From 4bfd864f10b68b71482b35c818559068ef8d5797 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Thomas Voss Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2024 20:54:24 +0100 Subject: doc: Add RFC documents --- doc/rfc/rfc2151.txt | 2915 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 2915 insertions(+) create mode 100644 doc/rfc/rfc2151.txt (limited to 'doc/rfc/rfc2151.txt') diff --git a/doc/rfc/rfc2151.txt b/doc/rfc/rfc2151.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6c7b420 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/rfc/rfc2151.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2915 @@ + + + + + + +Network Working Group G. Kessler +Request for Comments: 2151 S. Shepard +FYI: 30 Hill Associates, Inc. +Obsoletes: RFC 1739 June 1997 +Category: Informational + + + A Primer On Internet and TCP/IP Tools and Utilities + +Status of this Memo + + This memo provides information for the Internet community. This memo + does not specify an Internet standard of any kind. Distribution of + this memo is unlimited. + +Abstract + + This memo is an introductory guide to many of the most commonly- + available TCP/IP and Internet tools and utilities. It also describes + discussion lists accessible from the Internet, ways to obtain + Internet and TCP/IP documents, and some resources that help users + weave their way through the Internet. + +Table of Contents + + 1. Introduction................................................... 2 + 2. Nomenclature................................................... 2 + 3. Finding Information About Internet Hosts and Domains........... 3 + 3.1. NSLOOKUP.................................................. 3 + 3.2. Ping...................................................... 6 + 3.3. Finger.................................................... 8 + 3.4. Traceroute................................................ 9 + 4. The Two Fundamental Tools...................................... 12 + 4.1. TELNET.................................................... 12 + 4.2. FTP....................................................... 15 + 5. User Database Lookup Tools..................................... 19 + 5.1. WHOIS/NICNAME............................................. 19 + 5.2. KNOWBOT................................................... 23 + 6. Information Servers............................................ 24 + 6.1. Archie.................................................... 24 + 6.2. Gopher.................................................... 28 + 6.3. VERONICA, JUGHEAD, and WAIS............................... 30 + 7. The World Wide Web............................................. 31 + 7.1. Uniform Resource Locators................................. 34 + 7.2. User Directories on the Web............................... 35 + 7.3. Other Service Accessible Via the Web...................... 36 + 8. Discussion Lists and Newsgroups................................ 37 + 8.1. Internet Discussion Lists................................. 37 + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 1] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + 8.2. LISTSERV.................................................. 38 + 8.3. Majordomo................................................. 38 + 8.4. Usenet.................................................... 39 + 8.5 Finding Discussion Lists and Newsgroups.................... 40 + 9. Internet Documentation......................................... 41 + 9.1. Request for Comments (RFCs)............................... 41 + 9.2. Internet Standards........................................ 44 + 9.3. For Your Information Documents............................ 45 + 9.4. Best Current Practices.................................... 45 + 9.5. RARE Technical Reports.................................... 46 + 10. Perusing the Internet......................................... 46 + 11. Acronyms and Abbreviations.................................... 48 + 12. Security Considerations....................................... 49 + 13. Acknowledgments............................................... 49 + 14. References.................................................... 49 + 15. Authors' Address.............................................. 51 + +1. Introduction + + This memo is an introductory guide to some of the most commonly- + available TCP/IP and Internet tools and utilities that allow users to + access the wide variety of information on the network, from + determining if a particular host is up to viewing a multimedia thesis + on foreign policy. It also describes discussion lists accessible from + the Internet, ways to obtain Internet and TCP/IP documents, and some + resources that help users weave their way through the Internet. This + memo may be used as a tutorial for individual self-learning, a step- + by-step laboratory manual for a course, or as the basis for a site's + users manual. It is intended as a basic guide only and will refer to + other sources for more detailed information. + +2. Nomenclature + + The following sections provide descriptions and detailed examples of + several TCP/IP utilities and applications, including the reproduction + of actual sessions using these utilities (with some extraneous + information removed). Each section describes a single TCP/IP-based + tool, it's application, and, in some cases, how it works. The text + description is usually followed by an actual sample session. + + The sample dialogues shown below were obtained from a variety of + software and hardware systems, including AIX running on an IBM + RS/6000, Linux on an Intel 486, Multinet TCP/IP over VMS on a VAX, + and FTP Software's OnNet (formerly PC/TCP) running on a DOS/Windows + PC. While the examples below can be used as a guide to using and + learning about the capabilities of TCP/IP tools, the reader should + understand that not all of these utilities may be found at all TCP/IP + hosts nor in all commercial software packages. Furthermore, the user + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 2] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + interface for different packages will be different and the actual + command line may appear differently than shown here; this will be + particularly true for graphical user interfaces running over Windows, + X-Windows, OS/2, or Macintosh systems. Windows-based sessions are not + shown in this RFC because of the desire to have a text version of + this document; in addition, most GUI-based TCP/IP packages obscure + some of the detail that is essential for understanding what is really + happening when you click on a button or drag a file. The Internet has + many exciting things to offer but standardized interfaces to the + protocols is not yet one of them! This guide will not provide any + detail or motivation about the Internet Protocol Suite; more + information about the TCP/IP protocols and related issues may be + found in RFC 1180 [29], Comer [6], Feit [7], Kessler [14], and + Stevens [30]. + + In the descriptions below, commands are shown in a Courier font + (Postscript and HTML versions); items appearing in square brackets + ([]) are optional, the vertical-bar (|) means "or," parameters + appearing with no brackets or within curly brackets ({}) are + mandatory, and parameter names that need to be replaced with a + specific value will be shown in italics (Postscript and HTML + versions) or within angle brackets (<>, text version). In the sample + dialogues, user input is in bold (Postscript and HTML versions) or + denoted with asterisks (**) in the margin (text version). + +3. Finding Information About Internet Hosts and Domains + + There are several tools that let you learn information about Internet + hosts and domains. These tools provide the ability for an application + or a user to perform host name/address reconciliation (NSLOOKUP), + determine whether another host is up and available (PING), learn + about another host's users (Finger), and learn the route that packets + will take to another host (Traceroute). + +3.1. NSLOOKUP + + NSLOOKUP is the name server lookup program that comes with many + TCP/IP software packages. A user can use NSLOOKUP to examine entries + in the Domain Name System (DNS) database that pertain to a particular + host or domain; one common use is to determine a host system's IP + address from its name or the host's name from its IP address. The + general form of the command to make a single query is: + + nslookup [IP_address|host_name] + + If the program is started without any parameters, the user will be + prompted for input; the user can enter either an IP address or host + name at that time, and the program will respond with the name and + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 3] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + address of the default name sever, the name server actually used to + resolve each request, and the IP address and host name that was + queried. Exit is used to quit the NSLOOKUP application. + + Three simple queries are shown in the example below: + + 1 Requests the address of the host named www.hill.com, the World + Wide Web server at Hill Associates. As it turns out, this is not + the true name of the host, but an alias. The full name of the host + and the IP address are listed by NSLOOKUP. + + 2 Requests the address of host syrup.hill.com, which is the same + host as in the first query. Note that NSLOOKUP provides a "non- + authoritative" answer. Since NSLOOKUP just queried this same + address, the information is still in its cache memory. Rather than + send additional messages to the name server, the answer is one + that it remembers from before; the server didn't look up the + information again, however, so it is not guaranteed to still be + accurate (because the information might have changed within the + last few milliseconds!). + + 3 Requests the name of the host with the given IP address. The + result points to the Internet gateway to Australia, munnari.oz.au. + + One additional query is shown in the dialogue below. NSLOOKUP + examines information that is stored by the DNS. The default NSLOOKUP + queries examine basic address records (called "A records") to + reconcile the host name and IP address, although other information is + also available. In the final query below, for example, the user wants + to know where electronic mail addressed to the hill.com domain + actually gets delivered, since hill.com is not the true name of an + actual host. This is accomplished by changing the query type to look + for mail exchange (MX) records by issuing a set type command (which + must be in lower case). The query shows that mail addressed to + hill.com is actually sent to a mail server called mail.hill.com. If + that system is not available, mail delivery will be attempted to + first mailme.hill.com and then to netcomsv.netcom.com; the order of + these attempts is controlled by the "preference" value. This query + also returns the name of the domain's name servers and all associated + IP addresses. + + The DNS is beyond the scope of this introduction, although more + information about the concepts and structure of the DNS can be found + in STD 13/RFC 1034 [19], RFC 1591 [21], and Kessler [16]. The help + command can be issued at the program prompt for information about + NSLOOKUP's more advanced commands. + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 4] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + TECHNICAL NOTE: There are other tools that might be available on your + system or with your software for examining the DNS. Alternatives to + NSLOOKUP include HOST and DIG. + + ==================================================================== +**SMCVAX$ nslookup + + Default Server: ns1.ner.bbnplanet.net + Address: 192.52.71.5 + +**> www.hill.com + Name: syrup.hill.com + Address: 199.182.20.3 + Aliases: www.hill.com + +**> syrup.hill.com + Non-authoritative answer: + Name: syrup.hill.com + Address: 199.182.20.3 + +**> 128.250.1.21 + Name: munnari.OZ.AU + Address: 128.250.1.21 + +**> set type=MX +**> hill.com + hill.com preference = 20, mail exchanger = mail.hill.com + hill.com preference = 40, mail exchanger = mailme.hill.com + hill.com preference = 60, mail exchanger = netcomsv.netcom.com + hill.com nameserver = nameme.hill.com + hill.com nameserver = ns1.noc.netcom.net + hill.com nameserver = ns.netcom.com + mail.hill.com internet address = 199.182.20.4 + mailme.hill.com internet address = 199.182.20.3 + netcomsv.netcom.com internet address = 192.100.81.101 + ns1.noc.netcom.net internet address = 204.31.1.1 + ns.netcom.com internet address = 192.100.81.105 + +**> exit + SMCVAX$ + ==================================================================== + + + + + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 5] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + +3.2. Ping + + Ping, reportedly an acronym for the Packet