CompuServe & AOL on Knoppix

[WST]

Does anyone knows if Knoppix supports AOL and CompuServe browsers? Or if CompuServe or AOL offers versions for Knoppix?

[Dave_Bechtel]

WHY in the world would you want to run a crappy AOL browser on Linux?? :evil:

If AOL dialup is your only connection to the Intarweb, see ' apt-cache search penggy ' -- and use a decent Linux browser, like Opera or mozilla-firefox. Or even Konqueror.


Does anyone knows if Knoppix supports AOL and CompuServe browsers? Or if CompuServe or AOL offers versions for Knoppix?

[WST]

i don't want to use AOL as browser, just for connexion. I connect to internet under XP through AOL software. After connected, i can use firefox or Konqueror. I just needed for connexion. Tell me then how can i connect to that AOL connection using another software etc

I'm not a advanced user of Linux, but i figured that "penggy" is an application which helps me connecting to internet via AOL. Is penggy availabe on Knoppix?

After a deeper searching.. i found out that there are a few softwares which helps you connect to AOL. One is penggy, other is peng or pengaol.
The thing is that under XP, i connect to AOL, on my existing connexion. Just starting AOL software and providing username and password. No dial numbers etc.. how it's this possible on Knoppix? Penggy or peng etc do that? Or whit those softwares i must provide a phone # where the modem should dial? I don't own a modem anyway... i connect to the internet using DSL. But i need aol as connexion.

[WST]

what is with this forum? no one post?

[malaire]

penggy is available for Debian, and because Knoppix is based on Debian, you can use that with Knoppix.

For Knoppix 4.0.2 CD you need 4 files:
- penggy_0.2.1-5_i386.deb
- guile-1.6-libs_1.6.7-1_i386.deb
- libguile-ltdl-1_1.6.7-1_i386.deb
- libqthreads-12_1.6.7-1_i386.deb

You can get these from
http://packages.debian.org/stable/net/penggy
http://packages.debian.org/stable/libs/guile-1.6-libs
http://packages.debian.org/stable/libs/libguile-ltdl-1
http://packages.debian.org/stable/libs/libqthreads-12
(Click i386 link on each of these pages)

Save these to a single directory and then run sudo dpkg -i *.deb from that directory to install penggy.

(You can also install penggy with apt-get, but I don't use that so I'm not 100% sure how on to use that.)

Then see man penggy for instructions on how to use penggy.

[WST]

i did followed your instructions, but i don't know where that penggy was installed..... i found it at /etc/penggy but what now? :?:

[malaire]

i did followed your instructions, but i don't know where that penggy was installed..... i found it at /etc/penggy but what now? :?:

You can use penggy from console, like other console-based programs.
As I don't have AOL, I can't help on what options you need to give penggy to actually connect to AOL.

You can try #penggy or ##penggy in Konqueror to see the manuals.

[WST]

this is all what i get from requesting manual:

OPTIONS
These programs follow the usual GNU command line syntax, with long options starting with two dashes (`-'). A summary of options is included below. For a complete description, see the Info files.

-h, --help
Show summary of options.
-V, --version
Show version of program.
-f=, --config-file=
Set the configuration file to use.
--access-method=
Set the media used to access AOL.
--protocol=
Set the protocol used for communication with AOL.
-r, --auto-reconnect
Enable autoreconnection
--reconnect-delay=
Set the delay between reconnections.
-d, --daemon
Enable daemon mode, run in background.
-D=, --debug-level=
Set the verbosity of the debug.
--pid-file=
Set the PID file to create.
-s=, --screen-name=
Set the screen-name to use.
-m=, --modem=
Set the serial device to use for the modem.
--rtscts
Enable hardware flow control.
--init-str=
Set the primary initialization string sent to the modem.
--dial-str=
Se the string used to dial.
-n=, --phone=
Set the primary phone numer to use.
-s=, --line-speed=
Set the serial line speed.
-c=, --chat-script=
Set the chat script unsed for logging into AOL.
-t=, --interface-type=
Set the interface type.
-i=, --interface=
Set the interface name.
--dns
Set the DNS when connected.
--ip-up=
Set the script automatically called when IP is up.
--ip-down=
Set the script automatically called when IP is down.

I still don't understand nothinn'! I dont' know how to start the program after installing.

[malaire]

I still don't understand nothinn'! I dont' know how to start the program after installing.

Click the Konsole-icon at the bottom of the screen, and write for example penggy --screen-name=WST to the Konsole and press enter.

You might need to include other options than just --screen-name for it to work.
You can check the file at /etc/penggy/penggy.cfg to see some descriptions for various options.

