To: stik-beta-testers@spodden.zetnet.co.uk
From: dlanor@oden.se (Ronald Andersson)
Organization: 
Subject: Re: More STinG
X-Mailer: NEWSie Version 0.80 (Atari)

>Peter I've just received STing 1.02 (or 1.20) through the Atari File 
>Network, is this the latest version, or is the one on your pages 
>newer?

The one I saw yesterday (Aug 20) was in fact uploaded, and in part even
coded, the very same day.  Anything older than that may lack the PPP etc.

>Also, (to everyone) has anyone got STing working with Demon at all?
>
Sorry, I have no idea, but I see no reason why it should not work.


>Is STing now at the stage where it can replace STiK? That is will it 
>work with CAB, Popwatch and Newshound?

STinG has completely replaced STiK for me since a considerable time back.
I've only booted with STiK on a few occasions for special tests in recent
months.  Early on some things were troublesome, but not anymore.

I do not use Newshound, but both CAB and Popwatch are in daily use and do
work fine for me, as does all clients (and some servers) I have tested.


>Wondering as I never got the older versions to work, and if anyone has 
>any working Demon scripts it would be great!

I can't help you with Demon scripts, but there is no STiK capability that
is not also available with STinG, even if some things are done differently.
Thus, it should definitely work, with some effort in configuring perhaps.

Here are a few tips on things STinG needs, that STiK does not have:

1:  STinG must find STING.INF in the auto folder on booting, and that
    file simply contains the pathname of STinG's config folder.  This
    replaces the old "DAT" faile of STiK.

    I use "C:\NET\STING\MODULES\".  (Without the quote signs of course).


2:  The folder mentioned above must contain all STX module files you need
    as well as the ROUTE.TAB and DEFAULT.CFG files.  You may also store an
    initial CACHE.DNS here, and if DNS_SAVE is set TRUE all cached DNS
    entries will be saved in such a file.

3:  There are new variables defined for DEFAULT.CFG, and some old ones are
    no longer valid and should be removed if you start by editing one that
    has been used with STiK. (This was how I did it.)

4:  The new dialer also has similar changes in its DIAL.SCR, as compared
    to the old dialer Peter wrote for STiK, and the script capability
    has been extended, requiring a slightly different syntax.

5:  Nothing arrives anywhere, unless told to go there by ROUTE.TAB
    This defines which routes should be used for various IP number groups,
    so effective use of nets and subnets will work properly. It is needed
    even if no local network is used, but can then have a single route
    entry saying that all IP destinations should use the modem port.

6:  Ports must be configured with STNGPORT.CPX, with changes saved to the
    STING.PRT file.  A dial-up port may not need an IP number (if dynamic),
    but you must choose protocol (SLIP or PPP, with VJ or without).
    Non-serial ports may have other special setup info too, like the pseudo
    port "Masquerade" that I wrote.  This will need to be redone after any
    port driver installations, and you should also then use the setting
    to 'reload routing table' to activate the new routes, before saving the
    new STING.PRT

7:  Finally STinG's main work routines must be enabled with STING.CPX, and
    the STinG timeslice setting set to 10ms, whereafter you click save, to
    save these in the CPX (as is normal for CPXs).  This will of course
    have to be done anew when the CPX is updated.

NB: That timeslice setting is not the distribution default, which may
    explain some troubles people have had.  The default works for Peter,
    but not on any of my systems (Falcon, Mega ST, STE), where it gives
    the TCP module problems.  A temporary fix will be made that reduces
    sensitivity to this, allowing up to 50ms to function, and later we
    hope to eliminate the limitation completely. Even so, for best speed
    of system and STinG I prefer a setting of 25, but this does require
    the fix I mentioned.  Until then you can use 10 ms, which prioritizes
    STinG timing at a slight cost to system speed (not much though).


I may have missed something, but I don't think so.  The above should be
enough to get anyone going, and that should work on any ISP in existence,
now that PPP with PAP and VJ is at last supported by STinG.

