Putting your home PC on the Internet: Summary and Compendium I'd like to thank all the folks who took the time to respond to my questions about how to get the home PC hung on the internet. Here's a summary of the responses as I understand them, followed by the complete text of all responses so you can draw your own conclusions. I regret that this summary is not very comprehensive or authoritative (not that netnews ever is) but it does indicate directions to proceed in. There were two questions I asked: 1) how to get assigned an internet address and get physically hooked in to the internet, and 2) failing this, how to get an e-mail and news feed. I specified that I didn't want to discuss software (not that it's not important), just how to get physically and administratively hooked up. I also sent a query to the group rec.ham-radio.packet asking what people thought of using amateur packet radio as the connection to the outside world. These responses are also attached below. 0. Background information People often confuse the terms "internet address" and "domain name" (probably because e-mail is generally addressed to a domain name, not an internet address). An internet address is a 32-bit number that is assigned to each node on the internet. It's usually written in four bytes, for instance the address of max.berkeley.edu is 128.32.178.63. A domain name is a name like max.berkeley.edu. You don't have to be an internet node to get an official domain name, but if you aren't one, you have to tell them the name of an internet node that will take care of forwarding your mail off the internet. To get more info about registering a domain name in the "us" domain, ftp to nic.ddn.mil and get netinfo:us-domain.txt. There is no registration fee. Note that although both the domain name system and the internet addressing are heirarchical, they have nothing to do with each other. The internet address heirarchy is related to physical connection, but the domain name heirarchy is administrative. 1. Getting an internet address A basic problem with getting on the internet is that the US gov't, which is footing the bill for most of the internet, doesn't want anyone on there unless some gov't agency will vouch that you are doing research or other work for them. So if you do contract work for Uncle Sam in your spare time, you might get your patron agency to back you. The relevant document is netinfo:internet-number-template.txt on nic.ddn.mil. I don't think there's any fee, and you get 256 internet addresses to do with as you please. If, however, you are not a budding Beltway Bandit, it becomes a matter of who you know. Suppose you have buddies at the local university or bomb plant. They might be willing and able to lend you an address out of their pool. Strictly speaking, they aren't supposed to do this unless you are using the net for uses related to working for them, but it's been known to happen anyhow. Which of these options you select also affects the way you can hook in, covered next. 2. Physical connections The expensive way of getting connected is to rent a phone line from you to some local organization, and pay them to deal with the other end. Somebody sent a copy of recent NEARnet rates. A small operation could get hooked up at 9600 baud for a $10,750 installation charge, and $7000 per year exclusive of leased line charges. The cost of the leased line obviously depends on where you are, but according to UUNET's AlterNet blurb, they cost $3000 per year and up. NEARnet serves New England, I suppose there are similar organizations in other parts of the country but I don't know who they are. UUNET runs AlterNet (just mentioned) and they estimate the following charges for a 9600 baud connection. Initial charge is $2750, and annual fee of $3000 exclusive of phone company charges. They mention that they also support dial-up connections, which might save a bundle on phone charges. Alternet has a few hubs spaced around the country and a couple in Europe. To get info on AlterNet, send mail to info@uunet.uu.net. Several respondents also mentioned PSI. I have requested info from them, but don't have it yet. The above choices are not only a bit expensive, they also will not get you on the Internet unless you have the aformentioned government sponsorship. If you have a friend with a hooked up network, you can try to talk him into running a SLIP protocol connection over a dial-up modem to one of his machines. As I mentioned above, this is not strictly on the up-and-up, but is enormously cheaper. Another possibility that occurred to me was to make the outside connection via amateur packet radio. I don't know anything about packet radio myself, but the replies I got indicated the following. It's not legal to use amateur radio for any business purposes. Nothing is supposed to be transmitted over amateur radio unless it's been read by someone with a license. And there's some question about the legality of unattended operation. Nonetheless, it seems some hams are doing stuff like this. I don't have any idea what kind of equipment costs are involved. 