Network Working Group G. Kessler
Request for Comments: 1739 S. Shepard
Category: Informational Hill Associates, Inc.
December 1994
A Primer On Internet and TCP/IP Tools
Status of this Memo
This memo provides information for the Internet community. This memo
does not specify an Internet standard of any kind. Distribution of
this memo is unlimited.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction .................................................. 2
2. A Beginner's Guide to TCP/IP-based Utilities and Applications . 2
2.1. NSLOOKUP .................................................... 3
2.2. PING ........................................................ 5
2.3. FINGER ...................................................... 6
2.4. TRACEROUTE .................................................. 7
2.5. FTP ......................................................... 10
2.6. TELNET ...................................................... 14
2.7. User Database Lookup Tools .................................. 17
2.7.1. WHOIS/NICNAME ............................................. 17
2.7.2. KNOWBOT ................................................... 20
2.7.3. NETFIND ................................................... 21
2.8. Information Servers ......................................... 24
2.8.1. ARCHIE .................................................... 24
2.8.2. GOPHER .................................................... 27
2.8.3. Other Information Servers ................................. 30
2.9. Uniform Resource Locator Format ............................. 31
3. Distribution Lists and Mailing Lists .......................... 32
3.1. Internet Discussion Lists ................................... 33
3.2. Usenet ...................................................... 33
3.3. BITNET/EARN ................................................. 35
4. Internet Documentation ........................................ 36
4.1. Request for Comments (RFCs) ................................. 36
4.2. Internet Standards .......................................... 38
4.3. For Your Information Documents .............................. 39
4.4. RARE Technical Reports ...................................... 40
5. Perusing the Internet ......................................... 40
6. Acronyms and Abbreviations .................................... 42
7. Security Considerations ....................................... 43
8. Acknowledgements .............................................. 43
9. References .................................................... 43
10. Authors' Addresses ........................................... 46
Kessler & Shepard