Links Web Browser Community Edition for DOS with TLS 1.2

[Wunderbar98]

Thank-you for the feedback Deomsh. Well maybe my packet speed is okay then, DOS Links performance is acceptable. There are too many variables for proper comparison. If systems here get 750 KB/Sec and you're getting 7 MB/Sec, that's about 10x faster. So if my packet driver moves 60 KB/Sec and your NDIS 180 KB/Sec, then my packet driver performance seems reasonable. Quick search did not reveal much tweaking for DOS packet driver and networking performance.

[deomsh]

Just like Arachne 1.97, I found Links-2.21 is running in Windows 98SE MS-DOS window (mouse services and DPMI are already delivered by Windows).

Needed: a packet driver setup. Further the virtual packet driver WINPKT.COM, must be loaded AFTER the Real mode packet driver is loaded, but BEFORE booting Windows. At last WATTCP.CFG, placed in the Links-directory.

Values needed in WATTCP.CFG can be found in Real mode with help of DHCP.EXE, coming with the mTCP-suite (see @Wunderbar98's other thread). 

First: SET MTCPCFG=[drive:][path]TCP.CFG (normally same directory where DHCP.EXE is located). Than copy SAMPLE.CFG to TCP.CFG. The line packetint should have the right interrupt, if not set earlier to another value, normally packetint 0x60 

Only static IP's are working in a DOS window. A good domain name server should be added, I found 9.9.9.9 fastest.

My WATTCP.CFG (bold=local LAN-specific values!)

-----------------------------------------------

WATTCP.CFG

-----------------------------------------------

my_ip=192.168.2.25

netmask=255.255.255.0

nameserver=9.9.9.9

nameserver=192.168.2.254

gateway=192.168.2.254

-----------------------------------------------

Really amazing is that almost all video modes are possible in a DOS window, even with the Standard VGA 640x480 16 color driver! With my 1920x1200 LCD, highest mode possible in LINKS.BAT is 1600x1200X16m32 (my monitor refuses 1920x1200!).

Speed is much lower than in Real mode, but for many sites acceptable. During scrolling through a webpage, pictures are loaded in the background. So not really disturbing (except wallpaper-sizes).

First time: just run LINKS.BAT, later LINKS.PIF will be found and can be edited.

Edited September 13, 2020 by deomsh
Correction: Links version number

[Wunderbar98]

Thank-you for the information Deomsh. The first post was updated with a link to your configuration notes for running Links in a Windows environment. Similar to the 'Running vanilla Windows 98...' thread regarding Arachne, couldn't get my packet driver working in Windows regardless of configuration. With Links tried my packet driver with the -w switch, tried the packet driver plus WINPKT.COM, tried WATTCP.CFG with both DHCP and static IP, nothing worked. No assistance requested, happy running in DOS environment, just for others YMMV.

[deomsh]

3 hours ago, Wunderbar98 said:

With Links tried my packet driver with the -w switch, tried the packet driver plus WINPKT.COM, tried WATTCP.CFG with both DHCP and static IP, nothing worked. No assistance requested, happy running in DOS environment, just for others YMMV.

Last week I tested a real packet driver, available for a RTL8139 NIC: RTSPKT.COM. The packet driver is NOT working in a MS-DOS window! So it seems only the NDIS2-driver setup with the two shims DIS_PKT.DOS (or DIS_PKT9.DOS) and WINPKT.COM is possible.

Which is sad, because the real packet driver is about 50% faster in Real mode MS-DOS!

I searched the 'whole' internet to find a solution, but find nothing regarding running a real packet driver in a MS-DOS window. So, even wanted, no assistance available.

[Wunderbar98]

Thanks Deomsh for searching the entire internet :)

Unfortunately also can't get this system's NDIS driver to run Links from the Windows environment. The NDIS driver is tested to run well in real mode DOS so it's known to work. Confirmed custom WATTCP.CFG entries via IPCONFIG.EXE. Even trialed adding all relevant commands to boot %PATH% (Links, NDIS, CWSDPMI). The first post was updated to clarify using an NDIS driver to run Links from a Windows environment with a pointer to Deomsh's configuration post and this discussion.

