X-SecurePro Version 7.2: X-Server with SSH.

Date: 13 January 2003

Labtam is pleased to announce a new software release named X-SecurePro Version 7.2.
This is the first major release for the 2003 year.

X-SecurePro is our latest X-Server based software addition. Not only does it contain the key X-Server elements, it now provides Encryption Security using the SSH standard from PC to host machine. X-SecurePro brings you maximum Security to a PC and a company Lan/Wan or Intranet/Internet.

Integrating the Microsoft Windows and X-Window System environments X-SecurePro is an inexpensive but powerful and effective way to transform a standard PC into a fully functional X-terminal.

Included in the package are the X-Window System, SSH, TCP/IP, FTP, TFTP, LPR, LPD, TELNET and NFS plus a whole lot more.

Everything that you need to run all your remote Unix and X applications is included.

New Features on this release include:

1. The following enhancements have been made :

1. FTP :
- the EPLF directory listing format was added;

2. NFS-Server :
- the new option, "AUTO_CHECK_ExPortmapper", was added to check whether an external portmapper exists to use it;

3. NFS-Client for MS Windows NT4/2000/XP :
- the size of network packets may be changed instead of using the fixed 8K value;
- the full set of settings may be saved to a file and loaded from it later.
- NFS-Client is able to operate in a multi-home environment (with a non-single IP address) with no limitations.

4. Startup :
- the "Telnet_SSH/SSH2 (SSH-2 Client)" Start Method was implemented;
- the $(INPUTLIP) macros was implemented to input any text into the command line before its real executing;

5. XServer :
- the local "xshowcmap", a well-known X11 utility, is available;
- the LINUX's console keyboard mapping may be set up now;

6. Telnet_SSH :
- Telnet_s.exe required the WS2_32.DLL, which is not in simple MS Windows 95 system;
- the LibEAY 9.6g SSL is used instead of the 9.5a version;
- the new "ExitOnDisconnect=..." option was implemented to control the session's restart/completion;
- the Telnet_SSH/SSH2 may be started from the XStartup utility that includes the possibility to create a set of "Jobs".

2. The following bugs have been fixed :

1. Xwppeg :
- the incorrect "Number of allowed host has been exceeded." message is suppressed.

2. NFS-Server :
- sometimes the status numbers below the 'Refresh Frequency' were unreadable;
- the output of the 'df' command for huge partitions (more than 8GB) is correct now;
- the cache refreshing was improved;
- the filename length was enlarged up to 256 and the path length up to 512 characters;
- the directory listing length is able to show up to 26000 items;
- the bug was fixed for files with date of 1st Jan 1970, zero file size and zero permissions;
- the unexpected NFS-Server completion took place after some errors in requests to the PortMapper;
- the bug was fixed when a directory and its subdirectory were imported;

3. NFS-Client for MS Windows NT4/2000/XP :
- NFS-Client is correctly blocked up to the completion of Logon process;
- the Move or Cut/Paste operations between two directories of the same mounted NFS volume are correct now;
- some bugs occurred during the DOS's XDEL or XCOPY commands were fixed;

4. Startup :
- the max number of Jobs was increased from 128 to 512;

5. XServer/Single mode :
- the failure of the GLX glinfo utility was fixed;

Undocumented Features

1. Ftp :
- FTP connections (in the "non-Passive", default, mode) may be made through an existing SSH connection with prepared Forwarded ports. This way does not require a special Telnet/SSH facility and may be used with any SSH-client which provide traditional Forwarding.
All settings are made manually.
Let's assume that you need to access the remote host (say, 192.168.136.41) via FTP, and SSH connection is made with the SSH daemon which is on another remote host (say, 192.168.136.34), and each host is directly accessible one from another (192.168.136.41 <-> 192.168.136.34).
Also, you should know two free ports on local machine (say, 21 and 4444) and one on the remote host connected via SSH (say, 5555 on 192.168.136.34). At first, two forwardings must be made via SSH-Client facility. Local-to-Remote: "21->192.168.136.41/21" (that in natural for FTP) and Remote-to-Local Forwarding: "4444<-5555".
After that you must add two lines to the "[FTP]" section in the "xwp.ini" file: "IP_SSH_FWD=192.168.136.34" and "PORT_SSH_FWD=5555,4444" (i.e., set the remote and local ports).
Now the FTP may be started. The "host" field must contain "localhost" or "127.0.0.1". The "non-Passive" mode must be set up (i.e. the "Passive Transfer" check box is unchecked). After "Connect" the FTP will be connected with "192.168.136.41" without any direct network access (only via SSH connection).

