The IBM TCP/IP Connection - Issue 1995-05 - May 1995

The IBM TCP/IP Connection

IBM Internet Connection for Windows
The total solution for quick and easy access to the Information Highway.

The Internet, truly a superhighway of information, is yours for the taking. It's a universe waiting to be discovered. And whether you're a beginner or an expert at using computers, you can be a part of this new world quickly and easily with the IBM Internet Connection for Windows.

IBM Internet Connection for Windows offers everything you need for complete access to the Internet. And once you're ready to begin your journey, use the Internet applications already built-in to explore countless information stops along the way.

Ready, set, go!
IBM Internet Connection for Windows is easy to install. And to get started, all you have to do is click on a button. One click can electronically subscribe you to IBM Internet Connection services, where you'll receive free time on the Internet. Or, you can choose another major Internet service provider that supports the serial line Internet Protocol (SLIP). IBM Internet Connection for Windows comes with the most comprehensive set of applications available today for exploring the Internet. You can begin using these applications right away, just by pointing and clicking - not by downloading. Best of all, each application looks and acts the same, so learning a new one takes no time at all.

Instant communication
You can use electronic mail (e-mail) to communicate with people around the world instantly. Millions of people worldwide are using e-mail for everyday communications because it's less expensive than a phone call or fax and faster than a postal carrier.

To reduce costs even more, you can process mail offline and avoid paying for network access.

New worlds and old
Internet resources are linked together through the World-Wide Web (WWW). With WebExplorer Mosaic, included in IBM Internet Connection for Windows, you get a powerful yet easy-to-use interface for exploring the WWW. WebExplorer Mosaic lets you explore the Internet by clicking on highlighted text or graphics to go from one page to the next.

On each page, you'll see information presented as text, pictures and photographs, sound, or even video clips. By moving around the Internet with WebExplorer Mosaic, you get the opportunity to visit new worlds and old - science, entertainment, or art. And everyday business can be extraordinary. Paths through the Internet IBM Internet Connection for Windows includes the Windows Internet Gopher. Through menus and other linking options, Gopher makes accessing Internet resources as easy as borrowing books from the local library. Add bookmarks so you can find information quickly the next time.

No matter where Gopher servers are located, you can display and transfer the information right to your personal computer - usually within a matter of seconds. You can get free software, electronic books, recipes, and up-to-the-minute news and weather reports - anytime, anywhere.

Internet newsgroups
NewsReader lets you share information with others across the Internet through newsgroups. By joining newsgroups, or discussion groups, you get the opportunity to communicate with others on well-known topics or obscure subjects. Internet newsgroups discuss any number of topics - like art, sports, politics, computers, and hobbies - and include facts, opinions, and information you can't imagine. The IBM Internet Connection for Windows NewsReader provides a graphical user interface to help you manage information, and organize and subscribe to newsgroups. Copy and print interesting articles when you want to.

No more books
Don't worry about documentation. IBM Internet Connection for Windows gives you more than 100 pages of online help right at your fingertips. With this kind of help, finding answers is just a click away.

Seeing is believing
Viewers shows pictures and photographs as if you had them in hand - even if they're actually thousands of miles away. You can view intricate details of maps, photos of people and places, and fine art.

Other Internet applications
IBM Internet Connection for Windows comes with other useful applications as well, like file transfer protocol (FTP), Archie, and Telnet. The FTP graphical user interface makes it easier than ever to download files from FTP servers. You can also find FTP files of interest using Archie, a search and retrieval application. With Telnet, you can log in to Telnet servers and work with an easy-to-use terminal emulation screen. You can emulate many types of terminals and customize each type.

With the online update capability, you can receive product updates online as soon as they're available. IBM Internet Connection for Windows also provides support for the Setterm, PING, Host, and Netstat functions.

For more information
For more information or to order IBM Internet Connection for Windows, contact your IBM Authorized Remarketer or call 1-800-342-6672.

Protocols provided
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), user datagram protocol (UDP), address resolution protocol (ARP), and Internet control message protocol (ICMP). Your Internet service provider must support serial line Internet protocol (SLIP).

