Ethernet connection Amiga-PC. How to transfer files using Amiga Explorer??

[Flachkoepper]

Ethernet connection Amiga-PC. How to transfer files using Amiga Explorer??


Can anybody help me, please?

After several hours of work and frustration I have managed it to install an ethernet-connection between my Amiga 1200 (WB 3.1) and my PC (Windows 98). On Amigaside, I use "Miami Deluxe" for initializing the TCP/IP-protocol. When I switch to "online" mode via Miami Deluxe, the "ping"-command on PC-side tells me that the IP of my amiga is ok (data packages can be sent and received). As far so good.

Now I want to transfer files between both computers. I think the "Amiga Explorer" seems to be a good solution, but I have problems installing it:

Searching on the Amiga-Explorer webside ( http://www.amigaforever.com/ae/ ), I only found the setup-File for the Windows OS, which I have installed. But when I click on the appearing "Amiga Explorer"-icon in the Windows-Explorer (being in online-mode on Amigaside), I just get the message "Error connecting with the Amiga server: TCP/IP socket not found / Please make sure that Amiga Explorer 2.1 or higher is running on the amiga, and that both sides are configured properly". Although I typed in the correct Amiga IP-number before - As I told you, "ping" can find the Amiga with this IP address :-/

My question is now:

Do I really have to install an Amiga Explorer-server on the Amiga side when I use a TCP/IP (!) connection? I thought that this step is only necessary when I use a serial connection?! And if so, where can I download this amiga-server software from? On the Amiga Explorer Homepage I just found the setup-file for the Windows OS/PC side. And the aminet only provides a strange kind of update file :-(

I would be thankful for any helping answers.

[thomas]

Yes, of course you have to install the AExplorer program on the Amiga. It is the same program as for the serial connection and it automatically detects if a TCP/IP stack is running. You should find it on C:\Program files\Cloanto\Amiga Explorer. There should also be a shortcut for copying the needed files to floppy for transfer to the Amiga.

[dirkies]

I used OS 3.9 with native TCP/IP on a A4000/060 with the Algor card with a NIC & Amiga Explorer on a Win2000 box, both connected to a hub (since I use the Internet connection aswell on the PC), and with some experimenting with subnets etc I succeeded making the PC talk to the Amiga. You needed to start a little client tool on the Amiga from the AExplorer CD to make it work. I haven't tried to make the Amiga use the internet connection since surfing on Amiga is rather pointless if you have a PC beast next to it!
About 200KB/s is the max I got out of it, not much but since Amiga files are small it's not such a nuisance to me. If you really need big transfers I recommend using a JAZ drive or a CD writer on the Amiga and put the written media then on your PC!

[Flachkoepper]

@thomas: Thank you for the great hint, it works! I did not notice that the serverprogram for Amiga-side is written to the Amiga Explorer directory on PC-side after installation, but now I have copied the files to Amiga and got the connection :-)

@dirkies: Yes, meanwhile I have noticed that the connection speed is not really fast. A friend of mine used a parallel port connection with a laplink cable and I think my ethernet connection is not much faster as that. But anyway, I am happy to be able organizing my Amiga-harddisk from PC-side now, because without any additional cards and only 2 mb RAM in my Amiga, it was no fun to do that on the Amiga itself :-) A JAZ drive solution sounds good, I think I will have a look at eBay for that ;-)

Thank you both for the great hints, this forum is really fantastic!

[adolescent]

Make sure to adjust your packet size (on both the Amiga and PC side). I use 4096 and it greatly improves the transfer speed. You can go higher with a faster Amiga (for instance, I found 1024 or 2048 is nice for my A600).

[thomas]

Yes, you have to increase the packet size for TCP/IP. You can safely set it to 32768 on the PC side. The bigger the faster. 32768 is the maximum.

On the Amiga side, click the AExplorer icon once and choose Icon/Information from the menu. In the list of tooltypes you will see all the parameters. One should be TCPPACKETSIZE or similar. Set it to 32768 either or even to 65536 (IIRC this was the largest number accepted by the Amiga part). Again, the bigger the faster.

With these numbers AE should be as fast as FTP. At least it is much faster than Samba.

BTW, if serial connection works for you, you can increase the packet size for serial either. IMHO it gets faster, too.