2. NFS-Server :
- the "AUTO_CHECK_ExPortmapper=1" line can be inserted into the "[NFSSERVER]" section of the xwp.ini file to check whether an external portmapper exists to use it;

3. NFS-Client for Windows NT4/2000/XP :
- the size of network packets may be changed instead of using the fixed 8K value;
- the full set of settings may be saved to a file and loaded from it later.

4. Startup : - to input any text into the command line before its executing, the "$(INPUTLIP)" macros may be used.
E.g. if the "Command" field contains the following line: "xterm -display $(INPUTLIP):0" then you will be prompted to input the text string (an IP address is assumed). If you enter "1.2.3.4", then the resulting command line will be: xterm -display 1.2.3.4:0 .
- the "Telnet_SSH/SSH2 (SSH-2 Client)" Start Method is similar to other methods except for the ending of command line. The usage of the "&" sign is not recommended because of unstable results.
E.g., if you need to start "xterm" remotely, then the "xterm" command line is preferable (and the "xterm&" line is not recommended).

5. XServer :
- the "DontUse_MOTIF_WM_HINTS=1" line can be inserted into the "[XSERVERdeb]" section of the xwp.ini file to prevent from processing the "_MOTIF_WM_HINTS" windows property;
- the "DontCheckWM_SIZE_HINTSinc=1" line can be inserted into the "[XSERVERdeb]" section of the xwp.ini file to prevent from processing the "WM_SIZE_HINTS" windows property;
- the "ILikeLINUX=1" line can be inserted into the "[XSETUP]" section of the xwp.ini file to set up the LINUX's console keyboard mapping.

6. Telnet_SSH/SSH2 :
- to control the session's restart/completion, the "ExitOnDisconnect=..." line must be added to the "[Telnet]" section of the "xwp.ini" file.
The "ExitOnDisconnect=..." setting provides the following modes:
- ExitOnDisconnect=1 - to suppress the start of the new telnet_s session;
- ExitOnDisconnect=2 - to suppress the "Connection lost" message (only to write it into the telnet_s.out file);
- ExitOnDisconnect=3 - to suppress the "...open forwarded connections..." message (only to write it into the telnet_s.out file).

Known problems

1. Uninstallation : - the uninstallation procedure does not remove components which were installed in additional (non-first) installation sessions. Such additional components should be removed manually.

2. Lpd :
- printers on the remote MS Windows NT 4 hosts are unavailable from the local host under MS Windows NT 4 .

3. NFS-Server :
- may have problems on PCs with several IP addresses; - some Linux NFS-3 Clients may issue an error message (about the wrong file ID) because of wrong packets unwrapping in the Linux's "nfs3xdr.c" module.

4. NFS-Client for Windows 9x :
- PC must be restarted after you change the license file, "xwpdllid.dll";
- may fail when connecting to NFS-Server on another PC under Windows 9x if both PCs have Client/Server for Microsoft Networks installed.

5. XServer :
- drawing partial arcs may be very slow ;
- the CDE/XDMCP of the HP-UX host may provide infinite waiting for connection. To avoid this, the new "HP" fonts alias directory should be included into the XServer FontPath;
- the "Forced Backing Store" setting may provide wrong screen re-displaying in some cases (e.g., Netscape scrolling).