comp.sys.mac.comm FAQ (v 2.3.0) Jan 1 2002 (3/3)
Bruce Grubb
[5] Internet Networking
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[5.1] What kind of hardware and software do I need to have a
direct connection (ie use TCP/IP protocol) to the Internet?
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For best performance there are some common hardware and software
requirements:
a program that implementes the Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency (DARPA) TCP/IP Protocols (see [4.1]) This has been included
with the MacOS since 8.1.
a direct connection to an Ethernet or TokenRing network or PPP
dialup connection.
Note that some ISP require their own software to use. IMHO this is
only usefull if they are providing some service (like AOL's parental
controls) that are not easily implimented with existing Internet
software otherwise it is a waste of time and resources on their part
to go with some propriority software.
[5.2] What are SLIP, CSLIP and PPP?
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SLIP stands for Serial Line Internet Protocol. SLIP was a "non-standard"
for framing IP packets and shipping them over a serial line (e.g. a
cable, or a pair of modems), thus allowing a home machine to dial up and
become part of the Internet. Effectively, SLIP turned a serial port into
a logical Ethernet port. PPP (see below) has effectively replaced SLIP
as the standard of choice for Internet connections.
CSLIP stands for Compressed SLIP. CSLIP reduces the size of the
headers in IP packets by eliminating a certain amount of redundancy.
This improves interactive performance.
Synergy Software offers a CSLIP MacTCP extension with its
VersaTerm/VersaTerm-PRO packages. If you already own Versaterm,
SLIP is a $20 upgrade. If you buy the complete VersaTerm 5.0.4
package, you will also get an FTP server and client, a Telnet
connection tool, and MacTCP. Performance is comparable to that
of MacSLIP. Contact: [USA] (215) 779 0522
PPP stands for Point-to-Point Protocol. PPP has been stated as a
standards-track protocol by the Internet Engineering Task Force and
the Internet Activities Board. PPP can support both synchronous
and asynchronous connections and protocols that are not IP-based
(such as AppleTalk). It provides specifications for error detection,
feature negotiation, escaping control characters, etc. As a result
PPP has become the defacto standard for connecting to the Internet
with Remote Acceess being the most popular extension for Classic Networking.
[5.3] OT/PPP (Remote Access) Frequently Asked Questions
---------------------------------------
* What things in TCP/IP do I -not- need to bother with?
You can safely ignore the IP address field, Gateway Address,
Subnet Mask, and generally the LCP and IPCP Options. These
will be set up by the server at connect time.
* How should I set the 'Obtain address' setting for TCP/IP?
This should be set to 'server' The load on the Internet today
has rendered manual addressing virtually useless.
* Do I need to set the Domain Name Servers in TCP/IP?
Yes. This information needs to provided to you from your system
administrator or service provider. Without this information
internet programs will not work correctly.
* Which Port Speed setting should I use for TCP/IP?
If you have a good modem script you should not have to worry
about this. If you have two modem scripts based on port speed
(like Global Village's V.92 modem) the rule of thumb is the
fastest speed for a PowerMac and the slower one for a 680x0 Mac.
* What modem initialization string should I use?
Again a good modem script should prevent you from worrying about
this and it is best to your modem manual or local systems
administrator for advice. The only genralization that can be made
is that if you are using a modem not specfically designed for a mac
you will likely have to add 'DTR override' (&D0) in your
initialization string after the &F (factory default setting).
* Should I specify my username/password in the
Accounts/Connections box?
These Authentication Dialogue boxes are only for use if you
are connecting to a PPP server that supports PAP. If setting
your username and password in the Accounts box does not result
in a successful login, and you are sure that the information
is correct, and you have ruled out any other problems, then
you should not use this part of Accounts box; its fields must
be left blank.
In this case use the Connection Script dialogue to build a script
which includes your username and password. If you do not know
whether your PPP server supports PAP, check with your service
provider or System administrator.
* Do I need to specify a connection script?
If you are connecting to a PPP server which does not support
PAP, then you must specify a connection script rather than using
the Authentication Dialogue box (see above). The connection
script must include your username and password. If you want to
"watch what happens" in order to develop a connection script,
OT/PPP haa a Terminal Window option. Note, You may need to include
a command to start PPP at the remote end (this often happens
automatically) - if you need to, put this command at the end
of your script.
* Can I control OT/PPP using AppleScript?
