Welcome to Minicom Version 3.6 Help

Contents

 

 

Introduction

Minicom is produced by CS-JAMI and is designed for PCs running Win'95, Win'98, Windows NT or Win'2000. The PCs can be connected together via an Intranet ( LAN) or modem and use the TCP/IP or IPX/SPX protocols.

Please note that Modem connections using TCP/IP require Win'98 or Win NT/ 2000 as the server PC.

Tip
Try using the IPX/ SPX protocol if you want to establish a modem connection with a Win'95 server. (Don't forget to install PC Plus on Win'95 servers.)

 

System Requirements

Minicom requires a minimum of a 486 66 Mhz computer with 5 Megabyte spare disk space and VGA/ SVGA graphics card. Minicom works on Win'95, Win'98 and NT V4.0 systems. For modem connections at least a 28k modem is recommended for "Screen".

For MyPhone you will also need a sound card, headset or speakers and a microphone.

Functionality

Minicom allows you to

...monitor and control other PCs from your PC
...manage local and remote Files.
...configure Minirem and Minicom on other PCs and your own.
...shutdown your own and other PCs
...text chat with the Chatboard to other PCs.
...exchange clipboard text with other PCs.
...synchronise your PC Time from another computer.
...voice chat with other PC users
...AutoSchedule tasks on other PCs.
...E-Mail my IP address on the Internet.
...Audio Route Audio from or to another computer.
...Modem Connect Connect or disconnect a local or remote modem

Installation

Install the software on all the PCs you wish to control.
Choose a...

...full installation (All files)

...just Minirem ( the remote monitor and control files )
...just Minicom ( the controller and its help files )
...just MyPhone ( Myphone by itself can call out, but it needs Minirem to receive calls)

Description of files installed

Minicom.exe - the controller or master program
Minirem.exe - the remote monitor program or slave
Comnet.dll - common network routines - always required

RASInt.exe - only required if you have a modem connected to the PC
MyPhone.exe - only required for the phone function
Shutdown.exe - used by Minirem to Shutdown the remote PC

Htm, txt and gif Help files are provided for information purposes.

Setup.dat and Uninstall.lnk are provided for later de-installation.


During installation MiniRem.exe, the hidden remote control program, will be started on the PC and entered in the PC start-up, to be restarted each time the PC is restarted.

Now start Minicom, select menu Do/ Screen and "Configure" each of the PCs.
The "Select a PC" dialogue allows you to enter the name and connection details of each PC that you wish to connect to.
For PCs on the same network you can also use the "Auto-Update" button which will automatically scan the network for PCs with Minirem installed.
See Connecting .

The default TCP-IP and IPX port for Minirem on each PC is "2600".
The default password for Minirem on each PC is empty, ie. "". This can be set from Minicom by selecting "Configure".

By default Minirem is set to run at startup.
Minirem tries to connect to port 2600 for IPX and TCP-IP. If this port is in use then Minirem will try 2601, 2602 etc. until it finds a free port. It will then show a message box with the new port selection.
To prevent Minirem running at startup, start Minicom and select "Configure Host" and connect to the PC.

Tip:
If you have disabled Minirem at start-up you can run it locally on the PC,
( go to the Minicom directory and double-click Minirem.exe )
and then use Minicom with "Configure" to put it back in the start-up.

Which files do I need for a control PC

A minimum configuration for a control PC is

Minicom.exe - the controller or master program
Comnet.dll - common network routines - always required

Optional extras are:

RASInt.exe - only required if you have a modem connected to the PC
MyPhone.exe - only required for the phone function
The htm, txt and gif Help files.

Which files do I need for a remote/ monitored PC

A minimum configuration for a remote PC is

Minirem.exe - the remote monitor program
Shutdown.exe - required for shutdown on the remote PC
Comnet.dll - common network routines - always required

Optional extras are:

RASInt.exe - only required if you have a modem connected to the PC
MyPhone.exe - only required for the phone function
(If you want Chatboard you will need Minicom.exe as well.)

Tip1:
You can delete the various files which you do not need, after installation.

Tip2:
Don't worry if you delete the wrong file and something doesn't work.
You can copy the file in from another PC or just re-install.

Functionality: Screen

...allows you to view and control other PCs from your own screen.

Select "Do", "Screen" from the Menu and select one or more PCs.

