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This is a collection of answers to Frequently Asked Questions about
Pragma Telnet Server for Windows. Please check
here before sending us an email or calling Pragma Systems in regards to
problems with the Pragma Telnet Server product.
Thank you,
Pragma Systems, Inc.
A. Pragma Telnet Server - Limitations of the evaluation version
B. Pragma Telnet Server - Interaction with Windows
C. Pragma Telnet Server - Hardware requirements
D. Pragma Telnet Server - Installation Problems
E. Pragma Telnet Server - Contact Us
F. Answers to Support Questions
G. Common Error Messages
H. New Features of Gen2 Telnet Server - Version 7.0 BUILD 9
A. Pragma Telnet Server - Limitation of evaluation version
The free evaluation copy of Pragma Telnet Server will time out 14 days
from when it is initially installed. The greeting message and
copyright messages cannot be changed. Other than that, there is no
difference between our full use version and the trial version of Pragma Telnet Server.
B. Pragma Telnet Server - Interaction with Windows
Pragma Telnet Server is a standard UNIX telnet server that has been ported to Windows.
Telnet does not support graphical programs that use Windows but it will run any program that
will run in Windows DOS. Pragma Telnet Server runs on top of servers or workstations and allows
access to machines from any telnet client and protects the Windows system by using internal
security mechanisms. To learn more about the telnet specification, see the RFC 854 document
[http:\\www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc854.txt].
Pragma Telnet Server comes with a robust InetD daemon which has been ported from the UNIX world.
InetD allows for programs to run only when the programs are needed. InetD runs as a service and
listens to TCP/IP ports for incoming TCP/IP connections. When a telnet client attempts a
connection to a Windows machine running Pragma Telnet Server, InetD which by default, listens to
standard telnet port 23, provides the connection and starts the Pragma Telnet Server application.
At this point, the user is prompted to enter username, password and also domain information.
Authentication is done by the domain controller. Upon successful authentication, a telnet shell
is launched for the user which functions just a like standard windows shell. The telnet shell
allows the user to navigate through the Windows directories and launch applications and batch
files.
C. Pragma Telnet Server - Hardware Requirements
Pragma Telnet Server will run on any system able to run Windows.
Therefore, all you need is the minimum requirements set by Microsoft.
In terms of addressing the question as to how many users can connect to a
machine at the same time before suffering performance degradation, we
recommend 2MB per user above the minimum needed for Windows. Here's a
guideline to follow for connecting 100 telnet sessions:
2 GHz processor
1 GB RAM
NOTE: The above recommendation is for telnet sessions running cmd.exe
ONLY. Additional resources will be needed as the number of sessions
increase, or for sessions that will be running additional processes.
Four megabytes of RAM should be added for each telnet session.
D. Pragma Telnet Server - Installation Problems
Pragma Systems no longer supports Windows NT 4.0 operating system for its software products.
If you experience problems with the installation, please follow these steps:
1.) If the installation stops running at any point, exit all programs
that are running and try again.
Known programs that might interfere with the installation of Pragma Telnet Server:
Microsoft Exchange Server
Microsoft SQL Server
Virus Detection software
Backup software
2.) If you encounter a missing file error when you run the self extracting
executable, remove all temporary files under the following directory: "%APPDATA%\Temp". If you still encounter the missing
file error, please download the self-extracting executable file again from
our website.
3.) If installation occurs due to the InetD Service failing to start,
check the Event Log for an InetD error describing the failure.
E. Pragma Telnet Server - Contact Us
You can contact us via email at support@pragmasys.com or reach us at
the following location:
Pragma Systems, Inc.
13809 Research Boulevard, Suite 675
Austin, Texas 78750
Telephone: 512-219-7270
Toll Free: 1-800-224-1675
Fax: 512-219-7110
F. Answers to Support Questions
What is Pragma Configuration Server?
Answer: Pragma Configuration Server is a master configuration server to
deploy server settings to remote machines installed with any of the
Pragma servers. The master configuration can be modified locally or
pulled from the settings of the local machine if one of Pragma
servers is also installed on these machines.
