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By Dan Albrich (dalbrich@oregon.uoregon.edu)
If you're confused about which dial-in Internet software to choose for your Mac, you're not alone. The array of possible choices can be overwhelming, especially to new users.
My experience as a technical consultant has been that novice users don't like being confronted with a long list of software choices, especially when the distinctions between those products are insignificant. Most often, new users are simply looking for a product "that works."
Unfortunately, there's no one simple answer when you're talking about Macintosh Internet dialers. This article discusses common dialer options and gives some specific recommendations.
Before I describe the list of dialers and discuss their pros and cons, you'll need to become familiar with a few terms:
MacOS (the Macintosh Operating System). This is the core set of software programs that enable the use and configuration of your computer.
By analogy, if your Macintosh were a car, the system software would include the steering wheel, pedals and dashboard. The system software governs what's displayed on the screen, input from the user via the mouse and keyboard, and how programs use resources. You can find out what version you're running by selecting "About this Macintosh (or Computer)..." from the Apple menu.
Mac OS is commonly referred to as "System Software." This term is often abbreviated by the word "System" followed by a version number (e.g.., "System 7").
TCP/IP Internet Protocols. The TCP/IP protocols are efficient and "globally routable," which means that communication between computers on the worldwide Internet is possible from any location to any other location. The protocol is efficient because of a large "packet size" or data payload and good error detection and correction. While TCP/IP has many advantages, it's complex to set up, which is one reason why not all vendors chose to implement it as their regular communication method. Some popular programs that utilize TCP/IP services include Netscape, Internet Explorer, Telnet, Fetch, NewsWatcher, and Eudora. AppleTalk. This is Apple's original networking protocol. AppleTalk is the protocol used when Macs share files and printers. Its best feature is its ease of setup and use, but it is slower and less efficient than TCP/IP because of its small packet size. It's also a "chatty" protocol that's not globally routable.
Classic Networking. This is the original Apple networking software included with Macintosh computers. In the early days of Macintosh, Classic networking referred only to AppleTalk. Later, however, TCP/IP support was added via a control panel called MacTCP. Because Classic design wasn't conducive to expansion, MacTCP was bolted on to the existing system instead of being integrated. Nonetheless, MacTCP does work well, and it requires very little memory.
OpenTransport. This is Apple's new modular and extendable networking system that's integrated into System 7.6 and higher. OpenTransport includes AppleTalk and TCP/IP support and can be configured via control panels of the same name. But note that this networking system requires quite a bit of memory. If you have an older Mac or less than 32Mb memory, I'd recommend sticking with Classic networking, which uses far less RAM.
Modem Initialization String. All modern modems can take commands that affect their configuration. These commands include the ability to turn off the modem's speaker or set its volume and information relevant to connecting with other modems. For example, fax modems require one initialization string to tell the modem to do fax, and another to do data. The best connection setting is usually AT&F or AT&F1, the factory defaults.
CCL. This is a modem description file used by several popular dialers. Among other settings, the CCL contains the modem initialization string. While ARA 2 and ARA 3 both use CCLs, the ARA 2 CCLs are not necessarily compatible with ARA 3 and vice versa. There is no easy way to determine which version of CCL you have, and they aren't easy to edit or change. Apple intended the CCL to make modem use easier, but that hasn't been my experience! Choosing a dialer that doesn't need CCLs is often the simplest path.
Now that you have some background, let's move on to a brief overview of basic dialer software:
ARA 3 (TCP/IP and AppleTalk). Recommended for modern Macintosh, G3 and iMac, or those users running Mac OS 8.5 and higher. We generally recommend MacPPP due to its ease of support, but the new Macs come with ARA preinstalled, which is a good reason to use it instead. I also recommend this package to other users who have a modern Macintosh OS (8.5 and higher) and need to use AppleTalk's file or printer sharing.
MacPPP (TCP/IP only). Recommended for all users running System software earlier than Mac OS 8.5, or who have less than 32Mb of memory. (Note that the new Apple G3s, including the iMac, come with ARA 3 preinstalled, so use it instead.) Here are MacPPP's strengths:
1. Ease of use. MacPPP works with all Macintosh models, regardless of RAM size.
2. It doesn't use Apple's modem description files ("CCLs"), which are difficult to modify. Instead, MacPPP allows you to easily change a modem initialization string to accommodate your individual situation. This allows the program to be sufficiently generic to work with almost any modem out of the box.
MacPPP works with all Mac models running System 7.0 and higher and has no RAM requirements to speak of. The dialer requires less than 400K. On the down side, MacPPP isn't glamorous. You'll find no slick 3D buttons or anything with a polished look. But the program works well with all Macintosh models and isn't very difficult to use.
OT PPP (TCP/IP only). OT PPP is ARA 3's predecessor. This dialer is included with some Macintosh systems and requires Open Transport. It's efficient and has a clean user interface. I recommend its use on Mac OS 7.6 and 8.1 only because MacOS 8.5 and higher include the updated ARA 3 instead.
I don't recommend OT PPP's use on systems earlier than 7.6 due to their lack of the recommended version of OpenTransport (v.1.1). OT PPP is available free from the Fall 1998 Duckware CD-ROM, along with Apple's installer and a configurator for the UO campus.
Note: Do not install this program on new G3 or iMac hardware. Those systems usually come with MacOS 8.5, which would use ARA 3 instead. OT PPP appears to be incompatible with the new G3 systems, since they have its successor, ARA 3, preinstalled.
InterPPP (TCP and AppleTalk). Obsolete! While this software is free to UO members and can be made to work, it's not recommended. It is designed for older Mac models and doesn't work with OpenTransport. InterPPP is an option for those who use older Macs and want both AppleTalk and TCP/IP. There are minor incompatibilities between this dialer and our current communication server setup that produce incorrect but innocuous error messages.
Zterm (terminal emulation). This software works well for slower modems (1200/2400/9600) or for those who have limited memory (4MB or less). However, you won't be able to run Netscape or Eudora, or share files or printers. Your only email option is to use a text-only interface to run pine and read email.
While there are many options available and minor trade-offs between them, those looking for the simple path should choose one of two options:
1. If you have a new G3 (including the iMac), use the preinstalled ARA 3.
2. The simple path for everyone else is MacPPP, which is available from the 1998 Duckware CD-ROM or our network file server, CC Public Domain.