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Note: A BBS Node is a point of connection for a single user to the BBS Server. In dial up connections, nodes are limited by hardware (telephone lines and modems). In TCP-IP connections, there are only limitations of bandwidth and memory. |
Installing a Modem Node
In this step you will install a modem node to allow users to call your TeleFinder BBS using the TeleFinder/User client software for Macintosh or Windows. If you do not wish to support modems, skip to the next step, "Installing a TCP/IP Node."
•Select the "New Node" command from the File menu. This opens the "Save As" dialog.
• Choose the "Startup Nodes" folder as the location to save this file to. The Startup Nodes folder is located in the same folder as TeleFinder Server.
• Enter "Modem Node 1" as the name. You can also choose a different name if you'd like.
• Click in the "Save" button to create the file. A new window will appear called "Modem Node 1" or the name you chose above. The window will look like the one below.
•Select "Modem" from the Node menu's "Connection Method" item. The following window appears:
• Select the serial port your modem is connected to from the serial ports list.•Select the modem name from the "Modem Settings" list that most closely matches the name of your modem.
•Select "First Ring" from the "Answer On" pop-up menu. If you want your modem to answer on the 2nd or 3rd ring, select either of those choices instead.
• Select one of the options from the "Modem Speaker" pop-up menu. Choose "On Until Connect" while you're setting up and testing. This will let you hear your modem connect. Once the BBS is running smoothly you can choose "Off Always" to eliminate unnecessary noise.
•Click in the "OK" button to save your choices.
•Select the "Start Node" command from TeleFinder Server's BBS menu. TeleFinder Server will respond by initializing the node and preparing to answer calls. The node window will display the following message when it is ready to accept calls:
Waiting for a connection...
In the event this message fails to appear, proceed to the "Trouble Shooting" chapter of this manual.
Installing a TCP/IP Node
In this step you will install a TCP/IP node to allow users to call your TeleFinder BBS using the TeleFinder/User client software for Macintosh or Windows.
TCP/IP is a connection method that can be used over a local area network or over the Internet if your BBS is connected through an Internet Service Provider. To support TCP/IP nodes, your system must have MacTCP or Open Transport installed and configured correctly.
If you wish to have multiple TCP/IP nodes, repeat this step as many times as necessary. If you do not wish to support TCP/IP, skip this step.
•Select the "New Node" command from the File menu. This opens the "Save As" dialog.
• Choose the "Startup Nodes" folder as the location to save this file to. The Startup Nodes folder is located in the same folder as TeleFinder Server.
• Enter "TCP/IP Node 1" as the name. You can also choose a different name if you'd like.
• Click in the "Save" button to create the file. A new window will appear called "TCP/IP Node 1" or the name you chose above. The window will look like the one below.
•Select "Open Transport TCP/IP" from the Node menu's "Connection Method" item if it is available. If this option is not available, choose "MacTCP" instead. The following window appears:
• Enter '1474' into the "Port Number" text field.•Click in the "OK" button to save the node's TCP/IP port.
•Select the "Start Node" command from TeleFinder Server's BBS menu. TeleFinder Server will respond by initializing the node and preparing to answer calls. The node window will display the following message when it is ready to accept calls:
Waiting for a connection...
In the event this message fails to appear, refer to "Trouble Shooting" chapter of this manual.
Setting BBS Node Options
The previous two steps described how to install a modem and a TCP/IP node. This step will discuss how to set the basic Node options for either of these nodes.
• Select a node window such as "Modem Node 1" or "TCP/IP Node 1" by clicking on it to make it the active window.
• Select the "Node Options" command from the Node menu. This opens the window as shown:
• Enter a name in the "Node Name" field. Choose any name you wish up to 31 characters. It may be the same as the node file name, "Modem Node 1" or "TCP/IP Node 1", or it can be something else. This name will be shown to users as they logon to the BBS.
•Click in the "BBS Server" radio button to define this node as a BBS Server.
• If this node is configured for a modem, leave the "Reset Interval" set at the recommended 30 minutes. With this setting TeleFinder Server will re-initialize the modem if more than 30 minutes elapse between calls. If this node is configured for TCP/IP or someÜther connection type, set the reset interval to "-1." This will prevent TeleFinder Server from periodically resetting the node, which is not necessary that are not configured for a modem.
• Specify a value for the "Max Idle Time." This is the number of seconds a user may be inactive (ie: online while not doing anything) before being automatically disconnected from the BBS. The default is 480 seconds. A value of -1 will cause TeleFinder Server to never disconnect a user due to being idle.
• Enter a name in the "Log File" field if desired. The default, "Log File" will work just fine. Each node's log files are stored in a separate folder within the "Log Files" folder, located in the same folder as TeleFinder Server.
• Turn on or off the "Create a new file each day" checkbox. If this option is ON, TeleFinder Server will create a new log file for this node each day. If this option is OFF, TeleFinder Server will continuously use the same log file.
• Click in the "OK" button to save your settings.