3. How about just mail and news? The other option is to forget the internet and just get a news and mail feed via UUCP. Basicly you buy a modem and locate someone who already has mail and news who will let you call in and grab them. Possible feeds are UUNET (send mail to info@uunet.uu.net) or many nixpub sites (listed in a period posting in pubnet.nixpub and comp.misc) and probably thousands of others. UUNET apparently costs something like $400 a year plus phone charges; some of sites in the nixpub list are free. Someone suggested to look in comp.mail.maps to find invitations for UUCP feeds. Fidonet and PSI are also mentioned as possible feeds. One thing to bear in mind is that if you want a registered domain name, you must have a internet site that agrees to forward your mail. I believe UUNET and PSI take care of this for you, but if you just pick someone out of comp.mail.maps to feed you, you will have to hunt down your internet site separately. I understand that Fidonet sites all have registered domain names, albiet peculiar looking ones. 4. Other things to try One of the responses below suggests sending a query to hostmaster@nic.ddn.mil. I have, but the reply just told me how to register a domain name in the US domain. I haven't pursued this further. As mentioned above, info on UUNET can be gotten by sending your US mail address (no kidding!) to info@uunet.uu.net. I don't have this packet yet, so I can't tell you what's in it. Also, some info can be gotten by anon FTP from uunet.uu.net in the directory uunet-info. Info on PSI is reportedly available from info@psi.com. I don't know where to find info about fidonet. - Dave Cottingham dc@caveat.berkeley.edu That's the summary, now here's all the stuff I got: -------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: MX%"wjb@cogsci.cog.jhu.edu" 15-JAN-1991 10:03:00.85 To: DC CC: Subj: Re: Q: how to make home PC an internet node? Return-Path: <@MAX.BERKELEY.EDU:wjb@cogsci.cog.jhu.edu> Received: from cogsci.cog.jhu.edu by MAX.BERKELEY.EDU with SMTP; Tue, 15 Jan 1991 10:02:54 PST Received: by cogsci.cog.jhu.edu (4.0/SMI-4.0) id AA00400; Tue, 15 Jan 91 13:06:25 EST Date: Tue, 15 Jan 91 13:06:25 EST From: wjb@cogsci.cog.jhu.edu (William J. Bogstad) Message-ID: <9101151806.AA00400@cogsci.cog.jhu.edu> To: dc@max.berkeley.edu Subject: Re: Q: how to make home PC an internet node? Newsgroups: comp.misc,comp.os.minix,comp.sys.nsc.32k,comp.unix.xenix.sco In-Reply-To: <00942BD0.3790B740@max.berkeley.edu> Organization: JHU Cognitive Science Center, Baltimore, MD X-MX-Warning: Warning -- Invalid "CC" header. CC: In article <00942BD0.3790B740@max.berkeley.edu> you write: >It sure would be great if my PC at home were on the internet. I'm >sure this must be possible, since there are plenty of smallish >businesses on the internet. However, a perusal of the documents at >nic.ddn.mil shows only how to launch a new network, which requires >divine intervention from a government agency, and is definitely of a >grander scale than what I have in mind. There should have been information there about getting an address. You might try contacting the postmaster at the large Ohio State USENET site. (Don't remember the name off hand.) I've seen messsage from him in the past about providing mail/news help to people and he should point you in the right direction. You might also look into CSNET, UUNET, and PSINET?? all of which have TCP/IP networks and may have dial-up TCP/IP capability. (Which is probably what you want. Having a dedicated line to your home could get expensive.) Also look into the SLIP and/or PPP protocols which are available for the PC and are used to implement TCP/IP over dial-up lines. If you have good connections at local Internet sites, you might be able to get somebody to assign you an address there and use dial-up connections. > >I'm hoping that someone out there who's done this can tell me how to >go about getting assigned an internet address, and what kind of >physical connection they use and to where, and just how massive a >financial outlay is required. (Software is another issue, but I was >going to worry about that later.) A high speed modem may be all you need as far as additional hardware. (9600 or 19200 baud) Telebit would probably be a good choice. >... >And finally, if there is a more appropriate place to post this, >please let me know. (Intensive scrutiny of the list of active >newgorups turned up none which really seemed right, but these >seemed slightly plausible.) The mail groups or tcp-ip groups might have been better. You might try finding the archives for the tcp-ip groups. They should have information. Good Luck, Bill Bogstad From: MX%"" 15-JAN-1991 12:20:40.11 To: DC CC: Subj: Re: Q: how to make home PC an internet node? Return-Path: <@MAX.BERKELEY.EDU:pacolley@violet.waterloo.edu> Received: from violet.waterloo.edu by MAX.BERKELEY.EDU with SMTP; Tue, 15 Jan 1991 12:20:16 PST Received: by violet.waterloo.edu id ; Tue, 15 Jan 91 15:24:27 EST Date: Tue, 15 Jan 91 15:24:27 EST From: Paul Colley Message-ID: <9101152024.AA00170@violet.waterloo.edu> To: dc@max.berkeley.edu Subject: Re: Q: how to make home PC an internet node? Newsgroups: comp.misc,comp.os.minix,comp.sys.nsc.32k,comp.unix.xenix.sco In-Reply-To: <00942BD0.3790B740@max.berkeley.edu> Organization: University of Waterloo X-MX-Warning: Warning -- Invalid "CC" header. CC: In article <00942BD0.3790B740@max.berkeley.edu> you write: >It sure would be great if my PC at home were on the internet. > just how massive a >financial outlay is required. $35.00 one-time fee for an internet-style mail address through UUnet. Actual internet-style connection is substantially more ($800/month? I think I remember for Alternet, don't have it in front of me). Anyways, UUnet does both (the internet stuff from uunet is called "Alternet"). Write info@uunet.uu.net for details. >mail via uucp. I know one way to do this, which is to get in contact >with one of the sites on the NIXPUB list. If anybody knows a better >way, I'd like to hear about it. Post to a *.uucp group distributed near you & also Email postmaster@"local sites" and ask for someone who is willing to give you a feed. To find local sites, look in the UUCP maps (either on your favourite machine, or in the newsgroup comp.mail.maps). The UUCP map for some sites lists an invitation for new UUCP mail or news feeds; most sites are willing to give a mail feed if you ask nicely, but news is much harder to come by. Almost impossible to come by if you aren't running a high-speed modem. But, again, uunet will give you a feed if all else fails. Also, again, uunet does this---$35.00/month + $2.00/hour or so. The information I have about Alternet is on paper, so you're out of luck; ask uunet to send you a copy (that's what I did). I appended to the bottom of this message the info from uunet on registering a domain style address. Have fun. Probably, if you're associated with a University, you can do an internet connection for free to them; look for information on TCP/IP and SLIP (Internet Protocol, Serial Line Internet Protocol (i.e., for modems), ...I think that's what these acronyms stand for) Disclaimer: I'm a UUCP only site, so I haven't actually done any of this; use this info at your own risk, I'm not associated with the University, the government, UUnet, or anyone else mentioned in this, etc, etc, ... - Paul Colley pacolley@violet.waterloo.edu ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- >From operator@uunet.UU.NET Thu Jan 10 16:37:03 1991 Received: from uunet.UU.NET by violet.waterloo.edu with SMTP id ; Thu, 10 Jan 91 16:37:03 EST Received: by uunet.UU.NET (5.61/1.14) id AA23825; Thu, 10 Jan 91 16:36:32 -0500 From: operator@uunet.UU.NET (UUNET Postmaster) Message-Id: <9101102136.AA23825@uunet.UU.NET> Subject: Re: Registering site? To: pacolley@violet (Paul Colley) Date: Thu, 10 Jan 91 16:36:31 EST In-Reply-To: <9101101531.AA14426@violet.waterloo.edu>; from "Paul Colley" at Jan 10, 91 10:31 am X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.3 PL10] Status: RO Hello, > > The README in comp.mail.maps seems to suggest that it's better to > register in the "UUCP Zone", whatever that is, and gives this > address... > Please find below some info regarding domain registration and application form for registering. BACKGROUND: A "zone" is a registry of domains kept by a particular organization. A zone registry is "authoritative", that is, the master copy of the registry is kept by the zone organization, and this copy is, by definition, always up-to-date. Copies of this registry may be distributed to other places and kept in caches, but these caches are not authoritative because they may be out of date. An authoritative answer is required for certain decisions, such as "this mail cannot be delivered because there is no such domain", or "the name you have chosen is available and is now assigned uniquely to you." You need a registered domain name to use software (including smail) which supports domain addresses. This name must be unique in the world, and must be registered with the appropriate registry. You also need to be in a domain that has a forwarder from the INternet. Currently, the domain tree in the USA has three major top level domains: COM for companies, EDU for educational institutions, and GOV for government entities. Three other top level names exist: MIL, NET, ORG, but are somewhat specialized. For the most part, countries other than the USA are using the ISO 3166 2 letter abbreviation for their country as a top level. The second level is generally the name of the organization, using the shortest possible abbreviation that is clear and unique, thus ATT, DEC, IBM, HP, etc. The choice of exact name is up to the organization, and longer names, such as Berkeley.EDU or Tektronix.COM are perfectly acceptable. Just remember that people must type the name, as well as see it displayed. Only the second level domain name need be registered. Not all countries use the second level for the organization. In