SkyPoint Communications - ISP SkyPoint Help About SkyPoint SkyPoint Services SkyPoint Members Contact SkyPoint
SkyPoint Communications - ISP SkyPoint Communications

SkyPoint Communications is a full service Internet Service Provider.

Instructions for Downloading the SkyPoint Software Package

This section assumes that you know how to use a terminal program. If you are unfamiliar with your terminal program, please consult your manual or call its technical support line for help.

  • 1.Open your terminal program by double clicking on it.
  • 2.Setup. You will need to set up your terminal program to dial in to SkyPoint Communications. Please check your terminal program's manual to find the correct setup menu options. In most packages, you may create a permanent dialer menu entry for each number you contact with your modem. These entries also save other important settings used in contacting that number. We suggest creating a permanent entry for SkyPoint if you are able to do so, since it will save you the time and effort of reentering all the following settings each time you contact us. If the option is not available, or if you do not want to create a permanent listing, please enter these options manually each time you need to contact SkyPoint.
    • Enter SkyPoint's phone number. You will not need to enter the area code unless the call is a long-distance call for you.
      • In the Minneapolis/St. Paul Area: 612-473-5646
      • In the Hudson/Stillwater Area: 612-436-3637
      • In the Duluth/Superior Area: 218-720-5800
    • Enter the following terminal settings.
      • Parity: None
      • Data Bits: 8
      • Stop Bit: 1
    • Enter the terminal type. We suggest vt100. If this, or vt102, is unavailable, ANSI should work well enough. If you use ANSI, some formatting will appear odd but function will not be impaired.
    • Enter your modem speed. NOTE: these options require you to set the speed above your modem's maximum speed. Your modem will check these settings and automatically select the fastest possible rate below the maximum speed entered.
      • If you have a 14.4 kbps (14,400) modem: Select 19,200.
      • If you have a 28.8 kbps (28,800) modem: Select 38,400.
    • Enter the download transfer protocol (The way data is packaged for telecommunications). We suggest using Zmodem because it will allow you to reconnect at the "location" in the download process you were last at, if for any reason your connection with the FTP site is lost. If your software does not have this option, other acceptable protocols are Xmodem, Ymodem, or Kermit. Please note which protocol you have chosen, since you will need to let SkyPoint's software know which protocol to use.
  • 3.Call Waiting. If you have Call Waiting, please disable it. If you do not, incoming calls will break your connection. You will need to disable Call Waiting before EVERY modem session.
    • For Touch-Tone Phones: Press *70 before every call.
    • For Rotary Phones: Dial 1170 before every call.

Your terminal software may allow you to enter these codes permanently in its dialing sequence. We suggest that you check your terminal program's dialing setup options and enter the code permanently if possible. Doing so will prevent you from being knocked off line by an incoming phone call if you forget to enter the code manually at the beginning of a session.

  • 4.Dial. Have your modem dial SkyPoint.
  • 5.Access the SkyPoint Menu Option. Once connected to SkyPoint, you will get a small menu which looks something like this:

Welcome to SkyPoint options are S - Shell Account M - Menu Account

Select the Menu option by typing M and hitting the return key.

  • 6.Log in. You will see a message that looks like this:

UnixWare 2.03 (mirage) (pts/9)
login:

Enter your Username that was assigned to you by SkyPoint. Remember, all letters are lower case. Hit the return key. You will then see another prompt:

Password:

Type in the Password assigned to you by SkyPoint. This may have both upper case and lower case letters in it. Please make sure that what you type in exactly matches the Password you were given. You will not be able to see the characters you are typing, for security reasons. Hit return.

  • 7.Enter terminal type. You will be prompted to enter your terminal type:

    Please enter your terminal type. If you are unsure, type ENTER for vt100:

    Enter the SAME terminal type you entered in your settings. Most users will type vt100, but if you have entered vt102 or ANSI in your terminal program, type that option in here. Press return.

  • 8.Accessing the menu. Depending on your account type, you will probably be presented with a full-screen menu that looks like this:
SkyPoint Communications
M Mail
N Usenet News
T Telnet
F FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
I Internet Applications
A File Utilities
U Network Utilities
P Personal Utilities
S Shell Options
O Offline Reader Packing
D View/Dwnld SkyPoint Files
Enter Selection: Press X To Exit, ? For Help

If you see this menu, you will not need to type anything additional in to access it. If you DO NOT see this menu, and only see a prompt, type fineline and hit return.

  • 9.Select the Download option. Type D (View/Dwnld SkyPoint Files).
  • 10.Select the PC Software to download. You will be presented with a new menu. Type 3 (Windows 3.1 Browser).
  • 11.Select the transfer protocol. You will be given a new menu with options to select which transfer protocol to use:
Which Protocol?
Z Send file with Zmodem
S Send file with Xmodem
Y Send file with Ymodem
K Send file with Kermit
Enter Selection: Press X to Exit, ? For Help.

When you set up your transfer protocol, you were asked to make a note of which protocol you chose. Most users will be using Zmodem. Enter the letter associated with the correct transfer protocol on the menu. For example, users who have set their transfer protocol to Zmodem would type Z.

NOTE: Windows Terminal Users must select S to use Xmodem.

  • 12.Prepare to receive the file. Many terminal programs will automatically detect when a Zmodem session starts, and will just start to download. Other packages need to be told to start receiving and will ask you for a filename and where to save the file. Please check your terminal programÕs manual if you are unfamiliar with how your software handles downloading.

    If your terminal program gives you the option before beginning the download, you may specify the location and/or filename for the download file.

NOTE for Windows Terminal users ONLY: Remember, Windows Terminal only supports Xmodem.

To prepare Windows Terminal to receive:

  • a.Select "Transfers". Click and hold on the "Transfers" menu item at the top of the screen.
  • b.Select "Binary File". Drag the cursor down onto the "Binary File" menu item and release the mouse button.
  • c.Enter the file name. In the "File Name" box at the upper left corner:

If you are downloading the Install Instructions:
Type install.txt.
If you are downloading the WindowsSlip/PPP pkg:
Type iew31.exe.

  • d.Select the directory where to save the file. In the "Directories" box at the right side of the window, select the directory where you want the Install Instructions to be saved.
  • e.Select "OK". Click on the "OK" button in the upper right corner of the window.
  • 13.Wait. After the download begins, leave your computer alone and let it finish at its own pace. The length of time needed to download the SkyPoint PPP package will depend on the speed at which you are connected. For example, at a 14.4 kbps connection speed the package will take about an hour to download. If your modem defaults to a slower speed, it may take up to 3 or 4 hours. A faster connect speed will require between 1/2 and 1 hour.

    If the connection is lost or something else goes wrong with the download, your terminal software will let you know with an error message. If that happens, please go back to step 2 of this process. If you have made a permanent dial entry for SkyPoint, you can skip step 2. If you have call waiting and have permanently entered the code to turn it off before any modem call, you can skip step 3.

  • 14.Exit the SkyPoint site. After your download is complete, you will see SkyPointÕs Protocol menu. Type X to go back to the last menu. At each menu you see, type X until your software informs you that your computer has disconnected (hung up) from SkyPoint.
  • 15.Quit. Quit your terminal software.

 

Help | About Us | Services | Members | Contact Us