Hardware requirements
A personal computer with an Intel, or 100% compatible, 80386 or higher microprocessor with:
 * A 3.5-inch, 1.44 MB diskette drive and a mouse, or compatible, pointing device
 * 11 MB of hard disk space
 * 4 MB RAM
 * A Hayes-compatible modem supporting 9600 bps or higher
 * For audio playback, an appropriately configured audio card and driver

Software requirements
IBM Internet Connection Version 3.0 for Windows operates with:
 * IBM Disk Operating System 5.0 or higher
 * Microsoft Disk Operating System 5.0 or higher
 * Microsoft Windows 3.1x or Windows for Workgroups 3.1x
 * For video playback, an appropriately configured video driver

Compatibility
IBM Internet Connection Version 3.0 for Windows Internet applications are Windows Sockets-compliant.

Limitations
IBM Internet Connection Version 3.0 for Windows does not coexist with IBM TCP/IP Version 2.1.1 for DOS.

IBM Internet Connection for Windows - Helping You Voice Your Opinions
Recently, IBM teamed up with Kinko's, the nation's largest retail chain of document and reproduction centers, to allow people without Internet access to participate in an electronic forum entitled "People and Their Governments in the Information Age". This open on-line town meeting took place May 1-14 and was designed to solicit feed-back from the public on topics such as the changing role of local, state, and federal governments. IBM aided in making this "first of it's kind" meeting become a reality by providing the IBM Internet Connection for Windows and access to the IBM Global Network to the participating Kinko's locations.

Meet the Makers
Want to meet the people behind the IBM TCP/IP scenes? Look for us at the IBM booth at the following shows and conferences:

DATE       SHOW NAME               LOCATION 05/31 - 06/02   Interop/Networld    Frankfurt 06/26 - 06/30   Interop/Networld    Berlin 07/16 - 07/20   GUIDE               Boston 07/17 - 07/21   Interop/Networld    Tokyo 08/07 - 08/12   SHARE               Boston 09/11 - 09/15   Interop/Networld    Paris 09/11 - 09/14   Networks Expo       Dallas 09/18 - 09/21   TCA Exposition      San Diego 09/24 - 09/27   Specialist Update   Dallas 09/25 - 09/29   Interop/Networld    Atlanta 10/30 - 11/02   Internet World      Boston 11/06 - 11/09   GUIDE               New Orleans 11/06 - 11/11   NSTC                Orlando 12/04 - 12/08   Internet World      Wash D.C.

Want a Sneak Preview?
New! The TCP/IP previews are now available via anonymous FTP from...

Joint venture between IBM and International Data Group
(IDG) Books Worldwide, Inc. IBM Press combines the technical expertise that IBM is known for with the easy-to-read style that has make IDG books so popular.

IBM Press is committed to bringing you high-quality books about IBM products and technologies. You can count on IBM Press to provide books that are of interest to all computer users - home and office users, network and systems administrators, and application developers and programmers.

It is our pleasure to present the first two books in a series of IBM Press books "The Official Guide to OS/2 Warp" and "The OS/2 Warp Internet Connection". We are especially pleased to introduce these books because they are the first guides for OS/2 Warp and the IBM Internet Connection for OS/2 Warp that are authorized by IBM.

Inside these books, readers will learn about the benefits that OS/2 Warp and the IBM Internet Connection bring to the home, office, or mobile computer users. Written in plain English, these user's guides provide complete descriptions of how to use OS/2 Warp and the IBM Internet Connection.

The OS/2 Warp Internet Connection: Your key to cruising the Internet and the World Wide Web (ISBN 1-56884-465-4)

This is the only Internet book you need!

It contains step-by-step instructions for: Connecting to the Internet Finding information on the Internet Sending and receiving electronic mail Accessing files on other computers Reading electronic bulletin boards

Plus, listings of popular places to visit on the Internet and some of the service providers you can use to get there.

It provides answers to the often-asked questions: What's on the Internet for me? What is the Web? Who are Archie and Veronica? How do I subscribe to a newsgroup?