Internetwork Groper, is + one of the most widely available tools bundled with TCP/IP software + packages. Ping uses a series of Internet Control Message Protocol + (ICMP) [22] Echo messages to determine if a remote host is active or + inactive, and to determine the round-trip delay in communicating with + it. + + A common form of the Ping command, showing some of the more commonly + available options that are of use to general users, is: + + ping [-q] [-v] [-R] [-c Count] [-i Wait] [-s PacketSize] Host + + where: + + -q Quiet output; nothing is displayed except summary + lines at startup and completion + + -v Verbose output, which lists ICMP packets that are + received in addition to Echo Responses + + -R Record route option; includes the RECORD_ROUTE + option in the Echo Request packet and displays the route buffer + on returned packets + + -c Count Specifies the number of Echo Requests to be sent + before concluding test (default is to run until interrupted + with a control-C) + + -i Wait Indicates the number of seconds to wait between + sending each packet (default = 1) + + -s PacketSize Specifies the number of data bytes to be sent; + the total ICMP packet size will be PacketSize+8 bytes due to + the ICMP header (default = 56, or a 64 byte packet) + + Host IP address or host name of target system + + In the first example below, the user pings the host + thumper.bellcore.com, requesting that 6 (-c) messages be sent, each + containing 64 bytes (-s) of user data. The display shows the round- + trip delay of each Echo message returned to the sending host; at the + end of the test, summary statistics are displayed. + + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 6] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + In the second example, the user pings the host smcvax.smcvt.edu, + requesting that 10 messages be sent in quite mode (-q). In this case, + a summary is printed at the conclusion of the test and individual + responses are not listed. + + TECHNICAL NOTE: Older versions of the Ping command, which are still + available on some systems, had the following general format: + + ping [-s] {IP_address|host_name} [PacketSize] [Count] + + In this form, the optional "-s" string tells the system to + continually send an ICMP Echo message every second; the optional + PacketSize parameter specifies the number of bytes in the Echo + message (the message will contain PacketSize-8 bytes of data; the + default is 56 bytes of data and a 64 byte message); and the optional + Count parameter indicates the number of Echo messages to send before + concluding the test (the default is to run the test continuously + until interrupted). + + ==================================================================== +**syrup:/home$ ping -c 6 -s 64 thumper.bellcore.com + PING thumper.bellcore.com (128.96.41.1): 64 data bytes + 72 bytes from 128.96.41.1: icmp_seq=0 ttl=240 time=641.8 ms + 72 bytes from 128.96.41.1: icmp_seq=2 ttl=240 time=1072.7 ms + 72 bytes from 128.96.41.1: icmp_seq=3 ttl=240 time=1447.4 ms + 72 bytes from 128.96.41.1: icmp_seq=4 ttl=240 time=758.5 ms + 72 bytes from 128.96.41.1: icmp_seq=5 ttl=240 time=482.1 ms + + --- thumper.bellcore.com ping statistics --- + 6 packets transmitted, 5 packets received, 16% packet loss + round-trip min/avg/max = 482.1/880.5/1447.4 ms + +**syrup:/home$ ping -q -c 10 smcvax.smcvt.edu + PING smcvax.smcvt.edu (192.80.64.1): 56 data bytes + + --- smcvax.smcvt.edu ping statistics --- + + 10 packets transmitted, 8 packets received, 20% packet loss + round-trip min/avg/max = 217.8/246.4/301.5 ms + ==================================================================== + + + + + + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 7] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + +3.3. Finger + + The Finger program may be used to find out who is logged in on + another system or to find out detailed information about a specific + user. This command has also introduced a brand new verb; fingering + someone on the Internet is not necessarily a rude thing to do! The + Finger User Information Protocol is described in RFC 1288 [32]. The + most general format of the Finger command is: + + finger [username]@host_name + + The first example below shows the result of fingering an individual + user at a remote system. The first line of the response shows the + username, the user's real name, their process identifier, + application, and terminal port number. Additional information may be + supplied at the option of the user in "plan" and/or "project" files + that they supply; these files are often named PLAN.TXT or + PROJECT.TXT, respectively, and reside in a user's root directory (or + somewhere in an appropriate search path). + + The second example shows the result of fingering a remote system. + This lists all of the processes currently running at the fingered + system or other information, depending upon how the remote system's + administrator set up the system to respond to the Finger command. + + ==================================================================== +**C:> finger kumquat@smcvax.smcvt.edu + [smcvax.smcvt.edu] + KUMQUAT Gary Kessler KUMQUAT not logged in + Last login Fri 16-Sep-1996 3:47PM-EDT + + Plan: + + =================================================================== + Gary C. Kessler + Adjunct Faculty Member, Graduate College + + INTERNET: kumquat@smcvt.edu + + =================================================================== + +**C:> finger @smcvax.smcvt.edu + [smcvax.smcvt.edu] + Tuesday, September 17, 1996 10:12AM-EDT Up 30 09:40:18 + 5+1 Jobs on SMCVAX Load ave 0.16 0.19 0.21 + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 8] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + User Personal Name Subsys Terminal Console Location + GOODWIN Dave Goodwin LYNX 6.NTY2 waldo.smcvt.edu + JAT John Tronoan TELNET 1.TXA5 + HELPDESK System Manager EDT 2:08.NTY4 [199.93.35.182] + SMITH Lorraine Smith PINE .NTY3 [199.93.34.139] + SYSTEM System Manager MAIL 23.OPA0 The VAX Console + *DCL* SMCVX1$OPA0 The VAX Console + ==================================================================== + +3.4. Traceroute + + Traceroute is another common TCP/IP tool, this one allowing users to + learn about the route that packets take from their local host to a + remote host. Although used often by network and system managers as a + simple, yet powerful, debugging tool, traceroute can be used by end + users to learn something about the ever-changing structure of the + Internet. + + The classic Traceroute command has the following general format + (where "#" represents a positive integer value associated with the + qualifier): + + traceroute [-m #] [-q #] [-w #] [-p #] {IP_address|host_name} + + where + -m is the maximum allowable TTL value, measured as + the number of hops allowed before the program terminates + (default = 30) + -q is the number of UDP packets that will be sent with + each time-to-live setting (default = 3) + -w is the amount of time, in seconds, to wait for + an answer from a particular router before giving up + (default= 5) + -p is the invalid port address at the remote host + (default = 33434) + + The Traceroute example below shows the route between a host at St. + Michael's College (domain smcvt.edu) and a host at Hill Associates + (www.hill.com), both located in Colchester, VT but served by + different Internet service providers (ISP). + + + + + + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 9] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + 1 St. Michael's College is connected to the Internet via BBN + Planet; since the mid-1980s, BBN operated the NSF's regional ISP, + called the New England Academic and Research Network (NEARNET), + which was renamed in 1994. The first hop, then, goes to St. Mike's + BBN Planet gateway router (smc.bbnplanet.net). The next hop goes + to another BBN Planet router (denoted here only by IP address + since a name was not assigned to the device), until the packet + reaches the BBN Planet T3 backbone. + + 2 The packet takes two hops through routers at BBN Planet's + Cambridge (MA) facility and is then forwarded to BBN Planet in New + York City, where the packet takes four more hops. The packet is + then forwarded to BBN Planet in College Park (MD). + + 3 The packet is sent to BBN Planet's router at MAE-East, MFS + Datanet's Network Access Point (NAP) in Washington, D.C. MAE + stands for Metropolitan Area Exchange, and is a Fiber Distributed + Data Interface (FDDI) ring interconnecting routers from + subscribing ISPs. The packet is then forwarded to NETCOM, Hill + Associates' ISP. + + 4 The packet now travels through NETCOM's T3 backbone, following + links from Washington, D.C. to Chicago to Santa Clara (CA), to San + Jose (CA). + + 5 The packet is now sent to Hill Associates router (again, a + system designated only by an IP address since the NETCOM side of + the router was not named) and then passed to the target system. + Note that the host's real name is not www.hill.com, but + syrup.hill.com. + + TECHNICAL NOTE: The original version of Traceroute works by sending a + sequence of User Datagram Protocol (UDP) datagrams to an invalid port + address at the remote host. Using the default settings, three + datagrams are sent, each with a Time-To-Live (TTL) field value set to + one. The TTL value of 1 causes the datagram to "timeout" as soon as + it hits the first router in the path; this router will then respond + with an ICMP Time Exceeded Message (TEM) indicating that the datagram + has expired. Another three UDP messages are now sent, each with the + TTL value set to 2, which causes the second router to return ICMP + + + + + + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 10] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + TEMs. This process continues until the packets actually reach the + other destination. Since these datagrams are trying to access an + invalid port at the destination host, ICMP Destination Unreachable + Messages are returned indicating an unreachable port; this event + signals the Traceroute program that it is finished! The Traceroute + program displays the round-trip delay associated with each of the + attempts. (Note that some current implementations of Traceroute use + the Record-Route option in IP rather than the method described + above.) + + As an aside, Traceroute did not begin life as a general-purpose + utility, but as a quick-and-dirty debugging aid used to find a + routing problem. The code (complete with comments!) is available by + anonymous FTP in the file traceroute.tar.Z from the host + ftp.ee.lbl.gov. (See Section 4.2 for a discussion of anonymous FTP.) + + ==================================================================== +**SMCVAX$ traceroute www.hill.com + traceroute to syrup.hill.com (199.182.20.3), 30 hops max, 38 byte + packets + 1 smc.bbnplanet.net (192.80.64.5) 10 ms 0 ms 0 ms + 2 131.192.48.105 (131.192.48.105) 0 ms 10 ms 10 ms + 3 cambridge1-cr4.bbnplanet.net (199.94.204.77) 40 ms 40 ms 50 ms + 4 cambridge1-br1.bbnplanet.net (4.0.1.205) 30 ms 50 ms 50 ms + 5 nyc1-br2.bbnplanet.net (4.0.1.121) 60 ms 60 ms 40 ms + 6 nyc2-br2.bbnplanet.net (4.0.1.154) 60 ms 50 ms 60 ms + 7 nyc2-br2.bbnplanet.net (4.0.1.154) 60 ms 40 ms 50 ms + 8 nyc2-br1.bbnplanet.net (4.0.1.54) 70 ms 60 ms 30 ms + 9 collegepk-br2.bbnplanet.net (4.0.1.21) 50 ms 50 ms 40 ms + 10 maeeast.bbnplanet.net (4.0.1.18) 200 ms 170 ms 210 ms + 11 fddi.mae-east.netcom.net (192.41.177.210) 60 ms 50 ms 70 ms + 12 t3-2.was-dc-gw1.netcom.net (163.179.220.181) 70 ms 60 ms 50 ms + 13 t3-2.chw-il-gw1.netcom.net (163.179.220.186) 70 ms 80 ms 80 ms + 14 t3-2.scl-ca-gw1.netcom.net (163.179.220.190) 140 ms 110 ms 160 + ms + 15 t3-1.sjx-ca-gw1.netcom.net (163.179.220.193) 120 ms 130 ms 120 + ms + 16 198.211.141.8 (198.211.141.8) 220 ms 260 ms 240 ms + 17 syrup.hill.com (199.182.20.3) 220 ms 240 ms 219 ms + SMCVAX$ + ==================================================================== + + + + + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 11] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + +4. The Two Fundamental Tools + + The two most basic tools for Internet applications are TELNET and the + File Transfer Protocol (FTP). TELNET allows a user to login to a + remote host over a TCP/IP network, while FTP, as the name implies, + allows a user to move files between two TCP/IP hosts. These two + utilities date back to the very early days of the ARPANET. + +4.1. TELNET + + TELNET [27] is TCP/IP's virtual terminal protocol. Using TELNET, a + user connected to one host can login to another host, appearing like + a directly-attached terminal at the remote system; this is TCP/IP's + definition of a virtual terminal. The general form of the TELNET + command is: + + telnet [IP_address|host_name] [port] + + As shown, a TELNET connection is initiated when the user enters the + telnet command and