Getting Online

Black Night v1.0.5

Black Night is a terminal emulation program that contains its own built-in connection tools, and can use Communications Toolbox tools to support more protocols (download and connection). It comes with extensive online support, including Apple Guides for most functions. Black Night is geared toward ease of use for novices by emphasizing a Macintosh interface and automated set-up. As much as a terminal emulator can, it seems to succeed. Scripting is controlled by built-in, semi-rigid macro options, and fairly complete AppleScript support is provided so power users aren't left out. Version 1.0.5 includes several bug fixes and enhancements.

Requires System 4.3 or later

FreePPP v2.5 v2

MacPPP allows you to establish a TCP/IP connection over an asynchronous serial line (e.g., a telephone modem connection) using the Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP). What's the benefit of this? Well, if you have access to a PPP-smart server that connects to the Internet, then you can use MacTCP-dependent services such as telnet, FTP and the World-Wide Web (WWW). Some of the TCP/IP programs usable with a direct Internet connection include Fetch, Mosaic and NCSA Telnet. You may have heard of SLIP, which is another protocol used to create a similar connection to a server on the Internet. NOTE: You must be able to connect to a PPP-capable terminal server to use this extension/control panel combination. This version is called FreePPP (formerly known as MacPPP with an "SD" added to the version number) and is not an official Merit Network release of MacPPP (also found in this library). The author, Steve Dagley, modified the code (using hacks made by various authors) and released it with a different name. With the new name comes a jump back to version number 1.0 (from 2.1.2SD). Version 2.5.rf offers more connection options, automatic modem detection, direct connection using PAP or CHAP authentication, and numerous bug and incompatibility fixes.

Requires MacTCP 1.1 or later, System 7.1 or later, 68020 or better

Gopher v1.3b56

Gopher is an Internet information service program for Macintosh computers. It provides a graphical Finder-like link to the range of Internet Gopher services.

Requires MacTCP

Internet Config 1.3

Internet Config is composed of an application/extension combination that together make up the Internet Configuration System. As the name implies, Internet Config is used to set universal preferences for several Internet-related programs. Now, instead of typing the same information into each application, you can set your personal information once with Internet Config and the individual applications can get the relevant data from Internet Config. Information stored by Internet Config includes: your real name, organization, signature, plan, email address, mail account, mail host, NNTP host, Archie server, Info-Mac server, download folder, helper applications and more. This utility is not supported by all Internet applications at the time of its posting, but expect Internet applications to modify their code to take advantage of this useful tool. Version 1.3 fixes bugs, offers mail notification, improves URL parsing and error display code, and adds the WWW & Firewalls menus.

Requires System 6.0.x or later

MacPPP v2.2.0a

MacPPP allows you to establish a TCP/IP connection over an asynchronous serial line (e.g., a telephone modem connection) using the Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP). What's the benefit of this? Well, if you have access to a PPP-smart server that connects to the Internet, then you can use MacTCP-dependent services such as telnet, FTP and the World-Wide Web (WWW). Some of the TCP/IP programs usable with a direct Internet connection include Fetch, Mosaic and NCSA Telnet. You may have heard of SLIP, which is another protocol used to create a similar connection to a server on the Internet. NOTE: You must be able to connect to a PPP-capable terminal server to use this extension/control panel combination.

Requires MacTCP 1.1 or later, System 6.0.5 or later, dial-in host with PPP

MacPPP Control v1.4

MacPPP Control is an AppleScript Addition that enable you to open, close, and check the status of MacPPP via your own scripts. Simply drop the MacPPP Control file in your AppleScript additions folder then fire up the 3 enclosed sample scripts to see what this baby is capable of. The three scripts are simple, but they perform some oh-so-needed functions. There's one each for opening and closing MacPPP, and a handy script for opening MacPPP, using Eudora to fetch new email, the closing MacPPP again. Good stuff, and once you understand how it's done you can get as fancy as you need with your own scripts. MacPPP control is freeware. You'll need AppleScript, MacPPP 1.02 (or later), and Eudora 1.4.2 (or later) for the third example script.

Requires AppleScript, MacPPP 1.02 or later

MacPPP Timer v1.5.3

MacPPP Timer is a small application that allows you to easily monitor, and track, the time you spend online using your MacPPP Internet connection. MacPPP Timer displays a tiny window that displays a cumulative timer, a session timer, and a number of small hotspots for starting, pausing, and otherwise controlling the application. Version 1.5.1 is compatible with Open Transport when using FreePPP.

Requires System 7 or later

NCSA Telnet v2.6

NCSA Telnet 2.6 is a TCP/IP connections package for use on the Internet. It allows simultaneous connections to telnet hosts using an implementation of the DARPA standard. Documentation is available as file "NCSA Telnet 2.6 Documentation" in this same library.

Requires System 6.0 or later, MacTCP, Internet connection

Mac TCP Switcher v1.1

MacTCP Switcher is yet another wonderful Macintosh product from the mind of John Norstad. This particular application is helpful for those people who move their Macintosh from site to site, and need to run a different TCP/IP connection in each location. MacTCP Switcher allows you to save a site-specific MacTCP configuration into a double-clickable document. Then all you have to do is double-click, and MacTCP Switcher changes the configurations to match your new location. The only downside is that you may need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect; and this is a limitation of MacTCP, not MacTCP Switcher. MacTCP Switcher will helpfully pop up a dialog box if you need to restart. MacTCP Switcher works by changing some resources in the "MacTCP Prep" file. It never touches your control panel, so if things should start to go bad, all you have to do is throw away the MacTCP Prep file to fix your MacTCP connections. Version 1.1 fixes crashing error, has better error-checking and improves error messages.

Requires MacTCP, System 7 or later

Mac TCP Watcher

So, raise your hands: who here knows what TCP is? You do? Good! Here's a tougher one: who knows how to set up TCP on a Mac? Hmm... Let's try one more: who can tell me what MacTCP is actually doing at any given moment? Anyone? No? Well then. It's a good thing we have Peter Lewis, author of ZiffNet/Mac Shareware Award-winning program Anarchie, to help us out. He's done so with MacTCP Watcher, a useful utility which displays the internals of MacTCP, including a list of all the current TCP connections and information on them and their routes through cyberspace. Errors, addresses, and connections are all within your grasp, shining a light into where, umm, the light's never shone before. If you're still not sure what this program's supposed to do, don 't worry. Mr. Lewis has included copious documentation, including Eric Behr's thorough exegesis of MacTCP. Enabling the elusive TCP connection is still up to you, but this package will support you well after you've made the initial plunge. Class dismissed! Version 2.0 is PPC native, supports Open Transport, and makes other improvements.

Requires MacTCP

Turbogopher v2.0.3

TurboGopher is probably the fastest Mac Gopher client currently available. TurboGopher is optimized for raw speed while fetching documents and directories and the user interface displays information as soon as possible. Puts a Mac face on Internet information retrieval. Built-in documentation. Version 2.0 is a fat binary, links to helper applications, resolves URLs, can be invoked by URLs, improved bookmarks, can view greater than 32K documents, and makes other improvements and bug fixes. Version 2.0.1 is compatible with Open Transport, adds more support for URLs, and fixes bugs. Version 2.0.2 fixes problems with OpenTransport and the clipboard.

Requires System 7 or later, MacTCP, Internet connection