AppleTalk over IP adev

IPRemote AppleTalk 2.0b4


IPRemote A/Talk is the original AppleTalk adev allowing a Macintosh to
connect to a remote network server (ARNS) using IP over the Internet.
An adev is a client of the Network Control Panel under classic AppleTalk
networking and the AppleTalk Control Panel under Apple's Open Transport
system.

When connected via IPRemote, the client Macintosh can see all zones and
services on the network running the ARNS server. The IP connection can be
made via ethernet, or any PPP or SL/IP connection used for Telnet or WWW
access.

For more information about ARNS, see

        http://www.cs.mu.OZ.AU/appletalk/atalk.html

IPRemote requires Open Transport 1.1 or classic networking under System 7.N.


!UNSUPPORTED!


Version 2.0b4 of IPRemote is unsupported for use with Open Transport.
It is being released only as an interim measure. You may experience
problems in various situations, including conflicts between node
numbers chosen by Open Transport and those already in use on the ARNS
Server. Use at your own risk!

IPRemote 2.0b4 is only available via FTP as

        ftp://munnari.OZ.AU/mac/unsupported/iprem.2.0b4.sit.hqx


Installing IPRemote


IPRemote is installed by copying it to the Extensions Folder, or to the
System Folder and allowing the Finder to auto-route it to the Extensions
Folder.

Under classic AppleTalk Networking, IPRemote appears as an icon in the
Network Control Panel:

	


Under Open Transport, "IPRemote" is listed as an option in the pop-up
menu list for the AppleTalk Control Panel:

	


Configuration


Selecting IPRemote in either the Network or AppleTalk Control Panels
allows the link details to be configured:

	


Server Information


Enter the IP address or domain name of the ARNS Server in the Remote
Server: field. If the ARNS server is set up to require a password, then
you should enter this in the Server Passwd: field. If the server requires
a user name/password combination, then also enter the user name (the Server
Passwd: label will change to User Password: if a user name is entered).
To initiate a connection to the server, hit the Connect button. To return
to the Network/AppleTalk Control Panel, hit Cancel.


Link Details


The Link Speed bps: pop-up menu lists various interface speeds that your
IP connection may be running at (1200bps through to Ethernet). Set this menu
to the speed closest to the one in use (in some cases when noisy links are a
problem, choose one speed lower). This field is used to ensure that the adev
reduces the potential amount of traffic on the link to avoid flooding it. In
earlier versions of IPRemote, this function was handled transparently. Under
Open Transport it must be user-configurable.

You can also use the up and down arrow keys on your keyboard to change the
link speed.


Server List


The three small boxes with up/down, right & left arrows and list icon allow
you to maintain a list of servers and associated passwords.

To add an entry to the list, type in the server address, server password (or
user name and user password) and use the mouse to select the + right arrow
"add-to-list" box. The text associated with the "scroll" box on the left
should change to "1 of 1". Repeat if necessary.

You can scroll up and down through the list by pointing and clicking on the
top or bottom of the "scroll" box until the dialog box displays the entry
you want. To connect to the selected server, click on the Connect button or
press Return.

You can delete an entry by scrolling to it and then selecting the - left
arrow "subtract-from-list" button.

The "0 of N" entry is always empty.


TCP/IP Connections


The Always Try TCP: checkbox allows you to specify that you want the adev
to always switch to TCP/IP, instead of starting with UDP/IP and switching if
the link delay to the server is greater than 200ms. If you SHIFT-click on
the Always Try TCP: text then it changes to Never Use TCP: to allow you
to prohibit TCP/IP use.

The TCP/IP code is disabled in this version of the IPRemote adev.


Alternate IP connections (mdevs)


The Load at reboot: checkbox allows you to specify that IPRemote can open
an IP connection when the Macintosh is started. This can cause problems
with some MacTCP and OT mdevs because they will be called before the normal
Control Panel INIT time and may not be completely functional.

Warning: if you choose Load at reboot: and use an mdev such as MacPPP,
FreePPP etc. your Macintosh may get into a state where it cannot be
restarted without use of a boot floppy. Holding down the SHIFT key to
disable loading of extensions DOES NOT HELP. In this situation you must
boot from a floppy and remove the IPRemote adev from the Extensions Folder.

For this reason, the adev will warn you if you select this box when using
MacTCP and an IP delivery mdev mechanism other than ethernet. This
functionality is not available under Open Transport so no warning is given.
Use of this checkbox with Open Transport running over an IP mdev is not
recommended at this time.

The list of mdevs which will/won't work OK does not yet exist.


Config Dialog Box appearance


In earlier versions of IPRemote, the configuration dialog box would not
appear in subsequent connection attempts unless you held down the SHIFT key
when selecting the ICON from the Network Control Panel. This remains the
default behaviour for IPRemote under MacTCP classic networking. You can
ensure that the adev will always display the configuration dialog box by
clicking on (unlocking) the small padlock symbol in the top left of the
dialog box (or by using the [esc] key to toggle it).

Under Open Transport, the padlock symbol does not appear and the behaviour
is as if the padlock were open. That is, the dialog box is always presented.


ARNS Servers


You can run an ARNS Server on a UNIX workstation, or another Macintosh under
classic networking or Open Transport.

The UNIX ARNS Server and Mac clients are available via

        ftp://munnari.OZ.AU/mac/arns.tar.Z

The Macintosh classic networking ARNS Server and Mac clients are available
individually via

        ftp://munnari.OZ.AU/mac/arns_mac/

The Macintosh Open Transport ARNS Server functionality is provided by the
Macintosh version of UAR (UNIX AppleTalk Router) which is available as

        ftp://munnari.OZ.AU/mac/macuar.sit.hqx

UNIX ARNS clients for ARA and PPP are available via

        ftp://munnari.OZ.AU/mac/arns_arap/
        ftp://munnari.OZ.AU/mac/arns_ppp/

Documents for all of these can be viewed at the WWW site listed at the top
of this document.


Coping with Open Transport


The implementation of, and user interface for, adevs under Open Transport
apparently received around 5 minutes worth of design and testing time by
Apple.

There are a number of problems that have been worked-around to provide
IPRemote functionality under Open Transport. Apple does not appear to be
interested in fixing any of these in the immediate future.


1. Can't open a synchronous IP endpoint when an adev is being opened.
2. Each adev is opened twice, no sanctioned way to differentiate between calls.
3. GetMyZone call is not sent for non-extended adev at startup.
4. GetMyZone call provides bad 'index' bytes (0x07000001) (fixed in OT 1.1.1).
5. NodeInUSe call ineffective, requires user intervention.
6. No way to cancel startup from 'AOpen' call.
7. Classic networking examines some short function returns, OT expects longs.
8. mdev information not available through Open Transport.


The solutions to these problems are disgusting hacks, they may not continue
to function under any revision of Open Transport or MacOS.


Bugs


Please report problems, other than those experienced when using Open
Transport, to

        djh@munnari.OZ.AU


Notice


Copyright 1992-1997 The University of Melbourne.

All rights reserved. The various ARNS packages may NOT be publicly
redistributed (for example via anonymous FTP), sold, or the source used
for any other purpose without the permission in writing of the copyright
owner.

This software is supplied "as is" without express or implied warranty.

Portions of this user documentation may be reused for localised
documentation providing that this notice remains intact.