WarpTel Encrypted Telnet Server for Windows |
1.0 Introduction
WarpTel is a simple TCP/IP telnet server implementing a strong 256 bit encryption to make client - host super secure connections. VEGA ZZ includes a encrypted telnet client in order to manage several pools of hosts that can be used to perform interactive remote jobs (e.g. AMMP remote calculations). Imagine to have a low performance PC and you want perform a complex calculation: you can increase dramatically the local computational power using one or more remote host as engines. In order to permit the secure communication , the WarpTel software must be installed on the remote Windows hosts. It's also possible the communication between VEGA ZZ and Unix/Linux hosts, but it's required the WarpGate software to create an encrypted super secure TCP/IP tunnel.
1.1 About the TCP/IP telnet protocol
The Telnet protocol is often thought of as
simply providing a facility for remote logins to computer via the Internet. This
was its original purpose although it can be used for many other purposes (e.g.
VEGA ZZ to remote host communication). It is best understood in the context of a
user with a simple terminal using the local telnet program (known as the client
program) to run a login session on a remote computer where his communications
needs are handled by a telnet server program. It should be emphasised that the
telnet server can pass on the data it has received from the client to many other
types of process including a remote login server. It is described in
RFC854 and was first published in 1983.
2.0 Installation & usage
WarpTel is included in the VEGA ZZ package but it's not installed using the standard setup. If you need it and the other Internet utilities, you must choose Warp utilities for secure Internet connection during the VEGA ZZ setup. Two versions are included: the first one (WarpTel.exe) is a standard Windows application working with all Win32 releases (including Windows 9x) and the second one (WarpTelService.exe) is a Windows service working with Windows Vista/XP/2000/NT only.
2.1 Running the standard version
To run this version, select VEGA ZZ -> WarpProject -> WarpTel in the Start menu. The program starts in background without graphic interface, installing a small icon in the Windows try bar. Clicking on it, the context menu is shown. Selecting Settings the configuration dialog is opened:
The Port number is the service
listening port (default 23), User name is the login name (default
admin), Password and Confirm password are the password fields
(default 123456), the WarpKey is the 64 characters encryption key
that is randomly generated when the software starts at first time. Checking
Use encryption, the connection will be secure and it will be impossible to
use a standard telnet client to access to the remote host. It's strongly
recommended to change the default settings with the exception of the WarpKey
that is randomly generated.
The settings are stored in the warptel.ini ASCII file located in the
VEGA ZZ\warpdata\cfg directory. It have the standard Windows .ini format and
the password is undecryptable.
Choosing the About menu item, the copyright message window is shown:
The Exit menu item stops the
WarpTel service closing it without a warning message.
In order to test the WarpTel server, uncheck Use encryption in the
configuration window and in the command prompt type:
telnet localhost <PORT>
where <PORT> is the port number specified in the configuration dialog.
Type the user name and the password:
2.2 Running the service version
A Windows service (used to be called NT
service) is a console application, which does not have a message pump. A Windows
service can be started without the user having to login to the computer and it
won't die after the user logs off. The WarpTel service version works in
background and it doesn't have the graphic interface. Before running it, it must
be installed selecting VEGA ZZ -> WarpProject -> WarpTel Service -> Install
in the Start menu. To start the service, choose VEGA ZZ -> WarpProject
-> WarpTel Service -> Start. Restarting the system, the WarpTel is
automatically executed as the other services.
The service version uses the same settings of the standard one, but if you want
change them you could choose VEGA ZZ -> WarpProject -> WarpTel Service ->
Configure, showing the same configuration window of the standard version.
The service is automatically restarted when you change the configuration.
If you want stop the service, select VEGA ZZ -> WarpProject -> WarpTel
Service -> Stop. Please remember that when you reboot the system, the WarpTel
service is restarted.
To uninstall the service, choose VEGA ZZ -> WarpProject -> WarpTel Service ->
Uninstall.
2.3 Firewall configuration
If a software firewall is installed on the
PC running WarpTel, the user must configure it creating the appropriate rule for
the listening port specified in the Port number field of the
configuration window. If this operation is not performed, the client PCs can't
access to the telnet server refusing the connection.
Please remember that Windows XP Service Pack 2 has a built-in software firewall
enabled by default. To create the rule for this firewall:
- In the Start menu, select Control Panel.
- The Control Panel window will be appear:
- Double click on Windows Firewall.
The Windows Firewall configuration dialog will appear.
- Choose the Exceptions tab:
- Click on the Add Program... button:
- Click the Browse button and select the
WarpTel executable (...\VEGA ZZ\WarpTel.exe or ...\VEGA ZZ\WarpTelService.exe).
But be sure that the Disable exceptions in the Security center is
not enabled.
3.0 History
4.0 Copyright and disclaimers
All trademarks and software directly or indirectly referred in this document, are copyrighted from legal owners. WarpTel is a freeware program and can be spread through Internet, BBS, CD-ROM and other electronic formats. The Authors of this program accept no responsibility for hardware/software damages resulting from the use of this package. No warranty is made about the software or its performance.
Use and copying of this software and the preparation of derivative works based on this software are permitted, so long as the following conditions are met:
The copyright notice and this entire notice are included intact and prominently carried on all copies and supporting documentation.
No fees or compensation are charged for use, copies, or access to this software. You may charge a nominal distribution fee for the physical act of transferring a copy, but you may not charge for the program itself.
If you want include the WarpTel package into a commercial file collection, you must send a written request. The Authors can accept or deny the request on their own decision.
If you change the source code to improve the WarpTel performances, please contact the authors to add your modifications in the official package.
Any work distributed or published that in whole or in part contains or is a derivative of this software or any part thereof is subject to the terms of this agreement. The aggregation of another unrelated program with this software or its derivative on a volume of storage or distribution medium does not bring the other program under the scope of these terms.
WarpTel
is an encrypted telnet server for Windows
Copyright 2006-2013, Alessandro Pedretti & Giulio Vistoli
All rights reserved.
Alessandro Pedretti
Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche
Università degli Studi di Milano
Via Mangiagalli, 25
I-20133 Milano - Italy
Tel. +39 02 503 19332
Fax. +39 02 503 19359
E-Mail: info@vegazz.net
WWW: http://www.vegazz.net