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Accessing Remote Systems with Dialer

Dialer lets you connect to a remote system using PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) or SLIP (Serial Line Internet Protocol).

This section includes:

Preparing to Make a Serial Connection

Making a serial connection, either manually or by creating a profile, requires preparation. Before making a connection, complete the following steps. Your network administrator can provide the information you need.

  1. Create a properly configured interface in the Configuration Utility. For more information, see Chapter 8, Configuring Cisco TCP/IP Suite.
  2. Gather the following information about the remote host:
  3. If you are configuring a SLIP connection and your service provider does not dynamically allocate an IP address, gather the following information about your workstation:
  4. Gather the following information about your modem:

Starting and Stopping Dialer

To start Dialer in Windows 95, choose Cisco Suite 100 from the Programs menu in the Start menu, and choose Dialer from the Cisco Suite 100 menu. In Windows 3.x, double- click the Dialer icon in the Cisco Suite 100 group. The Dialer application window appears:

If your network administrator configured your workstation for Dial-on-Demand, and you have previously configured a Dialer profile with this feature, you can start Dialer automatically by starting applications that access the network through the WinSock interface.

To exit Dialer:

  1. In the Dialer application window, click the Disconnect toolbar button or choose Disconnect from the Interface menu.
  2. In the Dialer application window, click the Exit toolbar button or choose Exit from the File menu.

Using Manual Connect

To manually connect to a remote host:

Note

The defaults for Dialer assume your modem is connected to COM1 and PPP is your connection type. Change these settings by choosing the Manual Connect>Configure command from the Interface menu.

  1. Click the Manual Connect button on the toolbar or choose Manual Connect from the Interface menu, and then select Connect... from the popup menu.

    The Manual Connect dialog box appears.

  2. In the Terminal View window, enter the modem command and phone number you want to dial. For example, for a U.S. Robotics modem, you might enter:

    ATDTphone_number

    where phone_number is the desired phone number, such as ATDT5551212.

  3. The modem dials the number and connects to the remote host. Depending on the remote host, a message may appear letting you know the connection has been made.

  4. In the Terminal View window, enter the appropriate command to start SLIP or PPP on the remote host.
  5. If you are making a SLIP connection, enter your workstation's IP address in the IP Address field if it does not already appear there. If you are making a PPP connection, there is no need to enter your IP address.
  6. When communications are confirmed by the remote host, click the SLIP or PPP button to make the connection on your workstation. The name on the button reflects the protocol you are using.

    The Manual Connect dialog box closes, and the Dialer window appears with the currently active session.

    You may now start any application you want, such as Telnet or FTP.

Configuring the Manual Connect Interface

To configure the manual connect interface:

  1. Choose Manual Connect from the Interface menu, and then select Configure from the popup menu.

    The Configure Manual Interface dialog box appears with the Settings tab displayed.

  2. In the Connection Type drop-down list, choose whether to make a SLIP or PPP connection.
  3. In the Speed drop-down list, accept the default value unless you have a modem that communicates faster than the default value. If you have a higher-speed modem, choose the speed that most closely matches your modem.
  4. In the Port drop-down list, choose the serial port you are using for communications.

    Note

    The connection type, modem speed, and port are the only information required for most manual connections. If you are using manual connect for the first time, or do not know whether the other options are necessary for your situation, click OK to return to the Dialer Application window.

  5. If your modem uses the Follow DCD (Data Carrier Detect), pin of the RS-232 interface, check the Follow DCD check box.
  6. To use hardware flow control, check the Hardware Flow check box.
  7. If your Internet service provider requires your modem to send 7-bit characters before they accept your login request, check Use 7 Data Bits Until Connected.
  8. Choose whether or not to use header compression by clicking the appropriate Header Compression radio button.

    If header compression is enabled on both hosts, communications are quicker. The On radio button indicates that headers should always be compressed. The Off radio button indicates that headers should never be compressed. The Negotiated radio button indicates that headers are not compressed until a compressed header is received from the other side. To use compressed headers, at least one host must have header compression on.

  9. To have Dialer minimize the Dialer activity window once the connection is made, check the Minimize on Connect check box.
  10. To have Dialer prompt you for confirmation before disconnecting, check the Prompt on Disconnect check box.
  11. Click the Host Information tab.

    The Host Information tab dialog appears.

  12. Enter the IP address of your workstation in the IP Address field. Leave this field empty if the remote host assigns your IP address dynamically.
  13. If you want the serial connection to be the default route, check the Use as Default Route check box.

    If you do not want the serial connection to be the default route, clear the Use as Default Route check box.