And, it is packed with tips to help you make the most of your IBM Internet Connection: Best places to start Ways to speed things up Ways to reduce your connection costs What to do if things go wrong

Plus: "IDG Internet Samples Diskette" - a diskette of helpful programs and samples to get you cruising quickly.

PC Magazine Review of Web Explorer
The following is a review of the OS/2 Web Explorer from the February 7th, 1995, issue of PC Magazine.

Web Explorer
By: Amarendra Singh

A few of the packages in this roundup require you to change your TCP/IP stack, but IBM's Web Explorer is the only one that asks you to change your operating system. Web Explorer is part of a package of Internet tools and services called IBM Internet Connection for OS/2 that IBM is essentially giving away with the new OS/2 Warp, Version 3.

As of November, this product was freely available only as a prerelease version; upon completion it will be freely available to all OS/2 Warp users. To get Web Explorer (now or when it's finalized), just click the Update Software icon in the Internet Access group of OS/2 Warp's interface and the program will be downloaded from the Internet. Those with earlier versions of OS/2 can download the browser at ftpq1.ny.us.ibm.net.

As of this review - and as far as we or IBM knows - Web Explorer is the only native OS/2 Web browser on the market. Built from the ground up by the folks at Big Blue, it's neither a rehash of an existing Windows-based product nor a minimalist make-do. WebExplorer is a a complete, full-featured browser designed to take specific advantage of the operating system.

IBM has done an excellent job of making connections to its Internet access service (the IBM Global Network, also called Advantis) transparent to users. Setup is no more complicated than filling in a couple of details about your system and location. Once it has the necessary info, the system dials out and registers you automatically.

You can, of course, use Web Explorer with other access providers, but you're on your own if problems crop up. Web Explorer's extensive on-line help doesn't deal with non-IBM connections. (Although IBM has clearly designed the product with modem-based connections in mind, Web Explorer can also be used with a direct LAN-based TCP/IP connection.)

POINT YOUR COMPASS
OS/2 Warp's browser is easy to navigate: Buttons and pull-down menus guide you effortlessly through the Web and its services. When navigating between several loaded documents, you can move backward and forward with the click of a button. Like most of the products we tested, Web Explorer lets you store your favorite home pages in an easily accessible hotlist. Web Explorer (like Frontier Technologies' WinTapestry) goes beyond standard capabilities to let you access multiple Web pages simultaneously, but OS/2 Warp's multitasking capabilities make the process smoother than with other products. You can even run multiple sessions of Web Explorer simultaneously.

CONFIG CINCH
The Web Explorer is also easy to configure. A pull-down menu lets you customize everything from font sizes and colors to the use of your own applets for file viewing. In addition to Web Explorer, IBM's Internet Connection for OS/2 provides a complete set of native OS/2 tools for accessing Internet services. The list of applications includes e-mail, FTP, a news reader, and telnet. Despite the fact that it is quite literally in a category by itself, WebExplorer is clearly going to be a major contender in the Web browser arena. It may be the only OS/2 game in town, but it's definitely one you'd want to play in. We strongly recommend that all OS/2 users check it out. Of course, you can't run it under Windows. But if IBM smiles and says That's the point,° you can hardly blame them.

At Your Service
This portion of our newsletter contains some frequently asked questions and their answers. If you have questions that you would like to see answered in this newsletter, please send them to TCPIPNEWS@VNET.IBM.COM.


 * Does TCP/IP 2.0 work on WARP?


 * We are testing this, and we haven"t found any problems. This is a supported combination, meaning that we will fix any problems that do arise.


 * Does the IBM Internet Connection kit work with OS/2 2.1?


 * No. The IBM Internet Connection kit can only be installed on OS/2 Warp.


 * I have OS/2 2.1 and TCP/IP 2.0. Can I run WebExplorer and Gopher?


