What Software Do I Need?
Software
The software requirements are quite different from what you use for normal
host dial-up. First and foremost, you must have a suitable TCP/IP
networking software installed on your computer. This depends largely on
the operating system or platform you're on. With Windows 3.x, you need a
TCP/IP stack with SLIP software such as Trumpet Winsock or Internet
Chameleon. With OS/2 Warp or Linux, you don't need anything extra because
TCP/IP networking and SLIP/PPP are already available out of the box. OS/2
Warp makes a good choice because it includes everything you'll need and
yet avoids the complexities inherent in a Unix environment.
You will also need internet applications or tools in order to make use of
internet services. Mamy of these are normally included as part of your
network software. You will need, among others, tools for:
- ftp: file transfer protocl, for sending and receiving files
- telnet: terminal login to a remote computer
- web browser: to access the World Wide Web of interlinked hypertext
documents
- news reader: to read NetNews conference discussions
- mail reader: to read and write personal mail
If you get an internet software suite, you'll probably get all of the above
in a single package. For example, there is Internet
Chameleon from Netmanage. Although OS/2 already includes a complete set
of internet tools, IBM has the NetComber suite especially targetted at
novice users.
The following links will be useful in finding software for your system:
- CSUSM
Winsock Archive
- The CSUSM Library Technical Service maintains a comprehensive listing
of Windows shareware/freeware archives, including a section for winsock
applications. Each file in the archive is described briefly.
- Winsock Resource
Center
- Technical information on the Winsock specifications.
- Trumpet Winsock International
- The company that makes Trumpet Winsock, a popular TCP/IP stack for
Windows that provides a standard networking layer for many Windows
networking applications.
- Winsock Directory
- An ftp directory full of TCP/IP software for Windows 3.x Includes
Trumpet Winsock 2.0.
- Internet Software Tools
- This web page contains pointers to helper applications and internet
tools that extends the abilities of your WWW browser, and other internet
applications for Windows.
- The OS/2 Internet Apps Page
- This is a list of 3rd party TCP/IP tools (clients and servers/daemons)
for OS/2.
- TCP/IP
Applications for OS/2
- This is another list of 3rd party TCP/IP tools.
- OS/2
TCP/IP Network Directory
- This directory contains many additional TCP/IP networking software and
tools for OS/2 from one of the largest OS/2 archives in the world. OS/2
Warp already includes SLIP and PPP capability as well as all major
end-user internet tools.
- Windows for
Workgroups
- Information on the TCP/IP-32 add-on for Windows for Workgroups and
the actual release software.
- Updated
Internet Services List
- Scott Yanoff's list of special services available on the internet.
- TCP/IP On The PC
- Find out more about components of a TCP/IP network with information about
specific software.
[Previous] [Next]