particular, Australia and Britain have set up second level domains OZ.AU and AC.UK for their academic communities, and put the organization at the third level. The third and subsequent levels, if used, should be organizational units within the organization. Try to keep the number of levels to a minimum, since people have to type the names. More than four total levels (country, org, org-unit1, and org-unit2) should rarely be needed. The actual organizational units to be used are up to you, for example, they might be departments, or they might be machine names. You do not need to register levels beneath the second level. CHOSING NAMES: Domain names are case independent. uucpnames MUST be all lower case. "vax", "u3b20", and the like are terrible host names, because sooner or later you'll have more than one vax, or more than one 3b20, and the names will be confusing. We recommend organizational names, with any subdomains based on the department or project the machine is used for. We highly discourage use of a nonorganizational uucpname as the second level domain name. Of course, in order to keep the names reasonably short and to avoid duplicating names in the heirarchy, some compromise will be needed. For example, csvax.CS.UND.EDU is redundant, but RISC.CS.UND.EDU might be a good name for the computer used by the RISC project in the CS department. Please note that you should support both RFC 976 and the documents it refers to, in particular RFC 822 and RFC 920. This means, for example: (a) The name "postmaster" on all machines visible to the outside should be forwarded to the technical contact. This can be easily done with an alias in /usr/lib/aliases, if your site runs sendmail or smail release 2.0 or beyond. (b) Your machine should not alter valid RFC 822 headers, such as From:, of mail it generates or forwards. Many machines running sendmail have a bug which adds uucpname! to the front of such addresses. Installing smail will fix the bug, because mail passed through the machine is not passed through sendmail. We hope to make a fix to sendmail available, also, at a later date. COSTS: UUNET charges a one time fee of $35 for processing the forms and setting up the servers. This fee does NOT include a connection to the uunet computer. There is no registration charge for UUNET customers. Payment should be sent to: UUNET Communications Services 3110 Fairview Park Drive, Suite 570 Falls Church, VA 22042 +1 703 876 5050 uunet!domain-request Please indicate the name of your domain and the uucp name of your gateway machine on your payment so that we may properly credit you. Registration can not be completed until payment is received (except for UUNET subscribers). Information about UUNET's other services can be obtained by sending your postal address to uunet!info IMPLEMENTATION DETAILS: We will notify you via mail to "postmaster" in your domain when your domain is registered. Please make sure such an address exists in your domain. You can NOT use your domain name in outgoing mail until registration is completed, although it is OK to install smail (using the host.UUCP domain) ahead of time. We do recommend that you set up to accept incoming mail for your domain name ahead of time, if this is convenient. Several steps are needed before your registration is complete. Some of these steps are approval by the NIC, setting up the nameservers, and setting up the forwarder. Seeing your domain published in the UUCP map is not, by itself, sufficient (or necessary) for the use of your domain name. FORWARDERS: A forwarder is a kind of mail bridge host between the Internet (formerly called the ARPANET) and UUCP. The nameserver structure directs all Internet mail for your domain to the forwarder, and the forwarder passes the mail from Internet into UUCP. Forwarders can also forward your mail from UUCP to Internet, but it is not strictly necessary to use your forwarder for this, since mail to any of the published UUCP->Internet gateways can do this. If you use a forwarder other than uunet please have the postmaster or a system administrator at the forwarder send uunet a message granting permission to use that system as a forwarder. To register your domain, you need to have a forwarder. If you know of an Internet site (such as uunet) that is willing to be a forwarder for your domain, let us know. As a last resort, uunet can be a forwarder for you even if you are not directly connected. HOWEVER, we require that you have the postmaster or system administrator at the site that is directly connected to uunet and will route your mail send uunet a message of permission before we start forwarding mail through them. THE APPLICATION: To register your domain with the NIC, we need to send in the following form. Questions 4,7,8 and 9 are already answered for you. Do not change them. Answer questions 0,1,2,3,5,6 and 10 and return THE ENTIRE FORM to uunet!domain-request. PLEASE do not just return the questions you answer and do not reformat the application. It creates extra work for us, as we have to