Getting A8 Online with Lantronix and 850 Interface

[+bf2k+]

Is there a way around this I dont know.. for example bfbbs.no-ip.com this cannot be typed in Bobterm or IceT because either VT100 or Ansi as far as I can tell there is no way to type the dash.

 

James

 

try the alternate URL: bfbbs.dtdns.net : 8888 (9000 for the Carina System)

 

It is usually working (I think).

[+DrVenkman]

Thanks for all who have provided guidance, Operation "Atari Online" is coming to fruition. My DB25 f-f gender changer arrived today, allowing me to connect the proper CX-88 Atari terminal cable to the device, my power adapter arrived on Sunday so, today I did a factory reset on the device (press and hold the recessed Rest button for 3 seconds during power-on) and that re-enabled the DHCP client in the box. I plugged in an Ethernet cable, booted up BobTerm and ... voila!

 

So once I familiarize myself a bit more with the Lantronix operational modes, I'll get the list of Telnet BBS systems and try "dialing in" to one of them tonight or tomorrow. Thanks again to all who helped!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tillek]

Well, if you wish a place to start....

 

<shameless plug>

bbs.sfhqbbs.org port 5983

</shameless plug>

 

As we discussed, it's a Lantronix box, so if it doesn't answer, there may be someone on (given a recent Ars Technica artilce and being picked up by SlashDot and some others, there have actually been a lot of calls lately).

 

If you want to look at that article.... it's about an Apple BBS a friend of mine runs, but I'm hosting the fTelnet for it from my BBS site so some of them found their way to me.

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/04/a-1986-bulletin-board-system-has-brought-the-old-web-back-to-life-in-2017/

[Tillek]

Also, for the real "vintage" lists.....

 

http://www.vintagecomputerbbslist.com/

[+DrVenkman]

So to further update, I managed to log into Abdul's Boot Factory BBS and get an account established - man, it really did take me back to 1984 or '85 when I got my first modem!

 

One quick question for those who've been using the MSS100 for awhile though - once I enabled modem emulation mode, do I need to disable it for any reason to go back to the generic Lantronix log-in prompt? The manual seems to indicate that the '+++' command from within modem mode will do that but on my unit at least it does not. Second, are there are security risks in leaving it connected to my LAN when I'm NOT using the Atari? I mean, the firmware date on mine is sometime in 2003 - if there's a security hole in there for a remote exploit, it's long since been found and widely disseminated. Maybe I'm being paranoid abut after the various IoT hacks that crunched the web in recent months, I don't want my own LAN unnecessily compromised.

[_The Doctor__]

Make sure you have the latest firmware for your hardware serial number from the lantronix site... make sure you set up all the passwords ports and types to your liking. You should be good at that point, If you are paranoid shut any access off you don't want.... just be ready for a factory reset same on a router if you forget passwords and device access methods you set or disable..

Edited April 13, 2017 by _The Doctor__

[BillC]

 

Thanks for the "Cliff's Notes" version. It is very much appreciated. I went to eBay today and found a seller dropping surplus MSS100 units for about $35 shipped so I bought one, along with a null modem DB9-DB25 serial cable. I had to pick up a DB9 gender changer for the P:R: Connection as well but it was only $2.49 (could've been $0.99 but coming from China would take a month. Nope!).

I'm not sure what cable you purchased but the PC serial ports are different gender and pinout than the 850, MIO and PR Connection ports.

[_The Doctor__]

@BillC ...doesn't matter provided it's on the 25 pin end of the cable.. that's almost always standard... but I was concerned with what I read...

the mio/850 cable must be custom Atari type... the 25 pin side is the side that should be converted using an adapter NOT the nine pin side! But we did discuss this... and he appears to be up and running

Edited April 13, 2017 by _The Doctor__

[+DrVenkman]

I'm not sure what cable you purchased but the PC serial ports are different gender and pinout than the 850, MIO and PR Connection ports.