Pragma Configuration Server is installed with Pragma Telnet Server. The Configuration Server
dialog can be launched from the desktop shortcut icon (under the Pragma folder on the desktop)
or from the Windows Start menu shortcut. Once the Pragma Configuration Server dialog is up, click
on the "Help" button to learn more about Pragma Configuration Server.
I am using an application that requires me to use the Alt
key on the keyboard, how is this done?
Answer 1) You can use our Pragma FortressSSH Client Suite which
allows you to use the Alt key just as you normally would, by mapping
the ALT key to the same value as the server. See the telnetc.txt file
for help on mapping the ALT key for the client. The default value is CTRL-A.
Answer 2) You can re-map the Alt key to any key desired for
each user, using the Pragma Telnet Server User Configuration. The default
value is CTRL-A.
Why does Control-G not work?
Answer: Check to make sure that Allow Control-G is checked for the
user session.
Is it possible to get mouse support in a telnet session?
Answer: Yes. Using the console telnet client which comes bundled with the Pragma's FortressSSH Client Suite
package and the WindowsTerm terminal emulation software.
Does Pragma TelnetServer support function keys?
Answer: Yes, if you use our Pragma FortressSSH Client Suite, all of
the keyboard keys work. However, if you use another client, make sure
that it supports VT420 or allows you to define support for specific function keys.
How can I get mouse access over a telnet session?
Answer: The client must be configured for the WindowsTerm emulation.
To do this, follow these instructions:
1. On the client machine, you need to set your term environment
variable to WindowsTerm, then run our telnet client. You can change the
environment variable from Control Panel.
Go to the User Environment settings. This is in different
areas, based on the operating system. Check your documentation for the
specific location.
Choose or Add "Term";
Change value to WindowsTerm;
Click on "Set" & "Apply";
Begin session
Or you can locally set the variable from a DOS prompt. Type the
following at the command prompt:
set term=WIndowsTerm
Begin ssh session in the same DOS prompt window
What if a user has an account on the system but is unable to login?
Answer: Make sure that all users you wish to telnet into the system have
"Log on Locally" access permissions.
What if only the Administrator is allowed to login?
Answer: You must set the access rights in your User Administrator for
those users to have "Log on Locally" access to the
computer. If they have "Log on Locally" access right set,
you need to make sure that the user has correct access to the
directory that Pragma Telnet Server is installed.
What if it seems to take a longer time than normal to login?
Answer: One answer is to add the hostnames to your hosts file
supplied with your operating system. This file can be found in the
%SystemRoot%\system32\drivers\etc directory.
Another possibility is network performance. Use diagnostic tools to
check the network performance between the Pragma Telnet Server machine and the
authenticating machine.
Also, entering a specific domain at the domain prompt will increase
login time.
How do I execute a batch file when a user logs on?
Answer: You can assign a logon batch file for users using one of the
following methods. Select only one choice. Errors could occur if the
batch file is assigned in multiple locations.
Option 1) Setup the batch file using Windows User Management program.
Option 2) Enter your batch file in the Startup Program edit box under
the Full Console Settings or Stream Settings tab, depending on the
console mode. The location of this box depends on the version of Pragma
Telnet Server. Check your index for these box locations. If cmd.exe or
command.com is the User Shell then choose whether the command shell
should continue to run after executing the Startup Program. Older
versions require a /K or /C after the program name in the User Shell
edit box. A /K will return to the command prompt after running the
batch file, whereas a /C will close the session after completion.
What if my client is rejected by the server?
Answer: Check the Windows Application Event Log on the server for
detailed information on the cause of the rejection.
What if I get logged off as soon as I log on?
Answer: This is normally caused by a failure to run the command
shell. Check the Application Event Log for an error launching the
user shell program. If there is none, then check security access to
all necessary items to run the user shell, including directories and
mapped drives.
Does Pragma TelnetServer use the Windows User Database or
have its own?
