You purchase a Macintosh. After a while you want to reach out to others and you buy a modem. After the local bulletin boards pale and Compu$erve/AOL/Prodigy bleeds you dry you connect to the Internet. While regular dial-up access is fine for some things (such as email through a POP3 server if your provider supplies it), after a while you want to surf the Internet for real, via TCP/IP. You have two choices: PPP (Point to Point Protocol) or SLIP (Serial Line Internet Protocol). I heartily recommend the former, it's easier to configure. Since you've gotten this document I guess your site provides SLIP.This document shows you exactly what I did to get up and running. That's all it does. It doesn't explain any technical details about TCP/IP or SLIP, or why you'd want to install them. Check the "Questions and answers".
You'll need to have a Macintosh running MacOS 7.* and a modem. In writing this I assume that you know the basics of using your Macintosh and that you have access to an FTP client on a UNIX machine (usually part and parcel with a dial-up access). If you have no such access you'll have to get the software from Adam Engst's book or have someone else troll the net and give you a floppy filled with the results.
A quick thanks to Adam Engst, Peter Lewis, Michael W. Wellman and Amanda Walker of InterCon, Steven R. Van Ormer, a cast of thousands on comp.sys.mac.comm, and all the others who emailed suggestions and corrections to me.
Where we travel around the Internet, picking up the software we'll need and the tools we'll use for debugging the connection. I'll explain what each item is in detail as we use it.
MacTCP is the bedrock of the connection process. It is not free, although it comes included with MacOS 7.5 and Adam Engst's book. Apple's ETO Developer and Apple Unix (A/UX) CD-ROMs both include MacTCP. It's also available through the Apple Catalog for $59.MacTCP 2.0.6 is the last version; Open Transport is the next-generation connection system. (If you received MacTCP on a floppy drive then skip this paragraph.) Unlike the Network Software Installer (NSI), the MacTCP installer won't let you install from your boot hard drive to itself. Format a high-density floppy, name it "tcp/ip connection", and copy the contents of the TCP/IP Connection folder to it.
We'll be using ftp to retrieve software from across the net. I've shown you exactly what you'll need to type. If you find encounter some technical difficulty contact a local guru. I won't supply anyone with this stuff via e-mail (because I don't have the time to fulfill the requests.) There are email servers that will mail files to you.
% ftp ftp.apple.com -- '%' is my shell prompt. Yours may differ. Name (ftp.apple.com:msattler): anonymous 331 Guest login ok, send your complete e-mail address as password. password: yourname@yourmachine ftp> bin -- used to transfer programs 200 Type set to I. ftp> hash -- give me feedback during transfers Hash mark printing on (8192 bytes/hash mark). ftp> cd /dts/mac/sys.soft/netcomm ftp> ls -CF (pick out something like the file named on the next line; versions change.) ftp> get net-soft-install-1-4-image.hqx ftp> bye %
Get ShrinkWrap, Aladdin StuffIt Expander, MacTCP Watcher, Peter Lewis' Anarchie, and of course, InterCon's InterSLIP.
How you'll download what you've just retrieved from your provider's UNIX box to your Macintosh depends mostly upon the terminal emulator that you're using. If you're using ZTerm then zmodem is your best bet. Try using the UNIX commands "sz" (send zmodem) or "sx" (send xmodem). MacLayers users will have to make do with it's built-in download facility; it's less robust and slower than zmodem but should finally get things to your machine.I suggest that you delete the versions on your provider's UNIX box only after you've got everything running on your Mac. If something gets corrupted during download you won't have to venture back out on the net.
Log off. You'll soon be using the serial port in a new way. :-)
Create a new folder for the files you've downloaded. You can move them else- where on the hard disk when we're done, but for now it'll be convient to have everything at our fingertips.Restart your Macintosh; during the start-up process depress the Shift key until you see the message "Extention disabled". Other extentions subtly conflict with the Apple Installer in ways that are non-obvious.
StuffIt Expander, freeware, will decompress archives created with the most common Macintosh utilities: StuffIt Lite, StuffIt Deluxe, and Compact Pro. It also will perform the BinHex conversion on the fly. A must-have for anyone surfing the nets. This is a self-extracting archive (.sea); double-click it and watch it unfold.
Some of the software you've obtained comes as disk images. These must be copied over to actual floppies by something like Apple's Disk Copy, or can be virtually mounted with ShrinkWrap, which results in much faster install times. Don't use MountImage, it has a bug that will sometimes corrupt what you're installing while appearing to work. (I was stumped for months.)Drag this .hqx file onto Stuffit Expander and watch it be re-constituted.
Apple's Network Software Installer (NSI) will provide you with the latest version of AppleTalk.Drag this .hex file onto Stuffit Expander and watch it be re-constituted.
Drag the disk image onto ShrinkWrap; it will mount as though you'd inserted a physical floppy.
Install as instructed in the read-me file on the "floppy".
Unlike the Network Software Installer, you can't install MacTCP onto the boot hard drive from hard drive; don't ask me why. If you were provided with a floppy skip the remainder of this paragraph. If you've gotten MacTCP from a CD-ROM as a disk image then use ShrinkWrap. If the CD-ROM contains the actual files you can install from the CD-ROM. If you want to keep a spare copy on a floppy be sure to name the floppy to whatever the name of the folder is, usually "TCP/IP Installer".Install as per the read-me file.
