1. Putting an Apple IIgs
BBS on the Internet
(I break things so you don’t have to)
Andrew Roughan
Melbourne, Australia
OzKFest 2015

2. Why?
At the last OzKFest I demonstrated Sean Craig’s
The Complex BBS host system and explained all
the fun some of us had been having online in the
late 80s and early 90s.
There was some interest in the audience for trying it
out, but nobody really wants to use a modem any
more.
An internet connected host avoids the modem.

3. How?
There were two ways forward that I saw:
1) Re-write the game to have an ethernet driver
2) Connect the serial port to ethernet

4. How 2?
There are a few methods of connecting a serial host
to the internet.
1)Using a Serial Port server device to bridge serial to
ethernet.
2)Port redirection on a computer that also has
ethernet.

5. Serial Port Server
Allows serial devices to connect and communicate
over Ethernet networks using the IP protocol family
Could be used to tunnel serial signals
May support several serial port types:
RS-232, RS-422/485
One or more serial ports
An Internet user can connect to the serial port
using Telnet to a dedicated IP address and port
number.

6. Serial Port Server options
I found reference in Comp.Sys.Apple2 for a couple of
options that others had tried.
•Moxa Technologies NPort Server
•Lantronix UDS 10/100/xxxx device server
•Ominously, both had cries for help with the cabling and don’t seem
to be used for Apple II BBS systems any more.

7. Lantronix UDS100
I bought a UDS100 device which has one serial port.
Needs a modem cable (not null-modem)
Pro
Has a disconnect option that recognises a closed Telnet
session and drops DCD so host can reset itself.
Issues modem responses (OK, CONNET 9600, NO CARRIER)
Cons
Must be configured through a connection to the device
(serial, telnet, web server)
Has configuration options that are set in binary.

8. Moxa NPort Server
I bought a DE-302 device that supports two serial ports.
Needs a null modem cable
Pro
LCD screen and buttons on the device allow direct
configuration of the unit.
Con
The manual devotes many pages to the Windows
configuration program and not enough to the actual
configuration settings.
A closed telnet session may not trigger host reset.*
No Modem-like responses.*
*I will be happy to be proven wrong. Please help!

9. BBS Host setup
The Complex host system was written in a way that
relies on modem responses.
The Lantronix UDS100 is well suited for this.
Cable connections (mini-din 8 to db25) are:
1 Hsko – 5 CTS 4 GND – 7 GND 7 GPi – 8 DCD
2 Hski – 4 RTS 5 Rx – 2 Tx 8 Rx+ – no
3 Tx – 3 Rx 6 Tx+ – 7 GND connection

10. BBS Host setup – UDS 100
Channel Settings:
Baudrate - 9600
I/F Mode - 4C (RS-232C, 8-bit, no parity, 1 stop bit)
Flow - 02 (RTS/CTS)
Port Number - 6502
Connect Mode - D6 (full verbose with echo)
Remote IP Address - Leave as 0's
Remote Port - Leave as 0
DisConnMode - 80
FlushMode - F7
DisConnTime - 00:00 (disabled) – or perhaps 5:00
SendChar 1 - 0
SendChar 2 - 0

11. BBS Host setup – Modem Router
1
Add service

12. BBS Host setup – Modem Router
2
Add Firewall route / NAT

13. Server needs a Client
The host supports a graphic display.
How to connect to the host to display the graphics?
Spectrum communications software
•Serial and Telnet connections
•Online Displays: ANSI, ProTerm Special Emulation
(PTSE), VT100, The Complex
Dedicated Client software for IIgs, Mac, PC
Is there an Emulator that supports a modem?
Can it connect over TCP/IP?

14. GSport modem emulation 1
When client software sends ATDT to the modem
port, GSport tries to establish a network
connection to a domain or an IP address e.g.
ATDTcrazyworldbbs.no-ip.org
ATDT75.145.20.97
By default this is a Telnet connection to port 23
GSport versions 0.32c and above now support the
provision of a port number to connect to e.g.
ATDTboycot.no-ip.com,9999
ATDT192.168.1.21,6502

15. GSport modem emulation 2
GSport configuration (F4 key)
Serial port configuration
Configuration for the modem port

16. GSport modem emulation 3
When a connection is established GSport sends a
connect message to the host to advise what
connection speed has been established e.g.
‘CONNECT 9600’
Currently, the 9600 is hardcoded and could mislead
clients and hosts if the rate is set differently. A
feature request has been created to have the speed
reflect the client port setting.

17. GSport Client Software
Start with the GSport Internet Starter Kit image
Install Spectrum
Install The Complex Online Display driver
Spectrum/Add.Ons/OnlineDisplays
Start Spectrum and
setup a new phone book
entry that uses
“The Complex” display
Beware: Spectrum dislikes
domain names within the number.
Ewen is already on the case!

18. Does it work?
Demo time

19. Other Resources
NO-IP.COM points a hostname to your dynamic IP address
HOWTO Lantronix & C64 extensive configuration walkthrough
HOWTO KEGS & TCPSER4J run telecom programs and BBS's
within KEGS emulator
BoycoT BBS Setup Serial port to ethernet gateway for Windows
Internet Modem Telnet to modem emulator for Windows
(Visual Basic source code is available)
HOWTO METAL BBS with Moxa including cable pinouts
Surf the web at 300 baud Using an acoustic coupler from 1964
Mac plus web browsing via Rasberry Pi proxy
(who wants to do this for the Apple IIgs?)

20. IIgs BBS on the Internet
Thank you!
Terry Olsen –for inspiration (BoycoT BBS SYSOP)
Nick Westgate – GSport connection to a port other than 23
Ewen Wannop – Spectrum Online Display help
Peter Neubauer – GSport GSBug help
Geoff Body – GSport TWGS help to support Pixie CDA
Kali Lawrie – for allowing me to play for so long
Questions?