Get the most out of a TTY Modem connection

This document explains methods of getting more out of a plain tty / telnet / text_only style of modem connection. That is how you can transfer files, setup a 'fake' slip or 'ppp' connection, or multiplex the link to do multiple things at the same time.


Downloading File via a Terminal Connection

ZModem
Both the students ITS modems and staff modems can use the fast Zmodem Modem Transfer Protocol, which is available on both kurango and gucis. The commands on the UNIX end is 'sz' and 'rz'.

Students however should note that while the ITS modems can pass 8 bit characters, they do NOT do so cleanly (please let me know if this has changed). As such when downloading binary files you MUST give the 'sz' command the flags '-eb' to escape all the control characters on binary transfers. Simularly you must turn on the same setting at your end when uploading files using 'rz'.

See the online manpages sz(1) and rz(1). Also have a look at ZModem Hints and Tips

Kermit
Kermit works perfectly via the student ITS modems, however due to the UNIX versions lack of the RTS/CTS hardware flow control, it can NOT be used with the staff modems on kurango.

I am not sure of this but, kermit may work with the staff modems, IF, you buffer its control of the serial connection via a rlogin (with -8 option) network connection on top of your modem login. ;-)


Term -- Unix/Linix Multiplexer

Term is a program implementing a SLIP-like (but not SLIP) connection between two machines running unix. The program allows multiple connections to operate concurrently, IE. you can have multiple login sessions on kurango/gucis at the same time over one modem connection.

Unlike other multiple-window interfaces such as MacLayers or UW which only provide multiple terminal emulators, term can also be used to open up X client windows, such as xterm, xmail and xmosaic, and other SLIP- and PPP-like features, such as ftp, telnet, news, mail, are also supported by term.

Term has been installed at own end on both kurango and gucis. For more information on local usage and setup please refer to ''Term Modem Multiplexer''.

Term Software can be downloaded from the local linux archives on ftp.dstc.edu.au.


Tia -- Fake Slip

TIA or The Internet Adapter, is a program to run at the remote unix end of your modem connection. What it does to to setup a 'fake' SLIP connection. IP packets from the PC are recieved by the TIA program and re-sent to the network using that machines own IP instead of the local (home) machines IP address, thus eleminating the need to re-configure the remote machines kernal or requiring superuser access.

This works directly for most services, telnet, ftp, rlogin, www, gopher, etc.. However network servers can not be run using TIA. For example, you can not run a Xserver on your PC, or other servers like a FTP, or Mail server. Nor can you connect to the PC from any other remote site as the PC does not actually exist on the network.

The big advantage of TIA is that you can be up and running in 20 minitues, for upto 14 days free of charge. After that time you can continue the service by buying a licence (just stored in a 'dot' file in your home) for $25 US Dollars (credit cards accepted), with is extremely cheap.

For more information look at the TIA Home Page .


Created: 12 April 1995
Updated: 4 February 1998
Author: Anthony Thyssen, <Anthony.Thyssen@gmail.com>