What is a network, basically the connection of two or more computers together and communicating with one another. Gennerally, computer networks are peer-to-peer or Server/Client. They need a protocol to communicate. The three main protocols are NetBEUI, Novell's NetWare IPX © and TCP/IP.
NetBEUI(NetBIOS Extended User Interface) is a peer-to-peer(all machines equal) network. Networking is established by the individual unique MAC address(hardware address) assign to every NIC(Network Interface Card) manufactured. Which in turns gives your ethernet address. Only useful on a small network, gennerally only giving folder and/or printer sharing. Not really a network in the since of full communication like mail, web, ftp, etc access. Really only good for 12 or under computers.
Novell's IPX © (Internetwork Packet Exchange), IPX, works on IEEE's OSI module for packet exchange using Frame ether_II, 802.2, 802.3 and Snap. Generally you would only come across IPX if you were on a network using a NetWare © network or had access to a Novell file server. Very stable and fast can also run over TCP/IP. A Client/Server network, but can be used as a peer-to-peer network, with something like the NetWare © that comes with DR-DOS 7.03.
TCP/IP(Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) probably the most common protocol used by Windows © , *nix and the Internet. Fairly easy to set up and maintain. Has address an like this 192.168.0.24 for a local private network. Generally can be used in all situation for all communications, from file/print sharing, email, internet, etc.. via different ports I.E. ftp port 21, smtp 25, http 80, pop2 109, pop3 110, etc. A Client/Server Network, but cound be used on a small network in a peer-to-peer situation.

      DOS was one of the original OS to use a NOS (Network Operating System). Microsoft © had it's own client/server software for workgroups, the client software all being a bit memory hungry, especially over TCP/IP. MS Client, can be used over TCP/IP, NetWare © or NetBEUI. A fine reference to Microsoft's client/server software and downloads are DOS Client , MS Client3, DOS Server Ms Client over TCP, MS Client3 Boot Floppy and also reference guide Client3.pdf

Tech-Notes from Microsoft regarding MSClient3.

• How to Set Up the MS Network Client Version 3.0 for MS-DOS
• Readme from MSCLient3.
• Troubleshooting MS Network Client 3.0 and DHCP.
• MS-DOS Client 3.0 Hangs with Third-Party DHCP Server.
• DHCP-Enabled MS-DOS Clients Do Not Resolve Host Names.
• Setting MS-DOS Client 3.0 to Automatically Log On to Domain.
• TCP/IP PROTOCOL.INI Documentation Updates and Corrections.
• 18 Steps to a TCP/IP Boot Disk.
• Ipconfig.exe Usage for MS-DOS 3.0 Network Client.

Other Resources for MSCleint3:

• Networking Software for DOS.
• Installing Microsoft Network Client 3.0
• MSDOS Peer-to-Peer Networking
• DOS SMB Samba Boot Disk
• If your using Linux and want to connect MSClient3 you'll need Samba. The Official Samba-3 HOWTO and Reference Guide
• DOS for Workgroups

You can also download MSDOS Client 3 and MS_Lanman software via link to ftp.microsoft.com here,
Ms Client3:     MS Client3, Disk3-1.exe    MS Client3, Disk3-2.exe>
MS Lanman:   MS Lanman, Disk3-1.exe    Ms Lanman, Disk3-2.exe     MS Lanman, Disk3-3.exe    MS Lanman, Disk3-4.exe
      There are a couple of other things you'll need, wg1049.exe, update to net.exe, to access printers, drives, file sharing etc., mswgcn.exe, a workgroup add-on for connetions to MicroSoft © Networks, netshare.exe, If using update wg1049.exe or mswgcn.exe, executing netshare.exe, gives a popmenu for easy folder sharing setup within netBEUI/TCPIP and dosmail.exe, DOS MS Mail Exchange.
MS Client3 Updates/Utilities:   WG1049   MSWGCN    Net Share    DOS Mail

