OK, Here is a *brief* outline of what you need to connect an arc to the
internet via Demon Internet Systems.

1. A Fast Modem

2. A Fast Serial Port, you'll need to run at 38.4K or higher to get the
   best out of it.  After all it's a V42bis connection and you're
   transferring text most of the time.  If you haven't got one, get a
   dual serial port card either from The Serial Port or Intelligent
   Interfaces.

3. Software.

Software comprises three major parts:

1. A dialler. The KA9Q TCPIP suite does not contain a dialler.  I use
   !SlipDial.  To use any serial line stuff you'll also need a copy
   of the Serial Device drivers as written by Hugo Fiennes.

2. ArcKA9Q version 1.31 (or 1.30_beta if you don't mind slow news downloads)
   and a copy of !MailDir which can be found sometimes in the archive with
   KA9Q, but not always.  !MailDir stores the incoming/outgoing mail/news.

3. Mail/Newsreader stuff.  There are two alternatives, either !ReadNews or
   !ReaderS.  !ReaderS costs 10UKP, !ReadNews is free and therefore I use that.

To use ReadNews you'll need:

A copy of !Rucp
A copy of !ReadNews (includes !Incorp and !NewsDir, which you'll also need)
A copy of the ReadNews Filters.

Before you ask you need Rucp because !ReadNews is a reader designed to work
with Rucp, but we just need to configure it, but never actually *use* it.

So by now you're asking where I can get this from:

Well. FTP to ftp.demon.co.uk in dir /pub/archimedes.  Files are as follows
 (or as close as I can remember without logging on)

!SlipDial - SlipDial024_alpha.spk
!TCPIP    - tcp131 (sometimes call KA9Q)
!MailDir  - BMexe 
!Readnews - readnews (incl. !Incorp and!NewsDir) 
!Rucp     - rucp 
Filters   - RNfilters

Not on ftp.demon.co.uk

!SerialDev- The serial device drivers (available from hensa/The World of
            Cryton BBS)

Unpack the lot using !Spark/FS/plug and stick them all in the same directory.

Now you've got to configure the lot (ug!)

I'd recommend getting a document called KA9QDOCS, it might be on hensa but
it's definately on either Digital Databank BBS or Arcade BBS. It explains
a *lot* about setting up earlier versions of KA9Q.  The big difference
is that !TCPIP.AutoExec has been split into two files, AutoExec and Config.
It's probably best to leave everything you can't explain by reading this
document alone - I have altered very little from the original distribution
to get my setup.

Configure !Rucp, look though all the text files and Obey files, change
anything that is node or user specific.

Configure !SlipDial to auto-run the script called 'demon' in !SlipDial.Scripts

Hope and Prey ;-)

Right just to put you in the picture the sequence of events in a typical
session to demon is as follows:

A) Load !SlipDial
B) Dial a PoP, when through this kicks off !TCPIP
C) Wait for news/mail to be downloaded
D) Exit KA9Q
E) Run 'ka9q->rucp' (one of the filters).  This converts ka9q mail into rucp
                 mail so that !Readnews can do it's bit.
F) Run !Incorp - new news/mail gets amalgamated in ReadNews' database
G) Run !ReadNews
H) Read/compose mail/news
I) Run 'rucp-ka9q' - converts rucp outgoing mail to ka9q mail
J) Goto (A).

I have most of this process automated now so it's nothing like as hideous as
it first seems.



  Robert Orwin
  rob@wong.demon.co.uk