supplies either a host_name or IP_address; if + neither are given, TELNET will ask for one once the application + begins. + + In the example below, a user of a PC uses TELNET to attach to the + remote host smcvax.smcvt.edu. Once logged in via TELNET, the user can + do anything on the remote host that would be possible if connected + via a directly-attached terminal or via modem. The commands that are + subsequently used are those available on the remote system to which + the user is attached. In the sample dialogue below, the user attached + to SMCVAX will use basic VAX/VMS commands: + + o The dir command lists the files having a "COM" file extension. + o The mail command enters the VMS MAIL subsystem; the dir command + here lists waiting mail. + o Ping checks the status of another host. + + When finished, the logout command logs the user off the remote host; + TELNET automatically closes the connection to the remote host and + returns control to the local system. + + It is important to note that TELNET is a very powerful tool, one that + may provide users with access to many Internet utilities and services + that might not be otherwise available. Many of these features are + accessed by specifying a port number with the TELNET command, in + addition to a host's address, and knowledge of port numbers provides + another mechanism for users to access information with TELNET. + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 12] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + This guide discusses several TCP/IP and Internet utilities that require + local client software, such as Finger, Whois, Archie, and Gopher. But + what if your software does not include a needed client? In some cases, + TELNET may be used to access a remote client and provide the same + functionality. + + This is done by specifying a port number with the TELNET command. Just + as TCP/IP hosts have a unique IP address, applications on the host are + associated with an address, called a port. Finger (see Section 3.3 + above), for example, is associated with the well-known port number 79. + In the absence of a Finger client, TELNETing to port 79 at a remote host + may provide the same information. You can finger another host with + TELNET by using a command like: + + telnet host_name 79 + + Other well-known TCP port numbers include 25 (Simple Mail Transfer + Protocol), 43 (whois), 80 (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), and 119 + (Network News Transfer Protocol). + + Some services are available on the Internet using TELNET and special + port numbers. A geographical information database, for example, may + be accessed by TELNETing to port 3000 at host martini.eecs.umich.edu + and current weather information is available at port 3000 at host + downwind.sprl.umich.edu. + + ==================================================================== +**C:> telnet smcvax.smcvt.edu + FTP Software PC/TCP tn 3.10 01/24/95 02:40 + Copyright (c) 1986-1995 by FTP Software, Inc. All rights reserved + + - Connected to St. Michael's College - + +**Username: kumquat +**Password: + + St. Michael's College VAX/VMS System. + Node SMCVAX. + + Last interactive login on Monday, 16-SEP-1996 15:47 + Last non-interactive login on Wednesday, 6-MAR-1996 08:19 + + You have 1 new Mail message. + + Good Afternoon User KUMQUAT. Logged in on 17-SEP-1996 at 1:10 PM. + + User [GUEST,KUMQUAT] has 3225 blocks used, 6775 available, + of 10000 authorized and permitted overdraft of 100 blocks on $1$DIA2 + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 13] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + To see a complete list of news items, type: NEWS DIR + To read a particular item, type NEWS followed by + the name of the item you wish to read. + +**SMCVAX$ dir *.com + Directory $1$DIA2:[GUEST.KUMQUAT] + BACKUP.COM;24 24 16-JUL-1990 16:22:46.68 (RWED,RWED,RE,) + DELTREE.COM;17 3 16-JUL-1990 16:22:47.58 (RWED,RWED,RE,) + EXPANDZ.COM;7 2 22-FEB-1993 10:00:04.35 (RWED,RWED,RE,) + FTSLOGBLD.COM;3 1 16-JUL-1990 16:22:48.57 (RWED,RWED,RE,) + FTSRRR.COM;2 1 16-JUL-1990 16:22:48.73 (RWED,RWED,RE,) + LOGIN.COM;116 5 1-DEC-1993 09:33:21.61 (RWED,RWED,RE,) + SNOOPY.COM;6 1 16-JUL-1990 16:22:52.06 (RWED,RWED,RE,) + SYLOGIN.COM;83 8 16-JUL-1990 16:22:52.88 (RWED,RWED,RE,RE) + SYSTARTUP.COM;88 15 16-JUL-1990 16:22:53.21 (RWED,RWED,RE,) + WATCH_MAIL.COM;1 173 10-MAY-1994 09:59:52.65 (RWED,RWED,RE,) + Total of 10 files, 233 blocks. + +**SMCVAX$ mail + You have 1 new message. +**MAIL> dir + NEWMAIL + # From Date Subject + 1 IN%"ibug@plainfield. 15-SEP-1996 ANNOUNCE: Burlington WWW Conference +**MAIL> exit + +**SMCVAX$ ping kestrel.hill.com /n=5 + PING HILL.COM (199.182.20.24): 56 data bytes + 64 bytes from 199.182.20.24: icmp_seq=0 time=290 ms + 64 bytes from 199.182.20.24: icmp_seq=1 time=260 ms + 64 bytes from 199.182.20.24: icmp_seq=2 time=260 ms + 64 bytes from 199.182.20.24: icmp_seq=3 time=260 ms + 64 bytes from 199.182.20.24: icmp_seq=4 time=260 ms + + ----KESTREL.HILL.COM PING Statistics---- + 5 packets transmitted, 5 packets received, 0% packet loss + round-trip (ms) min/avg/max = 260/266/290 + +**SMCVAX$ logout + KUMQUAT logged out at 17-SEP-1996 13:17:04.29 + + Connection #0 closed + C:> + ==================================================================== + + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 14] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + +4.2. FTP + + FTP [26] is one of the most useful and powerful TCP/IP utilities for + the general user. FTP allows users to upload and download files + between local and remote hosts. Anonymous FTP, in particular, is + commonly available at file archive sites to allow users to access + files without having to pre-establish an account at the remote host. + TELNET might, in fact, be used for this purpose but TELNET gives the + user complete access to the remote system; FTP limits the user to + file transfer activities. + + The general form of the FTP command is: + + ftp [IP_address|host_name] + + An FTP session can be initiated in several ways. In the example shown + below, an FTP control connection is initiated to a host (the Defense + Data Network's Network Information Center) by supplying a host name + with the FTP command; optionally, the host's IP address in dotted + decimal (numeric) form could be used. If neither host name nor IP + address are supplied in the command line, a connection to a host can + be initiated by typing open host_name or open IP_address once the FTP + application has been started. + + The remote host will ask for a username and password. If a bona fide + registered user of this host supplies a valid username and password, + then the user will have access to any files and directories to which + this username has privilege. For anonymous FTP access, the username + anonymous is used. Historically, the password for the anonymous user + (not shown in actual use) has been guest, although most systems today + ask for the user's Internet e-mail address (and several sites attempt + to verify that packets are coming from that address before allowing + the user to login). + + The "help ?" command may be used to obtain a list of FTP commands and + help topics available with your software; although not always shown, + nearly all TCP/IP applications have a help command. An example of the + help for FTP's type command is shown in the sample dialogue. This + command is very important one, by the way; if transferring a binary + or executable file, be sure to set the type to image (or binary on + some systems). + + The dir command provides a directory listing of the files in the + current directory at the remote host; the UNIX ls command may also + usually be used. Note that an FTP data transfer connection is + established for the transfer of the directory information to the + local host. The output from the dir command will show a file listing + that is consistent with the native operating system of the remote + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 15] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + host. Although the TCP/IP suite is often associated with UNIX, it can + (and does) run with nearly all common operating systems. The + directory information shown in the sample dialogue happens to be in + UNIX format and includes the following information: + + o File attributes. The first character identifies the type of file + entry as a directory (d), link or symbolic name (l), or individual + file (-). The next nine characters are the file access permissions + list; the first three characters are for the owner, the next three + for the owner's group, and the last three for all other users. + Three access privileges may be assigned to each file for each of + these roups: read (r), write (w), and execute (x). + o Number of entries, or hard links, in this structure. This value + will be a "1" if the entry refers to a file or link, or will be + the number of files in the listed directory. + o File owner + o File owner's group. + o File size, in bytes. + o Date and time of last modification. If the date is followed by a + timestamp, then the date is from the current year. + o File name. + + After the directory information has been transferred, FTP closes the + data transfer connection. + + The command cd is used to change to another working directory, in + this case the rfc directory (note that file and directory names may + be case-sensitive). As in DOS, "cd .." will change to the parent of + the current directory. The CWD command successful is the only + indication that the user's cd command was correctly executed; the + show-directory (may be truncated to fewer characters, as shown) + command, if available, may be used to see which working directory you + are in. + + Another dir command is used to find all files with the name + rfc173*.txt; note the use of the * wildcard character. We can now + copy (download) the file of choice (RFC 1739 is the previous version + of this primer) by using the get (or receive) command, which has the + following general format: + + get remote_file_name local_file_name + + FTP opens another data transfer connection for this file transfer + purpose; note that the effective data transfer rate is 93.664 kbps. + + FTP's put (or send) command allows uploading from the local host to + the remote. Put is often not available when using anonymous FTP. + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 16] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + Finally, we terminate the FTP connection by using the close command. + The user can initiate another FTP connection using the open command + or can leave FTP by issuing a quit command. Quit can also be used to + close a connection and terminate a session. + + TECHNICAL NOTE: It is important to note that different FTP packages + have different commands available and even those with similar names + may act differently. In the example shown here (using MultiNet for + VMS), the show command will display the current working directory; in + FTP Software's OnNet, show will display a file from the remote host + at the local host. Some packages have nothing equivalent to either of + these commands. + + ==================================================================== +**SMCVAX$ ftp nic.ddn.mil + SMCVAX.SMCVT.EDU MultiNet FTP user process 3.4(111) + Connection opened (Assuming 8-bit connections) + <*****Welcome to the DOD Network Information Center***** + < *****Login with username "anonymous" and password "guest" +**Username: anonymous + help type + TYPE + Set the transfer type to type. + + Format + TYPE type + + Additional information available: + Parameters Example Restrictions + +**TYPE Subtopic? parameters + TYPE + + Parameters + type + + Specify a value of ASCII, BACKUP, BINARY, IMAGE or LOGICAL- + BYTE. + + Use TYPE ASCII (the default) for transferring text files. + + Use TYPE BACKUP to set the transfer type to IMAGE and write the + local file with 2048-byte fixed length records. Use this + command to transfer VAX/VMS BACKUP save sets. + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 17] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + Use TYPE BINARY to transfer binary files (same as TYPE IMAGE). + + Use TYPE IMAGE to transfer binary files (for example, .EXE). + + Use TYPE LOGICAL-BYTE to transfer binary files to or from a + TOPS-20 machine. + +**TYPE Subtopic? +**Topic? + +**NIC.DDN.MIL> dir + rfc + drwxr-xr-x 2 nic 10 1024 Sep 16 23:00 gosip + drwxr-xr-x 2 nic 1 512 Mar 19 1996 home + drwxr-xr-x 2 nic 1 512 Mar 19 1996 lost+found + lrwxrwxrwx 1 nic 1 8 Mar 19 1996 mgt -> ddn-news + drwxr-xr-x 2 nic 1 1024 Sep 13 12:11 netinfo + drwxr-xr-x 4 nic 1 512 May 3 23:00 netprog + drwxr-xr-x 2 nic 1 1024 Mar 19 1996 protocols + drwxr-xr-x 2 nic 1 512 Mar 19 1996 pub + drwxr-xr-x 3 140 10 512 Aug 27 21:03 registrar + drwxr-xr-x 2 nic 1 29696 Sep 16 23:00 rfc + drwxr-xr-x 2 nic 1 5632 Sep 9 23:00 scc + drwxr-xr-x 2 nic 1 1536 Sep 16 23:00 std + drwxr-xr-x 2 nic 1 1024 Sep 16 23:00 templates + drwxr-xr-x 3 nic 1 512 Mar 19 1996 usr + cd rfc + show + <"/rfc" is current directory. + +**NIC.DDN.MIL> dir rfc173*.txt + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 18] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + get rfc1739.txt primer.txt + quit + nicname hill.com + [198.41.0.5] + Hill Associates (HILL-DOM) + 17 Roosevelt Hwy. + Colchester, Vermont 05446 + US + + Domain Name: HILL.COM + + Administrative Contact: + Kessler, Gary C. (GK34) g.kessler@HILL.COM + 802-655-0940 + Technical Contact, Zone Contact: + Monaghan, Carol A. (CAM4) c.monaghan@HILL.COM + 802-655-0940 + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 20] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + Billing Contact: + Parry, Amy (AP1257) a.parry@HILL.COM + 802-655-0940 + + Record last updated on 11-Jun-96. + Record created on 11-Jan-93. + + Domain servers in listed order: + + SYRUP.HILL.COM 199.182.20.3 + NS1.NOC.NETCOM.NET 204.31.1.1 + + +**C:> telnet rs.internic.net + SunOS UNIX 4.1 (rs1) (ttypb) + + *********************************************************************** + * -- InterNIC Registration Services Center -- + * + * For wais, type: WAIS + * For the *original* whois type: WHOIS [search string] + * For referral whois type: RWHOIS [search string] + * + ********************************************************************** + Please be advised that use constitutes consent to monitoring + (Elec Comm Priv Act, 18 USC 2701-2711) + +**[vt220] InterNIC > whois + InterNIC WHOIS Version: 1.2 Wed, 18 Sep 96 09:49:50 + +**Whois: 199.182.20.0 + Hill Associates (NET-HILLASSC) + 17 Roosevelt Highway + Colchester, VT 05446 + + Netname: HILLASSC + Netnumber: 199.182.20.0 + + Coordinator: + Monaghan, Carol A. (CAM4) c.monaghan@HILL.COM + 802-655-0940 + + Record last updated on 17-May-94. + + + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 21] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + +**Whois: com-dom + Commercial top-level domain (COM-DOM) + Network Solutions, Inc. + 505 Huntmar park Dr. + Herndon, VA 22070 + + Domain Name: COM + + Administrative Contact, Technical Contact, Zone Contact: + Network Solutions, Inc. (HOSTMASTER) hostmaster@INTERNIC.NET + (703) 742-4777 (FAX) (703) 742-4811 + + Record last updated on 02-Sep-94. + Record created on 01-Jan-85. + + Domain servers in listed order: + + A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET 198.41.0.4 + H.ROOT-SERVERS.NET 128.63.2.53 + B.ROOT-SERVERS.NET 128.9.0.107 + C.ROOT-SERVERS.NET 192.33.4.12 + D.ROOT-SERVERS.NET 128.8.10.90 + E.ROOT-SERVERS.NET 192.203.230.10 + I.ROOT-SERVERS.NET 192.36.148.17 + F.ROOT-SERVERS.NET 192.5.5.241 + G.ROOT-SERVERS.NET 192.112.36.4 + +**Would you like to see the known domains under this top-level domain? n + +**Whois: exit + +**[vt220] InterNIC > quit + + Wed Sep 18 09:50:29 1996 EST + + Connection #0 closed + C:> + ==================================================================== + + + + + + + + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 22] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + +5.2. KNOWBOT + + KNOWBOT is an automated username database search tool that is related + to WHOIS. The Knowbot Information Service (KIS), operated by the + Corporation for National Research Initiatives (CNRI) in Reston, + Virginia, provides a simple WHOIS-like interface that allows users to + query several Internet user databases (White Pages services) all at + one time. A single KIS query will automatically search the InterNIC, + MILNET, MCImail, and PSI White Pages Pilot Project; other databases + may also be included. + + KNOWBOT may be accessed by TELNETing to host info.cnri.reston.va.us. + The help command will supply sufficient information to get started. + The sample dialogue below shows use of the query command to locate a + user named "Steven Shepard"; this command automatically starts a + search through the default set of Internet databases. + + ==================================================================== +**C:> telnet info.cnri.reston.va.us + + Knowbot Information Service + + KIS Client (V2.0). Copyright CNRI 1990. All Rights Reserved. + + KIS searches various Internet directory services + to find someone's street address, email address and phone number. + + Type 'man' at the prompt for a complete reference with examples. + Type 'help' for a quick reference to commands. + Type 'news' for information about recent changes. + + Please enter your email address in our guest book... +**(Your email address?) > s.shepard@hill.com + +**> query shepard, steven + Trying whois at ds.internic.net... + The ds.internic.net whois server is being queried: + Nothing returned. + + The rs.internic.net whois server is being queried: + + Shepard, Steven (SS2192) 708-810-5215 + Shepard, Steven (SS1302) axisteven@AOL.COM (954) 974-4569 + + + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 23] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + The nic.ddn.mil whois server is being queried: + + Shepard, Steven (SS2192) + R.R. Donnelley & Sons + 750 Warrenville Road + Lisle, IL 60532 + Trying mcimail at cnri.reston.va.us... + Trying ripe at whois.ripe.net... + Trying whois at whois.lac.net... + + No match found for .SHEPARD,STEVEN + +**> quit + KIS exiting + Connection #0 closed + C:> + ==================================================================== + +6. Information Servers + + File transfer, remote login, and electronic mail remained the primary + applications of the ARPANET/Internet until the early 1990s. But as + the Internet user population shifted from hard-core computer + researchers and academics to more casual users, easier-to-use tools + were needed for the Net to become accepted as a useful resource. That + means making things easier to find. This section will discuss some of + the early tools that made it easier to locate and access information + on the Internet. + +6.1. Archie + + Archie, developed in 1992 at the Computer Science Department at + McGill University in Montreal, allows users to find software, data, + and other information files that reside at anonymous FTP archive + sites; the name of the program, reportedly, is derived from the word + "archive" and not from the comic book character. Archie tracks the + contents of several thousand anonymous FTP sites containing millions + of files. The archie server automatically updates the information + from each registered site about once a month, providing relatively + up-to-date information without unduly stressing the network. Archie, + however, is not as popular as it once was and many sites have not + updated their information; as the examples below show, many of the + catalog listings are several years old. + + + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 24] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + Before using archie, you must identify a server address. The sites + below all support archie; most (but not all) archie sites support the + servers command which lists all known archie servers. Due to the + popularity of archie at some sites and its high processing demands, + many sites limit access to non-peak hours and/or limit the number of + simultaneous archie users. Available archie sites include: + + archie.au archie.rediris.es + archie.edvz.uni-linz.ac.at archie.luth.se + archie.univie.ac.at archie.switch.ch + archie.uqam.ca archie.ncu.edu.tw + archie.funet.fi archie.doc.ic.ac.uk + archie.th-darmstadt.de archie.unl.edu + archie.ac.il archie.internic.net + archie.unipi.it archie.rutgers.edu + archie.wide.ad.jp archie.ans.net + archie.kr archie.sura.net + archie.sogang.ac.kr + + All archie sites can be accessed using archie client software. Some + archie servers may be accessed using TELNET; when TELNETing to an + archie site, login as archie (you must use lower case) and hit + if a password is requested. + + Once connected, the help command assists users in obtaining more + information about using archie. Two more useful archie commands are + prog, used to search for files in the database, and whatis, which + searches for keywords in the program descriptions. + + In the accompanying dialogue, the set maxhits command is used to + limit the number of responses to any following prog commands; if this + is not done, the user may get an enormous amount of information. In + this example, the user issues a request to find entries related to + "dilbert"; armed with this information, a user can use anonymous FTP + to examine these directories and files. + + The next request is for files with "tcp/ip" as a keyword descriptor. + These responses can be used for subsequent prog commands. + + Exit archie using the exit command. At this point, TELNET closes the + connection and control returns to the local host. + + + + + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 25] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + Additional information about archie can be obtained by sending e-mail + to Bunyip Information Systems (archie-info@bunyip.com). Client + software is not required to use archie, but can make life a little + easier; some such software can be downloaded using anonymous FTP from + the /pub/archie/clients/ directory at ftp.sura.net (note that the + newest program in this directory is dated June 1994). Most shareware + and commercial archie clients hide the complexity described in this + section; users usually connect to a pre-configured archie server + merely by typing an archie command line. + + ==================================================================== +**C:> telnet archie.unl.edu + SunOS UNIX (crcnis2) + +**login: archie +**Password: + + Welcome to the ARCHIE server at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln + + # Bunyip Information Systems, 1993 + +**unl-archie> help + These are the commands you can use in help: + + . go up one level in the hierarchy + + ? display a list of valid subtopics at the current level + + + done, ^D, ^C quit from help entirely + + help on a topic or subtopic + Eg. + "help show" + + will give you the help screen for the "show" command + + "help set search" + + Will give you the help information for the "search" variable. + + The command "manpage" will give you a complete copy of the archie + manual page. +**help> done + +**unl-archie> set maxhits 5 + +**unl-archie> prog dilbert + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 26] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + # Search type: sub. + # Your queue position: 2 + # Estimated time for completion: 00:20 + + Host ftp.wustl.edu (128.252.135.4) + Last updated 10:08 25 Dec 1993 + + Location: /multimedia/images/gif/unindexed/931118 + FILE -rw-r--r-- 9747 bytes 19:18 17 Nov 1993 dilbert.gif + +**unl-archie> whatis tcp/ip + RFC 1065 McCloghrie, K.; Rose, M.T. + Structure and identification of management information for TCP/IP-based + internets. 1988 August; 21 p. (Obsoleted by RFC 1155) + RFC 1066 McCloghrie, K.; Rose, M.T. + Management Information Base for network management of TCP/IP-based + internets. 1988 August; 90 p. (Obsoleted by RFC 1156) + RFC 1085 Rose, M.T. ISO presentation + services on top of TCP/IP based internets. 1988 December; 32 p. + RFC 1095 Warrier, U.S.; Besaw, L. Common + Management Information Services and Protocol over TCP/IP (CMOT). 1989 + April; 67 p. (Obsoleted by RFC 1189) + RFC 1144 Jacobson, V. Compressing TCP/IP + headers for low-speed serial links. 1990 February; 43 p. + RFC 1147 Stine, R.H.,ed. FYI on a + network management tool catalog: Tools for monitoring and debugging + TCP/IP internets and interconnected devices. 1990 April; 126 p. (Also + FYI 2) + RFC 1155 Rose, M.T.; McCloghrie, K. + Structure and identification of management information for TCP/IP-based + internets. 1990 May; 22 p. (Obsoletes RFC 1065) + RFC 1156 McCloghrie, K.; Rose, M.T. + Management Information Base for network management of TCP/IP-based + internets. 1990 May; 91 p. (Obsoletes RFC 1066) + RFC 1158 Rose, M.T.,ed. Management + Information Base for network management of TCP/IP-based internets: + MIB-II. 1990 May; 133 p. + RFC 1180 Socolofsky, T.J.; Kale, C.J. + TCP/IP tutorial. 1991 January; 28 p. + RFC 1195 Callon, R.W. Use of OSI + IS-IS for routing in TCP/IP and dual environments. 