MacTCP assumes you are connected to the Internet. InterSLIP provides that connection.Drag this .hex file onto Stuffit Expander and watch it be re-constituted.
Install as per the read-me file.
Drag this .hex file onto Stuffit Expander and watch it be re-constituted.
Open the MacTCP Admin control panel.
Select InterSLIP as the connection method if not already chosen. Click the More button.
If you've been given a fixed IP address select Manual in the Obtain Address area. If you've been given a dynamic or server-based IP address (which changes each time you connect) select Server. Never, never, never select Dynamically.
Use the Class pull-down to set the subnet mask as specified by your provider. Usually you'll have a Class C address, which has a mask of 255.255.255.0.
Enter the IP address of your provider's gateway machine in Gateway IP. For example, mine is 192.187.167.254.
In the Domain Name Service (DNS) area enter your domain and the IP address of one of your DNS servers; you can add more later. Mine looks like
domain.com 192.100.81.101 * <---- default radio button turned on . 192.100.81.101 <---- that's a period in the domain partHit the Ok button to return to the first screen.
If you've been assigned a fixed IP address enter it in the IP Address field; mine is 192.187.167.26.
Hit the Okay button to finish configuring MacTCP. We'll need to reboot, but it'll wait until after the next step.
Open the InterSLIP Setup desk accessory. Choose New from the File menu and provide a meaningful name when asked. Mine is "provider.com (San Francisco)".
Double-click on the just-created entry to see the configuration window. The following are the settings I use:
Serial port: Modem Port
Baud Rate: 57600
Data Bits: 8
Stop Bits: 1
Parity: None
Hardware handshaking: on
Speaker on while dialing: on
Dial script: Hayes-compatible modem
Dial: tone
Phone number: as assigned (different then non-SLIP dial-up number for me)
Modem Init: AT&F1 (factory settings; always a good first try, works for me)
Gateway: Simple UNIX/Telebit
User name: as assigned
Prompt for password: on
Password: as assigned
IP Address: as assigned (mine is 192.187.167.26)
Nameserver: as assigned (mine is 192.100.81.101)
RFC 1144 Header Compression: as assigned (mine is on)
MTU Size: as assigned (mine is 1006)
Hit the Ok button.
Reboot your Macintosh.
The following steps will progressively execise more and more of TCP/SLIP.
Open the InterSLIP Setup desk accessory.Hit the Connect button. In the upper right corner you should see Dialing, Signing In, and Connected. If your provider has a non-standard gateway connection you'll probably want to get my fully-commented InterSLIP dialing and gateway scripts from the Digital Jungle EShop.
Double-click MacTCP Watcher. In the upper left you'll your IP address. There are several reasons why you see Unknown instead of your DNS name.
(If your provider is giving you pseudo-SLIP through SLuRP, SLiRP, or TIA then you'll not be able to Ping other computers.) Read the read-me file for information on what and how to test.
- You haven't given it enough time. Some of my ISPs have required up to 30 seconds to give me a generic DNS name like "slip2007.provider.com".
- You haven't properly configured your DNS fields.
- The MacTCP DNR (Domain Name Resolver) document in you System Folder is corrupt. Throw it away. Reboot and let MacTCP build another one.
- The DNS servers aren't up. Every ISP has problems. Pick up the phone and make sure they're not having a bad day after you've checked the above.
If things aren't working and your local experts are making "Well, it sounds right and it works for me" noises, I suggest that you
- throw away the MacTCP DNR file in the system folder
- use a startup manager to inhibit extensions (or pull them out of the Extensions folder in the System folder)
- reboot and hold down option-command-p-r to zap the PRam
- try again
- make installation floppies of the MacTCP and InterSLIP software
- delete all the MacTCP and InterSLIP files from your hard disk
- throw away the MacTCP DNR file in the system folder
- reboot and hold down option-command-p-r to zap the PRam
- install MacTCP and InterSLIP again
- configure them and reboot
- try again
Now that you've got a functional TCP/IP over SLIP connection you're ready to surf the net. Anarchie comes with a long list of places you can go for all sorts of files. Newswatcher lets you participate in USENET newsgroups.Questions and answers
Is the jist of your post saying that I don't need a connection through my job to get to the internet? I can do it with the proper modem setup at home?Yep. You do need is (1) a computer, (2) a modem, (3) the right software, and (4) an account at an Internet Service Provider (ISP). You can always just dial up with any old terminal emulator (ZTerm or MacLayers) and use the UNIX commands to send mail, read USENET news, FTP, etc. If you want to be able to use programs that have the same look-and-feel as your operating system then you need (5) to get a SLIP (Serial Line Internet Protocol) account from your ISP.
What type of modem should I get for doing this?
Any hayes-compatible modem will do, the faster the better.
Small print
That we need disclaimers proves we live in a sick society. While I have tried my utmost to ensure the reliability of the information in this document, I disclaim all liability for inconvenience, injury, death, and/or loss of monies or materials caused by your following (or attempting to follow) these instructions. Depending upon the actual law (and the enthusiasm of your attorney) I may not be able to weasel out of my responsibilities.