Getting Started on a BBS:

Interacting | Getting Online | Glossary

Guess what? You've already got a head start on "BBSing" because you know how to get online and send mail messages - it's that simple!

All you need is the proper software to allow you to dial in to a local BBS, and software to read and respond to the special-format BBS mail. You may already have some of it on your PC but, if not, don't worry - we have everything you need right here on our site!

Below is a short description of how you interact with a BBS, and your step-by-step guide to help get you online quickly and easily to a BBS in your area.

How do users interact with a BBS?

It's surprisingly simple!

The majority of BBSs are run by individuals out of their own homes. They provide telephone access to callers from all over the world. You need only find a BBS that has a phone number in your area code region. You then dial in to the BBS using your modem and a communications or telnet program. Once connected, you'll be greeted with the BBS main screen.

On the main screen, you're given options to set up your standard BBS session. Look for an option described as "mail" or "mail door"; from there, you can choose which conferences you'd like to participate in.

You can read and respond to your mail messages while online, or you may choose to use the mail door option of the BBS. This option will tell the BBS to scan for any unread conference messages and mail addressed to you and then pack up those messages into a single compressed file for you to download. You'll be prompted on if you wish to download the packet, and for which download format you would like to use. The most common file transfer protocol is zmodem. You download the packet and disconnect from the BBS system.

To read the downloaded file (packet), you open a program called an offline mail reader (OLMR). The OLMR functions as a message reader and editor, allowing you to read and respond to messages.

Once you've completed your responses, they are automatically saved in another packet created by the OLMR called a .REP (reply) packet. You dial back into the BBS and upload your .rep packet through the mail door option. The mail door then inserts the replies into the conference message base on the BBS.

How to Get Connected to a BBS

Find a BBS local to you. Go to our BBS List, look for a bbs close to you. Write down the name, phone number and any other information shown for the BBS for reference, or simply print out the page.
Though you can read and reply online, sending messages with an offline mail reader (OLMR) is preferred, because then you can compose your replies at your leisure. Go to our ILink Files/OLMR section and choose one of the available programs.
Choose the conferences you'd like to participate in. To see a list of the many different conferences you can participate in with ILink's BBSs, see our Conference Listings. Browse through the titles to see which would interested you. You can also see a brief description of each conference. Write down the names of the conferences.
Configure your telnet program to dial in to the BBS you chose, using the information you noted down or printed out in step #1. In most cases, you'll only need to input the BBS phone number in the program settings. Most have a default dial-up setting you can use. Otherwise, refer to the program's documentation to find out what other settings may be required.
Dial in and connect to your BBS!Once you are connected to your BBS, be sure to read any bulletins and guides for new users to help you set up your BBS session. Follow the BBS instructions on how to activate the conferences you want to participate in.

Typically, BBSs use numbers to refer to conference names for ease of set up. You may need to scroll down a list of conference numbers to find the names of your chosen conferences to activate them. Once they are activated, you no longer need to worry about them. Each time you dial in to your BBS, it remembers which ones you chose. You can also change these settings any time you wish. Merely go into the setup option and do the same as you did on your first BBS session.

NOTE: If there is no BBS listed for your area code, you can still get connected! There are a few ILink BBSs that can be accessed while you're connected to the internet, saving you the cost of having to dial long-distance.

Internet connections: A few BBSs have internet connections. They are not common since the expense and hardware requirements are costly. A BBS with an internet connection means that you can access the BBS while you're connected to the internet, in effect, using your internet service provider's (ISP) connection to call the BBS and connect to it with your telnet program.

To connect via the internet:Go to our BBS List page and choose one listed there. It might be a good idea to print out this page for reference.
Download and install a "telnet" program to access the BBS. Go to our ILink Files/Telnet Programs section, choose and download one of the two telnet programs listed here.

There are two ways you can connect to an internet BBS with these choices. You'll notice a link in each BBS section on the above mentioned page that says Telnet to the BBS. If your telnet program is linked to your browser (refer to your browser's user manual on how to do this), you can merely click on the link to get connected.

However, you can just as easily set up the telnet session the same way as a direct dialup connection mentioned in step #5 above. Open your telnet program and configure a session using the telnet address of the BBS instead of its phone number.

When you are connected to your ISP, start your telnet program, choose the BBS Internet session you configured and log in to the BBS. It's that simple!

GLOSSARY

Door - a software program used by a BBS to allow a caller access to their system.

Offline Mail Reader (or OLMR) - A special program designed to read the QWK mail format. They provide a means for the user to open and display QWK packets, to respond to messages, and create a REP packet of responses to upload to the BBS.

Packet - refers to the single, compressed, archived file containing unread conference messages and messages addressed to you by other conference participants.

QWK file format - a special BBS mail message format. QWK mail requires a special piece of software to read this file type, called an "offline mail reader".

REP file format - This is the file extension used to indicate that the file is a packet of BBS message responses. After you download your mail messages in a QWK file, you open them, respond to them, and your responses get saved into a .rep file. This is the file that you will upload to the BBS. The BBS program will then place your responses into the appropriate conferences.

Telnet Program - A "telecommunications network" program that allows the caller's PC to act like it is hooked up to a network. Very much the same as being connected to the internet through your internet service provider.