║ ║───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────║ ║ Event tag A..YZ - eXternal event, errorlevel is required ║ ╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ f) Under Mailer->Misc, set "Trigger exit upon receipt of netmail" and "Upon receipt of ANY file" to Yes. This will allow for the immediate importation of NetMail and any File Distribution Echoes you may carry. g) Under Modem->Hardware, set "Lower DTR when busy" to "No". h) Under Modem->Command strings, set the "Down" string to "ATM0H1|". i) Exit IMSETUP. 7) Unarc the nodelist file (NODELIST.???) that you downloaded previously into your nodelist directory. 8) Now run IMNC to compile the nodelist. Settup up FidoNet in SCFG ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 9) Run SCFG from one of your node directories, or hit 'C' from the waiting for caller screen. Then select Networks->FidoNet EchoMail and NetMail. You'll then be brought to a menu that should be set up similar to this: ╔[■][?]════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ FidoNet EchoMail and NetMail ║ ╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ ║ │System Addresses 1:103/705 ║ ║ │Default Outbound Address No ║ ║ │Default Origin Line ║ ║ │NetMail Semaphore C:\IM\IMRESCAN.NOW ║ ║ │EchoMail Semaphore C:\IM\IMEXIT.025 ║ ║ │Inbound File Directory C:\IM\INBOUND\ ║ ║ │EchoMail Base Directory ║ ║ │NetMail Directory C:\IM\MAIL\ ║ ║ │Allow Sending of NetMail Yes ║ ║ │Allow File Attachments Yes ║ ║ │Send NetMail Using Alias No ║ ║ │NetMail Defaults to Crash No ║ ║ │NetMail Defaults to Direct No ║ ║ │NetMail Defaults to Hold No ║ ║ │Kill NetMail After Sent Yes ║ ║ │Cost to Send NetMail 102400 ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ a) For FrontDoor the NetMail Semaphore file should be set to C:\FD\FDRESCAN.NOW and the EchoMail Semaphore file should be set to C:\FD\FDEXIT.025. b) For FrontDoor version 2.11, the EchoMail Semaphore file should be set to C:\FD\FDXIT.025. c) For FrontDoor version 2.20 (commercial, multinode), the EchoMail Semaphore file should be set to C:\FD\FDXIT#.025, where # is the node number (0 based). 10) Set your address to your system's FidoNet address (or the temporary address specified in Policy 4 until such time as you have received your own address). This is the address used for sending and receiving NetMail. It will also be used as the default address for message sub-boards. 11) Create an origin line for your system that most likely contains your BBS name and phone number. 12) Following is an overview of the remaining options available on this menu: a) System Addresses: This option will bring you to a sub-menu to allow you to configure different addresses (AKAs) for your system. Following is an example for a BBS configured for two fido type networks. ╔[■][?]══════════════════════╗ ║ System Addresses ║ ╠════════════════════════════╣ ║ │Main 1:103/705 ║ ║ │AKA 1 1:103/706 ║ ║ │AKA 2 85:805/205 ║ ║ │ ║ ╚════════════════════════════╝ b) Default Outbound Address: When a user sends netmail, this is the 'send to' address that is used as a default (useful for FidoNet<->Internet gateways). c) NetMail Semaphore: This is the name of the trigger file which will cause your front-end mailer to exit and scan for outgoing netmail. d) EchoMail Semaphore: This is the name of the trigger file which will cause your front-end mailer to exit and scan for outgoing echomail. e) Inbound File Directory: This is the name of the directory where your front-end mailer stores incoming files. f) EchoMail Base Directory: This is the base directory for your echomail subdirectories g) NetMail Directory: This is the name of the directory where your front-end mailer looks for and places netmail. h) Allow Sending of NetMail: When set to 'Yes' users can send netmail from your system. i) Allow File Attachments: When set to 'Yes' users can send netmail file attachments from your system. j) Send NetMail Using Alias: When set to 'Yes' the user alias will be used (rather than their real name) on outgoing netmail. k) NetMail Defaults to Crash: If set to 'Yes' netmail sent from your system will default to crash status (send immediately and directly). l) NetMail Defaults to Direct: If set to 'Yes' netmail sent from your system will default to direct status (send directly). m) NetMail Defaults to Hold: If set to 'Yes', netmail sent from your system will default to hold status. n) Kill NetMail After Sent: Setting this to 'Yes' will delete outgoing netmail after it has been sent. o) Cost to Send NetMail: This is the cost (in credits) that a user will be charged when sending netmail. 