Modem Handling: Special
Manufacturer: Apple
Model: iMac Internal Modem

INTERNET (TCP/IP)

Can I access Timbuktu nodes that are behind a firewall?

Yes. However, in order for Timbuktu Pro to work through a firewall, you must open the appropriate ports. In Timbuktu Pro v5.x we have consolidated all services but Intercom into TCP Port 407. However, if you are using an older version of Timbuktu Pro on the Macintosh or are communicating with a Windows system, then UDP port 407 and TCP ports 1417 through 1420 must be open. Timbuktu Pro uses UDP port 407 for connection handshaking and then switches to the TCP ports for Timbuktu Services: Control (1417), Observe (1418), Send (1419), and Exchange (1420). As with most IP communication, the response packets are in the dynamic range above 1023.

If you cannot successfully connect with another Timbuktu host, the network manager may need to reconfigure the firewall permissions to permit the TCP and UDP port assignments given above. For more information see Technote TPM_031 Firewall Issues.

Note: If you are connecting behind a router (running NAT) that is acting as a firewall, please visit the following URL: nat.html

I have selected the "TCP/IP Incoming Access" option, so why are users unable to access my machine via TCP/IP?

If you are using Open Transport TCP/IP, and you have used one of the SLIP or PPP control panels to dial up a PPP server, the upper layers of TCP/IP may not be loaded. To determine if this is the case, check the TCP/IP transport in Timbuktu's Incoming Access windows and see if the address is all zeros. If you have an all zero address, close the Incoming Access window. Hold down the Option key and click on the Timbuktu Connection Menu icon (the icon to the right of the time in in the upper right corner of your screen that looks like a computer monitor with another computer monitor behind it). While holding down the Option Key, click on the Timbuktu Connection menu icon and move your cursor down to 'TCP/IP Incoming Access' and release both the option key and the mouse simultaneously. If you look now, you should see that there is no longer a check mark in front of 'TCP/IP Incoming Access'. One more time, hold down the option key and go to the Timbuktu Connection menu icon and scroll down to 'TCP/IP Incoming Access' and release the option key and the mouse both simultaneously again. This time if you look down that list, you should see that 'TCP/IP Incoming Access' has a check in front of it again. Now go to your Incoming Access window and you should have an IP address to the right of TCP/IP. Other users will now be able to access your computer via Timbuktu Pro using TCP/IP. If the TCP/IP transport is selected and you have a non-zero TCP/IP address, take a look at Technote TPM_031 Firewall Issues for more information on why your machine may not be available to other Timbuktu users over TCP/IP.

Why does my Mac freeze when I connect to the Internet?

This problem occurs on some Timbuktu computers that are obtaining Internet access via FreePPP, but only if you initiate the dial-out connection via your TCP/IP application. For instance, you may see the problem if you initiate your dial-out connection to the Internet by launching your web browser, by sending an email, or by initiating a Timbuktu connection. One workaround is to connect to the Internet first, via the FreePPP interface. Once you are connected to the Internet, you will be able to launch your TCP/IP application without the computer freezing.

This problem does not occur with OT/PPP. If you are running Open Transport, you can resolve the problem by switching from FreePPP to Apple's OT/PPP software. For more information on on FreePPP, MacPPP, and OT/PPP, see Apple's Tech Info Library Article ID number 57247.

Can I connect through a proxy server using Timbuktu Pro for Mac?

Older versions of Timbuktu Pro for Mac will not work through a proxy server either inbound or outbound. However, Timbuktu Pro for Mac versions 5.2.x and higher, include a feature which does allow outbound connections through an HTTP proxy. This feature can only be used to connect through proxies that fit the following criteria:

1. It must be an HTTP Proxy.
2. It must support the CONNECT method. This is the same method used for secure HTTP (HTTPS) connections.
3. It must allow CONNECTing to hosts (servers) who use TCP port 407. It is insufficient for it to support connections to secure HTTP servers who use TCP port 443, the HTTPS port.

None - This is the default and should be chosen if there is no proxy on the network

HTTP Proxy from Internet Control Panel - This should be chosen if a Proxy Server is specified in the Internet Control Panel. If a user name and password are required to connect to the Proxy Server, they should be entered here. If the system will also be connecting to users on the same network, (not outside the Proxy Server), then enter an IP address and subnet here.

HTTP Proxy Specified Below - This is almost the same as above, except that this choice would be used when there is a Proxy Server on the network, but the Proxy Server is not in the Internet Config on the system, so it must be specified here.

Server name or address - Enter the address of the Proxy Server, followed by a colon ':' and the port used by the Proxy.

Internal Networks - This is used when your company does connect to the Internet through a proxy server, but you also connect to systems internally. Including this setting allows your system to connect to any IP address in the range specified, without going through the proxy server.

It might look something like this:

209.49.0.0 255.255.0.0 (note that there is only a space between the IP address and the subnet mask)

When you set Timbuktu up to connect through an HTTP proxy, you are in essence saying: 'Contact x.x.x.x at port 'x' and talk HTTP to it.' The proxy acts as a tunnel to the other port, which in this case is TCP port 407.

It's important to note that inbound connections through a proxy server of any kind are still not supported. This feature is only available in Timbuktu Pro for Mac version 5.2.x and higher. Currently there is no Windows version of Timbuktu Pro that supports connections through a proxy server.

Is it possible to change the TCP contact port used by Timbutku Pro for Mac?