Answer: Pragma Telnet Server uses the Windows User Database and API for
user authentication.
Could you tell me the limitations, if any, to run Pragma
TelnetServer on Windows?
Answer: Limitations are those imposed on the user's access rights and
what you can do in a console window. Also, you are limited by the
file system to only having one set of drive letters for the entire
system. This causes an error when two or more users try to map the same drive
letter. Windows XP and higher does not have this limitation.
Pragma Telnet Server does not seem to have the same path as Windows?
Answer: The path for any Pragma Telnet Server session is the same as the
System path. If the Pragma Telnet Server user has logged on interactively to the
server machine and has a profile with additional path values, this profile will be used during the Pragma Telnet Server session.
Can I run Pragma Telnet Server on a Windows NT Workstation or
2000 Professional Workstation instead of a Server?
Answer: Pragma Systems, Inc. no longer supports the Windows NT operating
system. However, Windows 2000 is still supported.
Can I add/edit users from a command line?
Answer: Yes, you can accomplish this by using the NET.EXE command
line application. The Help for the command is:
NET USER [username [password | ] [options]] [/DOMAIN]
username {password | } /ADD [options] [/DOMAIN]
username [/DELETE] [/DOMAIN]
Can I see users that are logged on from the command line?
Answer: Yes, we ship a command line version of the Pragma Session
Manager, called TELMC.EXE.
I need to be able to change my password from command line?
Answer: We have included a utility in our Pragma FortressSSH Client Suite
package that will enable you to change your password from the
command line.
I wish to be able to scroll my screen back using a buffer
and view my previous commands?
Answer: To do this in older versions, you must run our server in
Stream Mode. When you log in, you may be given a choice to run in
Full Console Mode; answer NO to this question. If you are not asked
this at login time, go to TelnetServer Configuration Program and turn
on the option to ask for Console Mode.
In versions since 4.0, the Advanced Console screen mode can be used.
Advanced Console allows a console window for console applications,
and a scroll back history of all previously used commands.
It is important to understand that a screen buffer is a feature of
the client and not the server.
Why do I not see a color display?
Answer: The reason you are not seeing colors is probably because your
client does not support colors. If you are looking for a client that
does support colors, try our Pragma FortressSSH Client Suite.
Why do I not see the 24th line in the output when I am
running a DOS program within a telnet session?
Answer: If the client you are using communicates the terminal window
size larger than 80*24, Pragma Telnet Server will support that window size. if
no window size is communicated by the client, then the default window size is
80*24 lines. If you scroll down with
the arrow key you can see the 24th and 25th line. The line we show or hide will
be configurable. Pragma telnet clients (FortressCL and console telnet
client) support window sizes of 80*25 or higher. It
is better to use our client or any other client that communicates the
window size.
My terminal only supports 24 lines, which causes the last
line to not display correctly?
Answer: Because DOS programs support a minimum of 25 lines, we have
re-mapped the last 25th line to the 24th line. This enables the last
line to be seen, which in most cases is very important. We do not
recommend using a client that does not support at least 25 lines.
How do I get reverse video?
Answer: Under the User Full Console Settings tab, turn on the User
Monochrome option and set the Default Background color to any value
other than Black. In version 7.0 and later, there is a check box to
use Reverse Video on the Console Settings page.
I wish to have each user's home directory mapped to a
network drive, however, when a user is set to use a networked drive,
that drive is not available to other users?
Answer: This is due to the fact that early versions of Windows were
not multi-user operating system and is limited to the drive letters A
- Z. Windows versions since XP do not have this problem.
We would like to find out the possibility of
your product supporting either HPTERM or XTERM emulation?
Answer: We currently support VT100 to VT420, WYSE 50, IBM 3151, ANSI
and our own proprietary WindowsTerm. We find that these fit all clients,
however, if you have a special terminal you wish us to add, please contact
us.
How do I share NetWare drives between sessions?