Edit: The firewall isn't even queried with a connection attempt, doesn't work with firewall disabled either. The system's regular ethernet driver still works though, can an adapter use two drivers at once in the same boot (NDIS, Windows driver)?

Edited September 23, 2020 by Wunderbar98

[deomsh]

8 hours ago, Wunderbar98 said:

The system's regular ethernet driver still works though, can an adapter use two drivers at once in the same boot (NDIS, Windows driver)?

So far I have experimented with four NIC's: RTL8139C, Accton EN1207D, Compaq NC3121 (PCI-cards), and RTL8168 (onboard).

For the Realtek NIC's there is only a NDIS2-driver available for use in Win9x). The other two cards have Win9x-drivers too. I found running NDIS2 + packet driver shim's inside a MS-DOS window NOT possible with Win9x-drivers installed (on my second test-motherboard Windows 98SE even refuses to start in case of the NETBIND-setup). 

But both Win95 drivers have the possibility to switch to their 16-bits NDIS2-driver (using the Adapter-properties in Network Neighborhood). After a full reboot PROTOCOL.INI in the Windows directory can be edited to add the packet driver binding (same as earlier). By trial and error I found that DIS_PKT.DOS (or DIS_PKT9.DOS) can be loaded by editing the Transport-key in the Real Mode entry in the Registry. Just search for Transport and add ",dis_pkt.dos" to the value of the key (without qoutes, the comma is the separator). Further DIS_PKT.DOS must be copied to the Windows directory. Afterwards a full reboot is needed!

In this setup there are no NDIS-related lines in CONFIG.SYS anymore. In AUTOEXEC.BAT Windows Setup will add C:\WINDOWS\NET start

WINPKT 0x60 (same value as used in PROTOCOL.INI) should be added AFTER the "NET start" entry (is working on two motherboards).

If you want to try: I found a Win95 Linksys-driver with (as it seems to me) the same possibility: http://www.opendrivers.com/download/driver-14852.html (LNE100TX.INF -signature="$WINDOWS 95$"-  in lne100w2.exe, only the backup server is still working).

Edited September 23, 2020 by deomsh
Typo's

[Wunderbar98]

Thank-you for figuring things out Deomsh and for sharing the findings. You've put a lot of effort into testing and have my vote as resident Windows 9x driver expert. For me personally this is too involved and i will just continue to use Links in DOS. The information will undoubtedly help others streamline NDIS driver setup for Windows use. Thanks again.

[deomsh]

Running Links for dos in Real mode MS-DOS will be faster at least (so far).

Just for the record: I do not consider myself as a Win9x driver expert. My driver experiments are all about using 16-bits drivers in a Win9x environment. Still needed if there are no native Win9x drivers available.

[Wunderbar98]

Okay, Windows 9x driver expert with a subspecialty :)

Don't want to stray off track, just showing off your 'simple' diagram for someone's previous audio problem.
https://msfn.org/board/topic/178295-audio-driver-for-realtek-hd-audio-hardware/page/16/?tab=comments#comment-1187123

[deomsh]

@Wunderbar98 Thanks 

@sweaterfish did a good job, he solved most of his problems with the 16-bits HDA2.DLL. I still hope he will publish a final configuration-file for Thinkpad X61, so I have less work next time. I am lucky you won't go further with packet driver networking in a MS-DOS window. 

Lately I solved the bootup problem on my H61-motherboard by adding DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\NDISHLP.SYS in CONFIG.SYS (see the earlier described Netbind-setup), AND adding to PROTOCOL.INI:

[ndishlp$]

DriverName=ndishlp$

Bindings=XXXX$

(for XXXX substitute the name-part of the NDIS2-drivers file-name).

With this addition my NDIS5-driver is still installed according to Network Neighborhood, but will not load if NETBIND.COM has been running before Windows starts. Only the NDIS2-driver seems to be used in this case, also while connecting to the internet with a Windows browser.