      There are still products being developed for DOS based on Phil Karn's KA9Q NOS (Network Operating System). A quick guide and history of NOS can be found at NOS.
NOS-BOX execellent, Intranet Server covering dns/http/ftp/smtp/pop3/news. Quick-NOS a Webserver on a HP200lx Palmtop. FNOS is a Fidonet client with ftp/telnet/smtp/pop3/news and EZ-NOS FTP/HTTP server, which, probably is the easiest to use and one I use on Local Networks. DOS Solutions has taken over the development of EZNOS, now EZNOS version 2.
Others include JNOS or JNOS Org used to develop EZ-NOS and TNOS Tampa Network Operating System, Both server and client.. GremNOS based on DIS a KA9Q client orginally devloped as a DOS client to Demon ISP UK, recent updates and text GUI interface. Including chat/ftp/httpget/mail/news/telnet/rip/z_modem and dialer with ppp.
Other references to NOS are IntroNOS, Vector Board and Cnunix
      JNOS 2 recent and on-going developments for JNOS.
    Some resources for KA9Q/NOS, Working with JNOS this is a reference for JNOS Linux, but 90% of applies to NOS for DOS, Whetting your feet with JNOS and ISDN help for KA9Q Router.

      Waterloo TCP application will work with any TCP/IP Server/Client network. On a LAN with a packet driver for your NIC (Network Interface Card) and/or PPP/SLIP connection via modem. Wattcp are the application I use more than any other in a LAN situation. They are dependable, use a single configuration file, that might just contain one line, MY_IP=BOOTP or MY_IP=DHCP thats it. Using BOOTP and DHCP(newer apps) to automatically receive their IP address from your server.
      The TCP stack is built into the applications using little memory and freeing all application memory on exit.
     For a full list and download look here.
      Waterloo TCP/IP Network Boot Disk, this disk can communicate over Intranets, LAN's via NIC, Ethernet Card or Internet, WWW via modem. Network tools included are: nslookup, nsquery, ping, tcpinfo and trout(traceroute). Network Applications, include a simple, but fast efficient, SMTP/POP3 email client, SSH2, Telnet and Wizlynx(Text based Web Browser, with http(www),ftp, nntp, smtp and mouse support).
      Waterloo TCP/IP Terminal Boot Disk, A few months ago I was working on some Thin-Client systems. One of the results was a DOS based thinclient. Which I've now reduced to a bootable floppy. This disk is capable of connecting to terminal servers via SSH2, Telnet and VNC (Virtual Network Console) with added features of NFS(Network File System) and a TFTP client to upload additional configurations and software. The disk also provides a good base point for thinclients. See Etherboot based on Perl, both Linux and WinNT. and Netboot Linux based C code.
      Tftp Client for DOS thinclients.
      NetCat for DOS a small TCP/IP only, implementation of Netcat

      NFS(Network File System), If your lucky enough to be on a network with *NIX type server, the odds there will be a NFS server for file/print serving, running on UDP protocol or a combination of UDP/TCP. Similar to Windows ©, SMB(Session Message Block), for file/print sharing. If this is the case there are several NFS clients for DOS, Mostly commercial, though there are several free ones avialable, xfs which is UDP only, very quick and easy to setup.
      Tsoft have a nomber of NFS clients they still support. Amongst them are MicroSoft's LAN Manager ©, Novell's LAN Work Place ©, Trumpet's TCPDRV and Watetloo TCP. In some cases there is also the ability to have mail via the NFS connection with UUCP (Unix-to-Unix Copy). With applications such as PCElm and Rmail.

      The Internet Extender is still a on going project for a Gateway/Router in DOS. Think of it as ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) via/for DOS. Check out there web site here.

      There's also TechSmith Corp Foray A4server. A PPP remote access server, for Novell's © IPX protocol and TCP/IP protocol.
  4asrv281.zip

      If your in a Server/Client situation or have a machine running the Telnetd demon. There are a few Terminal packages that will give you terminal and ftp. Their's Clarkson State Universities' CuTCP and can be obtained at cutcp-b.zip. Another is NCSA's PC Telnet, Infomation and downloads can be gotten Here Both are a bit out- dated and you might have trouble with network card drivers.
      A more modern version of a terminal software is Asyncsystems' TermView/NC With Mortif x-windows type of interface, terminal, ftp, mail POP3, SMTP, finger, ping, etc.. I've only tried the eval download, there is only one thing I find funny is there seems to be no support for DHCP/BOOTP, other than that it's an excellent package.