Answer: In order to use NetWare drives without disconnecting them
after you exit from a session, you must install "Gateway (and
Client) Services for NetWare". You can do this from "Control
Panel" - "Network" - "Services" tab and
select the "Add" button. A list of services will appear and
you should select and install the "Gateway (and Client) Services
for NetWare". You will then be able to share NetWare drives as
if they were Microsoft Windows drives. Refer to your Windows Server
documentation for more information.
My NetWare drives are not accessible in a session?
Answer: This is a known problem with the NetWare security provider
and our server. One solution is to logon to the telnet session as the
same user who mapped the NetWare drive.
Another solution is to have the NetWare drives mapped from within the
telnet session, which can be done easily with a login script.
Another solution is to install the Novell Client for NT on the
Pragma Telnet Server machine; drives mapped outside of telnet sessions are
available to all privileged users. This has been tested with Version
4.3 of the Novell Client, which can be downloaded from www.novell.comwww.novell.com
How can I use InetD to enable my console application to be
TCP/IP network enabled?
Answer: This is a very simple task. All you must do is use our socket
instead of STDIN and STDOUT. So, you can use the following code
snippet to get the socket handle and allow your program to read and
write to the socket just as if it were in a regular console.
char *pSock;
int hOutput = 0, hInput = 0;
if ( (pSock = getenv("PRAGMASYS_INETD_SOCK")) != NULL )
{
/* code for in session */
hOutput = hInput = atoi( pSock );
// From here you can use Windows ReadFile and WriteFile
// for input and output
}
else
{
/* code for not in session */
}
How do I START and STOP the InetD Service?
Answer 1: From the "Pragma Manager" on the InetD Settings page.
Answer 2: From the "Control Panel - Services" Program
1. Select the item "InetD" from the list, it should now
be highlighted
2. Select the "Start" button to start the InetD Service
3. Select the "Stop" button to stop the InetD Service
Answer 3: From a Command Prompt
1. Type "NET START INETD" to start the InetD Service
2. Type "NET STOP INETD" to stop the InetD Service
How can I execute a graphical program on Pragma Telnet Server
without hanging the process?
Answer: Although Pragma Telnet Server does not allow the client to
view graphical programs run on the server, you can start a graphical
program from the client, using the GUIStart program included with the
Pragma Telnet Server server.
I have some programs that run well in a local DOS Window;
however when I run them in a session, the window is not updating?
Answer: Try running the program in Advanced Console mode or using the
Wrapper Technology included with the server.
What are the known applications that require our wrapper technology
because of non updating window issue with DOS Windows?
Answer:
o VI from the Windows Resource Kit
o PMON from the Windows Resource Kit
o VIM - a popular enhanced version of VI
o Computer Associates Interactive SQL command processor, Open
Ingres
Where can I get Emacs for Windows that works in a session?
Answer: If you are looking for a port of Emacs that works with our Pragma
Telnet Server Server, go to University of Washington Windows port of
Emacs. You will need to get at least version 19.34.2, it has been
modified for our Pragma Telnet Server, which uses similar implementation.
Can I use IBM's DB2 product with Pragma TelnetServer?
Answer: Two environment variables need to be set for the DB2 Command
Line processor to work within a session, DB2RQTIME and DB2CLP.
DB2RQTIME: This is a timeout variable used by DB2, it represents
milliseconds so it will be very large.
DB2CLP: This is an internal value set per session; it is unique to
each session. See your DB2 help for more information on setting this variable.
We recommend that you use a shell initializer on the server to set
these values at the start of your session.
Why is the ftp session forwarded through the Pragma Telnet Server telnet
session hanging?
Answer:
The ftp client is not in passive mode. Make sure the client supports
passive mode, and put the client in passive mode. The ftp client
included with the Windows operating systems does not support passive
mode. Pragma Telnet Server ships with a ftp client, Pragma FTP Client,
that does support passive mode.
How can you limit the CPU usage of a NTVDM process?
Answer: On NT 4.0 or higher, increasing the Idle Sensitivity will
decrease the CPU usage of a 16-bit process. The Idle Sensitivity can
be set under the properties of the 16-bit executable Misc tab.
