RFC 2151 (rfc2151) - Page 2 of 52

A Primer On Internet and TCP/IP Tools and Utilities

RFC 2151          Internet & TCP/IP Tools & Utilities          June 1997


      8.2. LISTSERV.................................................. 38
      8.3. Majordomo................................................. 38
      8.4. Usenet.................................................... 39
      8.5 Finding Discussion Lists and Newsgroups.................... 40
   9. Internet Documentation......................................... 41
      9.1. Request for Comments (RFCs)............................... 41
      9.2. Internet Standards........................................ 44
      9.3. For Your Information Documents............................ 45
      9.4. Best Current Practices.................................... 45
      9.5. RARE Technical Reports.................................... 46
   10. Perusing the Internet......................................... 46
   11. Acronyms and Abbreviations.................................... 48
   12. Security Considerations....................................... 49
   13. Acknowledgments............................................... 49
   14. References.................................................... 49
   15. Authors' Address.............................................. 51

1. Introduction

   This memo is an introductory guide to some of the most commonly-
   available TCP/IP and Internet tools and utilities that allow users to
   access the wide variety of information on the network, from
   determining if a particular host is up to viewing a multimedia thesis
   on foreign policy. It also describes discussion lists accessible from
   the Internet, ways to obtain Internet and TCP/IP documents, and some
   resources that help users weave their way through the Internet. This
   memo may be used as a tutorial for individual self-learning, a step-
   by-step laboratory manual for a course, or as the basis for a site's
   users manual. It is intended as a basic guide only and will refer to
   other sources for more detailed information.

2. Nomenclature

   The following sections provide descriptions and detailed examples of
   several TCP/IP utilities and applications, including the reproduction
   of actual sessions using these utilities (with some extraneous
   information removed). Each section describes a single TCP/IP-based
   tool, it's application, and, in some cases, how it works. The text
   description is usually followed by an actual sample session.

   The sample dialogues shown below were obtained from a variety of
   software and hardware systems, including AIX running on an IBM
   RS/6000, Linux on an Intel 486, Multinet TCP/IP over VMS on a VAX,
   and FTP Software's OnNet (formerly PC/TCP) running on a DOS/Windows
   PC. While the examples below can be used as a guide to using and
   learning about the capabilities of TCP/IP tools, the reader should
   understand that not all of these utilities may be found at all TCP/IP
   hosts nor in all commercial software packages. Furthermore, the user



Kessler &  Shepard           Informational