Frequently Asked Questions

How do I sign up?

See Getting Started. Web is fastest; telnet/ssh both have an
interactive "new user" flow at the welcome prompt.

I forgot my password

If your account had an email address, use Forgot password on
the Login screen. Otherwise, ask the Sysop — they can
reset it from the admin panel.

Is this open source?

Yes — ANetBBS itself is open source. The license and source
repository are linked from the footer on every page.

What protocols does it support?

See Features — short version: HTTP/HTTPS, Telnet, SSH, Rlogin,
Gemini, Finger, BinkP, MSP. Real-time chat travels over WebSockets,
IRC, MRC, or Telegram depending on which bridges the sysop enabled.

How can I help?

A few easy ways:

1. Edit the wiki. Fix typos, expand thin pages, add screenshots.
2. Post on the boards. A BBS without messages is a quiet BBS.
3. Play doors. High scores show up on the Leaderboard.
4. Run a peer. If you're a sysop, peer with us over BinkP — see
   BinkP Setup.

What's an "echomail area"?

A globally-distributed message area that you exchange with other
BBSes via BinkP. Think Usenet on a 1990s phone budget. Your post
gets sent up to your uplink overnight; theirs arrive in the same
poll. See Echomail.

Why is the wiki text white on dark?

Because every BBS worth visiting is dark-themed. You can switch
themes from your profile — see Themes.

What's a "door"?

A game (or other interactive program) that the BBS launches as a
sub-process for one user at a time. Originally DOS programs that
spoke to the BBS over a fake COM port; today most are either
modern web games, native Synchronet-style programs over rlogin,
or DOS originals running under DOSBox. See Doors.

Is this Y2K-compliant?

Yes. We have until 2038-01-19 03:14:07 UTC to worry instead.