How do I make Pragma Telnet Server stop any ntvdm.exe process
when a session ends?
Answer: When a 16 bit application is run within a session, a
ntvdm.exe is started and may not be killed when the user exits out of
the session. Pragma Telnet Server is automatically configured to stop
all processes started during a session.
If you have a program that requires that the "Monitor Child
Process" feature be Off, you may use the Graceful Termination
feature. Go to the User Management, Graceful Termination tab, and
setup the exit keys.
Why are users unable to print?
Answer: In order for printing to work, users that wish to print must
have Change access to the SpoolDir.
Take a look at the documentation on Printing Monitoring. It has
step-by-step setup and troubleshooting tips.
How do I set a users home directory?
Answer: Pragma Telnet Server supports the user settings in Windows,
including home directory and logon script. You may also set up a home
directory for each user for secure shell sessions only, using the
Pragma Telnet Server User Management. For the specified user, set the Home
Directory on the Users General Setting tab.
I can only get a small number of sessions connected, and
then I start getting errors?
Answer: First make sure that you do not have orphan sessions on the
server.
If there are no orphan sessions, resources may limit the number of
sessions. Try increasing the Desktop Count for the InetD Service
under the InetD page. This will increase the amount of resources
available to the server sessions and user shell.
If the Desktop Count does not increase the number of sessions, then
you will need to change the system setup. Go to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session
Manager\SubSystems\Windows registry value. There is a substring value
of SharedSection. For best results this value should be
SharedSection=1024,3072,512. After changing the value, reboot the system.
If the problem persists, change the SharedSection value to
1024,3072,1024, then reboot. This setting is system dependent, so
some systems have better results with 512, while some perform better
with 1024.
Windows has a system limitation of 48 MB of memory for
non-interactive services, such as telnet sessions. Most systems will
begin to see errors eventually, usually around 100 sessions. To get a
larger number of sessions, the "Allow service to interact with
Desktop" checkbox should be turned on for the InetD service. The
side effect is that a small flash will occur on the server each time a
telnet session is connected.
I am getting a getpeername failure in the Event Log?
Answer: Another application with a Layered Service Provider might be
conflicting with the Pragma Server. Uninstall the other application
and re-boot.
Other applications known to cause a conflict:
McAfee VirusScan 7.0
Diamond Port Monitor
My server process immediately exists without error?
Answer: Another application with a Layered Service Provider might be
conflicting with the Pragma Server. Uninstall the other application
and re-boot.
Other applications known to cause a conflict:
McAfee VirusScan 7.0
Diamond Port Monitor
I have server processes left on the machine after the
client exits?
Answer: Server and user shell processes left after a client exits are
called orphan sessions. These sessions are left because the client
does not notify the server that they have exited. There are two
features included that can be used to clean up orphan sessions.
The first is the Server to Client Heartbeat under the General
Settings tab. This will send a signal to the client after the
configured period of time, and then disconnect the session, if it
does not receive a response from the client.
The other is the Idle Session Timeout under the User General Settings
tab. This will shut the session down after a fixed period of inactivity.
A required privilege is not held by the client - this is the error that I am getting when I try to connect. How do I solve this issue?
Answer: This error is occurring due to running the Pragma InetD service with an account other than the Local System account. Pragma InetD service MUST run using the Local System account.
To fix this issue, go to Services under Windows Computer Management. Locate Pragma InetD in the services list and click to select its Properties option. Click on the Log-on tab. Select Local System account for the "Log on as" option.
G. Common Error Messages
Error Code: 10054
Error Definition: Connection reset by peer; Remote machine closed connection.
Solution: This is a common error encountered in an environment where RF guns are used to make telnet connection to Pragma Telnet Server. When the telnet client (typically the RF client) disconnects the telnet session abnormally, Pragma Telnet Server logs this message on the Application Event Log. Logoff session from server side. Turn on the "Server to Client Heartbeat" feature under General Settings to detect for poorly closed sessions / clean up orphaned sessions.