copy your answers back onto the form we originally sent you, and will delay registration. [ THE FORM STARTS HERE. ] (0a) Specify what machine you want to be your forwarder. If you are directly connected to uunet, uunet can be your forwarder. If you are not directly connected, then you need to find some other site to be your forwarder OR get the permission of a site that IS directly connected to uunet to allow your arpanet mail to be forwarded through them. We must receive the permission of the uunet site or the other forwarder directly from that forwarder. Who will be your forwarder: For Example: uunet.uu.net (0b) Specify the uucpname registered in the UUCP maps of the system which will act as the mail gateway for your domain. This is optional, but highly recommended, for domains which do not use uunet.uu.net as forwarder. UUNET subscribers using uunet.uu.net as forwarder may simply give the name of the account. What is the name of your mail gateway: [ NETINFO:DOMAIN-TEMPLATE.TXT ] [ 10/90 DM ] To establish a domain, the following information must be sent to the NIC Domain Registrar (HOSTMASTER@NIC.DDN.MIL). Questions may be addressed to the NIC Hostmaster by electronic mail at the above address, or by phone at (415) 859-3695 or (800) 235-3155. NOTE: The key people must have electronic mailboxes and NIC "handles," unique NIC database identifiers. If you have access to "WHOIS", please check to see if you are registered and if so, make sure the information is current. Include only your handle and any changes (if any) that need to be made in your entry. If you do not have access to "WHOIS", please provide all the information indicated and a NIC handle will be assigned. (1) The name of the top-level domain to join (EDU, COM, MIL, GOV, NET, ORG). 1. Top-level domain: (2) The name of the domain (up to 12 characters). This is the name that will be used in tables and lists associating the domain with the domain server addresses. [While, from a technical standpoint, domain names can be quite long we recommend the use of shorter, more user- friendly names.] 2. Complete Domain Name: (3) The name and address of the organization establishing the domain. 3a. Organization name: 3b. Organization address: (4) The date you expect the domain to be fully operational. 4. Date operational: Now operational. (5) The NIC handle of the administrative head of the organization -- or this person's name, mailing address, phone number, organization, and network mailbox. This is the contact point for administrative and policy questions about the domain. In the case of a research project, this should be the principal investigator. NOTE: Both the Administrative and the Technical/Zone contact of a domain MUST have a network mailbox, even if the mailbox is to be within the proposed domain. Administrative Contact 5a. NIC Handle (if known) : 5b. Name (Last, First) : 5c. Organization: 5d. Mail Address: 5e. Phone Number: 5f. Net Mailbox : (6) The NIC handle of the technical contact for the domain -- or the person's name, mailing address, phone number, organization, and network mailbox. This is the contact point for problems concerning the domain or zone, as well as for updating information about the domain or zone. Technical and Zone Contact 6a. NIC Handle (if known): 6b. Name (Last, First) : 6c. Organization: 6d. Mail Address: 6e. Phone Number: 6f. Net Mailbox : (7) Domains must provide at least two independent servers that provide the domain service for translating names to addresses for hosts in this domain. * If you are applying for a domain and a network number assignment simultaneously and a host on your proposed network will be used as a server for the domain, you must wait until you receive your network number assigment and have given the server(s) a netaddress before sending in the domain application. Sending in the domain application without complete information in Sections 7 and 8 of this template will result in the delay of the domain registration. Also, establishing the servers in physically separate locations and on different PSNs and/or networks is strongly recommended. NOTE: All new hosts acting as servers will appear in the DNS root servers but will not apppear in the HOSTS.TXT file unless otherwise requested. Primary Server: HOSTNAME, NETADDRESS, HARDWARE, SOFTWARE 7a. Primary Server Hostname: uunet.UU.NET 7b. Primary Server Netaddress: 192.48.96.2 7c. Primary Server Hardware: SEQUENT-S81 7d. Primary Server Software: UNIX (8) The Secondary server information. 