Network installation

Color 64 Network - Installation

The table below provides a summary of all the required and optional network-related files which are included with your Color 64 system.

Summary of Required Files for Network Operations

File	Description
√bbs.nw1, √bbs.nw2	These are the two main network program modules and should be in the Program Files.
√sys.net	This is the NET SETUP program, like BBS SETUP. It allows you to define drives and specify individual node data.
prscrn52750	This file must be in the Boot Files with Net Setup. It allows you to do screen dumps to your printer while inside the program. (**)
√rlog, √slog	These are the receive and send logs for Network file transfers. (*)
bck to bill	This is a stand-alone program which will create a new billing file from a backup. It would be located with your Boot Files.
bbu.nw2	This is an optional merge file which will install an automatic billing backup feature into your midnight routine.
√node app	This sequential file is a file you edit. It’s used when calling a new node for the first time to introduce yourself to the new node. The name of your BBS will automatically be inserted at the beginning of this message when it applies to a new node. (*)
√conditions	This is a sequential file you create. It is used when a node calls you for the first time. This file describes your validation requirements for the new node. (*)
√temp xref	This optional file's purpose is to be able to assign nodes new ID numbers without them having to change their IDs. It is created and edited manually. (*)
	* Must ALWAYS remain on your NETWORK drive. ** Must ALWAYS remain on the Boot Files drive.
	** Other Files ** These files may be self-generated and appear on your drive as they are needed
√node x users	A membership list of all users on your BBS who have access to Network and is created every night (midnight). It is provided to remote nodes so that they have a membership list of your system.
√node [#] users	[#] = Node Number - This is the corresponding membership list for any one node you may have. This file is received at the time you send data and are ready for a new listing.
√+node [#]	A packet of actual messages which you or a user has posted to node number specified by [#].
√+file [#]	A file containing information on another file(s) to be sent to node number specified by [#].
√node ledger	Shows account node transactions. This will remain on your drive until moved or scratched. It is not used in this version.
√public storage	Holds messages you have released from received Node public message.
√node list	List provided when sending to a Node. Created by Net Setup program.
√ntwrk.parms	Contains details from Setup on how network is to be run. Also contains data for each Node. Created by the Net Setup program.
√node accounts	Relative file containing name, password, level, and last date called for each incoming Node you have.
√node billing	Relative file containing dollar amount for each user on system. Present but not used in this version.

Installation

The following actions are what is needed to prepare your system for Network:

1) Boot the normal BBS SETUP program

2) Select “Main Parameters” (option 1) to edit

3) Near the end of the parameter list, answer "Y" to the question asking if you want to run Network

4) Go to Disk Drive Assignments (option 2) and verify you have the proper drive selected for the Network Files

5) Go to BBS Commands (option 7) and verify Network-specific commands are set to desired user level:

* Post Network Message: This is where you or your users create the network messages. Usually, it should be safe to allow all but the new users into this section.

* Net Maint Menu: This is a sub-menu within the network that will allow you to do certain maintenance either on-line or off. This section has options for editing/viewing the billing file, the node account file, and the node status file. It is also where you select files to be transmitted. Much more on these options later. This should be restricted to only the top staff on your BBS system.

* Release Publics: This is an ideal area for a co-sysop. This is the feature that allows you to release public messages which have been stored from the network. This subject will be covered in detail later in the documentation.

* Restrict Posts: This is not a command; This feature allows you to define a limit to the number of network posts a user can make. If you choose not to charge for any or all nodes, you might not want people sending out too much in one call. The first number is the level exemption. If a user’s level is equal or greater than this number, they would be allowed to post network messages to their hearts content. The second number is the maximum number of posts a user can make per call (unless that user has a level which exempts him/her). This should be only accessible by the Sysop.

Network Setup

Now comes the real thing; we're going to really start setting up the network! Locate the file called "+net setup" in your Boot Files. Make sure the file called "prscrn52750" is located on the same drive. The "+net setup" program works just like the other boot files that you use with your system, except that it loads the "√sys.net" (NET SETUP) program.

Once the program is loaded, you may be asked to insert your Program disk into the drive.

You will then be asked a series of questions:

1) Number of Nodes

You should already have in mind at least one system you want to connect with – so your number at a minimum should be “1”, and if that’s all there is at the moment, that’s okay! You can always add more later. Note that you will need all information on that node in an upcoming step, so if you don’t have this information, then abort out of the setup and come back when you have it.

You may have from 1 to 99 nodes, but note that the higher number you use, the more memory that is required.

