Service Description

In most areas we can provide an ASCII dial access connection that allows the use of text to speech software or a Braille terminal to access the Internet without the need for fossile drivers or special software that reads screen memory.

Service Implimentation

We impliment this service by configuring our radius server to tell the network access server you dial into to initiate a rlogin or telnet session to a Unix host which we have setup with text clients to access the internet. What this means to you is that you see a text only connection, similiar to dial BBS systems, than can readily be accessed with a Braille terminal or text to speech software.

This is not only much easier for the customer than using fossile drivers or screen memory reading software, it is also much faster since graphics are not transmitted and there is no PPP protocol overhead.

Service Limitations

We use a number of national networks to impliment our national dial access service in the United States and Canada. Not all of the network access servers are capable of this type of connection. In most cities we have multiple networks and the odds of one of them supporting this type of connection are good, but there are some locations where we can not provide this type of connection.

The firewalls some networks use block an ident port used by our servers and these can cause a delay of approximately two minutes when connecting. They will not affect the speed of the service once connected. This does not affect all locations just some places where the network providers have firewalls in place.

Transfer of Binary Files

Some network access providers allow rlogin and others allow telnet. Rlogin is transparent and allows download protocols like Xmodem, Ymodem, and Zmodem to be utilized to transfer files between your computer and our host. Telnet connections can only transfer files with Kermit. You might want to transfer files in order to upload them to a website we host for you, or you might want to download audio or other binary files from the Internet.

Other Uses

This service can also be used by people owning ancient computers which are incapable of a PPP connection such as an Apple II, Trs-80 model I or III, Vic-20, Commodore-64, Atari-800, etc, to access the Internet. Normal modem software and Xmodem, Ymodem, and Zmodem transfer protocols are available to these old machines and will work with our service.

Rates

Acceptable Use