From: jake@snsi.com (Tech Desk)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip.ibmpc
Subject: Re: PC/TCP 'rexecd' Sample Source Code
Date: 2 Oct 92 03:54:30 GMT
Reply-To: Tech Desk <snsi!jake@uunet.ca>
Distribution: world
Organization: SNSI


Bob Quinn rcq@ftp.com writes:
>
>The DOS-based rexecd you got from us does indeed redirect STDOUT to
>the rexec client (as well as redirecting STDIN from the rexec client).
>*BUT* that is *all* it does.
>...
>So-o-o-o what you *really* want I suspect is some lower-level
>redirectors that would allow you run these many other programs which
>don't go through DOS Standard files to do user i/o.  We don't offer
>anything like this, sorry (the reason the rexecd is freeware and not
>shipped with our PC/TCP product is essentially because of this
>limitation).

There is a product which works directly with FTP PC/TCP (and a few others
like Novell LWP) to provide good DOS TELNET servers, it's called
Everywhere Access and it's available from the company in my signature.

There are two similar commercial products available from Beame&Whiteside
(beame@bws.com) and Essex.  And a simple freeware server is ftpable from
sunee.uwaterloo.ca in pub/wattcp/telnetd.zip.  But since the request
concerned PC/TCP solutions, none of these three alternatives is directly
applicable.

>There are "remote control" programs on the market,
>some of which can probably use BIOS INT 14H but these *won't* work
>with our TNGLASS INT 14 redirector since its strictly a client and
>you would need server capability.  Sorry again.

Even if they could be patched to work with the BIOS 14 code, typical
remote control programs are simply not designed to work properly
with open protocols.  By contrast, Everywhere Access supports and adapts
to all VT100 or better based TELNETs or emulators and was designed
from the start to be used with TELNET and VT100/ANSI based protocols.

It provides full color emulation on capable emulators (eg. DECterms,
VT300 emulators, MS-Kermit, CUTCP, etc.) and simulated color on others.

PC block graphics and multinational characters are mapped to standard
7 bit ASCII, or to VT200 multi-set characters, or to *any* user defined
mapping which can be ISO extensions or any other convention.

With additional features like (VT102 based) remote line printing and
FTP and Kermit transfer compatibility, Everywhere Access can be easily
accessed from another desk, another country, or from home through
terminal servers or modems on your Unix computers.  It offers the
most used features of other remote packages, but gains so much by
using standard protocols.

It is as appropriate for multi-platform access to PC applications as for
home dialin capabilities or access from conferences.  Since it contains
optimizations to provide fast, usable access over all sorts of network
configuration, Everywhere Access lets you solve many remote access needs
with one program.

It also has several security mechanisms designed specifically against
Internet based attacks, like features which allow you to restrict access
to a trusted host or a trusted subnet, password control, audible entry, etc.
And there is a user API to add extensions to security, or to add your
own user functions.

Some terminal server vendors suggest merely using RS-232 cables to
connect PCs running Norton's PC-Anywhere to their terminal servers
as a "reverse-telnet" solution.  Everywhere Access and the Essex and
Beame&Whiteside products offer much more flexibility and superior
performance.

Email to snsi!info.uunet.ca for a spec sheet and more details.

Jake

-- 
Technical Desk                                 Orders: (705) 652-1572
Superior Network Software Intl.
P.O. Box 18, Warsaw, Ont.,                     Email:   info@snsi.com
Canada.  K0L-3A0                               or  snsi!info.uunet.ca