 

 

doesn't matter if it's on the end of the 25 pin end of the cable.. that's almost always standard...

 

Not to worry, it was all sorted out further down the thread thanks to Tillek ... I'm using the aforementioned CX-88 Terminal (not Modem) cable connected to R1: on the P:R: Connection, and a straight-through DB25 female-female gender changer between the Terminal cable and the Lantronix (male) DB25 port. Works a treat.

 

Again, seriously - thanks, y'all. It really is ridiculously fun to fool around with BBS and telecommunications stuff again after all these years.

[Tillek]

 

 

 

Not to worry, it was all sorted out further down the thread thanks to Tillek ... I'm using the aforementioned CX-88 Terminal (not Modem) cable connected to R1: on the P:R: Connection, and a straight-through DB25 female-female gender changer between the Terminal cable and the Lantronix (male) DB25 port. Works a treat.

 

Again, seriously - thanks, y'all. It really is ridiculously fun to fool around with BBS and telecommunications stuff again after all these years.

Well I know my BBS has had a lot more activity lately as far as callers. I'm just hoping more will post or play the games (and come back). I got one who I think will become a regular this week. But thanks to the Ars Technica article, the word is spreading.

[+DrVenkman]

On this point, I see a lot of love for ICE-T around lately - I never used this one as a kid. Fooling around with two versions tonight, I can't get 1.something to boot on my U1MB-equipped 800XL, and when I boot up 2.72, I can't get it to talk to the Lantronix without spewing repeating characters over and over in an endless loop - like both ends are echoing the same first character I type. This persists no matter what duplex setting I set in ICE-T, and what terminal setting to use (VT-52 or ANSI/BBS). Anyone have suggestions? I do like the software 80 column mode - looks great on my old monitor with color turned off (a neat feature of the Apple Color Composite screen I usually use).

[_The Doctor__]

not whole lot could be at issue, duplex on both the mss and the term... end of line character, and baud rate(flow rate) on both... try 4800 as defaults on both... lastly soft flow control on both could be set up (x-on x-off)

 

I remember someone having an issue at one time but it was fixed by Itaych and there was a driver issue that also got sorted so a scan of AA will yield the results you seek if it's those issues

 

I don't remember the issue coming up for myself, but I kind of instinctively choose the proper set ups, and I also use the handlers built into the black box and mio, I can dig out the 850 / pr connection yet again and see what happens. The last time we nailed for some one it required that action...

 

try ICE-T 2.8 etc etc... not sure if it was the last one but...

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/217539-ice-t-xe-276-released/?p=3090553

Edited April 14, 2017 by _The Doctor__

[Tillek]

On this point, I see a lot of love for ICE-T around lately - I never used this one as a kid. Fooling around with two versions tonight, I can't get 1.something to boot on my U1MB-equipped 800XL, and when I boot up 2.72, I can't get it to talk to the Lantronix without spewing repeating characters over and over in an endless loop - like both ends are echoing the same first character I type. This persists no matter what duplex setting I set in ICE-T, and what terminal setting to use (VT-52 or ANSI/BBS). Anyone have suggestions? I do like the software 80 column mode - looks great on my old monitor with color turned off (a neat feature of the Apple Color Composite screen I usually use).

I don't think ICE-T was around when we were kids. At least not that I recall (by the time I moved to the ST in my 20's at least).

 

I don't know if this will help, but this is the config on my UDS-10 which is connected to my 800xl. I have successfully used IceT do call BBS's with this configuration as well as run a Carina BBS (again, same config). I use an ICD MIO instead of an 850 and my 800xl is an original Rambo instead of a U1MB, but that is probably the only thing that should be different (which is why the baud rate is 19.2k)

 

*** Channel 1

Baudrate 19200, I/F Mode 4C, Flow 02

Port 03523

Connect Mode : D6

Auto increment source port disabled

Remote IP Adr:

Disconn Mode : 40

Flush Mode : 00

Terminal name: UDS-10

 

