This document explains how to setup and optimize a dial-up IP connection to minkirri using SLIP or PPP. I recognise that it is incomplete and will be revised regularly. For the latest version of this document, look in the directory "/pub/local/dip-cfg.txt". This file was last updated on 04/04/97. +++ Software needed You will need a program that supports dial-up IP connections using either CSLIP or PPP for your particular operating system. Many of these programs can be found on minkirri in the "/pub//comms" directorys, where is the operating system you are using. This includes; DOS - slipper Win31 - trumpet Win95 - ???? Linux - dip For example, using win31, the program "/pub/windows/winsock/twsk20b.zip" should be downloaded and un-zipped into a directory "c:\app\trumpet". This directory should also be added to your path, which is usualy set in "c:\autoexec.bat". In addition to the dial-up program, you will need aplication programs to use the IP connection. These applications can also be found in the same directory as the dial-up program on minkirri. Typical applications that are available include; mail, news, talk, irc, telnet, ftp, and www browsers. Each of these programs are for different purposes, and will have different things to set up. As a bare minimum I recommend getting a www browser and a telnet program. For windows, I currently recomend you get teraterm for telnet, and netscape for www browsing. There is also available an installation kit for windows 3.1. This includes Trumpet, TeraTerm, WSFTP, Eudora, and configuration files for setting these up for minkirri. This kit can be downloaded from minkirri as the file "/pub/local/windows/minkw31.exe". This is a self extracting archive file that can be extracted to a 1.4M floppy disk or a temporary directory on a hard disk. The install program included in this kit will do most of the configuring of these programs for you. +++ Software configuration To set up your particular dial-up software for either SLIP or PPP you will need to set the following; Default route/host - 203.12.237.9 Name server - 203.12.237.9 Com port - the com port of your modem Note that a different value for the "Name server" field may still work, but will be slower than using the number given. In addition you will need to create a connection script to dial, login, and enter either SLIP or PPP mode. Many of these scripts are already available on minkirri in the "/pub/local/" directory, for example, with trumpet you should download "/pub/local/windows/login.cmd" and copy it into your trumpet directory. Note that windows 95 by default uses PPP and PAP authentication (I think). Unfortunatly minkirri does not yet support this type of authentication, so you will need to use a script. I believe that script connections will require the windows 95 plus pack, which was not included in some early versions of windows 95. We are planning to support PAP authentication very soon, which should make setting up windows 95 for connecting to minkirri much easier. +++ Software configuration for SLIP To set up your particular dial-up software for SLIP you will also need to set the following; Connection Method - CSLIP/SLIP CSLIP Compression - On The script for a SLIP connection must do the following; dial 9381-1630 wait for "ogin:" send wait for "assword:" send wait for "$" send "slip" wait for "Your IP address is" get local IP address enter SLIP mode +++ Software configuration for PPP To set up your particular dial-up software for PPP you will also need to set the following; Connection Method - PPP PAP/CHAP authentication - Off The script for a PPP connection must do the following; dial 9381-1630 wait for "ogin:" send wait for "assword:" send wait for "$" send "ppp" enter PPP mode +++ Proxies and the WWW When setting up a WWW browser, a bad configuration may not stop it working, but can make a big difference to the performance. This applies mainly to the configuration of proxies. Recently, APANA's internet connection to connect.com has been changed. APANA has agreed to pass all web traffic through the connect.com proxy in return for a reduced connection fee. To ensure that we adhere to this agreement, connect.com will block all web traffic that does not go through their proxy. This means that an incorrect proxy setup WILL stop it working. You must have your http proxies set to one of the following hosts to work: proxy.connect.com.au, hock.apana.org.au, or minkirri.apana.org,au. Note that for best performance, you should use minkirri as your proxy. A proxy is a computer that acts as a "request forwarder and cache" for any information that your browser asks for. Any requests for information go first to the "close" proxy computer, rather than the "far-away" computer that has the information. The proxy keeps copys of (caches) all the most-recently-asked-for information. If it doesn't already have the information asked for, it requests it from the "far-away" computer, forwards it to your computer, and keeps a copy for next time. If it already has the information asked for, it sends it immediatly. Since many people use the same proxy and most people request the same information, the "caches" on proxies will usualy already have any information you request. Since many of the www pages often requested are in America, and the APANA proxy is in Melbourne, requests through the proxy avoid many bottle-necks, traffic jams, and general sluggishness often found on the internet. Another benefit of proxies, is they reduce the over-all traffic on the net, making it faster for everyone. The only complaint I have heard about proxies is it makes it hard for web sites to monitor who is reading their web pages. I personaly consider this to be another benefit :-). To use the APANA proxy, you will need to set the following on your www browser; http proxy: minkirri.apana.org.au port: 8080 ftp proxy: minkirri.apana.org.au port: 8080 gopher proxy: minkirri.apana.org.au port: 8080 WAIS proxy: minkirri.apana.org.au port: 8080 no proxy on : minkirri.apana.org.au port: 80 news server: minkirri.apana.org.au mail server: minkirri.apana.org.au Note that not all browsers will have all these proxy options, and some will have additional ones. Leave any additional proxy options at their defaults (usualy blank). The news and mail server options may be found in a seperate menu to the other proxy settings. The "no proxy on" part tells your browser not to go via the proxy if the information is on minkirri.apana.org.au. Obviously, since minkirri is your main proxy, there is no point in using the proxies for information found on minkirri. Note that some browers will require this field in the form "hostname:port", and others will only require a hostname.