1990 December; 65 p. + RFC 1213 McCloghrie, K.; Rose,M.T.,eds. + Management Information Base for network management of TCP/IP-based + internets:MIB-II. 1991 March; 70 p. (Obsoletes RFC 1158) + log_tcp Package to monitor tcp/ip connections + ping PD version of the ping(1) command. Send ICMP + ECHO requests to a host on the network (TCP/IP) to see whether it's + reachable or not + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 27] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + +**unl-archie> exit + # Bye. + + Connection #0 closed + + C:> + ==================================================================== + +6.2. Gopher + + The Internet Gopher protocol was developed at the University of + Minnesota's Microcomputer Center in 1991, as a distributed + information search and retrieval tool for the Internet. Gopher is + described in RFC 1436 [1]; the name derives from the University's + mascot. + + Gopher provides a tool so that publicly available information at a + host can be organized in a hierarchical fashion using simple text + descriptions, allowing files to be perused using a simple menu + system. Gopher also allows a user to view a file on demand without + requiring additional file transfer protocols. In addition, Gopher + introduced the capability of linking sites on the Internet, so that + each Gopher site can be used as a stepping stone to access other + sites and reducing the amount of duplicate information and effort on + the network. + + Any Gopher site can be accessed using Gopher client software (or a + WWW browser). In many cases, users can access Gopher by TELNETing to + a valid Gopher location; if the site provides a remote Gopher client, + the user will see a text-based, menu interface. The number of Gopher + sites grew rapidly between 1991 and 1994, although growth tapered due + to the introduction of the Web; in any case, most Gopher sites have a + menu item that will allow you to identify other Gopher sites. If + using TELNET, login with the username gopher (this must be in + lowercase); no password is required. + + In the sample dialogue below, the user attaches to the Gopher server + at the Internet Network Information Center (InterNIC) by TELNETing to + ds.internic.net. With the menu interface shown here, the user merely + follows the prompts. Initially, the main menu will appear. Selecting + item 3 causes Gopher to seize and display the "InterNIC Registration + Services (NSI)" menu; move to the desired menu item by typing the + item number or by moving the pointer (-->) down to the desired entry + using the DOWN-ARROW key on the keyboard, and then hitting ENTER. To + quit the program at any time, press q (quit); ? and u will provide + help or go back up to the previous menu, respectively. Users may also + search for strings within files using the / command or download the + file being interrogated using the D command. + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 28] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + Menu item 1 within the first submenu (selected in the dialogue shown + here) is titled "InterNIC Registration Archives." As its submenu + implies, this is a place to obtain files containing the InterNIC's + domain registration policies, domain data, registration forms, and + other information related to registering names and domains on the + Internet. + + ==================================================================== +**SMCVAX$ telnet ds.internic.net + + UNIX(r) System V Release 4.0 (ds2) + +**login: gopher + + ******************************************************************** + Welcome to the InterNIC Directory and Database Server. + ******************************************************************** + + Internet Gopher Information Client v2.1.3 + Home Gopher server: localhost + + --> 1. About InterNIC Directory and Database Services/ + 2. InterNIC Directory and Database Services (AT&T)/ + 3. InterNIC Registration Services (NSI)/ + 4. README + + Press ? for Help, q to Quit Page: 1/1 +**View item number: 3 + + + Internet Gopher Information Client v2.1.3 + InterNIC Registration Services (NSI) + + --> 1. InterNIC Registration Archives/ + 2. Whois Searches (InterNIC IP, ASN, DNS, and POC Registry) + + Press ? for Help, q to Quit, u to go up a menu Page: 1/1 +**View item number: 1 + Internet Gopher Information Client v2.1.3 + InterNIC Registration Archives + + --> 1. archives/ + 2. domain/ + 3. netinfo/ + 4. netprog/ + 5. policy/ + 6. pub/ + 7. templates/ + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 29] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + Press ? for Help, q to Quit, u to go up a menu Page: 1/1 +**q +**Really quit (y/n) ? y + + Connection closed by Foreign Host + + SMCVAX$ + ==================================================================== + +6.3. VERONICA, JUGHEAD, and WAIS + + The problem with being blessed with so much information from FTP, + archie, Gopher, and other sources is exactly that -- too much + information. To make it easier for users to locate the system on + which their desired information resides, a number of other tools have + been created. + + VERONICA (Very Easy Rodent-Oriented Net-wide Index to Computerized + Archives) was developed at the University of Nevada at Reno as an + archie- like adjunct to Gopher. As the number of Gopher sites quickly + grew after its introduction, it became increasingly harder to find + information in gopherspace since Gopher was designed to search a + single database at a time. VERONICA maintains an index of titles of + Gopher items and performs a keyword search on all of the Gopher sites + that it has knowledge of and access to, obviating the need for the + user to perform a menu-by-menu, site-by-site search for information. + When a user selects an item from the menu of a VERONICA search, + "sessions" are automatically established with the appropriate Gopher + servers, and a list of data items is returned to the originating + Gopher client in the form of a Gopher menu so that the user can + access the files. VERONICA is available as an option on many Gopher + servers. + + Another Gopher-adjunct is JUGHEAD (Jonzy's Universal Gopher Hierarchy + Excavation And Display). JUGHEAD supports key word searches and the + use of logical operators (AND, OR, and NOT). The result of a JUGHEAD + search is a display of all menu items which match the search string + which are located in the University of Manchester and UMIST + Information Server, working from a static database that is re-created + every day. JUGHEAD is available from many Gopher sites, although + VERONICA may be a better tool for global searches. + + The Wide Area Information Server (WAIS, pronounced "ways") was + initiated jointly by Apple Computer, Dow Jones, KMPG Peat Marwick, + and Thinking Machines Corp. It is a set of free-ware, share-ware, and + commercial software products for a wide variety of hardware/software + platforms, which work together to help users find information on the + Internet. WAIS provides a single interface through which a user can + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 30] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + access many different information databases. The user interface + allows a query to be formulated in English and the WAIS server will + automatically choose the appropriate databases to search. Further + information about WAIS can be obtained by reading the WAIS FAQ, from + host rtfm.mit.edu in file /pub/usenet/news.answers/wais-faq. + +7. The World Wide Web + + The World Wide Web (WWW) is thought (erroneously) by many to be the + same thing as the Internet. But the confusion, in many ways, is + justified; by early 1996, the WWW accounted for over 40% of all of + the traffic on the Internet. In addition, the number of hosts on the + Internet named www has grown from several hundred in mid-1994 to + 17,000 in mid-1995 to 212,000 in mid-1996 to over 410,000 by early + 1997. The Web has made information on the Internet accessible to + users of all ages and computer skill levels. It has provided a + mechanism so that nearly anyone can become a content provider. + According to some, growth in the number of WWW users is unparalleled + by any other event in human history. + + The WWW was developed in the early 1990s at the CERN Institute for + Particle Physics in Geneva, Switzerland. The Web was designed to + combine aspects of information retrieval with multimedia + communications, unlike archie and Gopher, which were primarily used + for the indexing of text-based files. The Web allows users to access + information in many different types of formats, including text, + sound, image, animation, and video. WWW treats all searchable + Internet files as hypertext documents. Hypertext is a term which + merely refers to text that contains pointers to other text, allowing + a user reading one document to jump to another document for more + information on a given topic, and then return to the same location in + the original document. WWW hypermedia documents are able to employ + images, sound, graphics, video, and animation in addition to text. + + To access WWW servers, users must run client software called a + browser. The browser and server use the Hypertext Transfer Protocol + (HTTP) [3]. WWW documents are written in the Hypertext Markup + Language (HTML) [2, 20], a simple text-based formatting language that + is hardware and software platform-independent. Users point the + browser at some location using a shorthand format called a Uniform + Resource Locator (URL), which allows a WWW servers to obtain files + from any location on the public Internet using a variety of + protocols, including HTTP, FTP, Gopher, and TELNET. + + Mosaic, developed in 1994 at the National Center for Supercomputer + Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois at Urbana- + Champaign, was the first widely-used browser. Because it was + available at no cost over the Internet via anonymous FTP, and had a + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 31] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + version for Windows, Mac, and UNIX systems, Mosaic was probably the + single reason that the Web attracted so many users so quickly. The + most commonly used browsers today include the Netscape Navigator + (http://www.netscape.com), Microsoft's Internet Explorer + (http://www.microsoft.com), and NCSA Mosaic + (http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/SDG/Software/Mosaic/). + + The WWW is ideally suited to a windows environment, or other point- + and-click graphical user interface. Nevertheless, several text-based + Web browsers do exist, although their usefulness is limited if trying + to obtain graphical images, or audio or video clips. One text-based + Web browser is Lynx, and an example of its use is shown below. Items + in square brackets in the sample dialogue are Lynx's way of + indicating an image or other display that cannot be shown on an ASCII + terminal. + + ==================================================================== +**gck@zoo.uvm.edu> lynx www.hill.com + Getting http://www.hill.com/ + Looking up www.hill.com. + Making HTTP connection to www.hill.com.Sending HTTP request. + HTTP request sent; waiting for response.Read 176 bytes of data. + 512 of 2502 bytes of data. + 1024 of 2502 bytes of data. + 536 + 2048 + 502 + Data transfer complete + + Hill Associates + + [INLINE] Hill Associates, Inc. + + Leaders in Telecommunications Training and Education Worldwide + _________________________________________________________________ + + Hill Associates is an international provider of voice and data + telecommunications training and education. We cover the full breadth + of the field, including telephony, computer networks, ISDN, X.25 and + fast packet technologies (frame relay, SMDS, ATM), wireless, TCP/IP + and the Internet, LANs and LAN interconnection, legacy networks, + multimedia and virtual reality, broadband services, regulation, + service strategies, and network security. + + Hill Associates' products and services include instructor-led, + computer-based (CBT), and hands-on workshop courses. Courseware + distribution media include audio tape, video tape, CD-ROM, and 3.5" + disks (PC). + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 32] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + _________________________________________________________________ + + Hill Associates products, services, and corporate information + + * About Hill Associates + * HAI Products and Services Catalog + * Datacomm/2000-ED Series + * Contacting Hill Associates + * Employment Opportunities + * HAI Personnel Home Pages + + On-line information resources from Hill Associates + + * HAI Telecommunications Acronym List + * Articles, Books, and On-Line Presentations by HAI Staff + * GCK's Miscellaneous Sites List... + + Hill Associates is host to the: + + * IEEE Local Computer Networks Conference Home Page... + * Vermont Telecommunications Resource Center + ________________________________________________________________ + + Please send any comments or suggestions to the HAI Webmaster. Come + back again soon! + + Information at this site (c) 1994-1997 Hill Associates. + + + Arrow keys: Up and Down to move. Right to follow a link; Left to go + back. + H)elp O)ptions P)rint G)o M)ain screen Q)uit /=search + [delete]=history list + +**G +**URL to open: http://www.bbn.com + Getting