Like, if you are using DSL, you need to use at least penggy --screen-name=WST --access-method=dsl

[WST]

Thanks malaire, but there's some things to do i think before entering the coman line for starting program, which is editing the *cfg file.. and that's hardest ... i'll post the cfg content here, this way it will be simple for you to help me editing. thanks

[WST]

ok, so after install, the directory where was installed has 2 empty folders "ip-down.d" and "ip-up.d", 3 text files "aol-secrets", "penggy.cfg" and "phonetab", and 2 Shell scripts "ip-down" and "ip-up".

when entered "penggy --screen-name=WST --access-method=dsl", it says " Screen name 'WST' not found in /etc/penggy/aol-secrets.
Bad configuration, exiting !"

The file "aol-secrets" contains the following data standard :

## Secrets for aol authentication
## screen_name secret
##
#dark s3kr3t
#vador p455w0rd
#luke f0rce


What now? what do i need to modify? what "secret" stands for? My AOL screen name?


The file *.cfg contains the following (please read and help me) :


## WELCOME TO PENGGY
## -----------------
##
## This is a sample configuration file for Penggy.
##
## The general format is lines with parameter = value pairs.
## Lines starting with a hash mark (``#'') and empty lines are ignored.
##
## This default Penggy config file shows what the defaults for
## various options are. If you don't need to change a
## default option, you needn't uncomment the line.
##
## Most of these paramaters can be overidden from the command line.
## Try penggy --help for more information

## GENERAL OPTIONS, useful for everybody
## --------------------------------------------------------------------

## Parameter: access_method
## Type: string
## Possible values: modem, tcpip, cable, dsl
## Description: sets the type of device used for connecting
## Default: modem
##
## Cable and DSL are not really implemented yet.
## If you have that kind of connection device, you should use tcpip instead.
##
# access_method = tcpip

## Parameter: protocol
## Type: string
## Possible values: p3, l2tp
## Description: Sets the protocol used for communicating
## Default: p3
##
## L2TP (also known as FLAP on AOL) is the new protocol used by AOL software
## its support isn't implemented yet. Don't change it.
##
# protocol = p3

## Parameter: interface_type
## Type: string
## Possible values: tun
## Description: sets the interface type.
## Default: tun
##
## Only tun is currently supported. This option is only here for the future.
##
# interface_type = tun

## Parameter: interface_name
## Type: string
## Description: sets the created interface's name.
## No default
##
## Default is to reserve the first tun interface available and it's a good
## choice.
##
# interface_name = tun0

## Parameter: secret_file
## Type: path
## Description: sets the file where your passwords are stored
## Default: /etc/penggy/aol-secrets
##
## Change this only if you really want to store your passwords elsewhere.
##
# secret_file = /foo/bar/aol-secrets

## Parameter: screen_name
## Type: string
## Description: sets the screen-name to be used for connection
## No default
##
## This option is used to tell penggy to connect on this screen name.
## You really need to change this parameter or pass it at the command line
## prompt, or penggy will complain about not having any screen name to
## connect as.
##
# screen_name = foobar

## Parameter: auto_reconnect
## Type: boolean
## Description: enable autoreconnection.
## Default: false
##
## If you set this option to true, penggy will automatically reconnect
## when it detects you were cut off.
##
# auto_reconnect = true

## Parameter: reconnect_delay
## Type: integer
## Description: sets the delay between reconnections.
## Default: 5
##
## This option will have no effect if autoreconnection is disabled.
## If set it to >0, penggy will wait this amount of time (in seconds)
## before attempting a new connection.
##
# reconnect_delay = 30

## Parameter: daemon
## Type: boolean
## Description: enables daemon mode, runs penggy in the background.
## Default: false
##
## If this option is set to true, penggy will work in the background
## and output will be done in (see syslogd(8) for more information).
## To end penggy you need to kill it with a :
## kill `cat /var/run/penggy.pid`
##
# daemon = true

## Parameter: debug_level
## Type: integer
## Possible values: 0 to 10
## Description: sets the verbosity level of the debug.
## Default: 0
##
## This option is probably only useful to developers.
##
# debug_level = 5

## Parameter: set_dns
## Type: boolean
## Description: set the when connected.
## Default: true
##
## The default(true) is to write the dns file (see resolv.conf(5) for more
## information) according to what the server gives.
## If you don't want this behavior (ex: you have your own DNS server), set
## this option to false.
##
# set_dns = false

## Parameter: pid_file
## Type: path
## Description: set the PID file to create.
## Default: /var/run/penggy.pid
##
## This is the file where penggy stores its current PID.
## Keeping the default is a good idea.
##
# pid_file = /foo/bar/penggy.pid

## Parameter: ip_up_script
## Type: path
## Description: set the script automatically called when IP is up.
## Default: /etc/penggy/ip-up
##
## This shell script is executed when IP tunneling is started.
## It may be useful to edit this script to change firewall rules or whatever.
## This script is also reponsible for making the connection up
## and setting the routing table, so very be careful when editing it.
##
# ip_up_script = /foo/bar/ip-up

