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[sindi keesan <keesan AT sdf.lonestar.org>]

I have conquered the dumb terminal!


Instructions:

1.  Plug nullmodem cable into two serial ports (com1/ttyS0 or com2/ttyS1)
that can handle 115200 port speed (or less as you choose).

2.  Edit /etc/securetty to give root login privileges (add ttyS0 through 
ttyS3 or just the port you plan to use).

3.  Edit /etc/inittab by removing the # from the line starting in s1.
Change port and speed as desired (I changed to 115200).


Choose an OS and a terminal program.  I used DOS with MS-Kermit,
BL2 with C-Kermit, BL3 with C-kermit, and BL3 with microcom.


Do what it takes to set the port number and speed and that fact that you 
are not using a modem but a direct cable connection.


DOS MS-Kermit.  Edit mscustom.ini to set port 1, speed 115200, define 
_modem none.

(microcom will not let me do a hard return while in pine for some reason, 
I meant to make the above line easier to read.  Ctrl-J won't work right 
either.  A hard return turns into a double space too or skips 
down past the next paragraph.  I don't like microcom too much.)
Then type msk316 (or msk31610 or kermit, depends on the version)
C (enter)   - you get a blank screen
Enter - gives you the BL loging screen where you are connected to.



Kermit - either use .kermrc (but I have that set up for use with the modem 
already) or go into kermit and type:

set line /dev/ttyS0 ## set the com port to com1 set speed 115200 set 
carrier-watch off ##(this means no modem)

C to connect (enter)

Enter (as above)



Microcom was more of a puzzle.

You type a tilde once in it to give commands.  It would not detect any 
modem on my computer.  I told it


microcom -D/dev/ttyS0

Tilde (Type that character, I cannot while connected with microcom)

t - sets terminal

h - hardware flow control (this may be optional)

tilde and t again then p to set speed to 115200 (essential!)

tilde and t and then l to logon


You should get the login prompt.

Excuse the double spacing due to microcom.


I have not yet succeeded in file transfer but I can connect to a computer 
and run any program as root, including telnet and browsers.  Unlike 
virtual terminals where you cannot use two programs at once but need to 
switch between them (tho you can display two text programs on two monitors 
at the same time) this lets you actually run two programs and type into 
them at the same time.  Fun.  Maybe there is even a way to copy between 
these real terminals.


I have not yet gotten the serial telnet stuff working and may not bother 
as it does seem complicated.  Does it offer some advantage?

-------
Ethernet telnet was pretty simply.  Just set up ethernet on both computers

in.telnetd on the target computer (clark, or 192.168.1.1) telnet clark (or 
192.168.1.1)

login as root - but to do this you also have to uncomment the lines about 
ttyp0 etc in /etc/securetty.

Another option is to install su and login as user then su root, which is 
supposed to give you more security when conected to the web.  Or you can 
ssh instead of telnet and do a root login.

Wow, finally we have a use for the 286 laptop without a floppy drive and 
maybe even the XT without a hard drive.  DOS Kermit will fit on a floppy 
disk.  So will all the other terminal programs I found at simtel.net.

I presume if I were to use a VGA monitor to connect as dumb terminal I 
could run X on it.  Can I run X on the dumb terminal and on the 
maincomputer at the same time?  (You cannot do this with two virtual 
terminals).  Just curious, no need for this.


Sindi from BL3/microcom via BL2 via shell account.