http://www.bbn.com/ + Looking up www.bbn.com. + Making HTTP connection to www.bbn.com.Sending HTTP request. + HTTP request sent; waiting for response.Read 119 bytes of data. + 500 + 1000 bytes of data. + 2 + 5 + 925 + Data transfer complete + + BBN On The World Wide Web + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 33] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + [LINK] + BBN Reports Fourth-Quarter and Year-End 1996 Results + + [INLINE] + [ISMAP] + [ISMAP] + [LINK] + [INLINE] + + Who Won Our Sweepstakes + How The Noc Solves Problems + Noc Noc Who's There + BBN Planet Network Map + + [LINK][LINK][LINK][LINK][LINK][LINK] + [LINK] + Contact BBN Planet + Directions to BBN + Text only index of the BBN Web site + | + Corporate Disclaimer + Send questions and comments about our site to Webmaster@bbn.com + (c) 1996 BBN Corporation + + + Arrow keys: Up and Down to move. Right to follow a link; Left to go + back. + H)elp O)ptions P)rint G)o M)ain screen Q)uit /=search + [delete]=history list +**Q + + gck@zoo.uvm.edu> + ==================================================================== + +7.1. Uniform Resource Locators + + As more and more protocols have become available to identify files, + archive and server sites, news lists, and other information resources + on the Internet, it was inevitable that some shorthand would arise to + make it easier to designate these sources. The common shorthand + format is called the Uniform Resource Locator. The list below + provides information on how the URL format should be interpreted for + the protocols and resources that will be discussed in this document. + A complete description of the URL format may be found in [4]. + + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 34] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + file://host/directory/file-name + Identifies a specific file. E.g., the file htmlasst in the edu + directory at host ftp.cs.da would be denoted, using the full URL + form: . + + ftp://user:password@host:port/directory/file-name + Identifies an FTP site. E.g.: + ftp://ftp.eff.org/pub/EFF/Policy/Crypto/*. + + gopher://host:port/gopher-path + Identifies a Gopher site and menu path; a "00" at the start of + the path indicates a directory and "11" indicates a file. E.g.: + gopher://info.umd.edu:901/00/info/Government/Factbook92. + + http://host:port/directory/file-name?searchpart + Identifies a WWW server location. E.g.: + http://info.isoc.org/home.html. + + mailto:e-mail_address + Identifies an individual's Internet mail address. E.g.: + mailto:s.shepard@hill.com. + + telnet://user:password@host:port/ + Identifies a TELNET location (the trailing "/" is optional). + E.g.: telnet://envnet:henniker@envnet.gsfc.nasa.gov. + +7.2. User Directories on the Web + + While finding users on the Internet remains somewhat like alchemy if + using the tools and utilities mentioned earlier, the Web has added a + new dimension to finding people. Since 1995, many telephone companies + have placed national white and yellow page telephone directories on- + line, accessible via the World Wide Web. + + For a while, it seemed that the easiest and most reliable approach to + finding people's e-mail address on the Internet was to look up their + telephone number on the Web, call them, and ask for their e-mail + address! More recently, however, many third parties are augmenting + the standard telephone directory with an e-mail directory. These + services primarily rely on users voluntarily registering, resulting + in incomplete databases because most users don't know about all of + the services. Nevertheless, some of the personal directory services + available via the Web with which e-mail addresses (and telephone + numbers) can be found include Four11 Directory Services + (http://www.Four11.com/), Excite + (http://www.excite.com/Reference/locators.html), and Yahoo! People + Search (http://www.yahoo.com/search/people/). + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 35] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + In addition, the Knowbot Information Service (KIS), CNRI's automated + username database search tool described earlier in this document, is + also available on the Web, at http://info.cnri.reston.va.us/kis.html. + Users can select several options for the KIS search, including the + InterNIC, MILNET, MCImail, and Latin American Internic databases; + UNIX finger and whois servers; and X.500 databases. + +7.3. Other Service Accessible Via the Web + + Many of the other utilities described earlier in this document can + also be accessed via the WWW. In general, the Web browser acts as a + viewer to a remote client rather than requiring specialized software + on the user's system. + + Several sites provide DNS information, obviating the need for a user + to have a local DNS client such as NSLOOKUP. The hosts + http://ns1.milepost.com/dns/ and + http://sh1.ro.com/~mprevost/netutils/dig.html are among the best DNS + sites, allowing the user to access all DNS information. The site + http://www.bankes.com/nslookup.htm allows users to do multiple, + sequential searches at a given domain. Other Web sites providing + simple DNS name/address translation services include + http://rhinoceros.cs.inf.shizuoka.ac.jp/dns.html, + http://www.engin.umich.edu/htbin/DNSquery, http://www.lublin.pl/cgi- + bin/ns/nsgate, and http://www.trytel.com/cgi-bin/weblookup. + + Ping is another service available on the Web. The + http://sh1.ro.com/~mprevost/netutils/ping.html page allows a user to + select a host name, number of times to ping (1-10), and number of + seconds between each ping (1-10), and returns a set of summary + statistics. Other Web-based ping sites include + http://www.net.cmu.edu/bin/ping (sends ten pings, and reports the + times and min/max/avg summary statistics) and + http://www.uia.ac.be/cc/ping.html (indicates whether the target host + is alive or not). + + Traceroute is also available on the Web. Unfortunately, these servers + trace the route from their host to a host that the user chooses, + rather than from the user's host to the target. Nevertheless, + interesting route information can be found at + http://www.net.cmu.edu/bin/traceroute. Traceroute service and a list + of a number of other traceroute sites on the Web can be found at + http://www.lublin.pl/cgi-bin/trace/traceroute. + + + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 36] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + Access to archie is also available via the WWW, where your browser + acts as the graphical interface to an archie server. To find a list + of archie servers, and to access them via the Web, point your browser + at http://www.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/Internet/FTP_Sites/ + Searching/Archie/. + + Finally, even Finger can be found on the World Wide Web; check out + http://sh1.ro.com/~mprevost/netutils/finger.html. + +8. Discussion Lists and Newsgroups + + Among the most useful features of the Internet are the discussion + lists that have become available to allow individuals to discuss + topics of mutual concern. Discussion list topics range from SCUBA + diving and home brewing of beer to AIDS research and foreign policy. + Several, naturally, deal specifically with the Internet, TCP/IP + protocols, and the impact of new technologies. + + Most of the discussion lists accessible from the Internet are + unmoderated, meaning that anyone can send a message to the list's + central repository and the message will then be automatically + forwarded to all subscribers of the list. These lists provide very + fast turn-around between submission of a message and delivery, but + often result in a lot of messages (including inappropriate junk mail, + or "spam"). A moderated list has an extra step; a human list + moderator examines all messages before they are forwarded to ensure + that the messages are appropriate to the list and not needlessly + inflammatory! + + Users should be warned that some lists generate a large number of + messages each day. Before subscribing to too many lists, be sure that + you are aware of local policies and/or charges governing access to + discussion lists and e-mail storage. + +8.1. Internet Discussion Lists + + Mail can be sent to almost all Internet lists at an address with the + following form: + + list_name@host_name + + The common convention when users want to subscribe, unsubscribe, or + handle any other administrative matter is to send a message to the + list administrator; do not send administrivia to the main list + address! The list administrator can usually be found at: + + list_name-REQUEST@host_name + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 37] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + To subscribe to a list, it is often enough to place the word + "subscribe" in the main body of the message, although a line with the + format: + + subscribe list_name your_full_name + + will satisfy most mail servers. A similar message may be used to get + off a list; just use the word "unsubscribe" followed by the list + name. Not every list follows this convention, but it is a safe bet if + you don't have better information! + +8.2. LISTSERV + + A large set of discussion groups is maintained using a program called + LISTSERV. LISTSERV is a service provided widely on BITNET and EARN, + although it is also available to Internet users. A LISTSERV User + Guide can be found on the Web at http://www.earn.net/lug/notice.html. + + Mail can be sent to most LISTSERV lists at an address with the + following form: + + list_name@host_name + + The common convention when users want to subscribe, unsubscribe, or + handle any other administrative matter is to send commands in a + message to the LISTSERV server; do not send administrivia to the main + list address! The list server can usually be found at: + + LISTSERV@host_name + + LISTSERV commands are placed in the main body of e-mail messages sent + to an appropriate list server location. Once you have found a list of + interest, you can send a message to the appropriate address with any + appropriate command, such as: + + + subscribe list_name your_full_name Subscribe to a list + unsubscribe list_name Unsubscribe from a list + help Get help & a list of commands + index Get a list of LISTSERV files + get file_name Obtain a file from the server + +8.3. Majordomo + + Majordomo is another popular list server for Internet discussion + lists. The Web site http://www.greatcircle.com/majordomo/ has a + large amount of information about Majordomo. + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 38] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + Mail is sent to Majordomo lists using the same general address format + as above: + + list_name@host_name + + The common convention when users want to subscribe, unsubscribe, or + handle any other administrative matter is to send a message to the + Majordomo list server; do not send administrivia to the main list + address! The Majordomo server can usually be found at: + + MAJORDOMO@host_name + + Majordomo commands are placed in the main body of e-mail messages + sent to an appropriate list server location. Available commands + include: + + help Get help & a list of commands + subscribe list_name your_e-mail + Subscribe to a list (E-mail address is optional) + unsubscribe list_name your_e-mail + Unsubscribe from a list (E-mail address is optional) + info list Sends an introduction about the specified list + lists Get a list of lists served by this Majordomo server + +8.4. Usenet + + Usenet, also known as NETNEWS or Usenet news, is another information + source with its own set of special interest mailing lists organized + into newsgroups. Usenet originated on UNIX systems but has migrated + to many other types of hosts. Usenet clients, called newsreaders, use + the Network News Transfer Protocol [13] and are available for + virtually any operating system; several web browsers, in fact, have + this capability built in. + + While Usenet newsgroups are usually accessible at Internet sites, a + prospective Usenet client host must have appropriate newsreader + software to be able to read news. Users will have to check with their + local host or network administrator to find out what Usenet + newsgroups are locally available, as well as the local policies for + using them. + + Usenet newsgroup names are hierarchical in nature. The first part of + the name, called the hierarchy, provides an indication about the + general subject area. There are two types of hierarchies, called + mainstream and alternative; the total number of newsgroups is in the + thousands. The news.announce.newusers newsgroup is a good place for + new Usenet users to find a detailed introduction to the use of + Usenet, as well as an introduction to its culture. + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 39] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + Usenet mainstream hierarchies are established by a process that + requires the approval of a majority of Usenet members. Most sites + that receive a NETNEWS feed receive all of these hierarchies, which + include: + + comp Computers + misc Miscellaneous + news Network news + rec Recreation + sci Science + soc Social issues + talk Various discussion lists + + The alternative hierarchies include lists that may be set up at any + site that has the server software and disk space. These lists are not + formally part of Usenet and, therefore, may not be received by all + sites getting NETNEWS. The alternative hierarchies include: + + alt Alternate miscellaneous discussion lists + bionet Biology, medicine, and life sciences + bit BITNET discussion lists + biz Various business-related discussion lists + ddn Defense Data Network + gnu GNU lists + ieee IEEE information + info Various Internet and other networking information + k12 K-12 education + u3b AT&T 3B computers + vmsnet Digital's VMS operating system + +8.5 Finding Discussion Lists and Newsgroups + + Armed with the rules for signing up for a discussion list or + accessing a newsgroup, how does one find an appropriate list given + one's interests? + + There are tens of thousands of e-mail discussion lists on the + Internet. One List of Lists may be found using anonymous FTP at + ftp://sri.com/netinfo/interest-groups.txt; the List of Lists can be + searched using a Web browser by going to + http://catalog.com/vivian/interest-group-search.html. Other places to + look are the Publicly Accessible Mailing Lists index at + http://www.neosoft.com/internet/paml/byname.html and the LISZT + Directory of E-Mail Discussion Groups at http://www.liszt.com. + + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 40] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + To obtain a list of LISTSERV lists, send e-mail to + listserv@bitnic.cren.net with the command lists global in the body of + the message. Alternatively, look on the Web at + http://www.tile.net/tile/listserv/index.html. The Web site + http://www.liszt.com has a Mailing Lists Database of lists served by + LISTSERV and Majordomo. + + There are also thousands of Usenet newsgroups. One Usenet archive can + be found at gopher://rtfm.mit.edu/11//pub/usenet/news.answers; see + the /active-newsgroups and /alt-hierarchies subdirectories. Usenet + news may also be read at gopher://gopher.bham.ac.uk/11/Usenet. A good + Usenet search facility can be found at DejaNews at + http://www.dejanews.com/; messages can also be posted to Usenet + newsgroups from this site. + + Note that there is often some overlap between Usenet newsgroups and + Internet discussion lists. Some individuals join both lists in these + circumstances or, often, there is cross-posting of messages. Some + Usenet newsgroup discussions are forwarded onto an Internet mailing + list by an individual site to provide access to those users who do + not have Usenet available. + +9. Internet Documentation + + To fully appreciate and understand what is going on within the + Internet community, users might wish to obtain the occasional + Internet specification. The main body of Internet documents are + Request for Comments (RFCs), although a variety of RFC subsets have + been defined for various specific purposes. The sections below will + describe the RFCs and other documentation, and how to get them. + + The Internet standardization process is alluded to in the following + sections. The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) is the guiding + body for Internet standards; their Web site is http://www.ietf.org. + The IETF operates under the auspices of the Internet Society (ISOC), + which has a Web site at http://www.isoc.org. For complete, up-to-date + information on obtaining Internet documentation, go to the InterNIC's + Web site at http://ds.internic.net/ds/dspg0intdoc.html. The IETF's + history and role in the Internet today is described in Kessler [15]. + For information on the organizations involved in the IETF standards + process, see RFC 2028 [11]. For information on the relationship + between the IETF and ISOC, see RFC 2031 [12]. + +9.1. Request for Comments (RFCs) + + RFCs are the body of literature comprising Internet protocols, + standards, research questions, hot topics, humor (especially those + dated 1 April), and general information. Each RFC is uniquely issued + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 41] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + a number which is never reused or reissued; if a document is revised, + it is given a new RFC number and the old RFC is said to be obsoleted. + Announcements are sent to the RFC-DIST mailing list whenever a new + RFC is issued; anyone may join this list by sending e-mail to + majordomo@zephyr.isi.edu with the line "subscribe rfc-dist" in the + body of the message. + + RFCs may be obtained through the mail (i.e., postal service), but it + is easier and faster to get them on-line. One easy way to obtain RFCs + on-line is to use RFC-INFO, an e-mail-based service to help users + locate and retrieve RFCs and other Internet documents. To use the + service, send e-mail to rfc-info@isi.edu and leave the Subject: field + blank; commands that may go in the main body of the message include: + + help (Help file) + help: ways_to_get_rfcs (Help file on how to get RFCs) + + RETRIEVE: RFC + Doc-ID: RFCxxxx (Retrieve RFC xxxx; use all 4 + digits) + + LIST: RFC (List all RFCs...) + [options] (...[matching the following + options]) + KEYWORDS: xxx (Title contains string "xxx") + AUTHOR: xxx (Written by "xxx") + ORGANIZATION: xxx (Issued by company "xxx") + DATED-AFTER: mmm-dd-yyyy + DATED-BEFORE: mmm-dd-yyyy + OBSOLETES: RFCxxxx (List RFCs obsoleting RFC xxxx) + + Another RFC e-mail server can be found at the InterNIC. To use this + service, send an e-mail message to mailserv@ds.internic.net, leaving + the Subject: field blank. In the main body of the message, use one or + more of the following commands: + + help (Help file) + file /ftp/rfc/rfcNNNN.txt (Text version of RFC NNNN) + file /ftp/rfc/rfcNNNN.ps (Postscript version of RFC NNNN) + document-by-name rfcNNNN (Text version of RFC NNNN) + + + + + + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 42] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + ------------------------------------------------------------------- + TABLE 1. Primary RFC Repositories. + + HOST ADDRESS DIRECTORY + + ds.internic.net rfc + nis.nsf.net internet/documents/rfc + nisc.jvnc.net rfc + ftp.isi.edu in-notes + wuarchive.wustl.edu info/rfc + src.doc.ic.ac.uk rfc + ftp.ncren.net rfc + ftp.sesqui.net pub/rfc + nis.garr.it mirrors/RFC + funet.fi rfc + munnari.oz.au rfc + ------------------------------------------------------------------- + + To obtain an RFC via anonymous FTP, connect to one of the RFC + repositories listed in Table 1 using FTP. After connecting, change to + the appropriate RFC directory (as shown in Table 1) using the cd + command. To obtain a particular file, use the get command: + + GET RFC-INDEX.TXT local_name (RFC Index) + GET RFCxxxx.TXT local_name (Text version of RFC xxxx) + GET RFCxxxx.PS local_name (Postscript version of RFC + xxxx) + + The RFC index, or a specific reference to an RFC, will indicate + whether the RFC is available in ASCII text (.txt) or Postscript (.ps) + format. By convention, all RFCs are available in ASCII while some are + also available in Postscript where use of graphics and/or different + fonts adds more information or clarity; an increasing number are also + being converted to HTML. Be aware that the index file is very large, + containing the citing for over 2,000 documents. Note that not all + RFCs numbered below 698 (July 1975) are available on-line. + + Finally, the InterNIC's Web site at + http://ds.internic.net/ds/dspg1intdoc.html contains the RFC index and + a complete set of RFCs. More information about Web-based RFC servers + can be found at http://www.isi.edu/rfc-editor/rfc-sources.html. + + The sample dialogue below, although highly abbreviated, shows a user + obtaining RFC 1594 (Answers to Commonly asked "New Internet User" + Questions) using e-mail and anonymous FTP. + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 43] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + ==================================================================== +**SMCVAX$ mail +**MAIL> send +**To: in%"rfc-info@isi.edu" + Subject: + Enter your message below. Press CTRL/Z when complete, CTRL/C to quit +**retrieve: rfc +**doc-id: rfc1594 +**^Z +**MAIL> exit + +**SMCVAX$ ftp ds.internic.net +**Username: anonymous +**Password: +**NIC.DDN.MIL> cd rfc +**NIC.DDN.MIL> get rfc1594.txt rfc-1594.txt +**NIC.DDN.MIL> exit + SMCVAX$ + ==================================================================== + +9.2. Internet Standards + + RFCs describe many aspects of the Internet. By the early 1990s, + however, so many specifications of various protocols had been written + that it was not always clear as to which documents represented + standards for the Internet. For that reason, a subset of RFCs have + been designated as STDs to identify them as Internet standards. + + Unlike RFC numbers that are never reused, STD numbers always refer to + the latest version of the standard. UDP, for example, would be + completely identified as "STD-6/RFC-768." Note that STD numbers + refer to a standard, which is not necessarily a single document; STD + 19, for example, is the NetBIOS Service Protocols standard comprising + RFCs 1001 and 1002, and a complete citation for this standard would + be "STD-19/RFC-001/RFC-1002." + + The availability of new STDs is announced on the RFC-DIST mailing + list. STD-1 [23] always refers to the latest list of "Internet + Official Protocol Standards". The Internet standards process is + described in RFC 2026 [5] and STD notes are explained in RFC 1311 + [24]. + + STDs can be obtained as RFCs via anonymous FTP from any RFC + repository. In addition, some RFC sites (such as ds.internic.net) + provide an STD directory so that STD documents can be found in the + path /STD/xx.TXT, where xx refers to the STD number. + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 44] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + STD documents may be obtained as RFCs using the methods described in + Section 9.1. STDs may also be obtained via the RFC-INFO server using + the RETRIEVE: STD and Doc-ID: STDxxxx commands. Also, check out the + InterNIC's Web site at http://www.internic.net/std/ for the STD index + and a complete set of STDs. + +9.3. For Your Information Documents + + The For Your Information (FYI) series of RFCs provides Internet users + with information about many topics related to the Internet. FYI + topics range from historical to explanatory to tutorial, and are + aimed at the wide spectrum of people that use the Internet. The FYI + series includes answers to frequently asked questions by both + beginning and seasoned users of the Internet, an annotated + bibliography of Internet books, and an explanation of the domain name + system. + + Like the STDs, an FYI number always refers to the latest version of + an FYI. FYI 4, for example, refers to the answers to commonly asked + questions by new Internet users; its complete citation would be + "FYI-4/RFC-1594." The FYI notes are explained in FYI 1 [18]. + + FYIs can be obtained as RFCs via anonymous FTP from any RFC + repository. In addition, some RFC sites (such as ds.internic.net) + provide an FYI directory so that FYI documents can be found in the + path /FYI/xx.TXT, where xx refers to the FYI number. + + FYI documents may be obtained as RFCs using the methods described in + Section 9.1. FYIs may also be obtained via the RFC-INFO server using + the RETRIEVE: FYI and Doc-ID: FYIxxxx commands. Also, check out the + InterNIC's Web site at http://www.internic.net/fyi/ for the FYI index + and a complete set of FYIs. + +9.4. Best Current Practices + + Standards track RFCs are formally part of the IETF standards process, + subject to peer review, and intended to culminate in an official + Internet Standard. Other RFCs are published on a less formal basis + and are not part of the IETF process. To provide a mechanism of + publishing relevant technical information which it endorsed, the IETF + created a new series of RFCs, called the Best Current Practices (BCP) + series. BCP topics include variances from the Internet standards + process and IP address allocation in private networks. + + + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 45] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + Like the STDs and FYIs, a BCP number always refers to the latest + version of a BCP. BCP 5, for example, describes an IP address + allocation plan for private networks; its complete citation would be + "BCP-5/RFC-1918." The BCP process is explained in BCP 1 [25]. + + BCP documents may be obtained as RFCs using the methods described in + Section 9.1. BCPs may also be obtained via the RFC-INFO server using + the RETRIEVE: BCP and Doc-ID: BCPxxxx commands. Also, check out the + RFC Editor's Web site at http://www.isi.edu/rfc-editor/ for the BCP + index and a complete set of BCPs. + +9.5. RARE Technical Reports + + RARE, the Reseaux Associes pour la Recherche Europeenne (Association + of European Research Networks), has a charter to promote and + participate in the creation of a high-quality European computer + communications infrastructure for the support of research endeavors. + RARE member networks use Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) protocols + and TCP/IP. To promote a closer relationship between RARE and the + IETF, RARE Technical Reports (RTRs) have also been published as RFCs + since the summer of 1993. + + RTR documents may be obtained as RFCs using the methods described in + Section 9.1. RTRs may also be obtained via the RFC-INFO server using + the RETRIEVE: RTR and Doc-ID: RTRxxxx commands. Also, check out the + InterNIC's Web site at http://www.internic.net/rtr/ for the RTR index + and a complete set of RTRs. Finally, RTRs may be obtained via + anonymous FTP from ftp://ftp.rare.nl/rare/publications/rtr/. + +10. Perusing the Internet + + This guide is intended to provide the reader with a rudimentary + ability to use the utilities that are provided by TCP/IP and the + Internet. By now, it is clear that the user's knowledge, ability, and + willingness to experiment are about the only limits to what can be + accomplished. + + There are several books that will help you get started finding sites + on the Internet, including The INTERNET Yellow Pages [9]. But much + more timely and up-to-date information can be found on the Internet + itself, using such search tools as Yahoo! (http://www.yahoo.com), + Excite (http://www.excite.com), Lycos (http://www.lycos.com), + WebCrawler (http://www.webcrawler.com), and AltaAvista + (http://altavista.digital.com). + + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 46] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + There are several other sources that cite locations from which to + access specific information about a wide range of subjects using such + tools as FTP, Telnet, Gopher, and WWW. One of the best periodic + lists, and archives, is through the Scout Report, a weekly + publication by the InterNIC's Net Scout Services Project at the + University of Wisconsin's Computer Science Department. To receive the + Scout Report by e-mail each week, join the mailing list by sending + email to listserv@lists.internic.net; place the line subscribe + scout-report your_full_name in the body of the message to receive the + text version or use subscribe scout-report-html your_full_name to + receive the report in HTML. The Scout Report is also available on the + Web at http://www.cs.wisc.edu/scout/report and + http://rs.internic.net/scout/report, or via anonymous FTP at + ftp://rs.internic.net/scout/. + + Another list is Yanoff's Internet Services List, which may be found + at http://www.spectracom.com/islist/ or + ftp://ftp.csd.uwm.edu/pub/inet.services.txt. Gary Kessler, one of the + co-author's of this document, maintains his own eclectic + Miscellaneous Sites List at + http://www.together.net/~kessler/gck_site.html. + + If you are looking for Internet-specific information, one good + starting point is + http://www.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/Internet/. The InterNIC + is another valuable resource, with their Scout Report and Scout + Toolkit (http://rs.internic.net/scout/toolkit). + + There is also a fair amount of rudimentary tutorial information + available on the Internet. The InterNIC cosponsors "The 15 Minute + Series" (http://rs.internic.net/nic-support/15min/), a collection of + free, modular, and extensible training materials on specific Internet + topics. ROADMAP96 (http://www.ua.edu/~crispen/roadmap.html) is a + free, 27-lesson Internet training workshop over e-mail. + + More books and specialized articles came out about the Internet in + 1993 and 1994 than in all previous years (squared!), and that trend + has seemed to continue into 1995, 1996, and beyond. Three books are + worth notable mention because they do not directly relate to finding + your way around, or finding things on, the Internet. Hafner and Lyon + [8] have written Where Wizards Stay Up Late: The Origins of the + Internet, a history of the development of the Advanced Research + Projects Agency (ARPA), packet switching, and the ARPANET, focusing + primarily on the 1960s and 1970s. While culminating with the + APRANET's 25th Anniversary in 1994, its main thrusts are on the + groups building the ARPANET backbone (largely BBN) and the host-to- + host application and communication protocols (largely the Network + Working Group). Salus' book, Casting The Net: From ARPANET to + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 47] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + INTERNET and beyond... [28], goes into the development of the network + from the perspective of the people, protocols, applications, and + networks. Including a set of "diversions," his book is a bit more + whimsical than Hafner & Lyon's. Finally, Carl Malamud has written a + delightful book called Exploring the Internet: A Technical Travelogue + [17], chronicling not the history of the Internet as much as a subset + of the people currently active in building and defining it. This + book will not teach you how to perform an anonymous FTP file transfer + nor how to use Gopher, but provides insights about our network (and + Carl's gastro-pathology) that no mere statistics can convey. + +11. Acronyms and Abbreviations + + ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange + BCP Best Current Practices + BITNET Because It's Time Network + DDN Defense Data Network + DNS Domain Name System + EARN European Academic Research Network + FAQ Frequently Asked Questions list + FTP File Transfer Protocol + FYI For Your Information series of RFCs + HTML Hypertext Markup Language + HTTP Hypertext Transport Protocol + ICMP Internet Control Message Protocol + IP Internet Protocol + ISO International Organization for Standardization + NetBIOS Network Basic Input/Output System + NIC Network Information Center + NICNAME Network Information Center name service + NSF National Science Foundation + NSFNET National Science Foundation Network + RFC Request For Comments + RARE Reseaux Associes pour la Recherche Europeenne + RTR RARE Technical Reports + STD Internet Standards series of RFCs + TCP Transmission Control Protocol + TTL Time-To-Live + UDP User Datagram Protocol + URL Uniform Resource Locator + WAIS Wide Area Information Server + WWW World Wide Web + + + + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 48] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + +12. Security Considerations + + Security issues are not discussed in this memo. + +13. Acknowledgments + + Our thanks are given to all sites that we accessed or otherwise used + system resources in preparation for this document. We also appreciate + the comments and suggestions from our students and members of the + Internet community, particularly after the last version of this + document was circulated, including Mark Delany and the rest of the + gang at the Australian Public Access Network Association, Margaret + Hall (BBN), John Martin (RARE), Tom Maufer (3Com), Carol Monaghan + (Hill Associates), Michael Patton (BBN), N. Todd Pritsky (Hill + Associates), and Brian Williams. Special thanks are due to Joyce + Reynolds for her continued encouragement and direction. + +14. References + + [1] Anklesaria, F., M. McCahill, P. Lindner, D. Johnson, D. Torrey, + and B. Alberti, "The Internet Gopher Protocol," RFC 1436, + University of Minnesota, March 1993. + + [2] Berners-Lee, T. and D. Connolly, "Hypertext Markup Language - 2.0," + RFC 1866, MIT/W3C, November 1995. + + [3] _____, R. Fielding, and H. Frystyk, "Hypertext Transfer Protocol - + HTTP/1.0," RFC 1945, MIT/LCS, UC Irvine, MIT/LCS, May 1996. + + [4] _____, L. Masinter, and M. McCahill, Editors, "Uniform Resource + Locators (URL)," RFC 1738, CERN, Xerox Corp., University of + Minnesota, December 1994. + + [5] Bradner, S. "The Internet Standards Process -- Revision 3," RFC + 2026, Harvard University, October 1996. + + [6] Comer, D. Internetworking with TCP/IP, Vol. I: Principles, + Protocols, and Architecture, 3/e. Englewood Cliffs (NJ): Prentice- + Hall, 1995. + + [7] Feit, S. TCP/IP: Architecture, Protocols, and Implementation with + IPv6 and IP Security, 2/e. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1997. + + [8] Hafner, K. and M. Lyon. Where Wizards Stay Up Late: The Origins + of the Internet. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997. + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 49] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + [9] Hahn, H. and R. Stout. The Internet Yellow Pages, 3/e. Berkeley + (CA): Osborne McGraw-Hill, 1996. + +[10] Harrenstien, K., M. Stahl, and E. Feinler, "NICNAME/WHOIS," + RFC 954, SRI, October 1985. + +[11] Hovey, R. and S. Bradner. "The Organizations Involved in the IETF + Standards Process," RFC 2028, Digital, Harvard University, October + 1996. + +[12] Huizer, E. "IETF-ISOC Relationship," RFC 2031, SEC, October 1996. + +[13] Kantor, B. and P. Lapsley. "Network News Transfer Protocol," RFC + 977, U.C. San Diego, U.C. Berkeley, February 1986. + +[14] Kessler, G.C. "An Overview of TCP/IP Protocols and the Internet." + URL: http://www.hill.com/library/tcpip.html. Last accessed: 17 + February 1997 + +[15] _____. "IETF-History, Background, and Role in Today's Internet." + URL: http://www.hill.com/library/ietf_hx.html. Last accessed: 17 + February 1997. + +[16] _____. "Running Your Own DNS." Network VAR, July 1996. (See also + URL: http://www.hill.com/library/dns.html. Last accessed: 17 + February 1997.) + +[17] Malamud, C. Exploring the Internet: A Technical Travelogue. + Englewood Cliffs (NJ): PTR Prentice Hall, 1992. + +[18] Malkin, G.S. and J.K. Reynolds, "F.Y.I. on F.Y.I.: Introduction to + the F.Y.I. notes," FYI 1/RFC 1150, Proteon, USC/Information + Sciences Institute, March 1990. + +[19] Mockapetris, P., "Domain Names - Concepts and Facilities," + STD 13/RFC 1034, USC/Information Sciences Institute, November 1987. + +[20] National Center for Supercomputer Applications (NCSA). "A + Beginner's Guide to HTML." URL: + http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/General/Internet/WWW/HTMLPrimer.html. Last + accessed: 2 February 1997. + +[21] Postel, J., "Domain Name System Structure and Delegation," + USC/Information Sciences Institute, RFC 1591, March 1994. + +[22] _____, "Internet Control Message Protocol," USC/Information + Sciences Institute, RFC 792, September 1981. + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 50] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + +[23] _____, Editor, "Internet Official Protocol Standards," + STD 1/RFC 2000, Internet Architecture Board, February 1997. + +[24] _____, "Introduction to the STD Notes," RFC 1311, USC/Information + Sciences Institute, March 1992. + +[25] _____, T. Li, and Y. Rekhter, "Best Current Practices," BCP 1/RFC + 1818, USC/Information Sciences Institute, Cisco Systems, August + 1995. + +[26] _____ and J. Reynolds, "File Transfer Protocol (FTP)," + STD 9/RFC 959, USC/Information Sciences Institute, October 1985. + +[27] _____ and J. Reynolds, "TELNET Protocol Specification," + STD 8/RFC 854, USC/Information Sciences Institute, May 1983. + +[28] Salus, P.H. Casting The Net: From ARPANET to INTERNET and beyond... + Reading (MA): Addison-Wesley, 1995. + +[29] Socolofsky, T.J. and C.J. Kale, "TCP/IP Tutorial," RFC 1180, Spider + Systems Ltd., January 1991. + +[30] Stevens, W.R. TCP/IP Illustrated, Volume 1: The Protocols. Reading + (MA): Addison-Wesley, 1994. + +[31] Williamson, S., "Transition and Modernization of the Internet + Registration Service," RFC 1400, Network Solutions, Inc., March + 1993. + +[32] Zimmerman, D., "The Finger User Information Protocol," RFC 1288, + Rutgers University, December 1991. + +15. Authors' Address + + Gary C. Kessler + Hill Associates + 17 Roosevelt Highway + Colchester, VT 05446 + Phone: +1 802-655-8659 + Fax: +1 802-655-7974 + E-mail: kumquat@hill.com + + + + + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 51] + +RFC 2151 Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities June 1997 + + + Steven D. Shepard + Hill Associates + 17 Roosevelt Highway + Colchester, VT 05446 + Phone: +1 802-655-8646 + Fax: +1 802-655-7974 + E-mail: s.shepard@hill.com + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +Kessler & Shepard Informational [Page 52] + -- cgit v1.2.3