BinkP Setup
How to join an Echomail network or netmail-peer with another BBS.
What you need
- Your node address assigned by the network coordinator
(e.g.21:1/199) - The uplink's host, port, and session password
- A short list of echo areas you want to subscribe to
- A few free hours on a weekend
Step 1 — register the network
/admin/echomail/ → Add Network. Fields:
| Field | Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Name | fsxnet |
Short label used in menus |
| Our address | 21:1/199 |
Your assigned node |
| Uplink host | fsxnet.nz |
Or IP |
| Uplink port | 24554 |
Standard BinkP port |
| Session password | ******** |
From the coordinator |
Optional but useful:
- CRAM-MD5 if your uplink supports it (most modern hubs do)
- TLS if the hub speaks BinkP-over-TLS
Step 2 — register echo areas
/admin/echomail/areas/ → Add Area. The tag must exactly match
the network's tag (BBS_SCENE, fsx_gen, etc.) — coordinator will
have a list.
Step 3 — first poll
/admin/echomail/poll/<network> runs an immediate BinkP session.
Watch the log for handshake success and "received N packets".
On the first poll you'll often get a big initial dump as the uplink
catches your node up.
Step 4 — automated polling
Sysop adds a cron entry (recommended every 30–60 minutes):
*/30 * * * * curl -fsS https://bbs.a-net.fyi/admin/echomail/poll/fsxnet
Or use the built-in scheduler under
/admin/echomail/schedule/.
Areafix
To subscribe to a new area without bothering the coordinator,
send a netmail to the AreaFix user at the uplink's address with
the body:
%PASSWORD yourareafixpw
+BBS_SCENE
+SYSOP_HELP
ANetBBS has an AreaFix processor for inbound areafix requests
on your own node too — useful if other BBSes peer off you.
TIC files
For BinkP-distributed file echoes, see TIC Processor.