2) Public Message Category

This question serves two purposes. If you aren't familiar with how the network works, then you should know that with Network you can send private E-Mail or public messages. If someone sends you a public message, this question will determine how that public message is handled. You have two choices: You can have the message stored in a special holding file, and then release it manually, or you can have the message automatically go into the message base. If you want the message to go directly into the message base, enter the category letter-designation you wish the message to go into. You can type a question mark to get a list of your categories at this point. If you would prefer to hold the messages, and release them manually, enter a 0 (zero) now.

3) Open and Close Times

This determines a window of time when net messages can be sent out – “Open” time being the start of the window and “Close” being the end of it. This setting is pretty much an artifact of the dial-up internet days to avoid high phone-rate time windows; however, you may still have a need for it.

There are two restrictions you need to keep in mind. First, you cannot open the window at a time later than you close the window (this should be obvious). This is the basis of the second restriction: You cannot have the window open through midnight. In other words, you can open it at midnight, but you can’t open it at 11pm and close it at 3am.

Times should be entered in 24-hour military standard. You can always change the window times, so some experimentation will help you determine what's right for you.

4) Days Request Membership List

This question deals with the special membership list. At midnight every night, your BBS will create a special network membership list (called √node x users on your disk). When you send out net messages to your nodes, they may request a fresh listing from you; this is the file they will get. This value determines how long you would like to wait before requesting a new membership list when you call a node. Mine is set for every 10 days. The smaller the number, the more requests your network will make.

5) Your BBS Name

This question is asking you for your BBS name. This name will appear in the header information of all messages sent out from your BBS. The maximum length is 25 characters.

6) Does Modem Support BUSY and NO DIALTONE?

This question is a bit complicated to explain. If your modem can return the BUSY or NO DIALTONE response codes (almost all 2400 modems and some 1200s do), you MAY want to answer "y" to this question. Check your modem manual under the command ATX; it should tell you there. The reason I said you MAY want to answer yes is because you don't have to even if your modem does support these status responses. Let me try and explain the purpose. Say that when the BBS dials out to a node and the phone just rings and rings and doesn’t ever answer, you MAY prefer that from now on that node be locked out from being called. There is a built-in feature in the network which will lock a node when certain conditions arise, and one of the conditions is called a CARRIER LOCK. This means that the BBS attempted to dial out to a node, but your modem returned a NO CARRIER response code. With a modem that supports the BUSY and NO DIALTONE responses, then you should never get a NO CARRIER response, UNLESS of course the remote node's modem isn’t picking up, the node has crashed, or the node is down. In the case of one of these conditions, the line will ring and ring and the modem will return NO CARRIER. Thus, you could answer "y" to this question and the computer will lock out any node that returns NO CARRIER, because something is probably wrong with that node. But the node will NOT get locked out if your modem returns a BUSY or a NO DIALTONE response code, because either the node is busy or there is a problem dialing. If you answer "n” to this question, then the modem will not get locked by ANY of either the NO CARRIER, BUSY, or NO DIALTONE codes, either because your modem doesn’t support BUSY or NO DIALTONE, or because you prefer that nodes do not get locked out because of the NO CARRIER response.

I answer NO to this question even though my modem does support these response codes. The reason being, if the BBS calls out to a node that is resetting either after a caller, or at midnight, you will get the NO CARRIER, and the node would be locked out. I didn't want that, but it’s entirely up to you how you select this. Remember, if your modem does not support these response codes, then in a way you're lucky as you have no difficult choices to make here; You must answer NO.

Color 64 Network

7) File Release Directory

This question asks you what it should do with programs received through the Network. You may choose to have files placed in a U/D directory or have them placed on your Network drive. If you choose to have the files in a U/D directory, that directory will automatically be updated when files are received (i.e. it works just like multi-upload).

8: Hold Files for Release?

Lastly, you will be asked if you want files that are received through the Network to be held for your release, or if you want them to be available right away. This works just like normal file transfers and the ‘auto-release level' in SETUP. If you have already decided that files received will go on your Network drive, this option will have no effect.

Net Setup - The Node Editor

After you have completed the main Network questions section, the real fun begins! If everything has gone smoothly so far, you should be at the individual node editor prompt:

At this prompt, you're given the option to edit any of the individual nodes. Also, the number you see within the double brackets [], tells you the last NODE NUMBER you edited. This helps to determine where you are in the editing process when entering multiple nodes. Also, at this prompt, if you hit a question mark (?), you will get a listing of each NODE NAME, and its status. This is especially handy for finding a blank spot, or when trying to locate a certain node to edit.