A window will now appear that says "Screen - <Computer Name> Connected". In the window you should see the other PC screen.

You can View this as a Full Screen Display giving the impression of working directly on the other computer. To exit from the Full Screen Display press "F10".

(See View/ Refresh to update the screen if there is a line transmission problem.)

 

Functionality: File Manager

...allows you to manage local and remote files.

Select "Do", "Files" from the Menu and select one or more PCs.

You can now copy/ paste , delete, get properties, make a new folder and open ( start ) files.

The commands are available from the top level menu ( see "File" and "Edit" ), the pop up menu ( press the right mouse button ) or by using the short cut keys.

File Manager: Copy

To "Copy/ Paste" select 1 or more folders and/ or files as the source, select "Copy" from the menu, select the destination folder and finally select "Paste" from the menu. The source files and folders will now be copied to the destination folder.

You can copy files and folders from one PC to another, or on the same PC.
If the source file is locked ( in use ) you will be advised by a dialog window.
If the destination file or folder already exists you will be prompted by a dialog window.

File Manager: Delete

To "Delete" select 1 or more folders and/ or files as the source and select "Delete" from the menu. You will be asked whether you really want to delete these items.

Tip1:
deleted files and folders cannot be undeleted!
Make sure you really want to delete them.

Tip2:
When you delete a folder you delete all files and folders within that folder.

File Manager: Properties

Select folders and/ or files. Select "Properties" from the menu and a dialog window will display the properties of the selected items, such as number of files, folders, total size, and the attributes Hidden, System, Read-Only and Archive. If some items have for example the Hidden attribute set, and others do not, then the attribute will be shown as greyed.

You may now change the attributes and accept the changes by pressing "OK".

File Manager: Making a New Folder

To make a "New Folder" select the destination drive or folder and select "New Folder" from the menu. The "New Folder" will appear, and you can then edit the folder name.

File Manager: Open ( Start ) a file

Select one file as a source file, and select "Open" from the menu. You will now be prompted as to which PC you would like to "Open" the file on. This will not work if the source file drive is not set "Shared"to the network.

FileManager: Find

Displays the File Find Dialog.

In the "File Name" entry box enter the name of the file you wish to find
eg. *.ttx or *.ttx, *.doc.

The entry box accepts space, "," and ";" as separators.

Select the directory where you wish the search to begin.

In the "Text" entry box enter any text you wish to find in the file.
This box can be left empty.

Search "Sub-directories" and "Match Case" can also be selected.

Select the "Start" button to display the files.

Functionality: Configure Minirem and Minicom

...allows you to setup Minirem and Minicom on your own and other computers on the network.

Select "Do", "Configure Host" from the Menu and select one or more PCs.

The "Setup Host" dialogue allows you to...

... set a new password for Minirem.
... set a new port for Minirem.
( all future connections to Minirem will be on this port )
... add or remove Minirem from the PC startup.
... define which functions are available on the remote Minicom "Configure Minicom".
... remove Scheduled tasks from the remote PC.
..."Configure E-Mail" - set the E-Mail properties for Minirem to Internet connect.
...Open or Close the Log file "Minirem.log".
The log file will be created in the directory Minirem.exe is installed in.
Don't forget to close the log file first if you want to view it with the Editor.

Configure E-Mail connects to the Internet and sends an E-Mail containing its IP Address on the Internet.
There are several timing modes:

OFF - cancel any queued E-Mail connect
Now - waits 2 minutes, for modem disconnect, and then connects and sends
Date and Time - select a date and time when to connect
Daily - fixed time each day
Weekly - fixed time and day each week

Auto-Disconnect - it is strongly recommended that a time-out be set, to avoid being locked out of a remote PC in the event of an error eg. if the dial-up line cannot be closed, if the E-Mail is not delivered, if the E-Mail server is out of action.
It's also recommended to set a time out on the Dial-up link on the remote computer for the same reasons.
See "My Computer"/"Dial-Up Networking".

Tip:

I can connect to the remote computer over Internet but it won't disconnect the line
What can I do?

1) Go Minicom menu "Screen", connect to the remote PC, click the modem connection and disconnect.
2) Go Minicom "Configure" , connect to the remote PC, "EMail setup" select "OFF" mode and "OK".
3) Go Minicom "Shutdown", connect to the remote PC, and select "Restart" and "Forced Shutdown" and "OK".
4) Get somebody to reboot it.

