Rlogin / SSH / Unix with Procomm Plus

I needed a way to login to a nortel pbx over the network, and rlogin is the only way to do it. I'm used to doing scripting with procomm/aspect, and I'm so into procomm, because it supports so many legacy terminal emulations. I searched far and wide, and finally summed up the solution for this. I found by installing the open source program UWIN(Unix for Windows), you can open up procomm, telnet to your 127.0.0.1 loopback, and uwin will respond with a login to your current machine. Once you login, you can then issue any unix command UWIN supports. To log into a nortel pbx system, it looks like this:

$ rlogin 137.135.128.251 -l CPSID

UWIN runs the telnet server daemon by default, so as long as you have a firewall up on your Windows(NT/2000/XP) machine, your telnet port remains closed to your network connection. I did try qite a few other terminal programs (putty,SecureCRT,...), but none of them could properly supply the username with rlogin that the pbx was looking for. UWIN works like a charm. You could also put UWIN on a machine inside your network, ssh to it from the outside, and then rlogin from there for a more secure connection to your pbx. Here is the link to the UWIN downloads

http://www.research.att.com/sw/download/

Also try to do it from long time without success.
I now use a script that launch a rlogin.exe session with additionnal commands. But it opens a DOS windows to run it and there is no possibiity to pass scripts in this window.

No, this does work from Procomm, within Procomm, so you can run scripts from within Procomm. After you install UWIN, just telnet from Procomm to your 127.0.0.1 loopback. You can then login to your local machine under UWIN(UNIX) shell, and issue the rlogin, ssh, or any supported commands directly from Procomm. Basically ur using UWIN as a tunnel from Procomm.

I moved from Procomm about two years for the Meridian.  I am using a product called ZOC that does scripting and uses Rlogin.   I still use my Procomm too, just because I can make dialog boxes and such for a few scripts I use.

I wish Symantec would have incorporated Rlogin into Procomm before stopping manuf.

Hi gl1176

I tried to install UWIN on my PC running Win XP. I pick up UWIN-base software from the site you gave.
Installation was successefull. I changed the default directory only. In a DOS window i can ping 127.0.0.1. For within Procomm i'm not able to telnet 127.0.0.1. I get a Telnet Winsock error.

Opening ksh, i can rlogin manually.

What did i missed to be able to do it from Procomm?

I restart my PC and now i have a login invite within Procomm when telneting 127.0.0.1

Which login and password do i have to enter?
My Windows login doesn't work...

I believe that UWIN just recreates all the local accounts on the pc its installed on. I have both a user account, and an administrator account that I can login in with. If you create any new local accounts, or change any major windows network settings, just reinstall UWIN on top of its current directories, and it should fix any UWIN problems. I'm not an expert it UWIN, but if your more familiar with Cygwin, I'm sure it works with Windows the same way.

Oh, and yes, you can rlogin directly from the ksh. Using ksh without procomm, i dont think you can do any scripting.

One last thing, you need to use ~. to exit the rlogin session. If you just close the program you are using without doing so, you will orphan the ksh and rlogin in the background. Just use the task manager to find the ksh.exe, and rlogin.exe and right click to end process tree. You can also just reboot the machine. Also make as many PTY you need to have concurrent sessions. On 25.40B you can only have 4 PTYs, 4 simual rlogin sessions. I think on succession you can have 16.

I checked my accounts. The one i was trying to use wasn't in the PC name Domain. I change to another one and get success.

I knew about ~.

Thanx again
I will try later to script with it and gives you feedback

Scripting works greatly...!!!

Thanks again for that great thread !

  Hello gl1176.  This is a excellent thread. I've just done a complete guide of setting up procomm plus to work with UNWIN. I do have a couple of questions for you, if you don't mind please?.

1) Have you been able to use the "XVR" or "XRT" commands in LD 143 on a 11c system?. I've been OK in using the "XBK" via the "X Modem" protocol, but I'm unable to use UNWIN to send a file?.

2) What would you recommend to be the best way to exit the switch & the UNWIN program without causing any lockup's?.
I've been going into "pdt" & then using "exit". Is this OK?.

  Please contact me if you would like to see what I've put in my guide.

All the best

  Firebird Scrambler
Meridian Programmer in the UK

http://mysite.orange.co.uk/firebird_scrambler
Useful Nortel forum at www.tspforum.com

If it's working, then leave it alone!.

firebirdscrambler

I have the same problem with x modem. Transfer starts and stops after a small while
The problem with exit command is that it close pdt but also the UWIN session

These small problems are nothing compare to the advantage of scripting using rlogin... but solutions are welcome

  What would you recommend is the best way to exit the site?. I've tried using the "1K-Xmodem-g" protocol to send a file, but it stops half way through the transmission on XVR. X-Modem was fine for receiving, using XBK.

All the best

  Firebird Scrambler
Meridian Programmer in the UK

http://mysite.orange.co.uk/firebird_scrambler
Useful Nortel forum at www.tspforum.com

If it's working, then leave it alone!.

firebirdscrambler, the best answers to your question:

1) From procomm, you are using UWIN to rlogin to your pbx, so whatever commands rlogin supports, thats what you have to work with. That means whatever transfers you perform, are done within UWIN using rlogin. I'm new with rlogin, but I'm sure you can find plenty of documentation on it online.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rlogin

2)The proper way to exit the pbx and the sessions are:
  a)logo off the pbx first, if not the tty session will remain logged in
  b)~.       that will end the rlogin tty session on the pbx
  c)exit     that will end the telnet between UWIN and Procomm

Hello gl1176.

  Thanks for the reply back. I'll take a look at the link to see if I can find out anything on it about XVR etc.

