I stumbled across this program the other day, which was actually built to put commodore bbses online but apparently will work with any board that has a serial/modem setup, even if it doesn't have telnet in capabilities. It's called Commodore 64 Telnet BBS Server:
http://home.ica.net/~leifb/bbs/
What this does is emulate modems, even up to 56k, hayes compatible if desired, and you use it with a null modem cable connected to the serial port of the BBS.
The only downside to this program is that it's setup for only one connection. I've emailed Leif Bloomquist and asked him if he had any plans to make it so that one port/program could run multiple nodes and gave him some great examples of what could be done in a dos environment with this program and some of the benefits to running dos bbses in their native environment. Hopefully he'll reply one day :/
Some boards run slowly in windows, a few not at all, and many doors run slowly or have problems in windows. VMWARE isn't much/any better. Even MBBS/WG should be able to run from its serial lines to this type of setup.
Apparently, you can run a 20 line pcboard bbs system off of one computer, using a digiboard, desqview, and qemm. That also means you'd have to have a matching number of serial connections from the windows connection as well. So, 2 digiboards or 1 digiboard and a bunch of usb to serial cables would be needed, unless you were going with a 2-4 comport connection. Of course, it would have to be a miracle to see 20 people on a pcboard bbs now days. It'd just about be a miracle to see that many on synchronet...
Another problem with running pcboard on windows is that the pcboard internet package won't run on windows. So, you can accept incoming telnet, but you can't run the ppp server or telnet or anything. With a setup in the native environment, you can run a network card driver to use the outgoing internet and then the serial lines for incoming.
I believe I was also reading that you could use this software to hook your dos machine up to, with your favorite com program and dial out to telnet from it, which is a pretty awesome idea.
Cool program to put non-internet ready boards online
Moderator: Mod Squad
I've also been reading that this can be done with a hardware-based terminal server, or a *nix terminal server. Let's focus on hardware-based ones, because with *nix, you'll still need another multiport card. With hardware-based terminal services, as long as it has enough connections, it shouldn't need but one on the main bbs.
I was also reading that the terminal servers have to support certain protocols. So, one may work while another wouldn't. Also, I'm wondering if you can change the port number on most terminal servers.
On google groups, a few people mentioned that some of the terminal servers can actually use different serial ports for different connections and even a few can use a combination of serial ports and ethernet ports, depending on the application people choose at the terminal server's menu.
Some of you must have ran a terminal server on the 90s.. Any one have any specific makes/model numbers of ones that will work for this?
I've read that the Portmaster 2E has run for people's BBS systems in the past, and it's expandable to 30 connections. Any more?
I was also reading that the terminal servers have to support certain protocols. So, one may work while another wouldn't. Also, I'm wondering if you can change the port number on most terminal servers.
On google groups, a few people mentioned that some of the terminal servers can actually use different serial ports for different connections and even a few can use a combination of serial ports and ethernet ports, depending on the application people choose at the terminal server's menu.
Some of you must have ran a terminal server on the 90s.. Any one have any specific makes/model numbers of ones that will work for this?
I've read that the Portmaster 2E has run for people's BBS systems in the past, and it's expandable to 30 connections. Any more?
Netserial
I've read the notes on netserial, and I can't find anything that says it will send out modem commands via null modem to another computer. It looks like it's saying that it will emulate a modem if the DOS software is installed on windows.
So, let's get this straight before I go out and buy this software. If I have a BBS that is running DOS, on its own pc - no windows or anything, possibly with multiport serial hardware, it can be setup to emulate modems for the DOS pc via a null modem cable, running NETSERIAL on another PC running windows, which also would have multiport hardware? Do the virtual com ports have to be remapped to real comports for this to happen?
When I see text mentioning that you can do this by connecting this via ethernet to a terminal server, to change ports and such, I just don't know what to think of it lol.
If I had a terminal server that'd work with BBS systems and would have the option to change the telnet ports on it, then netserial wouldn't be of much use anyway, but then again, a lot of the terminal servers are expensive, and there isn't a lot of documentation on how to setup one with a BBS. So, netserial, if it would work, would still be the best option.
So, let's get this straight before I go out and buy this software. If I have a BBS that is running DOS, on its own pc - no windows or anything, possibly with multiport serial hardware, it can be setup to emulate modems for the DOS pc via a null modem cable, running NETSERIAL on another PC running windows, which also would have multiport hardware? Do the virtual com ports have to be remapped to real comports for this to happen?
When I see text mentioning that you can do this by connecting this via ethernet to a terminal server, to change ports and such, I just don't know what to think of it lol.
If I had a terminal server that'd work with BBS systems and would have the option to change the telnet ports on it, then netserial wouldn't be of much use anyway, but then again, a lot of the terminal servers are expensive, and there isn't a lot of documentation on how to setup one with a BBS. So, netserial, if it would work, would still be the best option.
nevermind.. i got my answer directly from the source:
The "Virtual Modem" mode in NetSerial allows you to create a Virtual COM port which acts just like a modem.. It accepts AT commands like ATD to "dial" an IP address instead of a phone number, or ATA to answer an incoming "RING" (connection), ATH to hangup, etc.
It will work with any DOS or Windows BBS designed to be used with a COM port or modem.
I have never looked at worldgroup, but from what you describe it sounds like you are looking for a product to redirect TCP/IP access from one TCP port to another. Is that correct? NetSerial will not do this, google for "TCP redirector" for a solution if that's what you need.