  14. Enter the subnet or supernet mask of the local network in the Subnet Mask field.
  15. Enter the host name of your workstation into the PC Host Name field.
  16. Enter your domain name into the Domain Name field.
  17. To add a route in addition to the default route, refer to "Adding Additional Routes" on page 136.
  18. To add a Domain Name Server, refer to "Adding Additional Domain Name Servers" on page 137.
  19. For the PPP Authentication fields, enter your user name only if you know the type of PPP security authentication the remote host provides. If the remote host is authenticating login requests with PAP (Password Authentication Protocol), do not enter your user name, but do enter your password. If the remote host is authenticating using CHAP (Challenge- Handshake Authentication Protocol), enter both your user name and password.

    PAP uses the authentication password to determine if you can log into the remote host. However, this password is less secure on the network. CHAP provides additional security to protect the authentication password.

    CHAP tests both your user name and the authentication password, and provides additional network security.

  20. When done, return to the Dialer activity window, choose the Manual Connect command and the Connect command from the popup. See "Using Manual Connect" on page 131.

Adding Additional Routes

To add additional routes:

  1. Click the Add... button in the Routing group.

    The Add Route dialog box appears.

  2. Enter the destination IP address in the Destination Address field.
  3. Enter the gateway IP address in the Gateway Address field.
  4. If you want the local host to qualify the IP address, click the Host radio button.

    If you want the network to qualify the IP address, click the Network radio button.

  5. Click OK.

    The Add Route dialog box closes. The Route appears in the Routing group.

  6. Click OK.

    The Profile dialog box closes, returning you to the Connect dialog box.

Adding Additional Domain Name Servers

To add additional Domain Name Servers:

  1. Click the Add... button in the DNS Server IP Address group.

    The Add DNS dialog box appears

    .

  2. Enter the IP address of the DNS server in the Name Server Address field.
  3. Click OK.

    The Add DNS dialog box closes. The DNS server appears in the DNS Server IP Addresses list box.

  4. Click OK.

    The Profile dialog box closes, returning you to the Connect dialog box.

Printing the Terminal Window Output

To print the Terminal window output:

  1. Click the Print... button on the Manual Connect dialog box.

    The Print dialog box appears.

  2. Specify the desired print options in the dialog box.
  3. Click the OK button.

    The Terminal window output starts printing.

Establishing a Connection Using a Dialer Profile

We recommend that your network administrator create profiles containing local host, remote host, and modem information before you install Cisco TCP/IP Suite. If you need to create a profile, refer to "Creating a Dialer Profile" on page 249. For information on creating a customized installation for other users, refer to "Use the MIS Install Feature" in Chapter 1 of Getting Started with Cisco TCP/IP Suite 100 for Windows.

To establish a connection using a previously created Dialer profile:

  1. In the Dialer application window, click the Connect toolbar button, or select Connect from the Interface menu.

    The Connect dialog box appears.

  2. Click the desired profile in the Profiles list.
  3. Click the Connect button.

    The Autolog dialog box appears, letting you see the status of the connection attempt.

  4. To view the commands being sent to the modem and the data received from the modem, click Message Log.

    To abort the connection attempt, click Cancel.

    Once a successful connection is made, the Connect dialog box closes, and the Dialer window appears (unless you enabled Minimize on Connect) and displays the currently active session .

    You may now start any application you want, such as Telnet or FTP Client.

Using the Quick Connect List

When Dialer profiles are available on your workstation, you can quickly connect to the remote host listed in a profile using the Quick Connect list:

  1. In the Dialer application window, click the Quick Connect button on the toolbar.

    The Quick Connect list appears.

  2. Click the profile you want to use.

    The Autolog dialog box appears, letting you see the status of the connection attempt.

  3. To view the commands being sent to the modem and the data received from the modem, click Message Log.

    To abort the connection attempt, click Cancel.

    Once a successful connection is made, the Quick Connect list closes, and the Dialer window appears with the currently active session.

    You may now start any application you want, such as Telnet or FTP.

Setting Dialer Program Options

To set Dialer program options:

  1. Choose Program... from the Options menu.

    The Program Options dialog box appears.

  2. To cause applications to automatically invoke Dialer to establish a network connection before the application starts, enable Dial on Demand. To run Dialer from a specific profile when its invoked by Dial on Demand, check Use Profile and choose a name from the list. If you do not specify a profile with Dial on Demand, when Dialer starts, the Dialer activity window appears and you can either specify a profile or use the Manual Connect command.
  3. To cause Dialer to not alert you when your workstation enters power-save mode, clear the Alert on System Suspend check box. If you are using a laptop and you check this check box, the alert message keeps your system working even though you may have attempted to put it in a power-save mode such as suspend. Check this check box to cause Dialer to display a reminder message when your workstation starts a power-save mode.
  4. To display the Delete Confirmation dialog box before deleting a profile, check the Prompt on Delete check box.

    To disable the Delete Confirmation dialog box, clear the Prompt on Delete check box.

  5. To cause Dialer to save the size and location of the Dialer application window upon closing, check the Save Screen Size and Location check box.

    To cause Dialer to retain the original size and location of the Dialer application window, clear the Save Screen Size and Location check box.


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