8a. Secondary Server Hostname: seismo.CSS.GOV 8b. Secondary Server Netaddress: 192.12.141.25 8c. Secondary Server Hardware: SUN-3/160 8d. Secondary Server Software: UNIX 8a. Secondary Server Hostname: cerberus.pa.dec.com 8b. Secondary Server Netaddress: 16.1.0.3 8c. Secondary Server Hardware: VAX 8d. Secondary Server Software: UNIX (9) If any currently registered hosts will be renamed into the new domain, please specify old hostname, netaddress, and new hostname. For example: BAR-FOO2.XYZ.COM (26.8.0.193) -> FOO2.BAR.COM BAR-FOO3.XYZ.COM (192.7.3.193) -> FOO3.BAR.COM BAR-FOO4.ARPA (34.6.0.193) -> FOO4.BAR.COM NOTE: Hostname changes to MILNET hosts must be approved by the MILNET Manager - MILNETMGR@DDN-CONUS.DDN.MIL. (10) Please describe your organization briefly. For example: Our Corporation is a consulting organization of people working with UNIX and the C language in an electronic networking environment. It sponsors two technical conferences annually and distributes a bimonthly newsletter. PLEASE ALLOW AT LEAST 30 WORKING DAYS FOR PROCESSING THIS APPLICATION [ THE FORM ENDS HERE. ] For further information contact the DDN/INTERNET Network Information Center (NIC): Via electronic mail: HOSTMASTER@NIC.DDN.MIL Via telephone: (800) 235-3155 Via postal mail: SRI International DDN Network Information Center 333 Ravenswood Avenue EJ286 Menlo Park, CA 94025 RECOMMENDED READING (available from the NIC) Feinler, E.J.; Jacobsen, O.J.; Stahl, M.K.; Ward, C.A., eds. DDN Protocol Handbook: Menlo Park, CA: SRI International, DDN Network Information Center; 1985 December; NIC 50004 and NIC 50005 and NIC 50006. 2749 p. Garcia-Luna-Aceves, J.J.; Stahl, M.K.; Ward, C.A., eds. Internet Protocol Handbook: The Domain Name System (DNS) Handbook. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International, Network Information Systems Center; 1989 August; 219 p. AD A214 698. Postel, J.B.; Reynolds, J.K. Domain Requirements. Marina del Rey, CA: University of Southern California, Information Sciences Inst.; 1984 October; RFC 920. 14 p. (NIC.DDN.MIL RFC:RFC920.TXT). Harrenstien, K.; Stahl, M.K.; Feinler, E.J. DoD Internet Host Table Specification. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International, DDN Network Information Center; 1985 October; RFC 952. 6 p. (NIC.DDN.MIL RFC:RFC952.TXT). Obsoletes: RFC 810 Harrenstien, K.; Stahl, M.K.; Feinler, E.J. Hostname Server. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International, DDN Network Information Center; 1985 October; RFC 953. 5 p. (NIC.DDN.MIL RFC:RFC953.TXT). Obsoletes: RFC 811 Partridge, C. Mail Routing and the Domain System. Cambridge, MA: BBN Labs., Inc.; 1986 January; RFC 974. 7 p. (NIC.DDN.MIL RFC:RFC974.TXT). Lazear, W.D. MILNET Name Domain Transition. McLean, VA: MITRE Corp.; 1987 November; RFC 1031. 10 p. (NIC.DDN.MIL RFC:RFC1031.TXT). Stahl, M.K. Domain Administrators Guide. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International, DDN Network Information Center; 1987 November; RFC 1032. 14 p. (NIC.DDN.MIL RFC:RFC1032.TXT). Lottor, M. Domain Administrators Operations Guide. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International, DDN Network Information Center; 1987 November; RFC 1033. 22 p. (NIC.DDN.MIL RFC:RFC1033.TXT). Mockapetris, P. Domain Names - Concepts and Facilities. Marina del Rey, CA: University of Southern California, Information Sciences Inst.; 1987 November; RFC 1034. 55 p. (NIC.DDN.MIL RFC:RFC1034.TXT). Updated-by: RFC 1101 Obsoletes: RFC 973; RFC 882; RFC 883 Mockapetris, P. Domain names - Implementation and Specification. Marina del Rey, CA: University of Southern California, Information Sciences Inst.; 1987 November; RFC 1035. 55 p. (NIC.DDN.MIL RFC:RFC1035.TXT). Updated-by: RFC 1101 Obsoletes: RFC 973; RFC 882; RFC 883 Mockapetris, P. DNS Encoding of Network Names and Other Types. Marina del Rey, CA: University of Southern California, Information Sciences Inst.; 1989 April; RFC 1101. 14 p. (NIC.DDN.MIL RFC:RFC1101.TXT). Updates: RFC 1034; RFC 1035 ----- postmaster@uunet.uu.net (I.C) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: MX%"sblair@upurbmw.dell.com" 15-JAN-1991 12:36:09.47 To: DC CC: Subj: Re: Q: how to make home PC an internet node? Return-Path: <@MAX.BERKELEY.EDU:uudell!upurbmw.dell.com!sblair@cs.utexas.edu> Received: from cs.utexas.edu by MAX.BERKELEY.EDU with SMTP; Tue, 15 Jan 1991 12:36:00 PST Posted-Date: Tue, 15 Jan 91 15:02:55 CST Received: from uudell by cs.utexas.edu (5.64/1.93) via UUCP id AA24489; Tue, 15 Jan 91 14:40:29 -0600 Received: from upurbmw by uudell.dell.com (5.61/smail2.5b/06-30-87) id AA19766; Tue, 15 Jan 91 14:25:48 -0600 Received: by upurbmw.dell.com. (4.1/SMI-4.1) id AA03063; Tue, 15 Jan 91 15:02:55 CST Date: Tue, 15 Jan 91 15:02:55 CST From: sblair@upurbmw.dell.com (Steve Blair) Message-ID: <9101152102.AA03063@upurbmw.dell.com.