Yes! Timbuktu now makes default contact via TCP rather than UDP. In previous versions of Timbuktu, contact was made on UPD port 407. In Timbuktu Pro 5.2.x and higher, the contact port has been changed to TCP port 407, though for backward compatibility, Timbuktu hosts still listen for connections on UDP port 407 as well as TCP Port 407.

For step by step instructions for changing the contact port, please visit the following URL: tcpport.html

How does the Internet Locator work?

The Internet Locator feature enables guests to connect to hosts over the Internet when the host's IP address is not known by the guest. This feature is especially handy when the host does not connect on the same IP address each time they connect to the Internet. To use this feature, the host enters an email address in their IP Locator Preferences (TCP/IP Preferences in earlier versions). When the host connects to the Internet, and is assigned a valid Internet IP adddress, that IP address and the email address entered in the IP Locator Preferences, is sent to our findme.netopia.com server.

When a guest wants to connect to a host, the guest enters the host's email address in the TCP/IP tab of the New Connection window. After entering the host's email address, and choosing a service from the Service menu, Timbuktu checks with the findme.netopia.com server, to find the IP address the host is currently connected on. The guest is then connected to the host. (Connections using the Internet Locator are very fast, generally taking almost exactly the same amount of time as other connections that don't involve contacting the findme.netopia.com server.)

For step by step instructions on using the IP Locator, please visit the following URL for our how to guide regarding this feature: locator.html

Why am I experiencing problems with the IP (email) Locator feature?

There are some instances in which connections to a host using the IP Locator may fail. Please visit the following URL for a technote regarding troubleshooting common problems: TPM_076.html

Other

Can I run Timbuktu Pro directly on a Mac OS X server?

Yes, Timbuktu Pro v6.x is compatible with OS 10.0.4 and OS 10.0.4 Server and higher.

Does Timbuktu Pro for Macintosh support encryption?

Although Timbuktu Pro has always encrypted the passwords (Timbuktu or NT) used to actually authenticate the remote control session, prior versions did not encrypt the remote control data stream, because Netopia's proprietary graphic protocol was complicated enough to prohibit the easy decoding of display data. However, since data typed during the remote control session was only hidden to the extent that the keystrokes were randomly commingled with other upstream data, these keystrokes were, technically, clear text, and a potential security hole.

Netopia has now added a security enhancement, available in the Timbuktu Pro 2000 and higher Windows versions as well as Timbuktu Pro for Macintosh v.5.2.3 and higher, which dynamically scrambles and encodes all keyboard and mouse data that is sent from the guest to the host machine on a per session basis.

Based on customer feedback regarding the performance, complexity and cost issues of implementing a full standards based PKI security solution, we believe that our current solution offers the best balance between security and performance. As with all aspects of the Timbuktu product suite, we remain committed to continuing improvement, and are working with various security vendors to develop ways to simplify the deployment and maintenance of an even more comprehensive security solution.

How do I delete addresses from the pop-up menu in the TCP/IP tab of the New Connection window?

To delete addresses in a New Connection window on the Mac, take the following steps:

From the pop-up menu in the TCP/IP tab of the New Connection window, highlight the item you want to delete

Then hold down the Option key and click on the address while keeping the Option key depressed.

Go back to the list and the address should be gone.

Note: This feature was added in Timbuktu Pro 5.2.x and will not work in previous versions.

How do I keep the Apple Guide "Sharing and Collaboration Guide" from coming up every time I open Timbuktu Pro?

If you navigate in your hard drive to Timbuktu Pro f:Timbuktu Startup Items and remove the "open New Features Apple Guide" script. This should resolve the issue.

Is Timbuktu Pro for Macintosh compatible with Microsoft's NetMeeting?

Timbuktu Pro for the Mac, version 5.x is not compatible with Microsoft's NetMeeting v3.0 software. Timbuktu Pro for the Mac versions 4.5 through 4.8 included a NetMeeting Compatible Application Sharing feature that was compatible with NetMeeting 2.x. This feature allowed users to share applications with NetMeeting 2.x users. It did not include all the other features of NetMeeting.

When we released Timbuktu Pro 5.x, we no longer included the NetMeeting Compatible Application Sharing software with Timbuktu Pro. At that point, we began selling the NetMeeting Compatible Application Sharing software separately under the name Timbuktu Conference. Timbuktu Conference was a separate download only software that was compatible with NetMeeting version 2.x. It was never compatible with NetMeeting 3.x.

We no longer sell Timbuktu Conference, nor do we have any other product that will allow a Macintosh to join a NetMeeting 3.0 session.

Why do I receive a privilege error when attempting to change the port that Timbuktu Pro uses?

When running the script, one may receive the following error message "Timbuktu Pro got an error: A privilege violation occurred." This error is caused by the fact you have a master password set up in your Timbuktu Preferences. You will need to go to Setup:Preferences:Master Password and remove it while running the AppleScript. Then you can re-enter your Master Password. This should take care of the problem

How do I remove IP addresses from the TCP/IP New Connection pull-down menu?

There is an easy way to remove IP addresses. Hold down the Option key on your keyboard and click on the IP address that you want to remove. When you then go back to the pull-down menu, that IP address should now be gone.

How do I change my Timbuktu Pro Activation Key?

You can easily do this within Timbuktu Pro's user interface. On the system you wish to change the key on, open up Timbuktu Pro. Once open, go to Setup:Activation Key. You can now highlight the old activation key and paste/type in your new key. After you've saved this new key, Timbuktu Pro will update your new serial number.