TRS-Box XENIX

TRS-Box XENIX Beta

TRS-Box is now available for your Tandy XENIX system. All you need in addition to a working Tandy XENIX system is a serial-IP adapter.

TRS-Box XENIX has been successfully tested on the following platforms:

• Tandy 6000 with XENIX 3.2 and 1MB RAM with an ATC-1000 Serial-IP converter

You should be comfortable with administering XENIX including setting up serial communications before trying to use TRS-Box.

Remember, this is beta software, so please expect problems.

TRS-Box is free to use during the beta period for the express purpose of copying files to and from your TRS-80. Any other use or abuse of the system will result in blockage or removal of access to the service.
ie. Please don’t ruin it for everyone else. 🙂

Quick Start

Note: Use the link below to download the TRS-Box XENIX client program.

TRS-Box XENIX Setup

1. 1. Purchase a serial-IP converter. I highly recommend the ATC-1000 as it is reasonably priced, performs well and I have tested TRS-Box with it extensively. You can also try to use serial-IP proxy software running on a modern PC, however I have not tested this scenario. I prefer to use a standalone adapter as it is really an accessory rather than a whole modern computer and helps to keep the retro feel.
   2. Hook up the serial-IP converter as per its instructions. You can use any RS-232 serial port on your computer. You also connect the converter to a broadband connected router on your network using an Ethernet cable. Important: If connecting to the built-in primary A or B channel serial ports, then you will need to connect to your RS-232 port with a null modem cable.
   3. In XENIX, make sure the serial port you are using has its terminal disabled and is set to 9600 baud in /etc/ttys. e.g. 09tty01
   4. Configure the serial-IP adapter TCP/IP settings to connect to the TRS-Box services:
      Server/Client: Client
      IP: 54.174.42.105
      Port: 21
   5. Configure the serial-IP adapter UART settings as follows:
      Mode: RS-232
      Baudrate: 9600
      Character bits: 8
      Parity Type: None
      Stop Bit: 1
      Hardware Flow Control: None
      Delimiter: CR(13) and LF(10)

1. Get the TRS-Box XENIX v0.1 software here. Copy the db program to your Tandy XENIX computer. See the README.TXT in the distribution. This may be the most challenging prospect for novice users. There are a myriad of ways to accomplish this task, such as using a PC-Serial transfer program like XMODEM, Kermit, etc. The good news is that once you have TRS-Box working, you won’t need to perform this task again! As a last resort, we can send you a floppy disk pre-loaded with the program for a small fee.
2. Type db setup. This will create your initial TRS-Box configuration.
3. Set your serial port using “db setup channel”. Type db setup help for options.
4. Test your serial port connection using the following command db test. If you get a success message, then proceed to step 10. If not, then you need to troubleshoot the connection. Here are some things to look for:
   • The problem may be in your settings from steps 3 through 5. Make sure they are correct.
   • Check your cables. Are you sure you are using a null modem cable or adapter? You may want to obtain an RS-232 tester.
   • Your internet connection may be blocked. Make sure your router allows port 21 traffic out from the serial-IP adapter.
   • You may have a hardware problem.
5. Log into TRS-Box on your PC or Mac here using your Dropbox credentials. You will notice that you sign into Dropbox on the secure Dropbox website. TRS-Box never sees your Dropbox username or password. TRS-Box will also only have access to a special folder in your Dropbox called “Apps/TRS-Box”. This is where you will put your XENIX files.
6. Once you obtain the TRS-Box token, type db setup token TOKEN> .e.g. db setup token 1234567890 If you see a success message then you are ready to use TRS-Box! Keep in mind that the token will expire from time to time so you may need to re-login occasionally.
7. Type db help to see the various commands and options.
8. Have fun managing your XENIX files!