# Establishing a Connection

## Overview

The "Establishing a connection" panel is used to set up and manipulate all of the required and optional elements needed to establish a connection with another computer. Many of the fields in the Connection window are optional; they are provided in order to simplify, record and speed the connection process.

## Introduction

As discussed in the Jump Start chapter, only three elements are required to establish a connection with another machine on the network. These are the:

- Host Name
- User Name
- Password

However, it is often convenient and time saving to also enter additional information into the connection panel, and save this information for future use. Each of the settings and features available in the connection panel are discussed below.

## Connection Panel Elements

The elements of the connection panel are logically grouped to simplify navigation. Each group and the elements contained therein are described below.

### Connect to

The Connect to group is where you enter information regarding the machine that you wish to communicate with. This machine, often called the "host" or the "server" requires this information in order to maintain a reasonable level of protection for the files on that machine.

Host name: | The host name is the name of the machine that you wish to communicate with. Typically, the host name will take a form similar to "ftp.be.com" or "www.beatware.com". Before a connection can actually be established, Get-It converts the name into an IP Address, the internet's numerical encoding of the name. If you know the number of the machine you wish to connect to, you can also enter that here. An example of such a number is 206.171.45.254, the IP Address of the BeatWare home page.
User name: | The user name is the name of a valid account on the host machine. Frequently, file transfer machines will have a guest or anonymous account available that provides limited access to specific files. To login to an account as a guest, enter "anonymous" in this field.
Password: | The password is the code word that gains access to the account and machine specified immediately above. If the host machine you are connecting to supports guest users, the password to enter is of the form your_email_address@your_ISP.com.
Main server button: | The Main server button is used in conjunction with the Mirror manager, described below. Generally speaking, some popular servers have clones located in other locations (with other IP Addresses) thoughout the world. These duplicate servers are called mirrors, and often provide faster connections and downloads than the main server. If you have selected a mirror site, the Main server button will reset your connection settings in preparation for establishing a connection to the primary host machine.

### Initial directory offset

The Intial directory offset group is where you specify the directory you want to be placed in as soon as a connection has been established. Using this option, you can reduce the amount of time spent connected to the host machine.

Client: | The client directory is the starting directory on your local machine. Unless otherwise specified, you will be placed in the /boot/home directory.
Server: | The server directory is the starting directory on the host machine. If a value is not specified, the server places you in a pre-determined initial directory.

### Extra FTP parameters

The Extra FTP parameters group is used to set some relatively low level parameters of Get-It. By default, Get-It is in Active mode, meaning that when the Connect button is pressed, Get-It chooses the client's data port number (i.e. location on your local machine) for the connection. The host machine uses this port number to initiate the connection.

Conversely, when the Passive connection check box is marked, the server machine provides the port number to Get-It, and Get-It initiates the connection with the server.

Why is this option even necessary? Because the Active mode is rejected by some very restrictive internet providers and companies, while Passive mode is rejected by some very restrictive server machines and firewalls that protect your LAN against internet hackers.

### Comments...

The Comments field is used to record your own notes or other information that is specific to this connection. This information is never transmitted to the host machine and can take any form. The comments field is most valuable when used in saved configurations, described below.

### Configuration commands

.

The Configuration commands group and equivalent Configuration menu give you the ability to save and maintain all of the above information for any connection you make. This configuration information is stored for future retrieval. Each separate configuration is listed in red text on the right side of the connection window.

Save | The Save button is used to save any changes you have made to an existing configuration. To use the Save button, first select and edit one of your existing configurations from the list at the right. Once you are satisfied with your changes, press the Save button to overwrite the selected configuration with these changes.
Save As... | The Save As... button is used to create and save a new configuration entry containing the information entered above. Upon pressing the Save As... button you will be prompted to name your configuration in a separate pop-up window. Once this is completed, your new configuration entry will be displayed along with all previous entries in red in the list to the right.
Rename... | The Rename button is used to change the name of a previously saved configuration entry. Simply select the entry you wish to rename and press the Rename... button.
Delete | The Delete button is used to remove a previously saved configuration entry. Simply select the entry you wish to eliminate from the list and press the Delete button.
Reload | The Reload button is used to restore a configuration file to its original state. For example, if you select a saved entry and subsequently modify one or more of the displayed fields manually, pressing Reload will eliminate any changes you have made since your last save.

### Miscellaneous

.

The Miscellaneous group and equivalent Miscellaneous menu contain a couple of shortcuts that can make Get-It even easier to use.

Erase fields | The Erase fields button deletes all existing connection information (except for saved configurations). Pressing this button allows you to start fresh with new connection information.
Anonymous | The Anonymous button fills in the User name and Password fields for you in preparation for connecting to a host as a guest user.

### Mirror manager

The mirror manager group is used to maintain a list of mirror server sites. A mirror is a server machine that is a clone of another machine (the Main server) on the internet. Mirrors typically exist for high traffic servers, and are often located in geographically diverse locations so as to provide high speed access to different regions of the world.

Add a mirror... | The Add a mirror... button is used to add the name of a mirror server for the Host name currently entered in the Connect to group. The mirror host name is of the same format as the Connect to host name.
Delete selected | The Delete selected button is used to delete a mirror from the list of mirrors for a given server. To use this button, first select a mirror from the Mirror list, then push the Delete selected button.
Mirror list | The Mirror list is a selectable list of the mirrors you have created for the current server. When a mirror is selected from the Mirror list, this host name replaces the current entry in the Connect to group.

### Saved configuration list

The saved configuration list is a complete listing of all those configurations that you have saved by pushing the Save As... button. Clicking on any of these entries fills in the configuration information as it appeared at the time you saved it. By saving popular configurations, you effectively automate the connection process. All you need to do is select a saved configuration and press the Connect button to establish a connection.

### Connect

The Connect button uses the information provided in the various fields above to establish a connection with the host computer. Once connected, all file and folder manipulation will take place through the file transfer window.

Should an error occur while establishing a connection, one of the following messages will be returned:

Error during logon | The remote host has shutdown your connection during login. This may be due to factors beyond your control, though immediately attemting to re-establish a connection often works.
Password not accepted | The password that you provided is incorrect, or the username provided does not exist on the server. Verify both the username and password and try to re-establish the connection.

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