INTERNET CONNECTIONS... DataXchange Connects BBSs to the Internet by Steve Graves (TNS) -- As many sysops have discovered, connecting to the Internet is a complicated and involved task. Not only can the technical challenges be over- whelming, but many local Internet access providers simply refuse to connect bulletin board services, viewing them as competitors for retail SLIP and shell account business. Even if a BBS operator locates a willing Internet provider, the expertise in connecting the Internet and the BBS is likely to be meager. The DataXchange is a new Internet service provider which operates its own backbone and specializes in connecting BBS systems to the Internet. In a TNS interview, CEO Robert Laughlin emphasized that his company provides not just Internet connections, but also supports the sysop with consultations and "hand holding" as needed to get them online. Laughlin says DataXchange also limits installations to about ten new customers per month, in order to assure a high degree of service and personal attention. Laughlin not only understands the Internet but also operates The Power Ex- change BBS, a 160-line system running on Galacticomm's Major BBS software. Laughlin said The Power Exchange was the first commercial Major BBS to fully connect to the Internet. In a public statement on modem user patterns, Laughlin said, "We feel most of the traffic will flow between BBSes connected on the Internet, as users use telnet to hop from one system to another to take advantage of its special features. By having a dedicated BBS-only backbone, DataXchange can provide more predictable performance for BBS-to-BBS connections. However, the network is also connected to the rest of the Internet, so users can reach everywhere (the Internet gods willing)." Why Bother With The Internet? A conventional bulletin board service which supports 100,000 users is consid- ered huge by most standards. The major online services claim one to two mil- lion users. An Internet presence enables the sysop to reach up to 30 million users. Small companies can develop an international presence as easily as Fortune 500 companies, since geography is no obstacle on the net. You can also set up Web sites to serve customers, prospects, clients and dealers from around the world. A World Wide Web server can be used to publish material, advertise products and services, or provide customer service. Users can access any information you want to make available through online databases, documents, catalogs, announcements and message areas. Your existing customers can also use your system to reach other BBSes for their file leaching. Instead of using hundreds of megabytes of disk space to store files locally, you can set up hyperlinks to other systems. Many users need access to newsgroups and Internet E-mail and are not going to settle for FidoNet. For now, an Internet connection is a competitive edge. In the not-so- distant future, BBSes will have to provide at least Internet E-mail and news- group service just to stay in the race. One-Call Hookup Many of the large national service providers leave it up to the customer or charge extra to coordinate the telcos and handle the administration required to become an Internet provider. Installation fees often cover only the cost of running the connection to your door, sometimes called the demarkation point. After that, the rest of the installation is up to you. If you don't have the experience and expertise to continue the installation, you're hosed. DataXchange provides one-stop shopping for Internet connectivity. They contact your local telephone company, order your local loop and schedule the installa- tion. DataXchange arranges for your I.P. address, a class C Internet License, and a Domain Name Server. The company also maintains close working relations with many BBS software publishers. If you run into technical glitches or interface problems, DataXchange will work directly with the vendors to resolve the issue. Minimum Requirements Rather than mislead readers with a minimum requirements list, the following is a recommended configuration. Although you may get by with less, you can be assured of adequate performance and user satisfaction with this configuration. A Pentium class PC with 16 megabytes of RAM and 500 megabyte hard drive to run the BBS software. A 486 file server with 16 megabytes of RAM and one gigabyte hard drive. Most Internet service providers require a specific brand of router. Data- Xchange requires customers to use FRAD, a combination router, digital service unit (DSU) and customer service unit (CSU). DataXchange supplies and pre- programs FRAD for your system as part of their installation service. A 56kb connection to your local telephone company (arranged by DataXchange). Optional: A second machine to handle E-mail, SLIP accounts, or other value- added services. At one time, running an Internet site without a Sun worksta- tion was almost unheard of. Now a 486 running Linux, the widely praised and free UNIX operating system, is often quite satisfactory. DataXchange/Internet Connection Diagram Legend -------------------------------------------- 56KB line E 50 ohm terminator (customer supplied) from telco T T connector (comes w/FRAD & ne2000) RJ-45 RJ-45 telco jack (supplied by telco) | RJ-45 plug & cable (supplied with FRAD) | 10' cable RG-58U coax length 10-100 feet as needed | (supplied by customer) FRAD (xcvr) DataXchange supplies the FRAD pre-programmed. | | Ethernet 10Base2 (thinnet) E-T--------------------------------------T-E RG-58U IEEE-802.3 | ------------------ Connecting a BBS to Internet | NE-2000 | with no previous network. | | Customers will need the NE-2000 | BBS Computer | card and software. | | ------------------ Start-Up Costs Assuming your BBS is up and running on appropriate hardware, figure about $1700 for the FRAD router. Add $750 for first and last month's service with DataXchange. Total startup cost: About $2500 to $3000. Operating Costs A DataXchange 56KB connection will cost between $450 and $1,000 per month. Faster connections are proportionately more expensive. DataXchange connection costs are fixed -- you pay a flat monthly rate. Sylvan Corazzi, Vice President of Marketing at DataXchange, said the average system operator spends between $550 and $675 per month in connection costs -- about half the industry norm. The figure includes the $375 subscription fee charged by DataXchange for its basic 56KB service. The balance goes to cover local teleco charges for your 56KB loop. Your actual cost will depend on local telephone company rates and the distance from your BBS site to the teleco office. DataXchange can tell you exactly what your monthly connection will cost if you give them your area code and the first three digits of your BBS number. Yeah, But I Really Want A T-1 Connection DataXchange offers T-1 connections but you should be aware that they are considerably more expensive than 56KB. Your equipment budget will increase by approximately $2000 and you'll pay three times as much for your local loop and your access feed. Aside from the increased costs, a T-1 may be more than what you need. Read on... Bandwidth and DataXchange's 56KB Line Yes, you can get fractional or full T-1 connections, but DataXchange recom- mends that newcomers start with the smaller 56KB pipe. Bandwidth on the Internet is a complicated issue, because you only have con- trol of the very last part of the "pipe" connecting you. Generally, you are at the mercy of others to use reasonable size connections and, frankly, because of growth pressures, that assumption is usually wrong today. To be more specific, the lines that DataXchange uses to connect from the local Wiltel (the telecommunication wholesaler that connects the DataExchange back- bone to the Internet) switch to you is a full 56KB. Data that you send or receive travels full duplex from a set of send and receive buffers at the pop to you at that speed. From the buffers it is then transferred to a DataXchange hub site, which is a T-1 connection. From the DataXchange hub, it will travel over as many as 15 segments before reaching a final destination. The only part of this you can specify is the last segment to and from you. When you select an Internet provider, you are selecting several other segments and a network topology. But, you usually have little if any control or knowledge over these segments because