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System User's Guide: Communications and Networks

Communicating Between Local and Remote Systems

For Basic Networking Utilities (BNU) to establish communication between a local system and a remote system, the remote system must have:

Note: You can use BNU to communicate to a non-UNIX system, but such connections may require additional hardware or software.

BNU has two commands that enable you to communicate with remote systems. The cu command connects systems over either hardwire or telephone lines. The ct command connects systems over telephone lines only, using a modem.

Use the cu command to establish communication between networks when you know either the phone number or the name of the target system. To use the ct command, you must have the phone number of the target system.

Note: A third command, tip, functions very much like the cu command. However, the tip command is a component of the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) version of the UUCP program. Its installation with BNU requires special configuration.

Using the cu Command

When you issue the cu command from your local system, you can:

If the remote system is running under the same operating system, you can issue regular commands from your local system. For example, you can issue commands to change directories, list directory contents, view files, or send files to the print queue on the remote system. To issue commands for use on your local system, or to initiate remote command and file exchanges, use special cu local commands, prefaced with a ~ (tilde).

Using the ct Command

Issue the ct command to communicate by modem with another system. Enter the ct command, followed by a phone number, to call the remote modem. When the connection is made, the remote login prompt is displayed on your screen.

The ct command can be useful under certain conditions. For details on using the BNU ct command, see:

Related Information

Using BNU Path Names.

Identifying Compatible Systems.

Exchanging Commands Between Local and Remote Systems.

Exchanging Files Between Local and Remote Systems.

Reporting the Status of Command and File Exchanges.


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