Telnet: Ewan

Here we are going to see a little free software package to use the telnet service: Ewan. In order to use telnet, you need a terminal emulator. If you use Windows95, you don't need any further software, because you can use the built-in 'Telnet' program: just open a Ms-dos window and type 'telnet name-host' from C:\ prompt. So:

C:\> telnet remote_host:num (where remote_host is the site you want to connect to, and num is an optional port number, but usually you have not to type it, because the default telnet port number is '23'. Sometimes, some services like MUDs use a different port number: in those cases you have to specify it).

However we are going to see Ewan, because it is the most used freeware telnet client on the net. It doesn't support xmodem, zmodem and other transfer protocols, but there is another freeware software package to to that job: Tera Term Pro (but you could also use the Windows95's program Hyperterminal). Notice: you don't need those protocols to use telnet. Just they are helpful to *transfer* files. Ok, let's see Ewan:

File

New To create a new configuration related to a certain host you want to connect to. If you create a new configuration here, you can connect to a new site (Session/Connect), but if you don't save it, you won't add it in your site list.
Open To connect to a certain host contained in your site list.
Save To save the current host and its configuration in your site list as a new entry.
Save as The same of 'Save', but you can specify a different name.
Show file To show a captured log file (you can save dialogs while you are connected to a host as a log file. Then you can see the log file again when you are off-line.
Open capture file To start capture incoming data to a file. By clicking here, you will be able to start recording of all dialogs in a file (you have to specify the name).
Printer setup To set up your printer.
Print To print the screen or the whole log.
Exit To quit.

Edit

Copy To copy something to the clipboard.
Paste To paste data stored into the clipboard.

Session

Connect To connect to a server.
Disconnect To disconnect from the server.

Options

Global settings To set up Ewan's behavior on startup.
Site list entry To add a new entry in your site list.
Edit configurations To edit a configuration choosing one from your site list.
Configuration To edit a configuration.

Now let's see the most important sub-menus contained into the 'Options' menu:

Global settings

I think it's quite clear...

Site list entry

When you add a new site in your site list, you have to specify a name to identify it, its IP address or network address (e.g., 123.123.123.123 or namesite.edu), the service port (if you use the telnet service, the 'telnet' field has to be checked, otherwise you can specify a different service such as FTP. If you specify a different service, you have to type the corresponding port number. For example, if you want to access to a FTP server, you have to specify its port number: usually 21), and finally the related configuration (a configuration define how the different parts of the emulator will behave when connected to a specified site. For example, what keymaps, colors and screen dimensions to use).

Edit configurations

Here you can add, delete or update a configuration contained into your site list.

Now let's see WHAT you can define inside of a specified configuration. You have to choose the 'Configuration' item (into the 'Options' menu): Configuration.