How to Set Up Netscape and a SLIP Connection for PC Users at UCSB

(A crash course by Alan Liu, last updated 6/17/95)

Before You Begin:

Before you begin, you need the following:
* A 386-level PC or better with at least 4MBs of RAM, a harddrive, and a color or greyscale monitor. For best results, you should have 8Mbs of RAM or more.
* A 14,400 modem or better.
* Windows 3.1 or 3.11.
* Knowledge about how to install Windows applications (running executable files from the File menu, moving files around using File Manager, setting up new program icons or groups)
* Ability to download binary files from your server to your home computer (using Kermit with a uuencoder or xmodem, ymodem, or zmodem).
* The PKzip program to unzip compressed files. These can be downloaded from the following sites: DOS Pkzip/Unzip: "pkz204g.exe" (binary) Windows Zip/Unzip: "winzip56.exe" (binary)

Step-By-Step Instructions (No Frills):

GETTING A SLIP ACCOUNT AT UCSB
Send a message to slip-request@as.ucsb.edu to request a SLIP account. You'll automatically get back a form to fill out, followed by a userid and password (for UCSB people only).
SETTING UP THE SOFTWARE ON YOUR HOME PC
THE BASIC CONCEPT: Netscape running over a SLIP connection is a somewhat fragile software environment built up from layer after layer of programs. At the foundation is DOS. Windows runs on top of DOS. Then Win32S (a 32-bit "extender" that gives Windows some elements of 32-bit capability) runs on top of Windows. Trumpet WinSock (the "stacks" program that translates between the Internet's TCP/IP transfer protocol and the protocols needed to send data over a serial phone line) runs on top of all that. And finally, at the very top of the shaky pyramid, is Netscape. You will also need a script to use Trumpet WinSock to dial in to the AS server, log in, and enable your SLIP account.
DOWNLOADING AND INSTALLING SOFTWARE: In general, the files you need to download will either be compressed "zip" files (requiring you to unzip them) or self-extracting compressed executables (ending in ".exe"; just run the files and they will decompress themselves). Move each compressed file to a temporary directory by itself; unzip or decompress; then look for a "readme" file for further instructions. Often there is a "setup.exe" or other such file that you will then need to run to install the final files to a directory you choose with the appropriate .ini and .dll files configured.
1. Win32s: "w32sOLE.exe" (binary) (this is the Win32s needed to run Netscape 1.1 for Windows)
Trumpet WinSock 2.0b "twsk20b.zip" (binary) (this is the stacks program)
Netscape 1.1 "n16e11n.exe" (binary) (this is the Web browser)
AS Winsock script (this is one of the scripts available from the AS machine's FTP site)
CONFIGURING AND TWEAKING THE SOFTWARE:
Win32S should work out of the box.
Trumpet WinSock needs tweaking. The control panel for the program is called "TCPMAN." Open TCPMan by double-clicking on its icon in Windows, then open the File menu and press on "Setup." A Setup window will appear with lots of boxes to fill out or check. Use the following (it works for me):
Netscape 1.1 will also need some tweaking. But you can do most of it from inside the program by means of the Options menu. Or you can manually edit the netscape.ini file in your netscape directory.
The AS dial-in and log-in script may also need some tweaking, if for no other reason than to add your userid and password to it.
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS:
When everything is set up properly, this is the operating procedure:
  1. Open Windows.
  2. Click on TCPMAN to open Trumpet WinSock.
    • From the "Dial" menu in TCPMAN, start the AS script. (Note: if you ever have problems midway through a script, press the <Escape> key, then from the "Dial" menu choose "Manual" to enter commands manually. For example, you can manually dial the terminal server this way by typing "atdt8933000"."
    • If the script runs properly, it will dial in to the terminal server, connect from there by telnet to the AS machine, quickly break back to the terminal server prompt to set the session to binary (set session passall), resume the AS session, login under your userid and password, pass your assigned IP address for this session to TCPMAN, and then conclude with the message, "SLIP enabled." (Important note: the AS machine uses what is called a "dynamic" IP address scheme by which your connection is assigned a variable IP address each time you log in. This means you cannot set your IP address once and for all in TCPMAN's setup screen and then manually log in. You need the script to pass the temporary IP address to TCPMAN.)
  3. Once the SLIP connection is enabled, then start Netscape by double clicking on its icon. Netscape should pop up and immediately connect to the default home page it is set for. If it can't find the default home page or can't connect at this point (this often happens), try stopping the process and hitting the "Home" button at the top of the screen (to ask Netscape to get the page again).
  4. You can also run other client programs over the SLIP connection--e.g., the invaluable WS-FTP or a Windows Telnet program.
  5. When done, close everything down except Trumpet WinSock. From the "Dial" menu in TCPMAN, choose "bye" to logout and hang up the phone.

Help and Information

AS FAQ.HTML
The AS machine has a FAQ in the form of a Web page: UCSB AS Server FTP Site. You may also wish to subscribe to the local slip users group (send a message saying "subscribe" to slip-users-request@as.ucsb.edu).
OTHER HELP INFO:
I've collected information files about SLIP on my Voice of the Shuttle: Internet Information & Resources page: Connecting to the Web (SLIP, PPP, ETC.). Some apropos links include:
OTHER RESOURCES:
The AS machine keeps a local stockpile of common Windows software for SLIP connections (ftp, telnet clients, Netscape helper applications, etc.): UCSB AS Server's Windows FTP Site. There is also Stroud's Consummate Winsock Apps Page; Stroud's Auxiliary Utilities (utilities for Winsock applications, including Windows-based HTML editors and helpers)
Alan Liu, Dept. of English, Univ. of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106
Fax: (805) 893-4622 E-mail: ayliu@humanitas.ucsb.edu