Getting on the Internet with ACE InfoSystems

Normally you will need a different type of client program running on your local PC for each type of server service running on the Internet connected host. For example, a Web Server host communicates using HTML, to a client that understands this protocol. Netscape, Mosaic, and the Windows 95 Internet Explorer, are examples of Web Server client programs. Likewise, email clients such as Eudora, speak SMTP to their mail server hosts. The same goes for FTP, IRC, Gopher, RealAudio, Internet Phone, and many, many other client/server pairs.

OK, so now we know that in order to "surf the web", we need to run a browser client on our PC, and connect to a Web Server on the net. The trick here, is the connection part. Before we can run any Internet client software, we need to first, physically connect our computer to the Internet, and then second, communicate using the Internet Protocol. If you are fortunate enough to be directly connected via a 56K or T1 leased line, you would install TCP/IP on your computer as your "protocol stack". Most of us are not so lucky, and must use a modem over a standard voice line to connect. Usually this is accomplished by utilizing some sort of program that dials your service provider, and once connected, provides SLIP, CSLIP, or PPP as your Internet protocol stack. You will most likely need to configure your IP Dialer provider specific information. See "Configuring your IP Dialer" for more details.

Before you can get "on the net", you need to create an account for yourself on our BBS. ACE InfoSystems uses a BBS (Bulletin Board System) to control almost all aspects of your Internet access. We'll talk about BBS's a little later, but for now, know that they have been around as dial up services for many years... preceding CompuServe, Prodigy, AOL, and even the Internet!

If you haven't made friends with your modem, now's the time to do so. Most operating systems now come bundled with a standard terminal program. Before attempting to dial our BBS, you will want to make sure your computer is properly communicating with your modem. Configure your terminal program for the basics... modem speed 19200, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity. Set hardware flow control on... sometimes this is indicated by RTS/CTS, and software flow control off. If given a choice of terminal emulation, it's best to select ANSI although VT100 will work almost as well. Now, select the terminal window, and type ATE1 then press the <ENTER> key. Your modem should respond with OK or 0. If it does, and the modem is properly connected to the phone outlet, you should be OK. If it does not, try typing ATZ then press the <ENTER> key.. If it does not return an OK or 0, try selecting a different communication port and trying again. If it still fails, you could have a hardware problem and might want to ask help from one of your computer technoids friends. Some earlier modems require that you use all capital letters when sending commands to the modem. Make sure that that cable you are using has all of the pins connected. Some cables appear to work for awhile, then later develop problems.

Assuming we have gotten this far, let's make the call to the BBS and create our account. For your first dial out attempt, you may want to turn your modem speaker on. This is done by typing ATM1 then <ENTER>. Once you have verified your modem is working correctly you will probably want to disable the speaker by typing ATM0 then <ENTER>. Most terminal programs have phone books that can contain entries you configure for each system you wish to call. In this example we will dial the modem manually. Select the terminal window, type ATDT8330291 then pressing the <ENTER> key. Touching the keyboard during the modem dial process could abort your dialing attempt. Within half a minute or so, you should see a CONNECT message on your terminal screen, followed by the BBS verbiage. When the handshaking is finally complete, you will be prompted to enter a language protocol. Most callers will want to press the "1" key selecting the ANSI terminal emulation. The BBS will now display more verbiage, and will eventually ask you to enter your UserID, or to type NEW if you don't have one. Since this is your first log on, you will need to type NEW. By answering the questions the BBS will now ask, you will be creating your account on the system. This information requested is strictly confidential. Please answer all of the information accurately. After entering the appropriate data, you will be asked if you wish to be known as "firstname lastname" on the system. If you wish to use a nickname or handle instead, indicate no to this question. You will be asked for a UserID or handle. Be advised that this UserID can NOT be changed once entered, even by the SysOP, so think carefully about what you wish to be known by. Shortly after indicating a password, your account creation will be complete. You access will be limited to DEMO mode at this time, but you can look around the system if you wish and gather all of the necessary information and files you need to have for Internet access. Don't be afraid to look around... you can't hurt the system.