All the best

  Firebird Scrambler
Meridian Programmer in the UK

http://mysite.orange.co.uk/firebird_scrambler
Useful Nortel forum at www.tspforum.com

If it's working, then leave it alone!.

  Hello gl1176. I've just a complete guide on installing UNWIN & getting Procomm Pluse to work with it. I'd like to put it on the Meridian forum. Would you like to contact me to view my word doc copy & check it's ok please?. A few of my colleagues who have tried it, are very impressed.

All the best

  Firebird Scrambler
Meridian Programmer in the UK

http://mysite.orange.co.uk/firebird_scrambler
Useful Nortel forum at www.tspforum.com

If it's working, then leave it alone!.

Firebird... When will you be posting your document?  I would be interested in looking at it.  I have abandoned Procomm because of the lack of Rlogin, and switch to a program called ZOC because it does scripting too, but it doesn't have the capability for doing dialog boxes and such and I would like to use my old procomm scripts.

Jamie,
Just follow that thread from the beginning and you will be able to run procomm with rlogin.
Firebird will provide a fully detailled file soonly, i guess , that help all to install it propely

  Just look at my link & go to the bottom of the page for the contact address

All the best

  Firebird Scrambler
Meridian Programmer in the UK

http://mysite.orange.co.uk/firebird_scrambler
Useful Nortel forum at www.tspforum.com

If it's working, then leave it alone!.

To All...
I have my setup secure now with ssh. Its hard to show a picture using text but, here's my setup from bottom to top:

PBX
^^^
Windows PC(UWIN&SSHD)
^^^
Router with NAT to ELAN
^^^
Internet
^^^
SSH Remote PC using Putty and Procomm


You can startup the windows telnet service on XP machine, but keep the telnet port blocked on the firewall. That way you can use procomm to telnet to yourself to access the cmd version of putty for ssh, and still keep you machine from an incoming telnet session to your NIC. I usually just use putty to directly make changes to my pbx from the internet over ssh. Of course I using procomm instead for large scripts. On the elan router I have a public IP assigned, and the ssh port 22 forwarded to the XP PC with UWIN running the sshd service. I had to edit the /etc/rc file to add the line to start sshd when the pc boots up. Once you hit the the UWIN shell, you can then run your rlogin from there. I added some unix/linux scripts that execute the rlogin commands for you, so when you hit the UWIN shell you just type the name of the script and it get you in the pbx.

Having UWIN on a pc in the ELAN makes it easyer on accessing the pbx from other machines, because it keeps you from having to install UWIN when you can just run putty.

When locally, I have tried to use putty to directly rlogin to the pbx, but I run into problems with it locking up pty ports. The only way to fix a locked pty port is an INI. UWIN works flawlessly without locking up pty ports when rlogin everytime. Hope this is some more helpful tips to add to your guide.

  Hello Jamie2 & gl1176. I've just put my guide on the Meridian section at thread798-1278692. I hope that you find it easy to install.

All the best

  Firebird Scrambler
Meridian Programmer in the UK

http://mysite.orange.co.uk/firebird_scrambler
Useful Nortel forum at www.tspforum.com

If it's working, then leave it alone!.

Worked like a charm Firebird.  It is somewhat wordy, but it works!

I should have paid attention to gl1176 notes about using the ~ and exit.  I orphaned 4 instances of ksh and rlogin and tied up my PTY ports.  Couldn't even login in with ZOC and panic a little, but then the light bulb clicked on (Check the task manager)...

Thanks again!

Actuall to exit the rlogin tty you use "~." not "~"

Here's a fun tip... telnet to port 513 on your pbx... its causes the pbx to INI... I found that out the hard way.

There's a few fixes to firebirdscrambler's rlogin guide that I will clear up here.

1)states "I’ve found that there is no need to run the Uwin program. It just needs to be installed on your computer."

Actually, once UWIN is install on your pc, its always running. It installs itself as a windows service, so it can automatically startup on a windows boot. You can stop the service from the windows services panel. You can also control some of its features from a link in the windows control panel. UWIN is really a small verison of UNIX that runs itself inside windows. The Ksh icon that you see on the desktop is an easy access to the Korn Shell for UWIN.

2)states "Login in using your computers login access ID (Not the Nortel PBX Name!).  You will then get.."

"Enter in your computers password. If it’s successful, then you will get a “$” appear underneath the password after a few seconds!."

This should say "Login in using your Windows login and password". The "$" is a KORN Shell prompt. Kinda like the windows cmd prompt that look like "C:\".

3)states "Key “~” (Above the hash button)"

Again, this should be "~.". If done right, you will get back to the Korn shell prompt of "$". Also the ~ key is in different places on keyboards. Mine is above the tab key and I have to use shift because it shares the ` key with it.

4)states "Keying “help” will list out the Unix commands"

Keying "help" really gives you the windows help commands inside the UWIN korn shell. UWIN shares command lines with windows, that means that you can run windows or unix commands from it. In order to get help with commands, the procedure is just like linux or unix. You can use "man" for manual in front of a unix command to get a html doc on what it does and what options are avalible for it. Or you can type the command followed by --h to see the avalibe options. like this:

$ man ls    will pull up the manual page for ls
$ ls --h    will pull up options for ls

if you want to find most of the commands for UWIN, just look in the directory in windows
C:\Program Files\UWIN\usr\bin
There is also some good info on the UWIN site, and if installed, in the windows directory
C:\Program Files\UWIN\usr\doc

  Hello GL1176. Thanks for your fix's & tip's. I'll amend my guide.

All the best

  Firebird Scrambler
Meridian Programmer in the UK

http://mysite.orange.co.uk/firebird_scrambler
Useful Nortel forum at www.tspforum.com

If it's working, then leave it alone!.