Users of Minicom on older operating systems may be unable to select the "Settings" or "E-Mail" dialogs. This is because they use newer controls such as "Internet Address" and "Calendar". An easy fix is to update the PC to a newer version of Internet Explorer such as version 5.0.

Tip for "Configure Minicom"
The system manager normally would have all the functions available.
A user may have only the 2 communication devices ie. Chatboard and Phone.

Tip for "Configure E-Mail"
Don't forget to set Auto-Disconnect, or alternatively disconnect the modem when you have finished accessing the remote PC over the Internet!

 

Functionality: Modem

...allows you to start and stop local and remote dial-up connections.

Select "Do", "Modem" from the Menu and select one or more PCs.
A dialog will appear with a list of the remote PCs dial-up connections.

Select a connection and click the "start" or "hangup" button.

 

Functionality: Shutdown

...allows you to shutdown your own and other PCs.

Select "Do", "Shutdown" from the Menu. The "Shutdown" dialogue will appear.

Options are "Shutdown", "Shutdown with Restart" and "Shutdown and Logon as a different user".

If the "Seconds Timeout" field is greater than 0 then a Count Down message will appear on the PCs to be shutdown.

"Forced Shutdown" forces the shutdown independent of warning messages and even if other users or programs are using the PC at the time. Be careful when using this option.

Having selected the options press "OK" and select one or more PCs. The Shutdown command will now be sent to all selected PCs which can be connected.

Functionality: Chatboard

...allows you to text chat with other PCs.

Chatboard does not require a Password.

Select "Do", "Chatboard" from the Menu and select one or more PCs.
A Minicom chatboard will appear. If the connection is successful to the remote PC a "PC connected" message will appear on the chatboard. This means the chatboard has also popped up on the remote PC. You can now type in a message to the remote PC user.
Press "Enter" to send the message.

When the remote user closes the chatboard a "PC Disconnected" message will appear.

Functionality: Clipboard Exchange

...allows you to exchange clipboard text with another PC.

Select "Do", "Clipboard" from the Menu and select one or more PCs.

If there is any clipboard text on your PC you can "Send" it to the remote PC clipboard. If the remote PC has clipboard text you can press "Get" and copy it to your PC clipboard.

 

Functionality: Time

...allows you to set your computer clock from another computer on the network.
Select "Do", "Time" from the Menu and select a PC.

A window should now appear that says "Time - <Computer Name> Connected".

After a few seconds you should see a time string eg. "16:00:45", appear in the window. This means that the time has been sent from the other PC and that your PC clock has been synchronised to that time.
The synchronisation time will continue to be sent every 5 seconds until the window is closed.

Functionality: MyPhone

...allows you to phone other users on the network/ lan and Internet, and for them to phone you.

To use phone you need a sound card on your PC ( preferably full duplex) and a set of headphones, or speakers, with a microphone.

Tip:
Special cardiod moving coil microphones may not work well as they require extra amplification. This is not always provided by the sound card. eg. boost.

MyPhone does not require a Password.

To configure MyPhone select "File/ Setup" to display the Setup dialog.
You can set the microphone and speaker/ earphone sound card drivers.
You can also "Add" other PCs on the network.
The list shown contains the same PCs setup in Minicom so it helps if you run Minicom first e.g. with Auto-Update and set up the hosts.
Use "Modify" to change the PC network name, port and TCP-IP or IPX setup.

To setup the microphone and speaker volume select menu "File"/Setup Handset.

To make a phone call select a PC name from the "Phone List" on the main screen. Then click "Call".

If another user calls you, select the "Call/ Answer" button to speak to the caller.

To check the volume use File/ Check Handset. This switches local loopback on.
To set the volume use the standard volume controls provided for your soundcard. ( check out the Taskbar symbols, on the right side, next to the clock).

Functionality: AutoSchedule

...allows you to schedule tasks on your own and other PCs.

Select "Do", "AutoSchedule" from the Menu. An "Untitled" dialogue will appear.

First build a list of schedule tasks using the "Add", "Insert", "Modify" and "Delete" buttons. For more details see Schedule Tasks.

To open an existing schedule file use the File/Open menu commands.

To test these tasks you can Run them on your own PC.
Don't forget that the directory names may be different on the target PC/s.