Yes, OT/PPP supports AppleScript directly and comes with documentation
and example scripts.
* How do I make a OT/PPP Connection Script pause?
You can build a pause into the connection script using the '\d'
special character in an out string. '\d' represents a 1 second
pause. If you need a 5 second pause use '\d\d\d\d\d'.
* OT/PPP drops the line after a few minutes. What's wrong?
This phenomena has a number of causes.
1) One cause is not setting your modem for DTR override when
using 'CTS & RTS (DTR)' or 'RTS (DTR) Only' Flow Control. Mac
hardware handshaking cables have the hardware line from the Mac
wired to both the RTS and DTR lines of the modem. This means
that when the Mac drops its handshake line to stop the flow of
data from the modem, both RTS & DTR are dropped at the modem end.
Dropping the modem's RTS line is fine because that stops the
flow of data to the machine (until the machine is ready,
whence the line is raised again and the flow of data
resumes). However, if DTR is dropped, the modem will hang up.
To avoid this, configure the modem for 'DTR override' by
including the appropriate setting (&D0) in your modem
initialization string.
2) If you have selected an Idle Timeout, then OT/PPP
will seek to drop the connection when there has been no traffic
for the period you have specified. A dialogue box will
appear alerting you that PPP is disconnecting.
3) Some PPP servers will cut the link after a number of minutes
of inactivity. This is to stop you tying up a network line if
you are not making use of it. If you want to defeat this you
will need to generate some network activity every few minutes.
4) A significant drop in the quality of the connection. To some
degree the higher the modem connection is the less tolerant
it is of connection quality variation. This cause is the
least likly but does occur often enough that it should be
noted.
* When I have closed OT/PPP but leave some Internet
programs open I discover that after while it will attempt to
reconnect. How do I stop this?
Click Options, select connection, and uncheck the
'Connect automatically when starting TCP/IP appplications' box.
[5.4] Do I have to know anything about Unix to use the Internet?
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For the most part the answer to this question is no though there are
some Unix and Internet protocals you should know about. The ones
followed by a * you need to be aware of.
DNS (Domain Name Server) *
desinates the servers that translates domain names to IP
numbers. If this server has problems then you cannot use
domain names at all and have to use IP numbers. Interarchy
has DNS lookup as one of its many network tools.
NFS (Network File System)
file sharing protocol used by many UNIX workstations. The
average Internet surfer doesn't need to worry about this as
most file transfers involve FTP or HTTP not NFS. Since MacOS X
and higher have Unix as there core this should be a built-in.
NNTP (Net News Transfer Protocol) *
a protocol used to transfer articles between a central news
server and many client machines over TCP/IP or a serial link.
Used by about every MacOS newreader program available.
SMTP (Simple-Mail-Transfer-Protocol) and POP (Post-Office-Protocol) *
These are two protocols for transfering electronic mail between
machines that have a TCP/IP interface or equivalent. Without
these you cannot send or receive e-mail.
UUCP
UUCP (Unix-to-Unix-Copy) is a protocol originally intended to be
used to transfer files between Unix machines over telephone lines.
As with NFS it can be safely ignored by the average Internet
surfer.
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[6] Miscellaneous
========
[6.1] I just downloaded an .AVI file but Quicktime will not play it
correctly. Am I missing something?
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Quite possibly as there have been serveral codecs for AVIs over the
years each of which have been respresented on the mac with it own
extension: Intel Raw Video (1.10.20.02), Indeo Video (3.22.24.09),
Indeo Video4 (4.4.0), and Indeo Video5 (5.0). While Windows did have
an i235 AVI codec no Mac extension exists to view these AVIs.
The mac extensions Intel Raw Video and Indeo Video codecs were
originally included in a Quicktime 1.5 and higher program called
Video For Windows (c1994) which allowed QT to view these AVIs. Today
the Indeo Video codecs 3 through 5 plugins for Quicktime 3.0 though 5.0
can be found at <http://www.apple.com/quicktime/technologies/indeo/>
and the Intel Raw Video seems to be part of the Quicktime 4.0 and
higher install.
Futher complicating matters is the emergence of a new AVI codec known
as DivX. Currently the only way to play these DivX AVIs on a Mac is
use DivX Player <http://mac.divx.st/download/index.html> with Windows
Media Player 6.3 (DivX Player does NOT work with version 7 of the
player); unfortunity the OpenDiv codec
<http://www.divx-digest.com/software/divxcodec4.html> which is usable
with Quicktime does not seem to be able to decode DivX AVIs.
