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Hi All
I've just joined the world of the Virtual Risc PC on my iBook and am trying to transfer some of my software from a SARiscPC 4.02 to it via a BT hub and a wireless network. I can transfer using !FTPc and with !ShareFS running, I think, but only some of it arrives with the file type set, most files are set as text.
I've tried using an ethernet cable connection from the hub to the iBook and a direct ethernet connection between the two computers but they don't seem to work either.
Other than manually setting the file types is there any source of information to show me how to set this up?
Dave Lawson

Assuming the RiscPC and the Mac are networked correctly then ShareFS can transfer stuff directly without the need for any FTPC messing about.
Open the Discs icons on the iconbar on both machines (are they showing the other machines drive?). If not then something is wrong. it could be a firewall problem - or a number of things.
The fist thing to check is that the Mac (not the VRPC) and the RPC can Ping each other. Then also check the subnetmask on both (it needs to be the same).

Thanks for your reply Aaron.
My current position is that I can ping the hub from both the RiscPC and the iBook and the iBook can ping the RiscPC but the RiskPC fails to ping the iBook. This suggests to me that it is a firewall problem but that is beyond my knowledge, I fail to understand much of it.
I have a "standard" firewall setup, if I remember that correctly, I've just tried to check it but failed to find the right page.
I have personal file sharing and ftc set. Do I need anything else set in the firewall?
I've tried various things but all I achieved was to loose the internet connection somehow.
I've just remembered where the firewall setting is, it is in the hub itself. Should I switch off one or other of the firewalls? A conflict here may be the problem.
Thanks in advance for any further help available.
Dave Lawson

So the problem is that communication from the RiscPC doesn't reach the
iBook. This is most likely going to be a firewall issue - especially given that pinging the other way works. I can't offer any advice on the technicalities of sorting this out as it will depend on your equipment.
I would suggest consulting the manual for the router. For testing purposes only you could try disabling all the firewalls for the local network (make sure the internet connection is disabled). Then with no firewalls try pinging. If it works then the firewalls are the problem, if it still doesn't work then something else is wrong.

Thanks again.
I've disabled the iBook firewall and it now works sharing files without spoiling the file typing. I havn't tried disabling the hub firewall though.
The next stage is to get the internet connection going, it isn't and I fail to see why, its supposed to be automatic as far as I understand the help files. It says there is no need to give an IP address but does it need anything else as this setup is with a BT hub, I suspect it needs some info input.
Is the Virtual RPC a seperate computer or is it part of the iBook for network purposes? If the former I would need to set it up as such I suspect.
Dave Lawson

VirtualRPC is not a separate virtual computer. It uses the network settings from Mac OS.

VirtualRPC is just a MAC application program and, therefore, relies on the fact that any TCP/IP ports which it tries to use have not already been bound to any other applications or operating system services already running on the MAC.
I do not know much about MACs.
But on Windows, for example, trying to get an incoming Telnet session to connect on the standard port (23) will not work, because XP has already bound its own Telnet Server to that port number.

A very useful point, the best response I have had so far is "socket in use".
Do I need to change the port VRPC uses?
Where do I do this?
Dave Lawson

OK. - - This topic seems to have changed course (originally talking about ShareFS not working and now it seems to be "the Internet is not working."
The "Internet" uses a lot of ports for different things. What application have you currently got that is not working?

Indeed this topic has drifted and I can now report that I must have done something to the internet config while trying to get ShareFS working.
I have now reinstalled and with the iBook firewall disabled, I have got it all working for now.
This saga suggests to me that if there is any such problem for others, disable this firewall as it seems it dosn't like ShareFS. I could do some more tests but as I'm no expert I'll only make it worse.
Thank you all for all the help you have given, this should formally close this topic!!!?
Dave

I am glad you've now got it working.
With regard to the firewall there are a couple of posibilities:
Firstly it could be blocking VirtualAcorn itself - for example the firewall might have a list of "approved" programs that are allowed network access, and VRPC might not be on the list.
Secondly, the firewall might be blocking the port used by ShareFS. You will need to ask RISCOS Ltd which port this is as I don't know.
As a final comment - there is no need to alter/edit/setup anything inside VRPC. The default build that gets installed on your harddisc is already correctly setup with everything in place and correctly configured. Trying to alter the setup from inside RISC OS will most likely mess it up.
If you have a network issue it will be with the host machine or some other part of the network (either software or hardware).