The BBS has many files available for download. You can get there by navigating the menus, or by typing /GO LIBRARY from almost any BBS menu prompt. Of particular interest to Internauts would be the INTERNET files library. There you should be able to find an IP Dialer program for your computer, web browsers, IRC and FTP clients, etc. You will need to make the INTERNET library active by using the Select Library menu option. Most terminal programs provide file transfer functionality in one way or another. If your terminal program supports Zmodem, use it for your file transfer protocol. After marking one or more files for download, you tell the BBS to start sending using Zmodem, and your terminal will automatically start receiving -provided your Zmodem has autodownload enabled. If it doesn't then you will need to instruct your terminal program to start receiving using Zmodem. The important note here is that you always tell the BBS to send first, then, if necessary, tell your terminal program to receive next. If all goes well, your terminal will finish by dumping a file into some directory you have specified in your terminal software setup. Most files collections are stored in one big compressed file. Installing these programs usually mean creating a directory or folder, uncompressing the files into that directory or folder, then either running a setup program or manually adding the icons to a program group. How you go about doing this depends upon your operating system and will not be addressed here.

A new caller to the system begins life as DEMO account user. Internet access requires upgrading your account class to MONTHLY_I. In retrospect, the naming of the class could have been a bit more informative, but that's hindsight for you.

There are two different ways of getting upgraded. In both cases we follow up the request with a voice verification, so make sure your account information is correct. Case one... you mail a check to us. When we get the check, we make the verification call, then upgrade your account. Case two, you call the BBS service and use your favorite charge card via our Visaman module. We get a message indicating your submittal and again voice verify the request, then upgrade your account. The voice verification only happens once. Renewing your account does not require a call. It should be noted that if you allow your account to expire before you get a chance to renew it, it will again be necessary for us to manually upgrade your account. This could result in a small lapse of service... nasty if you are expecting some important email. If you're mailing a check, make sure you allow enough snail mail time. We try and check our mailbox every day, but I wouldn't count on it. Subscription information, prices, etc., are available on the BBS from the <S>ubscription, <I>nformation menu option..

Depending upon the IP Dialer program you are using, you may need some or all of the information that follows. Windows 95 comes with support for PPP out of the box. SLIP support for Windows 95 is available from the Plus pack, but PPP is the preferred method anyway. Windows and Windows for Workgroups users can't go wrong with the Trumpet shareware program. On the Macintosh side of the house, two popular programs, InterSlip (shareware) and MACslip are available. There are many other commercially available "suites" that bundle IP Dialers, email readers, browsers, etc., together in one package. All of the above mentioned shareware programs are available for download from many popular BBS's, including our own.

Assuming you have a valid Internet account on the BBS, logging on using your IP Dialer program configured for PPP is rather straight forward. When the BBS prompts you for your UserID, you would answer "ppp:userid" (without the quotes) instead of just your UserID. The system will issue you an IP address which transmitted via PPP to your IP Dialer program. After successfully connection, you simply minimize your IP Dialer program, and run the Internet client software of your choice, i.e., Netscape, Eudora, whatever. When finished, close all of your Internet client software, and inform your IP Dialer program to discontinue the connection. That's all there is to it.

SLIP connections are a bit more difficult. Instead of communicating the IP address to the IP Dialer program directly, a script is required to grab the IP address from the IP Dialer's terminal screen. The script must be programmed to log on to the BBS as "slip:userid" (without the quotes) . Scripts are available for download in the INTERNET files library on the BBS.

You can use a script to automate the logging on via PPP as well, but unlike SLIP connections, they are optional. Logging on to the BBS without prefacing your UserID with either "slip:" or "ppp:" results in a connection to the BBS service itself rather than to the Internet.

Configuring your email or news reader is really pretty simple. First, you must log into the BBS itself. Then assign yourself a Internet userid by using the Internet UserID menu option off the Network Services menu. You can also get there by typing /GO USERID from any menu prompt. Your Internet email address then becomes "userid@aceinfo.com" (without the quotes) where "userid" is the one you assigned yourself. Just configure your email reader with your new Internet email address where appropriate, and give it a SMTP gateway of "aceinfo.com" (without the quotes).

Some of our earlier customers have their mail processed on our mail.aceinfo.com SMTP server instead of our aceinfo.com SMTP server. Their email addresses would indicate something like "userid@mail.aceinfo.com" and their SMTP gateway would be "mail.aceinfo.com". This is just an FYI. New customers are always set up on our aceinfo.com SMTP server.

Configure your news reader's NNTP host to point to "news.dx.net" (without the quotes).

Back to Home Page