Internet on Amiga 500+

[steve30]

Now I have a Hard disk and a huge 4meg ram expansion, taking it to 6meg total (I already had 1meg expansion), I would like to try and get the computer connected to the internet.

The HD is 50mb which should be fine, and I someone told me that 4mb ram is ideal for internet, so that should be OK. Here's the spec:

6mb RAM
50mb HD
DD Floppy (might be adding an extra floppy soon)
Original 7MHz 68000 processor
Workbench 2.04

Could I use parrallel or null modem to connect to the internet through the PC or would I have to have a modem connected to the amiga?

What software would I need?

What speeds can I expect to get?

I know it would be very slow with the 68000 processor, but I want to try to get it on the internet, no matter how slow it is.


Thanks.
Steve.

[redrumloa]

Hi! Does the PC run Windows or Linux? With WB2.04 and stock 68000 you're a bit limited. Your best bet would be to use a null modem to log into a linux box using *getty. You'd be able to use any console based Linux programs like Lynx, {bleep}X(irc) etc. That's what I do with my C128D.

[steve30]

The PC is using Windows. I can probably sort out a computer with linux on though if that would be better.

[Tatsu]

I used my A500+ for surfing a short while, it works but speed is not present, It has 2MB chip and 2MB fast and an internal zorroII scsi-HD about 400MB. I used a modem, I belive I used aweb to avoid mui but it was horiffic slow, every page took several minutes to load even without graphic. Maybe it can be tweaked somehow but I finally got a cpu-card for my A1200 so that became my surfing-computer instead. Using another computer as router would surely gain some speed i belive.

[SuperTurbo]

Using an ordinary modem would probably be the easiest solution. Then you should get a program like Miami or Genesis to connect to tcp/ip. If you gonna use www, use IBrowse or Voyager as AWeb is horribly slow at loading pages (at least the pictures).

[buzz]

I have a similar configuration with my a500.
For connecting to the internet I use magplip device from aminet with a plip cable (Which I made from a parnet cable. swapped a couple of wires). I use the tcp stack amitcp.

An a1200 with miamidx acts as a gateway for the a500. You could also use it with linux though I think on a pc.

The cable does about 20kb a second. ftp/yam/irc etc work great (Although mui is a bit slow). I don't browse on it much though, although aweb does work.

These days it's mostly used for transferring software between machines.

[Tomas]

redrumloa wrote:
Hi! Does the PC run Windows or Linux? With WB2.04 and stock 68000 you're a bit limited. Your best bet would be to use a null modem to log into a linux box using *getty. You'd be able to use any console based Linux programs like Lynx, {bleep}X(irc) etc. That's what I do with my C128D.

What kind of software do i need for that? I have an a500 with basicly the same specs as the orginal poster, and i would also not mind ircing using ssh/telnet or similar. But i have no idea on what software i need on the amiga side and how to setup linux ssh/telnet through null modem cable.

Thanks in advance

[redrumloa]

Tomas wrote:
What kind of software do i need for that? I have an a500 with basicly the same specs as the orginal poster, and i would also not mind ircing using ssh/telnet or similar. But i have no idea on what software i need on the amiga side and how to setup linux ssh/telnet through null modem cable.

Piece of cake really, as long as you have a null modem cable and a Linux box handy.

On the Linux box you just need to enable getty, on my SUSE box the actual program is mgetty. Use an editor such as vi to enable getty in /etc/inittab with the required port, baud etc. If you need help in this part ask and I or someone else can explain.

On the Amiga side you need any run of the mill terminal program such as AmiTerm. Configure the term program to the same parameters as you did getty. Enter terminal mode and hit enter a few times, you should get a log in prompt. Log in and you are ready to go. Run any console based *nix programs you wish such as {bleep}X(irc), Lynx, Linx etc.

Only things I can think to mention on an A500 is that the serial port is crappy. Make sure you are only set to a 4 color Work Bench, increasing the colors will slow down or kill the serial port. I forget the exact maximum speed on the 500, but I'd probably start with 9600 baud. Once that is working maybe try higher speeds. 9600 baud should be livable for IRC, email and possibly Lynx. Also make sure your null modem cable specifically works with Amiga serial ports as it is not exactly standard.

[steve30]

Why does the cable need to be a special amiga one?

[redrumloa]

steve30 wrote:
Why does the cable need to be a special amiga one?

Many store bought ones will work, but others won't. I don't remember the specifics, maybe some here can help. The store bought Radio Shack null modem adapter i got years ago did the job fine.

Alternatively a google search or a newsgroup search should yield the answer.

[steve30]

I have several old serial cables. I think they are null modem cables, but I'll have to check. Also they have 25pin connectors on both sides unfortunately.

[amigaoneproductions]

Slightly offtopic,  but if Jens Scoenfeld can get a C64 to browse the web,  then getting an A500 working should certainly be possible :-)

http://www.amigaoneproductions.co.uk/media_amigbg.htm  (2nd item down the page)

[Argus]

@amigaone

you just need to put a 3.1 rom in the 500+ to be able to use a graphical browser like Ibrowse...afaik it works even on a 68000.  a fast serial port would be nice...talk to Jens Schoenfeld for a clockport a500 adaptor.

@redrumloa

whatever became of that graphical browser for the c64/128 called 'the Wave'?

[steve30]

I forgot I was going to try and get the A500+ on the internet.

Would just a standard 56k PC serial modem work or do I need one that is specificly for the amiga?