Unix questions - Was this good advice I gave to a user searching for a client?

Author

Was this good advice I gave to a user searching for a client?

Big Brother

2006-01-20, 8:13 am

The original post

I'd like to connect from my HP 4150 ipaq to my UNIX workstation.
Although I have had this working in the dim and distant past, I can't
get it working now.

The ipaq and the UNIX both have a router as as the default route. The
UNIX box (a Sun running Solaris 10) can ping the ipaq, but the ipaq
can't telnet to the Sun, despite it having a telnet server running.

Both the ipaq and Sun have Internet connectivity.

Any suggestions what is wrong? Are there any better telnet client
around? I'd prefer to use ssh, but there seems to be no free ssh clients.

My reply

*One MS PocketPC MVP strong encouraged this user to use Telnet and I
replied.

While I am not a PocketPC MVP nor a expert with PocketPC's I have been
using a Unix account dating back to 1993 (dialup only in those days). I
will say that perhaps you should ask the Unix experts on comp.unix.misc,
comp.unix.questions about Telnet/SSH clients. Some of the advice given
to you here has been totally off that the experts there would never
encourage. But it is to be expected as those giving advice here are not
Unix experts like what you would find in the Unix groups. Dave if I
wanted detailed Mac support I would go to apples forums, if I want Palm
support I go to comp.sys.palmtops.pilot, if I want DOS support I go to
those forums and likewise.

Telnet under no circumstances should be used. Well if you use it as a
one time deal, you may be safe but I would strongly encourage you to use
SSH and stay away from telnet and the Unix experts on those groups would
agree. Yes you may need to pay for a client but its worth it!

For Windows CE I have tried a half dozen different clients and arrive at
the conclusion that nothing is superior to PocketTTY for many many
reasons.

Check out some screenshots.

http://johnw.freeshell.org/graphics/hpc/Screen001.jpg
http://johnw.freeshell.org/graphics/hpc/Screen005.jpg

Best of luck to you and here is the link again. Dave the money I paid
was well worth it! No freeware client could meet my high standards.

http://www.dejavusoftware.com/

John

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Matthew 7:12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to
them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: If anyone would come after me, he
must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

Barry Margolin

2006-01-21, 2:49 am

In article <Pine.NEB.4.62.0601201330040.20571@sdf.lonestar.org>,
Big Brother <johnw@sdf.lonestar.org> wrote:

> The original post
>
> I'd like to connect from my HP 4150 ipaq to my UNIX workstation.
> Although I have had this working in the dim and distant past, I can't
> get it working now.
>
> The ipaq and the UNIX both have a router as as the default route. The
> UNIX box (a Sun running Solaris 10) can ping the ipaq, but the ipaq
> can't telnet to the Sun, despite it having a telnet server running.
>
> Both the ipaq and Sun have Internet connectivity.
>
> Any suggestions what is wrong? Are there any better telnet client
> around? I'd prefer to use ssh, but there seems to be no free ssh clients.

If telnet doesn't work, what makes you think ssh will? Unless the Sun
has a firewall running that blocks telnet and allows ssh (in which case,
why is the telnet server even running?).

--
Barry Margolin, barmar@alum.mit.edu
Arlington, MA
*** PLEASE post questions in newsgroups, not directly to me ***
*** PLEASE don't copy me on replies, I'll read them in the group ***

Dave (from the UK)

2006-01-23, 2:55 am

Barry Margolin wrote:
> In article <Pine.NEB.4.62.0601201330040.20571@sdf.lonestar.org>,
> Big Brother <johnw@sdf.lonestar.org> wrote:
>
>
>
>
> If telnet doesn't work, what makes you think ssh will? Unless the Sun
> has a firewall running that blocks telnet and allows ssh (in which case,
> why is the telnet server even running?).
>

I'll answer that, as it was me who posted the original question about a
telnet or ssh client on the microsoft.public.pocketpc newsgroup. I was
looking for an SSH client to run on an HP iPAQ. I want to connect from
my HP iPAQ to a Sun via a wireless network.

What I *thought* was a telnet client (called Terminal Services Client)
on the iPAQ has nothing to do with telnet at all. So that is why it
would not connect !!!

I did find a telnet and SSH client (PocketPuTTY) but it is pretty
useless, in that the as soon as the text gets to the bottom of the
screen, it goes under the keyboard. (On the iPAQ, the keyboard is on the
screen and letters selected with a stylus). PocketPuTTY connects to the
Sun using telnet or ssh, but the interface is very very poor indeed.

SSH would be preferable, but for this application security is not a
major concern. The location is well away from anyone else, and not
within range of any houses that can pick up the radio signal. The link
is encrypted (not good encryption is must be said) and the wireless
access point will only accept data from the one Mac address. But more
than anything, the machine has no critical data and so I'm not overly
concerned about its security. If someone is determined enough to decypt
the encryption key, spoof their MAC adress, snoop to get the password,
then good luck to them. There is an easier way though - just ask me.
I've let several others who I have never met use it for no charge for
testing software.

However, I think I will have to buy an SSH client, as I can find no free
telnet or SSH ones that are really usable. Fine if you don't mind typing
'clear' every 5 lines to start the text at the top of the screen, or
don't mind typing without seeing what you are typing, or what the
results are, but not really very practical.

--
Dave K

http://www.southminster-branch-line.org.uk/

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