This page describes how to set up an ordinary 80286 or even a 8088 IBM-compatible computer to send and receive email through a dial-up connection to an Internet Services Provider (ISP). Pegasus Mail for DOS is used as the email client. I shall explain a basic arrangement, using a DOS batch (ie a *.BAT) executable file. This starts the processes to dial-up the ISP's network, load a Packet Driver to support the subsequent sending and receiving of character strings to the ISP, launching a program to send and receive email files and finally closes down the link gracefully. There are several ways of setting up a DOS email system, but the method described uses free software throughout and is the only one I have found to be reliable. Other approaches employ BOOTP, but this will not work over PPP connections to ISPs like my own where IP addresses are assigned dynamically. Yet other approaches expect the user to note down the (dynamic) IP address given out by the ISP at the CONNECT stage and enter the data into a file (Wattcp.cfg) by using a text editor. A rather clumsy method.
I am grateful for all sorts of information and suggestions received from others - particularly Dan Komaromi for his excellent web page and to Wayne Buttles and John Lewis who put together the Bobcat package.
The requirements for the system are a reliable PC, preferably a 80286 or 80386 machine with 500kBytes or more of RAM, a hard disk drive with 10MBytes or more spare capacity, a copy of the MSDOS Operating system version 3.1 or later and a modem. In theory, the system could be run from a floppy disk This would be rather crude and it is much easier and faster to use a hard disk with space enough to store received mails. The modem could well be an old Hayes-compatible model running at a maximum transmission rate of 9600 baud (bits per second). In this case, the type of serial port common in older PCs, based on the 8250 UART chip is adequate if slow in operation. It is much better to use a modern V34 or V34+ modem operating at 33,600 bits/sec - or even a V90 model operating at 56,000 bits /sec. These faster modems require a 16550 UART chip to implement the increased amount of buffering these higher transmission rates require.
All the software for dialing, implementing packet drivers, sending and receiving email message files between the PC and the (remote) ISP's network can be obtained as freeware. The software is easily obtained by downloading the files from the Internet sites specified below.
I shall assume you have installed the modem and that, for ease of explanation, it is configured as a COM4: port: ie, employing IRQ3 and with a base address of 2E8 (hexadecimal). Whichever port (COM2: or other) is used, the IRQ and base address must be ascertained. The MSD diagnostic program supplied with the later DOS versions may be used for the purpose.
There are several methods for making a connection to an ISP's network. Amongst other things, the options available depend on whether your account with the ISP provides you with a fixed IP address or whether your connection has to use SLIP (Serial Line Protocol) or PPP (Point to Point Protocol). The most common arrangement is a PPP connection to the ISP which responds by assigning a different ("Dynamic") IP address at the start of each dial-up/login process. This, the arrangement assumed, is the most complicated, since it requires the Packet Driver's configuration to be adjusted each time you dial-up and logon. This is done through the medium of 3 DOS environment variables automatically set up by the software, as will be described.
We shall consider a very basic arrangement which serves to explain some
important, but somewhat complex aspects of setting up an e-mail facility. You will need to obtain
copies of 6 files which may be downloaded by following the links listed below:-
DOSPPP05.ZIP-- 326KBytes
PMPOP110.ZIP - 97Kbytes
PMAIL331.ZIP -- 814KBytes
NETDIAL.ZIP -- 17Kbytes
TERMIN.COM --- 2Kbytes
EMAIL.BAT --- 3Kbytes
Each of these files should be downloaded to a convenient temporary directory - eg C:\TEMP.
Next, create a directory called C:\PMDOS and a subdirectory, C:\PMDOS\MAIL. (Note, I am
being definite here to simplify explanation. If you wish to use another directory name instead of C:\PMDOS, you
must substitute it in all future references to C:\PMDOS.)
Copy TERMIN.COM and EMAIL.BAT to the C:\PMDOS directory and unzip DOSPPP05.ZIP
and NETDIAL.ZIP into the temporary directory. This generates a large number of
files, but those we need are the following, which should be copied into the
C:\PMDOS directory:-
Netdial.EXE ------ 17Kbytes * (The dialling program.) Netdial.SCR ------ 1Kbyte * (A script file for dialling your ISP) EPPPD.EXE ------ 45Kbytes * (The Packet driver and its loader) TERMIN.COM ------ 2Kbytes * (Unloads the Packet Driver) EMAIL.BAT ------ 3Kbytes * (Batch file to run system)
Next, unzip PMPOP110.ZIP and PMAIL331.ZIP into theC:\PMDOS directory. One of the files produced during unzipping is called PDPMPOP.EXE (85Kbytes). This program sends/receives email message files between the PC and the ISP's host machine via the modem/telephone connection and should be renamed as PMPOP.EXE. It is worth reading PMPOP.TXT, which explains how PMPOP works.