When you say "no way to change the port numbers" I'm not clear if you mean change a COM port number, or change a TCP port number.
NetSerial can NOT be used to forward TCP (telnet) connections to a real COM port, it only can redirect to/from a virtual COM port. We have another product called NetModem that is a client/server solution in which the server allows inbound telnet connections to redirect to a real COM port.
NetSerial can be used as a telnet server for BBS software, so it can be told to accept telnet connections on TCP port 23 (or any other TCP port that is not already in use), which redirects to the virtual COM port that the BBS software is waiting for an incoming "RING" on. NetSerial can also be used as a client, allowing DOS terminals designed only for dialing out of a modem (like procomm, telex, terminate, etc), to connect to a telnet BBS instead.
For BBS usage we suggest the following settings:
Connection type: Telnet
[ ] Request Remote Telnet Echo
[X] Accept Local Telnet Echo
[X] Request Binary Connection
Port Mode: Virtual Modem
Inbound TCP Port: 23
[X] Accept inbound connections
The suggested BBS Init string is AT&D2|
This forces the virtual modem to disconnect when the BBS
software lowers the DTR signal.
When using DOS based BBS software, only COM1 thru COM4 can be used,
unless the software supports a FOSSIL driver and a Win32 FOSSIL driver
(such as NetFoss) is used which will allow up to COM256 to be used.
If you use NetSerial with NetFoss, be sure to set NetFoss for COM port mode
as described in the NetFoss documentation.
We have special pricing for BBS Sysops of 25 USD for NetSerial.
If Worldgroup supports a fossil driver, then you could just use NetFoss alone
(which includes its own Telnet Server called Net2BBS) and that is freeware,
so NetSerial would not be required in that case.
Greg Unger
PC Micro Support Team
The "Virtual Modem" mode in NetSerial allows you to create a Virtual COM port which acts just like a modem.. It accepts AT commands like ATD to "dial" an IP address instead of a phone number, or ATA to answer an incoming "RING" (connection), ATH to hangup, etc.
It will work with any DOS or Windows BBS designed to be used with a COM port or modem.
I have never looked at worldgroup, but from what you describe it sounds like you are looking for a product to redirect TCP/IP access from one TCP port to another. Is that correct? NetSerial will not do this, google for "TCP redirector" for a solution if that's what you need.
When you say "no way to change the port numbers" I'm not clear if you mean change a COM port number, or change a TCP port number.
NetSerial can NOT be used to forward TCP (telnet) connections to a real COM port, it only can redirect to/from a virtual COM port. We have another product called NetModem that is a client/server solution in which the server allows inbound telnet connections to redirect to a real COM port.
NetSerial can be used as a telnet server for BBS software, so it can be told to accept telnet connections on TCP port 23 (or any other TCP port that is not already in use), which redirects to the virtual COM port that the BBS software is waiting for an incoming "RING" on. NetSerial can also be used as a client, allowing DOS terminals designed only for dialing out of a modem (like procomm, telex, terminate, etc), to connect to a telnet BBS instead.
For BBS usage we suggest the following settings:
Connection type: Telnet
[ ] Request Remote Telnet Echo
[X] Accept Local Telnet Echo
[X] Request Binary Connection
Port Mode: Virtual Modem
Inbound TCP Port: 23
[X] Accept inbound connections
The suggested BBS Init string is AT&D2|
This forces the virtual modem to disconnect when the BBS
software lowers the DTR signal.
When using DOS based BBS software, only COM1 thru COM4 can be used,
unless the software supports a FOSSIL driver and a Win32 FOSSIL driver
(such as NetFoss) is used which will allow up to COM256 to be used.
If you use NetSerial with NetFoss, be sure to set NetFoss for COM port mode
as described in the NetFoss documentation.
We have special pricing for BBS Sysops of 25 USD for NetSerial.
If Worldgroup supports a fossil driver, then you could just use NetFoss alone
(which includes its own Telnet Server called Net2BBS) and that is freeware,
so NetSerial would not be required in that case.
Greg Unger
PC Micro Support Team
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Info-Seeker
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Livingston (Now Lucent) Portmaster 2es
I use to run a few ISPs and used the Livingston portmasters to run 30 modems per units for dialup. Eventually I moved over to the Lucent Ascend Max 6096 96 port access servers. They run 96 digital 56k dialups over 4 t1s or b/pris. The t1 or pri can be channelized to run 24 56k lines per t1 or 23 64k isdn or 24 56k dialups off a single pri.
The Portmasters were pretty nice pieces of gear and very easy to use / manage. Back then they were like 25 grand each. Now you cn find them on ebay for 50 to 150 bux.
Its funny that I came across this thread / message because I was just looking at 1 to provide serial access to the internet for my Commodore 128s.
I bought a serial to ethernet terminal server with a pcmcia slot for a wireless card for $54 a few months ago. I should have just spent the extra few dollars to score a portmaster and have 29 ports free right now
Oh well...
Info-Seeker
The Portmasters were pretty nice pieces of gear and very easy to use / manage. Back then they were like 25 grand each. Now you cn find them on ebay for 50 to 150 bux.
Its funny that I came across this thread / message because I was just looking at 1 to provide serial access to the internet for my Commodore 128s.
I bought a serial to ethernet terminal server with a pcmcia slot for a wireless card for $54 a few months ago. I should have just spent the extra few dollars to score a portmaster and have 29 ports free right now
Oh well...
Info-Seeker