 

This is the config from my MSS-100 that runs STar Fleet HQ (the Mega STE BBS)

 

Port 1: Username: Port_1 Physical Port 1 (Idle)

Char Size/Stop Bits: 8/1 Baud Rate: 19200

Flow Ctrl: None Session Limit: 4

Parity: None Modem Control: None

Access: Dynamic Break Ctrl: Local

Local Switch: None

Forward: None Backward: None

Port name: Port_1 Terminal Type: None

Autostart char(s): A/-- Datasend char(s): --/--

Save chars (AS/DS): none/none Timer: (none)

Preferred Service: (none)

 

 

Characteristics: DSR Logout Telnet Pad Dtrwait MdmEmulate

 

Sessions: 0 Current Session: None

Input/Output Flow Ctrl: N/N DSR/DTR/CTS/RTS/CD: Y/N/Y/Y/Y

 

Seconds Since Zeroed: 10759 Framing Errors: 0

Accesses Local/Rem: 10/2 Parity Errors: 0

Serial Buffer Overflows: 0 UART Overruns: 0

Bytes Input: 107366 Bytes Output: 1433

Input Flow On/Off: 0/ 0 Output Flow On/Off: 0/ 0

 

 

I don't know if that will help.

 

If it does.... I have some good ANSI screens over at STar Fleet HQ (bbs.sfhqbbs.org:5983) I noticed a couple of my new VT-52 screens are a little glitchy but I'll try to fix them soon.

[_The Doctor__]

you have to bump that down 19,200 is not going to happen on an 850! You will get tons of what appears to be line noise, but really it's trashed mashed bits....

[Kyle22]

My 850 responds to the XIO36,#[chan],[baud],0,"R:" for 19.2 as 9600. It doesn't matter if I try 9600 or 19.2. I have the UDS-10 set at 9600, so either one works.

 

I have BobTerm 1.22 running right now set to 19.2 on an 850, and it talks perfectly at the real speed of 9600.

[_The Doctor__]

If you lock the serial port of the lantronix device to 19,200 it won't work if the terminal is at 9600 on real hardware.... Just tried all three... got a mess trying to connect to anything as expected.

Now I have to dig thru disks to find if that was last version of ICE-T....tonight has been a busy disk scramble...

Edited April 14, 2017 by _The Doctor__

[Kyle22]

Right. My UDS is locked @ 9600, so it doesn't matter if the Atari is at 9600, or 19.2, because the 850 can't do 19.2 so it stays at 9600 even if given the command to switch to 19.2. Apparently it talks to POKEY fine at 19.2, but the RS232 is always 9600.

 

This is only from what I observe.

[+DrVenkman]

Well my only problem last night was with ICE-T. BobTerm works great at 9600 with the P:R: Connection and MSS100 both set to 9600.

[_The Doctor__]

did you download the full zip and drivers from first post in ice-t thread? Do that extract it and then add / put the 2.8 xex within that.... give the thread and the included docs in the zip a read.... choosing the proper rs232 driver is key. a couple people reported the same issue each was resolved by a change of driver or using the the proper command for their DOS that was sometimes forgotten like the X command in sparta. Or forgetting Sparta's rs232 handler is on the cart and you must choose a different name for your handler on disk....

Just for giggles boot bobterm and the exit bobterm without power cycling then load ICE-T if that works great it's the handler issue... if it doesn't then boot bobterm and hit reset instead of exit and load ICE-T does that work? If yes it's the driver... just have to pick the right one before loading ICE-T

post all pertinent information... Are you using MyDOS, are you using MyIDE need more info if that all does not work out.

Edited April 14, 2017 by _The Doctor__

[+DrVenkman]

Thanks for your help, _The Doctor_. Pointing me at the ICE-T thread got me on the right track. I generally use SpartaDOS X on my U1MB-equipped 800XL. Someone a couple years ago reported similar problems with the never-ending echoing of the first character entered on the terminal screen. The discussion reminded me that using the P:R: Connection with some terminal programs requires the PRC.SYS file to be loaded first.

