Re: Is it possible to get the GS on the net via a linux box?

[et472@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Michael Black)]

SlickRCBD (yourIP@127.0.0.1) writes:
> Here's a thought. Is it possible to get the IIGS on the internet with a
> TCP/IP connection or some way by connecting the serial port to a machine
> running Linux? I don't even know if that can be set up on the Linux end,
> let alone the GS end.
> 
> I'm just starting to learn Linux (I installed Yellow Dog 2.1 on my
> PowerMac 6500), and running a serial cabel to my IIGS would be a simple
> matter. Unfortunetly, I don't know if it's possible or not. THe Mac gets
> on the 'net via a cabel modem, though I doubt the IIGS could handle THAT
> kind of speed considering the serial port only goes up to 19,200 (though I
> remember seeing a CDA called speedport that supposedly could make it go
> higher).
> 
> In any case, is it possible? I'm a true newbie, and probably will remain
> so until the summer, when I'll have time to really learn how to use &
> configure linux.

Yes, it's basically the same idea as when I ran a terminal program
on my Mac Plus, and dialed into my ISP's shell.  You'd simply
be moving the shell to your home, and connected the GS directly
to the Linux computer with a null modem (ie a cable with the correct
wiring) instead of via  a modem and phone line to the ISP.

Doing it this way, you'd be using the GS as a terminal instead
of a console on the Mac.  You'd run a mail program on the Linux computer,
and simply view it, and type, on the GS.  Run Lynx on the Linux
computer, and you can browse the web (admittedly with no graphics)
with the GS.  Configure Lynx properly, and when you download
something it will land in the GS.

Doing this is really quite easy.  When I first got Linux running
two years ago, for a bit I was running it this way, since I
wasn't yet ready to move my Mac out of the way.  Make the cable,
edit /etc/inittab so it starts a shell on the serial port,
and away you go.

The "Remote-Serial-Console-HOWTO" explains it all, and should
be enough.  Read it here:
http://www.linux.org/docs/ldp/howto/Remote-Serial-Console-HOWTO

I'm assuming Linux on the Mac is basically the same as for the Intel
machines.

This one also covers some of the same territory:
http://www.linux.org/docs/ldp/howto/Text-Terminal-HOWTO.html

If you want to be fancier, and actually run programs on the GS,
you can certainly set up the Linux computer to accept a PPP connection
over the serial port; after all, the Linux computer is basically
what they have at your ISP, only not as fast or large.  But since
I haven't done that, I don't even know if you can run a ppp connection
from the GS, you'll have to dig some more for details.

   Michael