Choice can be easily introduced with Menu items in CONFIG.SYS/AUTOEXEC.BAT 

Edited September 26, 2020 by deomsh
Typo's

[deomsh]

While in Win9x there many Windows browsers usable, for Windows 3.1 this is not true. In my experience best is Netscape 3.04, but browsing is only more or less comfortable with a webproxy like proxycrime.com.

I tested Links 2.21 for dos in a Windows 3.1 MS-DOS window, and I think this is possibly an asset for Windows 3.1 browsing. Also the video possibilities are great. While using a XGA 640x480 16 colors driver, inside Links for dos 1600x1200x16M32 (full color!) is no problem with the right video card /monitor. DPMI is delivered by Windows, if mouse-services are a problem a compatible mouse driver can be loaded in Real mode before Windows is booted (in my case CTMOUSE.EXE is not compatible with Windows 3.1, but LMOUSE.COM gave no problems with my USB-legacy mouse).

Links for dos can also be used as a viewer for htm (I assume html = htm in 8+3 Short File Names), jpg, png, gif, but NOT bmp. With FileManager the neccesary associations with LINKS.BAT can be made (LINKS.PIF gives LINKS working in text-mode only for me). To get this result I am using following LINKS.BAT in my system:

C:\DOS\LINKS\LINKS221.EXE -mode 1600x1200x16M32 %1

LINKS.BAT is most convenient placed in the Windows directory. LINKS.PIF can be made and edited (seems not critical). If used, better disable Alt+Enter and Alt+Tab (Switching to other programs works for me only if Links video-mode is exactly equal to Windows video-mode).

I was surprised that a real packet driver (RTSPKT.COM for my RTL8139 NIC) together with WINPKT.COM is working in a Windows 3.1 MS-DOS window, this after the problems with Win9x.

[Wunderbar98]

Still hard at it Deomsh, thanks for reporting your findings. Amazing a TLS v1.2 browser can be used in Windows 3.1 (1992 release) using an unheard of back-in-the-day graphic resolution.

[Wunderbar98]

Noticed Links supports left-click and drag to highlight text then middle-click to paste content the GNU/Linux way, nice.
So then it is easy to select for example View -> Save Clipboard to File or else File -> Goto URL for URLs that are not hyperlinked. It also has a nice right-click -> View Image to enlarge or fullscreen.

Aside from a packet driver being slower the browser itself has been great to use. Occasionally quick reboot into Links during DOS gaming sessions to look up gaming information, such as walkthroughs.

One item of concern not sure about, DOS firewall. As my internet modem sits on the desk i typically just switch it on/off as needed, no big.

[deomsh]

3 hours ago, Wunderbar98 said:

One item of concern not sure about, DOS firewall. As my internet modem sits on the desk i typically just switch it on/off as needed, no big.

If you have a modem/router, there will be a hardware firewall onboard.

About Links: once setting are saved, history will be saved too. Can be browsed with "g" and up/down arrows.

My 1900x1200 LCD needs aspect calibration: ratio 0,87 with 1600x1200 video mode. 

[Wunderbar98]

Did quick tests three trials each with/out loading SMARTDRV.EXE via AUTOEXEC.BAT then downloading @Deomsh's speedtest link below. The rational is that SMARTDRV.EXE is supposed to help with disk performance so read/writes maybe faster during downloads, browsing, bookmark management. I know SMARTDRV.EXE makes a big difference when issuing DELTREE commands, for example, in DOS.

Surprisingly, however, the download trials were consistently slower with SMARTDRV.EXE loaded. In fact, running without SMARTDRV.EXE loaded was found to be 34% faster. Download speed numbers were obtained by downloading the 100MB.zip file for an elapsed time of 60 seconds then recording the documented average speed. Just some quick lay-person testing, but still :(
http://speedtest.tele2.net/100MB.zip

Reminds me of the 'Turbo' button on an old 486, it doesn't actually make the system faster, just prevents it from running slower! Since SMARTDRV.EXE does make a difference when managing files in DOS i will continue to load it manually as needed, just not during Links sessions.