Before you dig into the editing, here are two definitions for you to keep in mind:

• Node Number: Assigned by you in +NET SETUP, used to identify / select a node when users want to do a network post to a remote system. The Remote node will never see or use this number. Think: “Outgoing calls”.
• Node ID Number: Assigned by you (or automatically assigned by the BBS to a remote system if it received a node application electronically) and visible in the NETWORK MAINTENANCE Menu (explained later) of the BBS. This essentially is the remote node’s “user id” when they are calling your BBS. Think: “Incoming calls”.

INCOMING and OUTGOING are two separate things. When you use NET SETUP, you're setting up for OUTGOING calls. When you use the Node Editor in NETWORK MAINTENANCE, you're setting up for INCOMING calls.

It’s important that both you and the remote sysop(s) understand the above; otherwise it can become a long day trying to get your network established.

Now it’s time to edit our first node. Enter the number 1 (NODE NUMBER ONE), and hit RETURN. You will see the following (without the information I have obviously….)

Summary of Required Files for Network 64

Field	Description
1. Node Name	Name of the Remote node. You are limited to 25 characters. The name you enter here will appear to all users as a proposed destination when they post a network message. If you want to replace this node with another, simply enter the new node's name. The user would see something like this when doing a network post:
2. Node Membership ID Number	This is the membership ID number assigned to you from the node which you will be calling into. Remember, this is your node’s “User ID” for the remote system so you can log into it – something that is not generated by you or your BBS. There are two ways to get this ID number. Request your Node Membership ID Number assignment from the Sysop of the remote system. He or she will then give you an ID number and password. An easier way is to let the network do an equivalent of a NEW USER process by assigning the number “1” here. When a node receives this number on an incoming Node call, it knows it is a new node applying for access to join them as a network and will assign you a Node Membership ID number which will automatically be updated in your local records. See section 4.9.1 for more details. If you know your ID number, enter it now, otherwise enter a 1 at this point
3. City and State	The City and State of the Remote Node. You must use a slash to separate the city/state. Do not use commas.
4. Telnet/Phone	Stores the Remote Node’s telnet address or phone number for calling out to it. You can enter any special access codes, if needed. For example, put a "t" in front of the phone number if you want the modem to use TONE dial instead of PULSE dial. For telnet addresses, the format would be expected as domain: port. Example: westwoodbbs.org:64738
5. Password	Your assigned password for the Remote Node. If you were assigned a password, enter it now. If you answered the “Node Membership ID Number” prompt with a 1 indicating you are going to do an access request to the remote system, then enter the password you would like. Remember, 3-9 characters only. Don't use any exotic characters either as they will be stripped out. You can enter in lower or uppercase. Any lowercase characters will automatically be changed to uppercase for you. Note that it is up to the Sysop of the remote system to honor your desired password or assign you something different.
6. Baud Rate	Baud rate for the Remote Node. . If you are not sure what rate this node is using, you should enter the highest rate supported by your system. Your modem will recognize the baud rate of the node, and the network will automatically step it down to the proper baud rate. I removed the 8.0/8.1 billing questions as part of the setup. If there is a reason you want this implemented on your system, you will need to modify the √sys.net file to use this code area.

Now you can save your entry. At this point, one of two things could happen. If you set this node up with an ID number of 1, you will have a little bit of disk activity. What is happening, exactly, is that the program is copying your √node app file into the √+node x file (x being the node number). The name of your BBS will be automatically inserted at the beginning of the file, because the first line in the node application is used as the name of your BBS on the remote node. If you wish to override this feature and tell the remote node a different name than what you have entered in the Net Setup, then you can put the name at the beginning of the √node app file, preceding it with two CTRL/N characters.

The other thing that might happen is if you entered a BBS name other than the one which was there before (replacing one with another). You will be asked if you are indeed replacing one node with another. If you answer yes to this, the old node's files will be scratched.

You have set up your first node! When you've set up all your nodes, simply hit RETURN at the select node number prompt and all the required files will be created. Just for reference, these files are: √ntwrk.parms, √node list, √node accounts, √node billing. Note that the last two files are only created if they do not exist already.

You can always alter any of the info in this file, but obviously, you want to use a little judgement. If you make changes to the drive setup, don’t forget to move the files which may exist on the old drive! Unfortunately, you will have to shut down the BBS to make any changes, so do what I do and write down all the changes you need to make over the course of a few days, so that you can tackle a bunch of stuff at once instead of shutting down and booting up repeatedly.

One very important word of caution: Do not try to edit the √ntwrk.parms or √node.list file with a message editor. If you do, your computer, your drives, and your modem will explode! Just kidding, but still... Don’t do it. Your BBS will probably crash left and right, you'll be sending net mail to the pizza parlor down the block and generally creating havoc for yourself and possibly your nodes.

Next Section: Booting Network

Color 64 Network