> To: dc@max.berkeley.edu, support@uudell Subject: Re: Q: how to make home PC an internet node? [not a marketing person, or marketing hype included( ;> )] You may well want to consider purchasing DELL's SYS V.4, as it has SLIP built *into* it. Then you could SLIP into *.berkeley.edu(I know of several hosts there) that allow SLIP access. This would be the *easiest* way to do it. Just purchase the s/w, &/or a machine(small hype(!!) from us, and then you'd be on the 'net. Of course, doing this would also allow things like ftp, and etc... For more information on DELL's SYS V.4 UNIX, drop a line to info@uudell.dell.com regards, steve blair UNIX DIVISION sblair@upurbmw.dell.com From: MX%"wood@acf4.NYU.EDU" 15-JAN-1991 12:48:39.45 To: DC CC: Subj: Re: Q: how to make home PC an internet node? Return-Path: <@MAX.BERKELEY.EDU:wood@acf4.NYU.EDU> Received: from acf4.NYU.EDU by MAX.BERKELEY.EDU with SMTP; Tue, 15 Jan 1991 12:48:32 PST Received: by acf4.NYU.EDU (5.61/1.34) id AA16815; Tue, 15 Jan 91 15:53:08 -0500 Date: Tue, 15 Jan 91 15:53:08 -0500 From: wood@acf4.NYU.EDU (David Wood) Message-ID: <9101152053.AA16815@acf4.NYU.EDU> To: dc@max.berkeley.edu (Dave Cottingham) Subject: Re: Q: how to make home PC an internet node? Newsgroups: comp.misc,comp.os.minix,comp.sys.nsc.32k,comp.unix.xenix.sco In-Reply-To: article <00942BD0.3790B740@max.berkeley.edu> of 15 Jan 91 12:03 EST Since I 'work' at NYU, it would be acceptable to go and have a talk with the network manager for NYU. If you are connected with UC Berkeley, you might look for the net manager there. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- David Wood wood@david.ultra.nyu.edu New York University ...!uunet!theway!lab!wood 212-998-3363 __o -\<, "Brain. Brain. What is brain?" O' O Kara the Eymorg, "Spock's Brain", Stardate 5432.3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: MX%"rfarris@rfengr.com" 15-JAN-1991 20:11:33.78 To: DC CC: Subj: Re: Q: how to make home PC an internet node? Return-Path: <@MAX.BERKELEY.EDU:serene!rfarris@UCSD.EDU> Received: from ucsd.edu by MAX.BERKELEY.EDU with SMTP; Tue, 15 Jan 1991 20:11:26 PST Received: from serene.UUCP by ucsd.edu; id AA18054 sendmail 5.64/UCSD-2.1-sun via UUCP Tue, 15 Jan 91 20:10:38 -0800 To: dc@max.berkeley.edu Subject: Re: Q: how to make home PC an internet node? Newsgroups: comp.misc,comp.os.minix,comp.sys.nsc.32k,comp.unix.xenix.sco In-Reply-To: <00942BD0.3790B740@max.berkeley.edu> Organization: RF Engineering, Del Mar, California Date: Tue, 15 Jan 91 20:08:26 PST From: rfarris@rfengr.com (Rick Farris) Message-ID: <9101152008.aa17159@serene.rfengr.com> In article <00942BD0.3790B740@max.berkeley.edu> you write: > I'm hoping that someone out there who's done this can tell > me how to go about getting assigned an internet address, and > what kind of physical connection they use and to where, and > just how massive a financial outlay is required. I have an Internet address, but I haven't taken the next step onto the Internet. PSI will give you a dial-up slip connection for (I think) $250/month. The only equipment you need is a Telebit modem. The drawback is that if you're not in a "gateway" city, the long distance phone bills will kill you. (I'm not -- the closest is LA, a $20/hr bill) I believe the next step up is a dedicated line (again to either PSI or uunet's Alternet service) and I think those costs are in the ~$2500/month range. Plus an X.25 interface which is not cheap. I'd be interested in a summary of whatever you find out. > If this turns out to be impossible, I figure I'll settle for > news and mail via uucp. I know one way to do this, which is > to get in contact with one of the sites on the NIXPUB list. > If anybody knows a better way, I'd like to hear about it. That's about how it's done. Actually, if you're in Berkeley, I'd give the postmaster at UCB (look in the maps) a voice call and ask for mail connections. Since mail doesn't generate a lot of traffic, he'll probably be happy to accomodate you. While you're on the phone, ask him if he knows where you can get a news feed. He may be willing to feed you, or if not, he may know someone he feeds that will feed you. As a last resort, get "Reach Out California" and call me for news. (2 hrs a day for a full feed.) Oh, and don't forget uunet. $35/month plus connect time. -- Rick Farris RF Engineering POB M Del Mar, CA 92014 voice (619) 259-6793 rfarris@rfengr.com ...!ucsd!serene!rfarris serenity bbs 259-7757 From: MX%"wolf@grasp2.univ-lyon1.fr" 15-JAN-1991 23:06:08.70 To: DC CC: Subj: Re: Q: how to make home PC an internet node? Return-Path: <@MAX.BERKELEY.EDU:wolf@grasp2.univ-lyon1.fr> Received: from grasp2.univ-lyon1.fr by MAX.BERKELEY.EDU with SMTP; Tue, 15 Jan 1991 23:06:01 PST Received: by grasp2.univ-lyon1.fr (AIX 1.3/4.03) id AA03954; Wed, 16 Jan 91 08:11:19 +0100 From: wolf@grasp2.univ-lyon1.fr (Christophe Wolfhugel) Message-ID: <9101160711.AA03954@grasp2.univ-lyon1.fr> Subject: Re: Q: how to make home PC an internet node? To: dc@max.berkeley.edu Date: Wed, 16 Jan 91 8:11:18 MET In-Reply-To: <9101152241.AA11259@grasp1.univ-lyon1.fr>; from "Dave Cottingham" at Jan 15, 91 5:03 pm X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.3 PL11] In his message, Dave Cottingham said: |It sure would be great if my PC at home were on the internet. [...] I see 2 possibilities for you: the first as you said is to get your own attachment, but this will be very expensive, and I don't think that's interesting for just one or 2 machines. What would be more interesting is that your node get an attribution from an existing subnetwork you can call by phone. That would cost you just the negotiation of an attribution is this subnet, without having to bother about an IP domain. Hope this help. -- Christophe Wolfhugel | Email: wolf@grasp1.univ-lyon1.fr INSA Lyon - Departement Informatique | Fax: (+33) 72 44 08 00 69621 Villeurbanne Cedex, France | (Attn-To: Wolfhugel - C 210) Disclaimer: these are my own opinions, not my employer's. From: MX%"ames!claris!portal!cup.portal.com!dbell@cad.Berkeley.EDU" 16-JAN-1991 01:49:41.27 To: DC CC: Subj: Re: Q: how to make home PC an internet node? Return-Path: <@MAX.BERKELEY.EDU:ames!claris!portal!cup.portal.com!dbell@cad.Berkeley.EDU> Received: from cad.Berkeley.EDU by MAX.BERKELEY.EDU with SMTP; Wed, 16 Jan 1991 01:49:33 PST Received: from ames.arc.nasa.gov by cad.Berkeley.EDU (5.61/1.42) id AA24274; Wed, 16 Jan 91 01:53:32 -0800 From: ames!claris!portal!cup.portal.com!dbell@cad.Berkeley.EDU Received: by ames.arc.nasa.gov (5.64/1.2); Wed, 16 Jan 91 01:54:00 -0800 Received: by claris.com (4.1/SMI-3.2) id AA22268; Wed, 16 Jan 91 01:06:37 PST Received: by portal.unix.portal.com (1.90) id AA00579; Tue, 15 Jan 91 22:42:57 PST Received: by hobo.corp.portal.com (4.0/4.0.3 1.6) id AA02662; Tue, 15 Jan 91 22:42:57 PST To: dc@max.berkeley.edu (Dave Cottingham) Subject: Re: Q: how to make home PC an internet node? Lines: 19 Date: Tue, 15 Jan 91 22:42:56 PST Message-ID: <9101152242.3.5187@cup.portal.com> X-Origin: The Portal System (TM) Dave, as I understand it, you have to talk some site into giving you a feed. This entails a modem line in, lots of mass storage, (you DID want *everything*, didn't you?), and pretty high fees, usually based on the traffic, over which you have litle control. Your other choice, that of getting mail and news via uucp, is a lot easier and cheaper. I use Portal Communications, in Cupertino (South Bay). For $10 per month, we get unlimited use of a large system of local BBs, Usenet email, and news. They have a fairly sophisticated news reader interface, and archive many groups for quite long periods. I know this is a toll call for you, but you might try it out for a few months, and also look for a similar service in the North or East Bay. They can be reached in Cupertino at (408) 973-9111 by voice, or log in at (408) 725-0561 or 725-1930 for info online. (1200 or 2400 bps, 8,N,1) Dave dbell@cup.portal.com From: MX%"" 16-JAN-1991 09:25:43.28 To: DC CC: Subj: Re: Q: how to make home PC an internet node? Return-Path: <@MAX.BERKELEY.EDU:warren@PWS.BULL.COM> Received: from SLUG.PWS.BULL.COM by MAX.BERKELEY.EDU with SMTP; Wed, 16 Jan 1991 09:25:35 PST Received: by SLUG.PWS.BULL.COM (vers 4.1) for dc@max.berkeley.edu (from warren@PWS.BULL.COM (Warren J. Lavallee)) id ; Wed, 16 Jan 91 12:26:52 EST Message-ID: <9101161726.AA16343@SLUG.PWS.BULL.COM> Date: Wed, 16 Jan 91 12:26:52 EST From: warren@PWS.BULL.COM (Warren J. Lavallee) Reply-To: To: dc@max.berkeley.edu Subject: Re: Q: how to make home PC an internet node? Newsgroups: comp.misc,comp.os.minix,comp.sys.nsc.32k,comp.unix.xenix.sco References: <00942BD0.3790B740@max.berkeley.edu> In comp.unix.xenix.sco you write: >I'm hoping that someone out there who's done this can tell me how to >go about getting assigned an internet address, and what kind of >physical connection they use and to where, and just how massive a >financial outlay is required. (Software is another issue, but I was >going to worry about that later.) Here's how I'd do it. BIG BUCKS... NEARnet is only New England though, you'd have to find your local network service provider. NEARnet FEE SCHEDULE January 1, 1990 Annual Membership Dues Member Class Type Annual Revenue/Budget Dues Amount University/ Small <$50M $ 1,000 Non-Profit Medium $50-200M $ 2,500 Large $200-500M $ 5,000 Very Large >$500M $ 7,500 Industry/ Entrepreneurial <$10M $ 1,000 Government Small $10-50M $ 5,000 Medium $50-200M $10,000 Large $200M-1B $15,000 Very Large >$1B $20,000 Annual Service Fees (These do not include leased line costs.) Connection Data Rate Service Fee 9.6Kb/s $ 6,000 56Kb/s $ 9,000 500Kb/s $15,000 T1 (1.54Mb/s) $24,000 10 Mb/s microwave $36,000 Annual Leased Line Costs NEARnet will provide purchasing services for leased telephone lines for member organizations. The options available and their costs will vary per member location. One Time Installation Fees Self Service Installation*: Medium Estimated Fee 9.6Kb/s leased line $10,750 56Kb/s leased line $ 9,750 500Kb/s leased line $20,500 T1 leased line $20,500 10 Mb/s microwave $50,000 *For full service installation add $2,500 to the self service fee. Please call NEARnet at (617) 873-8730 for an exact quotation for your site. NEARnet is operated on the basis of full-cost recovery. Charges are designed to recover the full costs of providing service to the NEARnet members. Membership dues cover the costs of management, administration, and user services. Service fees cover the costs of network operations, maintenance, depreciation and backbone circuits. Installation fees cover the costs of providing equipment to connect members to the network. Fees are subject to periodic review and change by the NEARnet Steering Committee. Downloaded From P-80 International Information Systems 304-744-2253