Error Code: 1281
Error Definition: CPU Limit Reached; Server machine has more CPUs than current license supports.
Solution: You need to obtain a new registration key with higher number of CPU support. Please call Pragma Systems support line at 1-512-219-7270.
Error Code: --
Error Definition: AllocConsole error - Unable to open a command shell
Solution: Possible solution is to alter the global window heap for the Win32 subsystem. This is done by altering SharedSection option for the Win32 subsystem. We recommend SharedSection=1024,3072,1024. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\SubSystems\Windows registry value. There is a substring value of SharedSection. For best results this value should be SharedSection=1024,3072,512. After changing the value, reboot the system.
H. New Features - BUILD 9
Does Pragma Telnet Server support SSL?
Answer: Yes, Pragma Telnet Server (Build 9 & up) supports the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol to ensure data security. Therefore, when a SSL-capable telnet client connects to
Pragma Telnet Server, data exchanged between the client and the server is no longer in clear-text. Instead, the data is encrypted using the SSL protocol. Both SSL capable and regular telnet clients can connect to the Pragma Telnet Server at the same time and the sessions will be handled accordingly.
How about the Pragma Console Telnet Client .. does it support SSL?
Answer: Pragma Console Telnet Client supports the SSL protocol. To connect to Pragma Telnet Server or any other telnet server with SSL support, add a "-s" option in the telnet command parameter.
For example: telnetc telnetservername -s
Does Pragma Telnet Server support Microsoft PowerShell?
Answer: Yes, Pragma Telnet Server supports Microsoft PowerShell.
Does Pragma Telnet Server run on Microsoft Windows 7?
Answer: Yes, Pragma Telnet Server has been successfully tested on the new operating system from Microsoft, the Windows 7.
How do I connect 1000+ telnet sessions to a machine running Pragma Telnet Server?
Answer: In order to connect 1000+ telnet sessions to a machine, the hardware must be up to the task. Below is an example of a machine that will handle 1000+ sessions:
| Processor: | Intel Xeon 1.8 GHz |
| Memory (RAM): | 4.00 GB |
| Operating System bit: | 64-bit (recommended) |
In addition to the above, the "Desktop Count" option needs to be set to 20. The Desktop Count option is located under:
Local Server Configuration > InetD
Click on the help button on the Local Server Configuration dialog to read more about Desktop Count.
NOTE: The above example is ONLY for connecting 1000+ telnet sessions and getting telnet command shells. When a third-party application is run on the same machine after making a telnet connection, more resources are consumed. Therefore, the above hardware example may NOT be enough to connect 1000+ telnet sessions and then launch many instances of a third-party application.
Does Pragma Telnet Server provide multi-language support?
Answer: Yes, Pragma Telnet Server provides multi-language support. Please read the next question and answer below to learn about how the UTF-8 code page is utilized for multi-language support.
What is UTF-8 and how is it used in Pragma Telnet Server?
Answer: UTF-8 defines a specification that allows the packaging of the characters in the Unicode character set in 8-bit chunks compatible with standard byte oriented transport protocols. It's a variable length encoding format, so a single character may be represented as a stream of one to four bytes.
In order to use UTF-8 under Pragma Telnet Server, there needs to be agreement between the server and client (this is generally true for any code page support). Under Windows, the UTF-8 code page is defined as 65001. The user needs to configure the client to use UTF-8 (or code page 65001) and also configure Fortress to run under code page 65001. Pragma Telnet Server can be dynamically configured to use a different code page, either by the shell, or a program the changes the code page. In order to change a code page to UTF-8 under cmd.exe, use the chcp command with the following syntax:
chcp 65001
Pragma Telnet Server will automatically detect the codepage change and start using it immediately.
Pragma's console telnet client (telnetc.exe) will use the currently defined code page for the command window. If UTF-8 is desired, then the user may change the code page to 65001 using chcp as in the example above, prior to invoking the ssh command line utility.
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