      Minisota Universities' Minuet(Minisota Internet User's Esstenial Tool). Has been around a-bit, but still is a very usable, all in one desktop package for TCP/IP based network. It has all you would need for a ISP or LAN connection. Mail POP2/3, SMTP, FTP, News, Gopher, Web Browser and tools like ping, finger. will work with bootp on a LAN. You might have to change the mail port from 109/POP2 to 110/POP3 for a more modern mail protocol. The only thing I seem not to be able to get working is the Web Browser through a proxy. You get documentation and download it here.

      VNC (Virtual Network Computer), if you have a VNC server, there's DOSVNC viewer. I've personally run a VNC server from a linux box and it gives a quick, reliable x-windows emulation on a DOS console. You'll need a graphics driver for the DOS box, like Sci-Tech Soft's Display Doctor for a screen size of at least 640x400. VNC server solutions can be found at TightVNC or Cambridge Univesity's Department of Engineering.

      If you happen to have a genuine IBM network card. There's IBM's Lan Client for DOS ©. Which can be found here

      I sit in Siberia and only have Telnet Here a quick little, diddy, for using Telnet. Showing just how easy it is to navigate a network.

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     There Novell's © Netware ©, still going today with support and updates. Novell IPX protocol is still today, far faster then most other network protocols.
      Novell have re-released there full NetWare Client32 for DOS, you can download it for free, from there site here.
      Novell have now, are re-leased the Real Mode DOS 16bit version of Net Ware © Client, vlm121_1.exe through to vlm121_6.exe @ the above site. There are numerous applications that can be added to this Real Mode Client, such as Pegasus Mail for DOS. Another thing to look for is the VLM Client Kit(vlmkt1.exe thru to vlmkt6.exe), especially vlmkt6.exe for TCP/IP connectivity. See Personal Netware below.
      Personal NetWare ©, if you happen to be using DR-DOS © or OpenDOS © and have the full version. You happen to have a powerful peer-to-peer network at your hands. With Server/Client, ability not only for the normal file/print sharing of most peer-to-peer networks, but a complete adminastration suite for groups, users, file permissions, security and messaging. One machine can be setup as the server and the rest as clients. Here's a interactive tutorial in DOS for Personal Netware, book similar to the DOS book for on-line help under DR-DOS.
Personal NetWare is not only a peer-to-peer network it can to used as a client to connect to IntranetWare and NetWare servers 2.x, 3.x and 4.x, giving you access to server volumes and mail with Pegasus Mail ©. Updates for NetWare Client can be found here as vlm121_1-6 this is the final update for Netware Client VLM's
      Personal NetWare © can also be connected to Windows © and *NIX servers via TCP/IP, with Novell's © TCPIP(Lan for WorkPlace) for external communication via Internet, Intranet and Wan. Included in the VLM Client Kit 6, vlmkt6.exe.   Really, after installation, you'll need to update the vlmkt6.exe with lwp188.zip, lwp189.zip, lwp42t.exe and tcp16.exe. This will add additional utilities and the updated tcpip driver.

A batch file for LWP(lanwp.bat) would look similiar to this:

      C:\NET\ODI\LSL
      C:\NET\ODI\3C5X9
      C:\NET\BIN\SLIP_PPP
      C:\NET\BIN\TCPIP
      SET NAME=ken

This could be called from your startnet.bat in the C:\NWCLIENT folder.

