Definition of Inbound Internet Gateway Software

Bill Chatfield
March 2, 1996

The inbound Internet gateway software includes two services: the
"telnet service" and the "socket service".  The telnet service is
implemented by the pair of programs inetcis.telnetd and inetcis.login.
The socket service, which is used by WinCIM, is implemented by the
inetcisd program.

The purpose of the telnet service is to allow Internet/PPP customers
to interact with a text version of the CompuServe Information Service
by telneting, on port 23, to a gateway.  This is normally done by
telneting to the address gateway.compuserve.com, which allows DNS to
provide the address of a specific gateway machine for that session.

The purpose of the socket service is to allow Internet/PPP customers
to connect to the CompuServe Information Service as if it were a
TCP/IP service like ftp, telnet, or the web.  A customer uses a TCP/IP
client program such as WinCIM to open a connection to a gateway
machine on port 4144.  The customer can log on to CIS through
this connection and get either a text or HMI based session.


Usage Cases for Socket Service, inetcisd
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1. In this case the user uses the software as a gateway from the
Internet to CIS.  The user makes a connection.  The user is presented
with a Host Name prompt, to which he responds "cisagree".  The user is
then presented with a baud rate prompt, to which he responds with his
baud rate.  The user is then presented with a User ID prompt from the
CompuServe network.  After the User ID prompt is displayed, inetcisd
simply passes 8 bit bytes in both directions.  Whatever it reads from
the user it writes to the CompuServe network.  Whatever it reads from
the CompuServe network it writes to the user.

An example of this case would be someone connecting with WinCIM which
uses a script to navigate through the prompts in exactly this way each
time.  Another example would be an experienced user who just wants to
log into CIS.

2. This case is exactly like case 1, except that the user gets to the
Internet by coming through a CompuServe PPP server.  The difference is
that the gateway software will pass on some user information to the
CompuServe network.  The user information is passed in the call user
data field of the X.25 connect call.  It tells LOGOUT that the user is
coming from the PPP plant so that LOGOUT can suppress session billing.
The difference is transparent to the user.

3. In this case the user, probably a first-time user, types "cis" at
the Host Name prompt and then "logon" at the next prompt to logon to
CIS.

4. In this case the user types "cis" at the Host Name prompt and
"help" at the next prompt to get help.  The user is then presented
with a list of help files which he can have mailed to him.


Usage Cases for Telnet Service, inetcis.telnetd and inetcis.login
-----------------------------------------------------------------

1. Same as Socket Service #1 without a baud rate prompt.

2. Same as Socket Service #3.

3. Same as Socket Service #4.