@echo off :DIAL rem dial up the ISP NETDIAL BASE 0x2E8 IRQ 3 115200 rem : : : rem : speed - must be the same here and in the packet driver. rem : rem comport - must be the same for both the netdial and the packet rem driver and hangup lines. If ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO END :PKTDRVR epppd base 0x2E8 irq 3 pktvec 0x60 115200 asyncmap 0 crtscts call IP-UP.bat rem IP-UP.BAT, which is updated in epppd, sets the values rem of the DOS environment variables: MYIP, REMIP and NETMASK. rem Next, copy across the config. statements, eventually needed in WATTCP.CFG rem for my_ip, netmask and gateway. Initially copy to path.cfg rem which is "included" in WATTCP.CFG (see 1st line in WATTCP.CFG). echo my_ip=%MYIP% > path.cfg echo gateway=%remip% >> path.cfg echo netmask=%netmask% >> path.cfg echo Ip address set to %MYIP% echo gateway is %remip% echo netmask is %netmask% :PMPOPS echo - Send and Receive messages to / from your ISP's SMTP and POP3 host machines. PMPOP -s -v PMPOP -g -v :END rem remove the packet driver and hang up the phone termin 0x60 : rem vector should be same as used when loading Packet driver netdial BASE 0x2E8 IRQ 3 hangup rem : rem comport should be the same as 2 other places in batch file :FINAL echo End of fileNotes:,P> In this file, the line:- "NETDIAL BASE 0x2E8 IRQ 3 115200" starts the dialler with the parameters for the base address of COM4: with a baud rate of 115200 bits /sec - ie, in this example, as fast a data rate as possible, but see below. If the dial-up fails, control is passed to the END label.
The sequence starting with the line:-
"epppd base 0x2E8 irq 3 pktvec 0x60 115200 asyncmap 0 crtscts"
starts the Packet Driver, loading it at address 60 (hexadecimal)and at the same 115200 bits/sec baud rate. These parameters must be identical to those in the NETDIAL line. The lines following this one cause the DOS Environment variables MYIP, REMIP and NETMASK to be set to values passed down the wire to the Packet Driver from the ISP. Then, lines such as "my-ip=%MYIP%" are inserted into the path.cfg file. It may be necessary to chose a lower modem-computer data rate than 115200 bits/sec - some experimentation is necessary, but this figure should be as high as possible. Also, if the modem, or the port to which it is connected uses a different IRQ / base address to the COM4: standard, then the correct values must be substituted for "0x2F8 IRQ 3" in the appropriate places in the file.
The lines:- PMPOP -s -v and PMPOP -g -v start the PMPOP program firstly to send waiting email messages and then to download messages waiting on the ISP's POP3 server.
The remaining lines:-
"termin 0x60" and "netdial BASE 0x2E8 IRQ 3 hangup"
unload the Packet Driver and hang up the modem, closing the dial-up session.
include=path.cfg nameserver=172.126.82.9 nameserver=172.126.82.5 sockdelay=40 domainto=30 mss=512The first line (include...) should be typed in exactly as shown. The next 2 lines specify the IP addresses of the primary and secondary Domain Name Servers. These are provided by your ISP - possibly only one is required. Copy the last 3 lines as shown.
Save the edited file.
send "\r" recv 1000 send "AT\r" recv 2000 "OK" recv 200 send "AT&F&C1&D2L3M1\r" # works for most modems, insert correct number recv 20000 "OK" # Wait up to 20 seconds for response from ISP recv 400 # You may need this line if using an external modem send "ATDT01234567\r" # insert ISP's number instead of "1234567" recv 75000 "ogin:" # this should identify query from ISP for "login:" send "fred\r" # Enter your user name recv 60000 "sword:" # this is how most password queries end send "Kilroy\r" # Enter your password # remove the following line if not needed by your # server (You may need to experiment). recv 2000 "" # wait 2 secondsSave the file after editing.
PMPOP is the program which receives mail messages from your POP3 mailbox on your ISP's machine and sends messages you compose in Pmail onwards to your ISP's SendMail machine. It needs to be configured to recognise the names of these machines and your username and password as described in PMPOP.TXT. The configuration parameters are stored in PMPOP.PRO. To set up, select the C:\PMDOS directory and type:-
PMPOP -cA dialog box appears which should be filled in like the example below. This assumes your name is "Fred Smith", username "fred", password, "Kilroy", email address "fred@tennis.net" and the names of your ISP's POP3 and SMTP host machines are "mail.tennis.net" and smtpmail.tennis.net" respectively. (You need to substitute the names appropriate for your ISP.) The remaining items should be as displayed below.