Surftime with KA9Q and other Applications

Mainly DOS based TCP/IP and email related software

This page is primarily meant as an aid to those using 'surftime' or Premier Connect packages with Demon, users of other ISPs may find the information useful.

At no point does this page even attempt to work out the complexities of phone billing and which connection scheme or discount or telephone company is best for your circumstances.

This page contains the following sections for quick navigation for these links or scroll down reading all of it.

• Introduction to Surftime for Demon users.
• WARNING things that may catch you out.
• Tips for KA9Q users
• Software and files available
• Other associated and useful links

Surftime and Demon

So you have heard of Surftime and things like Premier Connect and Premier Connect Plus but how do you ensure that you are dialing the correct numbers?

Demon are running two ranges of phone numbers in addition to the standard phone numbers, refered to as G4 and G5:-

Note G5 numbers are cheaper than G4 numbers and are restricted to evenings and weekends only, UNLESS you have registered for BT discounts and Demon registration.

It is recommended that if you are capable of storing or dialing in sequence more than one access number, that you put your existing standard access number(s) (0845-xxxxxxx) in your list as well. So that when there are problems due to BT and/or Demon and/or other faults, making G4 and/or G5 numbers unavailable, you have a 'fallback' number to connect to.

WARNING
It is the users responsibility to ensure that their system has an accurate time setting including for Summer Time/Mean Time (Daylight Saving) switchovers.

These utilities rely on the systems CMOS and/or DOS clock to be be accurate, which those who do network time synchronisation should achieve this after a successful login on KA9Q and Turnpike.

NOTE: that these programmes assume Public Holidays are normal working days, which in most cases they are for phone billing purposes. On these Public Holidays that are treated as weekends or special cheap rates, these utilities will not be able to determine the special cases for phone costs.

Currently, calls to G5 numbers are always answered, if you have not registered for the additional discount schemes to use this number during peak times, your call is accepted but you will disconnected with an error message saying that you are not authorised to use this number at this time of day, so you could end up with lots of minimum call charges for unsuccessful login attempts.

If you are in doubt about how you system records daylight saving clock changes, you could only use these utilities between:-

ALSO be careful about logging on before 8am on the evening and weekends number (G5) and your connection (web browsing, ftp or whatever), extending beyond 8am when peak rate applies (G4), as you may or may not be disconnected and just reconnecting might not work. You may have to start your programme again to ensure the correct number is chosen for that time of day.

Tips for KA9Q users

Due to the fact that KA9Q 'dialer' file can accept environment variables (see your DOS SET command help), it is possible to set up an environment variable to hold the number to use and from a batch file or a programme set this environment variable according to the time of day.

So you DIALER file would contain the first number to dial line as -

The '$' specifies use the Environment variable, in this case called 'DIALNUMB'.

To activate this setting either use a programme that sets this environment variable or a batch file like this TEST example -

set dialnumb=day
timeset
if errorlevel 1 set dialnumb=evening
@echo %dialnumb%

This will run the programme 'timeset' to determine the type of number to use, and return an 'errorlevel' accordingly.

Alternatively you edit the batch file you use to call the 'NET.EXE' programme and put the following lines before the line that starts 'NET', as follows for analogue calls:-

....
set dialnumb=08440996662
timeset
if errorlevel 1 set dialnumb=08440416662
net....

Links to related sites

• Surftime Downloads software and files available
• KA9Q and newsgroup demon.ip.support.pc FAQ links page many links to KA9Q utilities and references
• BT Surftime details about the BT side of things (well as good as you get from BT)
• Premier Connect and Premier Connect Plus details on Demon's Services
• Other access numbers for Demon subscribers to access Demon