                            NPCOMM v1.04
                           Release Notice

                             Copyright (C) 1997 Hiroyoshi Kurohara
                                                      1997, August


Thank you for downloading this English release of NPCOMM v1.04.
Since very  important information  is contained in this document, please read 
the entire of this document before using this software.


Overview of this software
  NPCOMM(Network Pseudo Communication port) is a software which offers the 
  function to share COM ports on the LAN and the function to connect to telnetd
  through COM port.
  You can use this software for  sharing modem(s) on your LAN or connecting BBS
  via Internet with a terminal software which has no TELNET ability.

Environment and requirement
  NPCOMM v1.04 can works on only Windows95.
  PortServ.exe, which makes a machine a PortSharing server, can work on 
  Windows95, WindowsNT3.51, NT4.0.
  NPCOMM and PortServ are using TCP/IP as their transport protocol, so you have
  to set up TCP/IP as network protocol on your LAN.

Files in this package
  Following files are contained in this release of NPCOMM.

  NPCOMM.exe      main application of this software.
  PCOMM32_.vxd    port driver for NPCOMM
  PortServ.exe    PortSharing server program
  PSS.exe         PortSharing server program as NT service
  instps.exe      Service installer program for PortSharing server programs
  Readme-e.txt    this file
  NPCOMM-e.doc    User's guide
  License.txt     License Agreement
  Register.txt    document file describing registration instruction
  Register.exe    small program for registration
  Register.hlp    help file for Register.exe

Installing NPCOMM
  This release of NPCOMM has no installer program. You can install this 
  software by simply unpacking the archive file to an appropriate directory.
  Working directory of NPCOMM.exe must be the same  as that of pcomm32_.vxd .
  For a PortSharing server, only PortServ.exe is needed. You can copy 
  PortServ.exe to any directory you like, and start up PortServ.exe.

  You can uninstall NPCOMM by just removing unpacked files from your hard disk.
  If you have installed PortServ.exe or PSS.exe as a service program, you 
  should uninstall this service program before removing these files by doing 
  as follows.
    instps remove[Enter]

Limitation of this release
  * NPCOMM.exe and PortServ.exe can't run on the same machine.
  * Microsoft Fax can't use NPCOMM's port

  * Using "Auto detect" of modems on NPCOMM's port does not work.
  * (this description is only for PortSharing function)
    If you have set up Dial-up connection for ISP, and you check the 
    "Connect to the Internet as needed"
     (or "Auto dial", depending on the version of IE you installed)
    of "Internet" control panel applet, you will meet the following situations
    sometimes.

    1. You are going to connect BBS using terminal software through NPCOMM's 
       port, then you may see Dial-up connection dialog.
       When you meet such situation, you should answer to Dial-up connection 
       dialog to "cancel".
    2. You are going to connect to ISP by using NPCOMM's port, then you may see
       following message boxes,
       (1) "Another program is dialing the selected connection."
       (2) "The modem is being used by another Dial-Up Networking connection or
           another program.
            Disconnect the other connection or close the program, and then try 
           again."
       When you meet such a situation, you should answer the message box (1) 
       then the message box(2) and retry to dial.


Other information

  * You can get more information about this software from URL below.
    If you have  problems, please check the following URL first because you may
    find a fixed version of this software or useful information.

	http://www.yk.rim.or.jp/~kurohara/npcomm.html

  * E-mail address of the author is kurohara@yk.rim.or.jp.  You can contact the
    author by this address when     you have questions, problems, or 
    suggestions.


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