Use the File/ Save menu commands to save the schedule for later use.
The files are saved by Minicom in its default directory with the extension ".sch".

To run the tasks on your own or other PCs select Run.
If you select to run the schedule on another PC, Minicom will open a "Schedule Send" window and try to send the task list to Minirem on the Remote PC.
Select Schedule Details to name the Schedule and to set the Schedule to "one shot" or "restart everytime with Minirem". To remove schedules from Minirem select Setup and Schedule List.

If the task list is "one shot" Minirem will start carrying out the tasks.
If the task list is "restart everytime with Minirem" Minirem will start carrying out the tasks but will also save the list to a ".scd" file. Each time that Minirem restarts it will start carrying out the tasks.


To remove a schedule from the remote schedule list start Minicom, select MiniremSetup for the remote PC and select Schedules.
Select Schedule List, highlight the task list and press Remove Schedules.

Connecting

Select the PCs you wish to connect to and press "OK".

If there are no PCs in the list, use "Auto-Update" or "Add" to add a PC name.
"Auto-Update" polls each of the computers running Minirem on your system and
automatically enters them in the list.
"Add" opens a new "Settings "dialogue and you enter the Network name of the computer eg. "PC6" .

The remaining commands allow multiple selection. Eg. "Modify", "Delete", "Settings ", "Unselect" and "Select All".

Having selected the PC name or names, press "OK" to connect.
If you have selected a Dial-up link this will now start to connect.
If you have selected TCP-IP protocol and "Enter Internet Address when connecting"
you will now be asked for the remote PCs Internet address.

 

Functionality: AudioRouter

...allows you to route audio from or to another computer on the network.
Select "Do", "Audio Router" from the Menu and select a PC.

A window should now appear that says "Audio Router - <Computer Name> Connected".

You can now select "Get" or "Send" and the audio input and output to connect.
Klick "Do It" and see the volume level being routed.
The buffer level is preset to 3 seconds of audio.

The compression level is defaulted to "Automatic" which will try to give the best compression setting
for the connection.

Tip 1:

Use the volume controls, on the send and receive PC, to set the volume level being routed.

TechTalk:

Base sample rate of 11,025 samples per sec, mono.

Functionality: E-Mail

...allows you to connect to Internet and E-Mail your IP Address to other users.
This allows the other user/s to connect in to your PC over the Internet, whilst you are still connected. The user can then use Screen, File Manager and the other Minicom functions to monitor or control your PC and communicate.

To set up your local PC to EMail select "Do" "EMail my IP Address" and select a PC.
Select "New" to create a PC entry.
Set the protocol to TCP-IP.
If you have not entered the EMail details, select a PC and then "Modify".
To set up the EMail details see Settings: E-Mail Setup.

To set the remote PC over a dial-up line or LAN to auto-connect into the Internet and send an E-Mail with the IP Address see configure Minirem and Minicom

Command Line Parameters when starting Minicom

You can start Minicom with a Command Line Parameter. For example if you want immediately to connect to "Screen" on computer "PC6" then add PC6 to the command line for Minicom.

 

Screen /s and name of computer

eg.c:\Program Files\Minicom\Minicom.exe /s PC6

to start with Full Screen on PC6 /sf

eg."c:\Program Files\Minicom\Minicom.exe /sf PC6"

 

File Manager /f and name of computer

eg."c:\Program Files\Minicom\Minicom.exe /f PC6"
 

Minirem Setup /r and name of computer

eg."c:\Program Files\Minicom\Minicom.exe /r PC6"
 

Shutdown /h and name of computer

eg."c:\Program Files\Minicom\Minicom.exe /h PC6"
 

Chatboard /b and name of computer

eg."c:\Program Files\Minicom\Minicom.exe /b PC6"
 

Clipboard /c and name of computer

eg."c:\Program Files\Minicom\Minicom.exe /c PC6"
 

Time /t and name of computer

eg."c:\Program Files\Minicom\Minicom.exe /t PC6"
 

AutoSchedule /a and title of schedule

eg. "c:\Program Files\Minicom\Minicom.exe /a Schedule.scd"
 

EMail /e and name of computer

eg."c:\Program Files\Minicom\Minicom.exe /e PC6Internet"

If you have a host name with spaces eg pc250 Sarah then
put italics at the start and end of the name eg /s "pc250 Sarah".

Registering Minicom

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Buy Minicom now from...

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