 * Yes. You must have CSD UN64092 installed. WebExplorer can be downloaded from the Internet, via anonymous FTP to ftp01.ny.us.ibm.net, where it is in the subdirectory /pub/WebExporer. Gopher can be downloaded from the Internet, via anonymous FTP to software.watson.ibm.com, where it is in the subdirectory /pub/os2/ews.


 * I have OS/2 Warp. Can I use the IBM Internet Connection kit for TCP/IP LAN access?


 * No, the IBM Internet Connection kit only supports dial access. You must install TCP/IP 2.0 for LAN based TCP/IP access. A follow-on to OS/2 Warp is in the works that will include full LAN enablement. (There will be an upgrade charge.)


 * The icons of the IBM Internet Connection kit are configured to us a dial connection. How do I use these applications on the LAN?


 * Create program objects for WebExplorer (explore.exe) and Gopher (gopher.exe) in your TCP/IP folder.


 * The UltiMedia Mail Lite package included with the IBM Internet Connection kit is configured to be used with an Internet mail box. How do I use it on the LAN?


 * For LAN based mail, use the LaMail package that ships with TCP/IP 2.0.


 * Can I install both TCP/IP 2.0 (for LAN access) and the IBM Internet Connection kit?


 * Yes. This combination is not tested or supported, but it does work. You must install TCP/IP 2.0 first. Then, install CSD UN64092. And finally, install the IBM Internet Connection (in the same directory where TCP/IP 2.0 is installed).

The following questions arise when a user tries to use Internet and LAN TCP/IP access simultaneously. These problems do not occur unless you try to access TCP/IP hosts on a LAN at the same time that you have an active dial connection to the Internet.


 * I want to access TCP/IP hosts on the LAN and via a dial connection to the Internet simultaneously. When I dial the Internet, I can no longer get to the LAN TCP/IP hosts. The error message is "host unknown". What do I do about this?


 * While you are connected to the Internet, TCP/IP name resolution queries a host name server on the Internet to look up host addresses. The Internet name server will not know the names of

your local hosts. You can use the TCP/IP Configuration Notebook to create a hosts file (page 3 of the services section) for hosts on your LAN. Or you can access hosts on your LAN by IP address instead of by name.


 * I have a default route to a router on my LAN. When I dial the Internet, the LAN default route is inactivated, and I can no longer access TCP/IP hosts through my LAN router until I hang up. What do I do about this?


 * While you are connected to the Internet, your default route is to the Internet. You can create host, network, or subnet routes for TCP/IP hosts that you access through your LAN router, so that these hosts remain accessible while you are connected to the Internet. You use the routing page of the TCP/IP Configuration Notebook.

Are You Behind the Times?
Have you ever encountered a problem in a product, spent hours trying to determine the origin of the problem, only to discover that a fix for the problem was made available months ago? Well, to help you avoid this situation, we are including a list of the latest CSDs for TCP/IP. This way you can ensure that you always have the latest.

The X Windows System Server Kit is the only kit with a new CSD since our last newsletter (in October of 1994).

An Easier Way to Obtain Fixes
Did you know that you can obtain Corrective Service Diskettes (CSDs) electronically? If you have access to the Internet, you can FTP as Anonymous to SOFTWARE.WATSON.IBM.COM.
 * Fixes for TCP/IP for OS/2 are located in pub\tcpip\os2.
 * Fixes for TCP/IP for DOS are located in pub\tcpip\dos.

You can also obtain CSDs via modem connection from the NCSBBS bulletin board at (919) 517-0001. Set your modem settings to: none,8,1.

We Would Like to Hear From You
The goal of this newsletter is to be informative and interesting. We hope we have achieved that goal. We welcome comments and suggestions. Please send them to TCPIPNEWS@VNET.IBM.COM.

Contributing authors: Alfred B Christensen, John Doyle, Connie Hanlon, Jan Martinez, Roger Montanez, Debbie Morrison, Salil Muma, Brenda Rubens, and Gail Wojton


 * Gopher is a trademark of the University of Minnesota
 * UNIX is a trademark of X/Open Company Ltd.
 * Windows is a trademark of Microsoft, Inc.
 * X Window System is a trademark of Massachusetts Institute of Technology