13) Setup SBBSecho by running the ECHOCFG program and reading the documentation for information on the available options. a) Under Paths...->Outbound Directory be sure to enter the path where outgoing mail packets and bundles should be placed (ie: C:\IM\OUTBOUND). b) Select the appropriate Mailer Type. c) Enter your registration number (if you are a registered owner of the SBBSecho program). 14) Once you have done this you must now run the file MAILER.BAT (if using an Attach-Style mailer) to use Synchronet with your front-end mailer. MAILER.BAT must be run from your front-end mailer's directory (e.g. C:\IM). You will no longer run the file SBBS.BAT to start this node (if you run a multi-node system, you will still use SBBS.BAT to start those nodes which are not using a front-end mailer). a) If you are NOT using InterMail as your front-end mailer, be sure to modify your MAILER.BAT file to reflect the front-end mailer that you are using. 15) Follow the instructions given in the Policy 4 document to determine who you should send netmail to in order to obtain your own node number. 16) Now, from your front end mailer, send a netmail to this person following the instructions contained in the Policy 4 document. Once you have done this and the netmail has been sent, you should patiently await a netmail reply containing your node number and the node number of your hub (where you will send/receive your echomail and netmail to/from). 17) Once you have received your node number, you'll want to replace the temporary node number you used in your front-end mailer as well as in SCFG->Networks->FidoNet Echomail and Netmail->System Addresses to it. 18) Send your hub a message with the Area Manager (for the backbone <echomail>) and Areafix (for the filebone <files>) passwords you wish to use on their systems. You will need to remember these passwords as you will be using them to do remote maintenance (such as adding and removing conferences and file areas that you wish to receive). 19) Your hub should respond with Area Manager instructions and a list of areas available for you to connect to. If not, contact your hub for more information. 20) Look through the list of areas available to you and determine which conferences you'd like to carry. In SCFG->Message Areas create a message group(s) for the conferences you'd like to carry. When setting up a sub-board for a conference, be sure to use the "Area Tag" name given in the area list as the sub-board Short Name. a) Under Network Options... for each sub-board toggle the FidoNet Echomail option toggled to YES. b) If the conference requires a different address, configure the address under Network Options... c) If you allow aliases on your system, under Toggle Options... set Use Real Names to YES. d) If you are unfamiliar with adding message groups and/or sub-boards, consult that section of the Synchronet System Operator's Manual. e) For a more complete list of conferences available on the FidoNet backbone you may wish to download the file FIDONET.NA from either your hub or a local FidoNet BBS. This file contains a list of ALL conferences carried on the backbone. 21) Once you have set up all of the conferences you'd like to carry, you'll need to go to SCFG->Message Areas-><group>->Export Areas...->AREAS.BBS (SBBSecho) to create an AREAS.BBS file for SBBSecho to use. 22) Now following the Area Manager instructions, send a message to your hub's Area Manager and turn on all of the conferences you wish to carry. Note that there are some administrative conferences for FidoNet that your users shouldn't be able to read or post on, and some that even you shouldn't post on, there is also usually a "test" conference which you may want to set up to post messages on and insure that echomail is being sent and received properly. 23) That's about all there is to it. You are now set up on FidoNet and should be able to send and receive FidoNet echomail and netmail.