DivX 4.1.1a <http://www.divx.com/divx/> another Quicktime
alternative has problems with the audio in some DivX AVIs perhaps due
to the audio sometimes using a different codex altogether.
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Appendix
========
[A] List of Common Abbreviations
--------------------------------
Abbrev-
iation Description
------- ------------------------------------------------------
ADB Apple Desktop Bus
ARA Apple Remote Access (was AppleTalk Remote Access)
bps bits per second
CSLIP Compressed SLIP
csmc comp.sys.mac.comm
CTB Communications Tool Box
CTS Clear-To-Send
DSR Data-Set-Ready
DTR Data-Terminal-Ready
FTP File Transfer Protocol
IP Internet Protocol
LAP Link Acess Protocol
MNP Microcom Networking Protocol
NNTP Net News Transfer Protocol
PPP Point-to-Point Protocol
RTS Request-To-Send
SID Sound Input Device
SLIP Serial Line Internet Protocol; also seen as SLIP
TCP Transmission Control Protocol
[B] Mac program archive list link and Vendor Information
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Nearly all shareware or freeware programs described in this FAQ are
available from one of the many archives that mirror the InfoMac archive.
Over 90 of these mirror sites are listed in the FTP section of
the Mac-Site-list
<http://members.aol.com/BruceG6069/ftp-list.html#mirrors>
These vendors are either mentioned in this FAQ or provide products
relating to Macintosh networking. Neither the editor of this list
nor any of the contributors necessarily endorse any of the vendors
or their products. The following information is provided for your
convenience only.
Please bring any errors or additions to the attention of the editor.
Aladdin Software <http://www.aladdinsys.com/>
Apple Developers Association (APDA)
[USA] (408) 974 4667
Asante <http://www.asante.com/>
Ascend Communications <http://www.ascend.com/>
Carnation Software
<http://www.webcom.com/~carn/carnation/HT.Carn.Home.html>
COM One [France] <http://www.com1.fr>
Compatible Systems <http://www.compatible.com/>
Farallon Computing <http://www.farallon.com/>
Global Village <http://www.globalvillag.com/>
Hayes Corporation <http://www.hayes.com/>
QUALCOMM, Incorporated <http://www.qualcomm.com/>
Quiotix Corporation <http://www.quiotix.com/>
Raine Storm Softworks <http://www.kagi.com/raine/>
Sassy Software <http://www.cstone.net/~rbraun/mac/telnet/>
Sonic Systems <http:/www.sonicsys.com/>
Walker Richer & Quinn, Inc. <www: http://www.wrq.com>
ZyXEL Communications <http://www.zyxel.com/>
[C] Contributors
----------------
The editor of this FAQ would like to graciously thank all of the
following individuals who have contributed in some form or another
to the answers provided above, and to the many others not listed
who have nonetheless encouraged and corrected us along the way.
Erik Adams (DivX information)
Steve Baumgarten (Versaterm)
Jack Brindle (BinHex, MacBinary)
Eric Behr (MacTCP)
Jim Browne (NCSA Telnet)
Josh Cole (Networking, MacTCP, AppleDouble)
Bill Coleman (Smartcom)
Steve Dorner (Eudora, SLIP)
Don Gilbert (SLIP)
Tom Gewecke (European E-Mail, Archives)
Elliotte Rusty Harold (General, File Transfer Programs)
Patrick Hoepfner (various tidbits)
Greg Kilcup (CSLIP, PPP)
Andy Y. A. Kuo (Networking)
Yves Lempereur (MacBinary/BinHex)
Peter N. Lewis (General)
Ward McFarland (Mac serial port speeds)
Dick Napoli (DivX information)
David Oppenheimer (original c.s.m.comm FAQ maintainer)
Leonard Rosenthol (General, StuffIt)
Richard Saint (MacPPP [now FreePPP] FAQ)
Bonze Saunders (dataComet Inforamation)
Dan Schwarz (Mac serial port speeds)
Eric P. Scott (General)
Jon L. Spear (General, Baud Etymology)
Tony Stuckey (AppleDouble information links)
Christopher Swan (Black Night)
Werner Uhrig (Macintosh Expert)
dzubera (56K and .z information)
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