Re: tlug: Internet connections from Linux

[Karl-Max Wagner <karlmax@example.com>]

> Bought a modem yesterday; to my surprise with help from HOWTOs I've
> managed to connect to the internet and browse the web with Netscape. I
> can also receive mail with Netscape without a problem.

Good !

> However, I'm unable to configure Netscape to send mail, because when I
> put "mail.iname.com" as my outgoing mail server and press OK, it
> complains about the host not being found.

Must be a Netscape bug. Anyway, there is no need to use a
smarthost. You can also have your mail delivered directly.
 
IMHO using Netscape as a MUA isn't a good idea anyway. Set up
your sendmail ( or better qmail ) as your MTA and use a simple MUA
like elm to do the mail. This allows you to do your mail in
console mode without X ( more convenient ).

> I imagine I have to put something in the /etc/hosts file, but what? I

That shouldn't be the reason.

> have no idea what their IP address is. Why does NS for Linux need to

Easy to find out. Use nslookup.

Like this:

schreyer:~# nslookup

Now it comes back with info on the current nameserver.

At the prompt do a "set type=mx"

You get another prompt. Now type in the domain of your ISP. It
will come back with your mail exchanger(s), their IP addresses
and the like.

Now leave it with exit.

> know where this host is, but NS for Windows doesn't?

Should work under Linux, too. Netscape problem, I guess.

> Also, I have permission problems when trying to dial my ISP as a
> non-root user. Could someone tell me how they approach this (in terms of
> permissioning?) As I'm just a home user, I'd like to configure it so

If you work with a chat script there is no problem. It's
different when you use minicom because /dev/ttyS? normally only
allows root to access it. You could change it ( simply by
chmod'ing the device file ), but that is not a good idea for
security reasons.

> anyone can dial out.

Make a chat script. Then it works.

================================================================
"It was hell. They knew it.          Karl-Max Wagner
  But they called it                 karlmax@example.com
    W-I-N-D-O-Z-E"
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