 

So I created an \ICET directory on one of my HD partitions, copied all the contents of the latest 2.70 .ATR file into there, along with the .XEX file for the 2.80 Alpha you pointed me to. I booted up SDX, loaded the PRC.SYS file manually, then loaded the .XEX file (X ICET280A.XEX) and it fired right up without complaint. Works great - neat to see an 80 column display like that. I even quickly logged into Abdul's Boot Factory to test, though I didn't stay on long - other plans tonight.

 

But thanks for the help getting it all sorted out.

[Tillek]

Thanks for your help, _The Doctor_. Pointing me at the ICE-T thread got me on the right track. I generally use SpartaDOS X on my U1MB-equipped 800XL. Someone a couple years ago reported similar problems with the never-ending echoing of the first character entered on the terminal screen. The discussion reminded me that using the P:R: Connection with some terminal programs requires the PRC.SYS file to be loaded first.

 

So I created an \ICET directory on one of my HD partitions, copied all the contents of the latest 2.70 .ATR file into there, along with the .XEX file for the 2.80 Alpha you pointed me to. I booted up SDX, loaded the PRC.SYS file manually, then loaded the .XEX file (X ICET280A.XEX) and it fired right up without complaint. Works great - neat to see an 80 column display like that. I even quickly logged into Abdul's Boot Factory to test, though I didn't stay on long - other plans tonight.

 

But thanks for the help getting it all sorted out.

Good luck... Happy BBSing... Hope to see you around this way soon.

[+DrVenkman]

Good luck... Happy BBSing... Hope to see you around this way soon.

 

Had a chance to check out your site tonight - very cool! I hope to spend some time in the coming weeks poking around some more. Tons of fun (and yes long-time ICE-T users, I know I ought to connect to an S-video/Y-C monitor but I don't happen to have one handy quite yet - working on it. ).

 

[Tillek]

Glad you enjoyed it... and thanks for actually sending the new user email (after the ars technica article I got like 30 new users and only a handful of hello messages).

 

I mean really, who comes into someone's "home" and doesn't even say "hello".

 

Just a quick tip for those coming to STar Fleet HQ... Two very important commands. % will let you turn on/off message boards for quickscan. The "Memory Alpha" and "Memory Beta" areas are archives (Atari and "everything else" respectively).

 

Also, the J command jumps to the end. Yes, my general base has a few hundred messages... J to the last 5-10-20.... whatever you like.

 

Please don't be intimidated when you see thousands of messages. It's an old system.

 

 

Actually, that screen looks better than mine on ICE-T with my 1200xl...... Thanks for that.

[+DrVenkman]

 

Actually, that screen looks better than mine on ICE-T with my 1200xl...... Thanks for that.

 

This is with one of Bryan's "UAV" internal video mod boards connected via composite to a 1987 Apple Color Composite Monitor that I found at a Goodwill store in Nashville in 2005 or so for $10. I also got a C64C and 1541-II disk drive as a set for another $10 at the same time ... I miss being able to find cool old computers at Goodwill cheap. *sigh* I've got a Toshiba 27" CRT that has a great S-video pic but it's (currently) too far from the computer to connect, and frankly the screen is too big for regular 8-bit computing in my current working area.

[Tillek]

Yeah, all I can get at Goodwill around me is square LCD monitors cheap... Some have been great though with the ST's.

 

I actually got my first Commodore this week... a C128. Got the power supply arriving Monday and it has a problem with the VDC (a replacement is coming from a fellow Sysop of a Commodore BBS I helped with Atari stuff and who I contribute to his BBS with messages and such).

 

But at any rate.... Glad you enjoyed your stay.... I noticed where you were from... Interesting... I have some acquaintences there from the Star Fleet Battles days.... Don't suppose you're into SFB? Alas......

 

Looking forward to seeing you back someday.