Windows XP in a Nutshell, Second Edition

Name

HyperTerminal — \Program Files\windows nt\hypertrm.exe

Synopsis

Terminal access to remote computers, typically via a modem; also a substitute for Telnet.

To Open

Start → Programs → Accessories → Communications → HyperTerminal

Command Prompt → hypertrm

Description

With HyperTerminal and a modem, you can connect to a remote computer that supports terminal access, sends and receives files, and so on. HyperTerminal is useful for connecting to computer bulletin boards (popular in the 1970s and `80s); however, this type of terminal access has largely been replaced by the Internet.

When HyperTerminal is first started (or when you use File → New), it prompts you to name your connection and choose an icon, the first of two steps necessary to initiate a connection. The name is arbitrary and can be anything; it’s really useful only if you intend to save your connection settings for use at a later time, but you have to enter something to proceed.

Next comes the Connect To dialog. The first option you should set is ironically the last one: in the Connect using list, choose either TCP/IP (Winsock) to initiate a session over your Internet connection, or choose a COM port (usually COM1) to use your modem (if installed). If you choose TCP/IP, HyperTerminal will be used as a Telnet client (see “Telnet”, later in this chapter, for more information), and you’ll be asked for a Host address (server name or IP address) and a Port number (use 23 for normal Telnet access). If you choose a COM port, you will ...