## Parameter: ip_down_script
## Type: path
## Description: set the script automaticly called when IP is down.
## Default: /etc/penggy/ip-down
##
## As ip-up but when the connection ends.
##
# ip_down_script = /foo/bar/ip-down



## MODEM OPTIONS, only useful if you are using a modem to connect
## --------------------------------------------------------------------

## Parameter: modem_device
## Type: path
## Description: sets the serial device to use for the modem.
## Default: /dev/modem
##
## The default is probably good if /dev/modem is a link to your real serial
## device your modem is attached to. Otherwise change this parameter.
##
# modem_device = /dev/ttyS0

## Parameter: lock_path
## Type: path
## Description: sets path where locking files are stored
## Default: /var/lock on Linux
## /var/spool/locks on Solaris
## /var/spool/lock on others
##
## The default is what is used on Linux, other platforms should change this
## according to your platform policy.
##
# lock_path = /foo/bar

## Parameter: rtscts
## Type: boolean
## Description: enable hardware flow control.
## Default: true
##
## Nearly all modems support hardware flow control, so you don't want to change
## this parameter, unless you really have a good reason.
##
# rtscts = false

## Parameter: initstr1
## Type: string
## Description: sets the primary initialization string sent to the modem.
## Default: ATZ
##
## Hayes command to initialize the modem, keeping ATZ as primary init string
## is probably a good idea, you can complete with other string if you need.
## This command mustn't be longer than 58 bytes.
## Comonly used strings:
## M0 Speaker always disabled
## M1 Speaker enabled during connection
## M2 Speaker always enabled
## M3 Speaker enabled while connected
## L0 Set speaker at a very low volume (or muted)
## L1 Set speaker at a low volume
## L2 Set speaker at a normal volume
## L3 Set speaker at a high volume
## Q1 Ask modem to send responses (mandatory for penggy)
## X3 Do not add dial tone detection
## X4 Add dial tone detection (should be the default)
## V1 Set modem output to alphanumeric
## (alphanumeric output is mandatory for penggy)
## &F Set your modem in factory default (this is a good idea to add
## this command if you can't connect with ATZ)
## &Exxxx Set _ISDN_ MSN number (first 4 digits of your phone number)
##
## This commands are just here as example, they might not work on your
## modem.
##
# initstr1 = ATZ

## Parameter: initstr[2-9]
## Type: string
## Description: sets other initialization strings.
## No default
##
## Other Hayes commands to init the modem (see above).
##
# initstr2 = AT&F
# initstr3 = AT&E1234
# initstr4 =
# initstr5 =
# initstr6 =
# initstr7 =
# initstr8 =
# initstr9 =

## Parameter: dialstr
## Type: string
## Description: sets the string used to dial.
## Default: ATDT
##
## Do not change this parameter if you don't know what it is.
##
# dialstr = ATDP

## Parameter: dial_prefix
## Type: string
## Description: sets a prefix to dial before the number to get a dial tone.
## No default
##
## You may need a prefix to get an external line. This parameter
## will be used for this.
## Do not forget to add a colon if you need a pause (which is likely)
## You may also have to use the 'W' letter to wait for a second dial tone
##
# dial_prefix = 0,

## Parameter: phonetab
## Type: path
## Description: sets the file where phone numbers will be searched.
## Default: /etc/penggy/phonetab
##
## This is the first phone number penggy will try to connect to.
## You can complete with more, in case this one fails, with parameters
## phone[1-5].
##
# phonetab = /foo/bar/phonetab

## Parameter: line_speed
## Type: integer
## Possible values: 300, 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, 115200
## Description: Sets the speed of your serial port.
## Default: 115200
##
## This is the speed of your serial device (do not confuse it with the
## speed of the connection). The default is probably good if you have
## a recent computer.
## Depending on your hardware and system, 230400 and 460800 may work.
##
# line_speed = 57600

## Parameter: dial_retry
## Type: integer
## Description: The number of times to dial the same number before considering
## it as dead.
## Default: 3
##
## This parameter describes how many times penggy will dial the same phone number
## before considering it as dead.
## NB : if autoreconnection is enabled, penggy will try again, after having
## waited for the reconnect_delay.
##
# dial_retry = 1

## Parameter: retry_delay
## Type: integer
## Description: The number of seconds to wait after an unsuccessful dialing.
## Default: 0
##
## In case of a failed dialing, penggy will wait this amount of times (in seconds)
## before retrying the phone number.
##
# retry_delay = 3



## TCP/IP OPTIONS, useful if you use tcpip, dsl or cable
## -------------------------------------------------------------------

## Parameter: aol_host
## Type: string
## Description: Sets the host to contact for a TCP/IP connection.
## Default: AmericaOnline.aol.com
##
## Use cs.access.compuserve.com if your provider CompuServe
##
# aol_host = cs.access.compuserve.com

## Parameter: aol_port
## Type: integer
## Description: Sets the port used to contact host for a TCP/IP connection.
## Default: 5190
##
## Default is for AOL, use 5191 for CompuServe. Nevertheless port from 5190 to
## 5192 should work
##
# aol_port = 5191


PLEASE TELL ME WHAT I NEED TO MODIFY ETC

[malaire]

What information you normally need to connect to AOL? Just username and password?