A configuration file (net.cfg) would look similiar to this:

      Link Support
          Buffers 8 1500
          MemPool 4096

      Link Driver 3c5x9
          Frame Ethernet_II

      Protocol TCPIP
          BIND 3c5x9
          PATH TCP_CFG C:\NET\TCP (contains configuration files the tcp implement. hosts, resolv.cfg, networks, services and protocols)
          PATH LWP_CFG C:\NET\HSTACC (contains configuration file for LWP)
          PATH SCRIPT C:\NET\SCRIPT
          PATH PROFILE C:\NET\PROFILE
          ip_address 192.168.0.12 or (blank for bootp/dhcp)
          ip_route 192.168.0.1
          ip_netmask 255.255.255.0
          tcp_sockets 24
          udp_sockets 8
          raw_sockets 1
          nb_sessions 4
          nb_commands 8
          nb_adapter 0
          nb_domain company.com or local

This could be blended into C:\NWCLIENT\NET.CFG for nwclient.

      Comprhensive html documents for LWP are zipped here. IF you dig around Retro-Computing The first two disk have extra DOS programs to use with the Novell TCP/IP stack. Washington States' PC-Pine(imap/nntp/smtp). for Novell works seamlessly. Use an older version of PC-Pine, say pcpine_n.zip not those newer ones for LWP, because there far too memory hungry. Pegasus Mail for DOS will also work with TCP/IP, but needs the helper application pmpop112.zip for smtp/pop3. I've also found Tsoft's nfs026-n.zip Client for Novell, will work properly to access NFS File Servers, your NFS servers will also have to have NFS authenication deamon like PCNFSD or BWNFSD, to run along with the NFS Server or NFS Kernel Server. Arachne graphic web browser will work with LWP. you will need the ODIPKT packet driver shim to do this, read Arachne documentation.
Also to help you on your way I've added a zip file with some extra apps for LWP, lwpextra.zip with nslookup, rarp, irc, news, examples and lots more.
This TCP/IP stack can also make an external connection via SLIP or PPP, with one problem it converts lower case letters to upper case on authenication (PAP). The way I get around this is to use a free screening router like WolfPack for dialup connection, instead of the slip_ppp command. In addition, using it's dhcp server with bootp support to automatically setup IP Addresses to/for the client's machine. Another good screening router is Freesco. By-the-way, you should always have screening router between you and the outside world. A DOS based solution might also be Internet Extender mentioned above.
For other vlm's, vlm-kit's 1-6 and LWP updates and additional applications. Most can be found easily by FTP search. here's a couple of site's to get on with.
           
      So, what does all this mean. Well take that you can take one machine and make it into a file server with the needed features of user, group and authentication. A small C; drive for the boot, Two large hard drives divided into 2GB partitions for file serving and a cd writer for back with Image for DOS, Active @ data recovery tools or DOS CD roast for backup. Add a screening router for TCP/IP connectivity and you have all the essential elements of a complete network solution. Combined with some office software like Word Perfect, Quattro Pro spreadsheet, dBase3 and Envision Publisher and you have a complete DOS solution for you Home/Small Office environment.

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    Using the Internet with DOS, can at times, be devilish to setup. I use DOS internet applications for the same reason, I don't use X-Windows under Linux, speed. There is no need to start up Windows, if it's just to check email, ftp or a newsgroup. Under DOS I can dial my ISP, collect my mail, get off-line, and be reading my mail, before you can load Windows or dial your ISP.

    Your ISP (Internet Service Provider) should, if it's decent, be able to provide you with the neccessary information to connect to the Internet via DOS. The things to look for are:

        POP3    pop3.yourisp.com    incoming mail
        IMAP    imap.yourisp.com    incoming mail
        SMTP    smtp.yourisp.com    outgoing mail
        NNTP    news.yourisp.com    news/usenet
        CHAT    chat.yourisp.com    chat
        DNS1    EX: 193.38.113.3    Primary DNS address
        DNS2    EX: 194.117.157.4   Secondary DNS address
        Web     webcache.yourisp.com:8080   Web Proxy
And of course your Username, Password and phone number to connect to your ISP.

      If, you're new to DOS Internet, there are three web sites you should consult first. Wizard57M, site with some great internet packages. WZPPP a very nice command line Dialer/PPP, similiar to LSPPP, but seems to work less seamlessly. WizLynx A nice Lynx package and WizDOS Wizard's complete Internet package, with wzPPP, Lynx, NetMail, Ftp-Wiz, GetNews, PostNews and ReadMail off-line E-Mail reader. TVdog's Internet Page. There is a relm of information here, nicey written in laymans terms. The other site is Michael Bernardi's DOS applications Page here you'll find every application you will need for the Internet, from connection to email, ftp, telnet, browsing, etc..

