Terminal Settings for Popular Online Services

Last reviewed: May 1, 1996
Article ID: Q88455
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1, 3.11

SUMMARY

This article documents the correct settings for Terminal to properly communicate with the following online services:

  • CompuServe
  • BIX
  • GEnie
  • TymNet
  • Most bulletin board services (BBSs)

MORE INFORMATION

CompuServe

To log on to CompuServe, do the following:

  1. From the Settings menu, choose Terminal Emulation.

  2. Choose DEC VT-100 (ANSI) and choose OK.

  3. From the Settings menu, choose Communications.

  4. Choose 7 Data Bits, Even Parity, and 1 Stop Bit. Choose OK.

NOTE: CompuServe defaults to 7 data bits, which is not compatible with XModem file transfers. For this reason, you cannot use Terminal's XModem protocol to transfer files with CompuServe set at 7 data bits. After you set CompuServe to use 8 data bits, you can set up Terminal to use 8 data bits and no parity. With this setting, you can use XModem to transfer files with CompuServe. For information on how to set up CompuServe to use 8 data bits, contact CompuServe support (type "go help" at the CompuServe prompt).

BIX ("BYTE" Magazine's Online Information eXchange Service)

To log on to BIX, do the following:

  1. From the Settings menu, choose Terminal Emulation.

  2. Choose DEC VT-100 (ANSI) and choose OK.

  3. From the Settings menu, choose Communications.

  4. Choose 7 Data Bits, Even Parity, and 1 Stop Bit. Choose OK.

GEnie (General Electric Network for Information Exchange)

To log on to GEnie, do the following:

  1. From the Settings menu, choose Terminal Emulation.

  2. Choose DEC VT-100 (ANSI) and choose OK.

  3. From the Settings menu, choose Communications.

  4. Choose 8 Data Bits, None Parity, 1 Stop Bit, Local Echo (from Terminal Preferences menu), and choose OK.

TymNet

TymNet is a modem dial-in that provides access to Bank of America's Home Banking Service and other host services.

To log on to TymNet, do the following:

  1. From the Settings menu, choose Terminal Emulation.

  2. Choose DEC VT-100 (ANSI) and choose OK.

  3. From the Settings menu, choose Communications.

  4. Choose 8 Data Bits, None Parity, 1 Stop Bit.

If connection is established and text is not readable, use step 1 below to clear bad characters. If step 1 is not successful, use step 2.

  1. After receiving a line of non-readable text, wait three seconds and then type a capital letter "A" (without the quotation marks).

  2. Set modem parameters to 7 Data Bits, 1 Stop Bit, and Even Parity.

Most BBSs

Most computer bulletin board services (BBSs) require communications settings of 8 data bits, no parity, and one stop bit. The Windows Terminal program defaults to these settings when first opened.


KBCategory: kbusage
KBSubcategory: win30 win31
Additional reference words: 3.10 3.00a 3.00 3.11 timenet win31


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Last reviewed: May 1, 1996
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