Now, with AutoDial, you can!

And without spending any money! AutoDial will connect your computer to your ISP when you call your computer with the phone, let it ring, and hang up before you get an answer. Then, you can use any remote access software you'd like to control your computer.

As long as you don't mind using just FTP and a text based command prompt, don't want to setup X Windows for OS/2, or are unwilling to pay about $225 (US) for PM2You, then AutoDial is a free and easy solution. AutoDial can be combined with X Windows for a free, but slow, graphical access solution. A product like PM2You can be used with AutoDial to gain access to the OS/2 desktop remotely and on demand.

Plus, with the File and Print (NetBIOS over TCP/IP) client included with OS/2, you can even get easy access to your system's disk drives, serial ports (minus the one used by the modem), and printers as if they were all local devices. OS/2 will connect to other OS/2 machines easily, and to Windows machines. Unlike a LAN setup, you will probably have to tell your computer specifically which other computer to logon to rather than just finding the computer on the resource browser. If you could then either the two computers in question must be connectef to the same ISP, or the internet would be flooded with NetBIOS broadcasts of "I'm here!"

Once AutoDial, a REXX script I wrote, is installed on your computer, just give your computer a call and hang up before it answers. The important thing is that the phone rings. Then, your computer will call your ISP (Internet Service Provider). Once connected, it will e-mail you its IP address. Then your computer will remain connected until its connection is idle for several minutes or, you tell it to disconnect.

Currently, AutoDial only supports PPP. I don't think it would be difficult to modify it for SLIP support, but my time is limited. If you do make the modifications, I'd appreciate a copy to put here.

• Detailed description
• Installation instructions
• Companion PPP dialer -- connects using IBM's PPP dailer, and then runs a command like WebIP that updates a web page with your IP address. Can also be configured to be launched with a "Jump to" command with VoiceType.
• Download AutoDial -- Updated 97/22/05, allows a command to be executed after a connection is made to the ISP. Included commands send the IP address via email, or upload a web page (see mine) with links to servers at the IP address. Also can optionally activate the computer's suspend mode after the connection to the ISP is dropped.
• Download PPPFake -- Nifty program to show you what parameters the graphical internet dialer is using.