User`s guide

Since a NULL a modem connection generally requires fewer control signals
than a connection to a real modem, there are many workable variations of this
setup. One pretty good try is to use a serial printer cable connected to the
Apple II-- for example, on a IIgs you can use a Mac Imagewriter I cable. This
eliminates the need for a NULL modem adapter. (You will probably need a Female-
Female plug adapter to connect to the PC* COM port or PC modem cable.)
____________ ____________
| PC or Mac | | Apple II |
| running a | * | running a |
| telecom | <--[Fem-Fem]--><--NULL modem--> | telecom |
| program | [adapter] cable | program |
|____________| |____________|
One possible disadvantage of this method is that signal lines may be missing and
you will not be able to get hardware handshaking. (Tests using the IW-I cable on
a IIgs showed no loss of speed under Spectrum or ADTgs.)
On the Apple II side, you can choose from several good telecom programs.
Since you would like to be able to do Z-modem transfers, good choices include
Intrec's ProTerm-A2 3.1 (Enhanced IIe -- IIgs), MGR Software's Modem MGR (II+ -
- IIgs), AnsiTerm (IIgs), and Spectrum (IIgs). You can also choose from among
many other programs. Generally, these support X-modem but do not support Z-
modem.
If you're running under a current version of Windows, HyperTerm works very
nicely on the PC side. (For sending Text files from PC to Apple under HT, be
sure to uncheck "send line enders" in the ASCII settings.) If there is a choice
of terminal emulations, it seems best to stick with something simple, such as
"ANSI" or, even "none", or, if available, "auto-detect". (For transfers to an
Apple II running ZLink, select "Auto-detect" in Hyperterm.)
A good NULL modemming program for running under DOS is Telemate, commonly
available as shareware. Many other telecom programs are available and work fine
under current Windows, old Windows, and DOS. Similarly, there is a good
selection of Mac telecom wares.
To do transfers, you just connect the modem cable from each machine to the
NULL modem connector. If your PC or Mac has a spare COM port, the connection can
remain in place without disrupting normal net connections through the other COM
port.
[Modem to net]
|
modem cable
COM1
____ |______ ____________
| PC or Mac | | Apple II |
| running a | COM2 | running a |
| telecom | <--modem--> [NULL modem] <--modem--> | telecom |
| program | cable [connector ] cable | program |
|____________| |____________|