NOTES ON USING TYMENT AND TELENET by Michael A. Banks (mike_banks) (A quickie guide to logon numbers, error messages, and other useful information that packet switching networks tell you, visually and aurally.) Excerpted from THE MODEM REFERENCE, by Michael A. Banks. Published by Brady Books/Simon & Schuster Copyright (c) 1988, 1989, Michael A. Banks. Permission to copy to other systems or BBSs, is hereby granted, provided this and all text in this file is retained as-is, complete and unmodified. Permission to distribute in any other form, electronic or hardcopy, MUST be obtained from the author. Packet Switching Network User error messages If you make an error when entering an online service's address (which on either Telenet or Tymnet can sometimes include backspacing with ^H, or entering an unrecognizable address or command attempt), you are given another chance. Telenet will flash a question mark and redisplay its @ prompt. Tymnet will display an "Error" message and redisplay its prompt. (Tymnet allows you only three tries before it disconnects; Telenet will usually continue to redisplay its prompt until you get it right.) Node and port numbers When you dial into a packet switching network, you'll see a series of numbers; these designate the node's number and the number of the port being used. On Telenet, the first thing you'll see at the sign on (after you press twice) is the Telenet network herald, followed on the next line by two numbers, like this: TELENET 513 16H The first number (513 in this example), designates Telenet's internal address for the node I'm using (it also happens to be the local area code). The second number (16H) identifies the port in use. Tymnet displays two numbers in this format: -7075-012- The first number is the node number (it may be four or five digits). The second is the three-digit number of the port in use. Some nodes also display what Tymnet calls a "slot" number between the node and port numbers, like this: -7075-02-012- Connection failure messages You will, on occasion, experience failed connections. These may be due to network problems (see the next section) or an extremely heavy load on the local node, in which case a Telenet node will send the message "LOCAL CONGESTION," and Tymnet will send the message "try again in 2 minutes." (The proper response to this is to hang up and try again later.) If the problem is with the online service, you may receive any of several messages, these from Telenet: NOT ANSWERING NOT REACHABLE NOT RESPONDING REJECTING or these from Tymnet: host down host shut host out of ports host not responding host not available thru net When you see one of these messages, contact the online service's customer service department by voice phone, or hang up and try again later. Identifying Network trouble If you seem to be having persistent problems with a network connection, it's a good idea to call the network's customer service number. Equipment does malfunction at times, and the networks may not be aware of a problem for some time if you don't advise them of it. It is sometimes difficult to identify the network as the source of your online trouble, but if any of the following happen you can be sure it's the network: * There is no answer or a persistent (for more than two hours) busy signal at the local node number. * You get an error message when you enter a legitimate online service address. * Your connection with an online service is interrupted and you see a message something like " disconnected " or "LOCAL PROCEDURE ERROR" or ***POSSIBLE DATA LOSS ***". If you're not sure whether the trouble is in your local node, there are a couple of ways you can check on this. The first is to sign off/hang up and try to get through to the online service you are accessing using a different access number, or via another network. Or, you can dial up the network and see if accessing its information service results in online problems. When you experience network trouble, make a note of the node and port numbers discussed, earlier, along with ay error messages and/or unusual displays, and the time the trouble occurred. These will help the network service people isolate the trouble. # Interested in modem communications? Check out THE MODEM REFERENCE, by Michael A. Banks and published by Brady Books/Simon & Schuster. Recommended by Jerry Pournelle in Byte, The New York times, The Smithsonian Magazine, various computer magazines, etc. If you're a Reflex 2 user (or a Reflex 1 user looking to upgrade to Reflex 2), you'll find QUICK & EASY GUIDE TO REFLEX 2 of interest. Written by Michael A. Banks and published by Compute! Books in early 1990, the book provides everything you need to get Reflex 2.0 up and running now! Want the lowdown on getting more out of your word processor? Read the only book on word processing written by writers, for writers: WORD PROCESSING SECRETS FOR WRITERS, by Michael A. Banks & Ansen Dibel (Writer's Digest Books).