While I'm going to discuss about your AOL username & password, make sure you don't accidentally post them here.


ok, so after install, the directory where was installed has 2 empty folders "ip-down.d" and "ip-up.d", 3 text files "aol-secrets", "penggy.cfg" and "phonetab", and 2 Shell scripts "ip-down" and "ip-up".

when entered "penggy --screen-name=WST --access-method=dsl", it says " Screen name 'WST' not found in /etc/penggy/aol-secrets.
Bad configuration, exiting !"

I think you need to use your AOL-username instead of "WSL" in that command (unless your AOL-username happens to be "WSL"), i.e.
"penggy --screen-name=USERNAME --access-method=dsl"


The file "aol-secrets" contains the following data standard :

## Secrets for aol authentication
## screen_name secret
##
#dark s3kr3t
#vador p455w0rd
#luke f0rce

What now? what do i need to modify? what "secret" stands for? My AOL screen name?


"screen_name" seems to mean your AOL-username, and "secret" your AOL-password.

You probably need to edit this file so that it contains your AOL-username and AOL-password.
e.g. If your username is "WSL" and password is "PaSsWoRd" then you need to add this line to "aol-secrets"

WSL PaSsWoRd


The file *.cfg contains the following (please read and help me) :


I'll only comment on lines you should change:
NOTE: When you change any of the lines, make sure to remove the "#" at the beginning of that line. Lines starting with "#" are ignored by penggy.


# access_method = tcpip
If you change this line to "access_method = dsl", you don't need to use "--access-method=dsl" on command-line.


## L2TP (also known as FLAP on AOL) is the new protocol used by AOL software
## its support isn't implemented yet. Don't change it.
##
# protocol = p3


I hope you don't need L2TP or FLAP, as that doesn't seem to work with penggy...


# screen_name = foobar
If you change this line to "screen_name = USERNAME" (using your AOL-username), you don't need to use "--screen-name=USERNAME" on command-line.


## Parameter: aol_host
## Type: string
## Description: Sets the host to contact for a TCP/IP connection.
## Default: AmericaOnline.aol.com
##
## Use cs.access.compuserve.com if your provider CompuServe
##
# aol_host = cs.access.compuserve.com


If your ISP is CompuServe, then you need to remove the "#" char from the line "# aol_host = cs.access.compuserve.com".


PLEASE TELL ME WHAT I NEED TO MODIFY ETC

So to summarise:

1. You need to add "USERNAME PASSWORD" to "aol-secrets"-file.
2. If your ISP is CompuServe, you need to remove "#" from line "# aol_host = cs.access.compuserve.com" in "penggy.cfg"-file
3. After that you can try to connect with "penggy --screen-name=USERNAME --access-method=dsl"

4. If you want, you can change line "# access_method = tcpip" to "access_method = dsl" in "penggy.cfg"-file
5. If you want, you can change line "# screen_name = foobar" to "screen_name = USERNAME" (using your AOL-username) in "penggy.cfg"-file
6. After steps 5-6, you can try to connect with simpler command "penggy"

[WST]

i did everything step by step and after command penggy remain blocked :

knoppix@0[knoppix]$ sudo penggy --screen-name=WST --access-method=dsl
Resolving cs.access.compuserve.com...
Connecting to 64.12.8.125:5192 ...
Loging into provider as 'WST'

...........and that's the way it remains! i changed the port from 5190 to 5191 and 5192 and stil.... may be the servers and port of compuserve changed... do anyone knows the real ip's and port? acces servers settings?

thanks

[malaire]

...........and that's the way it remains! i changed the port from 5190 to 5191 and 5192 and stil.... may be the servers and port of compuserve changed... do anyone knows the real ip's and port? acces servers settings?


It's also possible that the old protocol "p3" isn't working anymore.

I did some googling, but didn't find much. One user suspected that p3-protocol isn't working anymore:
http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/linux-networking/15172-help-connecting-aol-compuserve.html

It seems that penggy was last updated in 2003, and pengaol in 2002, so it's possible that they don't work anymore :(

Sorry, but I can't help anymore. I don't even have AOL to test this myself.

[WST]

Well.... if anyone heard of any software which can help me connect to compuserve or aol i'll be happy to hear ;)