      The most important thing you'll need, is the PPP (Point-to-Point) packet driver. There are three at best that I know of that work DOSPPP which is similiar too PPPD under Linux © with chat as your dialer, LadSofts' LsPPP, which will, make a reliable PPP connection if your ISP uses EtherPPP Class 1 packets, has built-in dialer and uses command line switches. The one I use if I'm using Wattcp applications. The third is KLOS' © PPP driver and utilities which at times I've had difficulty with.

      The next thing after a successful connection is a browser, email client. There are only three really, though I could name a few others. They are Arachne, a full graphical browser with e-mail client. Lynx as used in Linux, Unix ©: a text browser, very fast but with no news or email. The one I would use especially if you don't want no fuss and don't want setup hassels is NetTamer ©, email, news groups, ftp, irc(if registrated), etc.., though the browser is better in text mode. The thing that sets NetTamer apart from the rest, is not only that it can do most Internet activtities. NetTamer has built-in PPP and dialer, but makes a reliable connection, saving setting up PPP first before using the others.

   If, you want to establish your own connection, with the flexiblity of a DOS based TCP/IP stack. I'll run through what I use, with a description of my *.dat and *bat files.
   First you need to dial and make a connect to your ISP. Setup your PPP(point-to point) and TCP/IP stack. I use LadSofts' lsPPP this dials and sets up your PPP and Wattcp(Waterloo TCP) configuration files via the ip-up.bat that it produces upon sucessful connection, then interputed by your dialer.bat file. (This is the important part the conversion of the ip-up.bat to the wattcp.cfg file via the dialer.bat.) Now with your TCP/IP configued via wattcp.cfg you can use applications based on Wattcp. Ping, tcpinfo, NSlookup/NSquery, trout(traceroute),and many others. These applications and utilities can help establish and/or help with trouble shooting your connection. Read the Wattcp.txt that comes with the apps.zip. These can be found at Smashco , Rugters and Watt-32 apps. Also here is list of links and downloads of wattcp applications.
    Now, that you have sucessful connection established you can start to add applications. LsPPP can also be used by Trumpet's DOS News Reader and IRC101 chat client. Now, we have news and chat, we need mail, I use Mark Ressl's Netmail, this works well with LsPPP & Wattcp and is a very fast for receiving and sending mail. Along with Revobild utilities for NetMail, you have a very effective and efficent way to process mail via an email.bat. Wizzard57 also has a very handy mailer that works with NetMail MailWiz1
   Well, now we have mail, news and chat. What we need is a browser and FTP client. Wizard57m's WizLynx and FTP-Wiz are probably the best against Wattcp. Wiz's Lynx browser works well with Wattcp and FTP-Wiz is as fast or faster then any FTP client I've used whether DOS, Windows ©, MacOS © or Linux ©.
   Two other application I should mention to complete your Wattcp Internet setup is PC-Pine. There is one version for DOS Wattcp. Pine is a mail(smtp/imap)/news client and if you have a IMAP server at your ISP, it makes a very nice all in one application. Pine has a tendency memory hungry, go for older versions! Barebones DOS email system, a complete mail system for DOS, with TCPmail.

   There's also a text version of my batch and dat files, here

For those with ISDN modems or high-speed xDSL(Broadband) connections check these.
ISDN DOS based Internet access via ISDN. ISDN information You can gleam additional information for ISDN, Dan Kegel's ISDN page.
DSL & ISDN c/FOS DOS DSl & ISDN drivers for Intenet access and modem software
PPPoE PPP over Ethernet DOS packet driver for high-speed Internet access over ADSL

For those with AOL, Internet connections, downloads of the original AOL suites for PC's/DOS AOL for DOS

Slippper a commerical email, ftp, telnet DOS client for Slip or PPP dialup connections.

Happy DOS Surfin' ;-)

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Last update: Tues 15 May 2007

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