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--- lordsrv:link_your_bbs [2026-10-29 00:46] – created - external edit 127.0.0.1
+++ lordsrv:link_your_bbs [2026-10-29 01:00] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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 ====== For sysops: link your BBS to our LORD Server ======
-Kalgoorlie Retro runs a [[start|LORD Server]] that any BBS can link to. Your callers play Legend of the Red Dragon in a realm shared with players from other boards, straight from a door on your BBS. You don't need to install LORD or ask us first: you sign up once for a **BBS key**, and put the key in a door.
+Kalgoorlie Retro runs a [[start|LORD Server]] that any BBS can link to. Your callers pick it from your door menu and play Legend of the Red Dragon in a realm shared with players from other boards. You don't install LORD, and you don't need to ask us first.
-What you need:
+You do it once, in two parts:
-  * BBS software that can make an outbound rlogin connection: Synchronet, Mystic, and most others.
-  * Your BBS able to connect out to ''bbs.theiguru.au'' on TCP port **5130**.
-  * About ten minutes.
-Your players get their own accounts on the server, named after their name on your BBS with your BBS's tag added: ''Bob@EXB''. A Bob on another BBS is a different player, so nobody can play as one of your users. In the game each player picks their own character name.
+**1.** **Get a key.** You connect to our server once and sign your BBS up. It gives you a key: a code like ''7KQ2-M9XD-4TPW-H3NC'' that proves the players are coming from your BBS.
-===== Step 1: get a key =====
+**2.** **Add a door** to your BBS that connects to our server and sends that key.
-You sign up by connecting to the server once with the rlogin server user name ''register''. The server asks for:
-  * **your BBS's name**, 3 to 40 characters, for example ''The Example BBS'';
+Allow about ten minutes. Pick your BBS software below and follow its steps from top to bottom.
-  * **a tag**, 2 to 8 letters or digits, for example ''EXB''. It goes after your players' names (''Bob@EXB'') and can't be changed later, so pick something short that says which BBS it is.
-Then it shows your key, **once**, and the door command line to use:
+===== A few words first =====
+^ Word ^ What it means here ^
+| **rlogin** | The way one BBS sends a caller to another computer, already logged in. Synchronet, Mystic and most other BBS software can do it. Your door uses it to reach our server. |
+| **door** | A menu item on your BBS that runs a game. On Synchronet it is an "online program" set up in SCFG; on Mystic it is a menu item. |
+| **key** | The code our server gives your BBS when you sign up. It is shown **once**: write it down. |
+| **tag** | A short name for your BBS, 2 to 8 letters or digits, such as ''EXB''. It is added to your players' names on our server, so Bob from your BBS is ''Bob@EXB''. A Bob on another BBS is someone else. It can't be changed later. |
+Before you start, decide:
+  * your BBS's name as you want it listed, 3 to 40 characters (e.g. ''The Example BBS'');
+  * your tag (e.g. ''EXB'').
+Your BBS must be able to connect **out** to ''bbs.theiguru.au'' on TCP port **5130**. Most home and hosted BBSes can; if you have a firewall that blocks outgoing connections, allow that one.
+===== What the sign-up looks like =====
+Whichever BBS software you use, signing up shows this screen. Type your BBS's name and press Enter, type your tag and press Enter, then press **Y**:
 <code>
-  Signed up.  Your BBS key is:
+LORD Server: BBS sign-up
+------------------------------------------------------------
-KQ2-M9XD-4TPW-H3NC
+This gives your BBS a key, so your door can send players here.
+Each of your players gets their own account, so a player with the
+same name on another BBS is someone else.
-  Write it down now: it isn't shown again.
+BBS name: The Example BBS
+A short tag for your BBS, 2 to 8 letters or digits.  It goes after
+your players' names in this server's lists: Bob@TAG.
+Tag: EXB
+Sign up "The Example BBS" as EXB? (Y/n) Yes
+Signed up.  Your BBS key is:
+KQ2-M9XD-4TPW-H3NC
+Write it down now: it isn't shown again.
 </code>
-Copy the key somewhere safe before you press a key. If you lose it, see [[#lost_or_leaked_keys|lost or leaked keys]].
+**Write the key down** (or copy it from your terminal window) before you press a key: the screen closes and the key is never shown again. If the tag is taken, it asks for another. If you press **N**, nothing is saved and you can start again.
-How to make that connection depends on your BBS software:
+----
-==== On Synchronet ====
+===== Synchronet =====
-The quickest way: log in to your BBS as the sysop, and at the main menu type
+There are two ways. **Way 1** is shorter: you sign up from your BBS's main menu, then make the door once. Use **Way 2** if you can't use the sysop commands (for example, you don't have the system password).
-<code>;EXEC ?rlogin bbs.theiguru.au:5130 -s register -P</code>
-(Synchronet asks for your system password first.)
-Or make a temporary door: in SCFG > External Programs > Online Programs (Doors), add a program with the command line ''?rlogin bbs.theiguru.au:5130 -s register -P'' and no drop file, run it from the BBS once, then delete it.
+==== Way 1: sign up from the main menu, then make the door ====
+**Get the key**
-==== On Mystic ====
+**1.** Log in to your BBS as the sysop, with a terminal program (SyncTERM, NetRunner and so on).
-Add a temporary menu command (see step 2 for the menu editor), with command **IR** and data:
-<code>/addr=bbs.theiguru.au /port=5130 /user=@USER@ /pass=register</code>
-Run it once from the BBS, sign up, then remove it or change it as in step 2.
-==== On other BBS software ====
+**2.** At the main menu, type this exactly, starting with the semicolon, and press Enter:<code>;EXEC ?rlogin bbs.theiguru.au:5130 -s register -P</code> The semicolon tells Synchronet this is a sysop command. ''EXEC'' runs the rest of the line; ''?rlogin'' is Synchronet's rlogin program; ''-s register'' asks our server for the sign-up screen; ''-P'' starts without a pause.
-Use its rlogin door, gateway or menu command with the address ''bbs.theiguru.au'', port ''5130'', and ''register'' as the server user name (some software calls it the password). If your software can't do that, email [[slaterm@theiguru.au]] with your BBS's name and the tag you'd like, and we'll send you a key.
-Sign-ups are limited to 3 a day from one address. A sign-up that you leave before saying yes doesn't make a key; just connect again.
+**3.** Synchronet asks for your **system password** (the one set in SCFG > System). Type it and press Enter.
-===== Step 2: add the door =====
+**4.** The sign-up screen appears. Fill it in as shown above and **write down the key**.
-The door sends your key as the rlogin **server user name**, your caller's name as the **client user name**, and ''xtrn=A'' as the **terminal type**, which takes the caller straight into game A and back to your BBS when they quit. (Leave ''xtrn=A'' out and they get the server's game menu instead.) In the examples, replace ''7KQ2-M9XD-4TPW-H3NC'' with your own key.
-==== Synchronet ====
+**5.** Press a key. You are back at your main menu.
-  - Run ''scfg'' (on Windows, ''scfg.exe'' in ''sbbs\exec'').
-  - Go to **External Programs > Online Programs (Doors)**, and choose the section your games are in (for example ''Games'').
+**Make the door**
-  - Add a new program (Insert, or the first empty line) and set:
-^ Field ^ Value ^
+**1.** On the computer running Synchronet, open a command prompt or terminal and run SCFG: ''/sbbs/exec/scfg'' on Linux (as the user the BBS runs as), or ''C:\sbbs\exec\scfg.exe'' on Windows.
-| Name | ''LORD - Kalgoorlie Retro'' (whatever your callers should see) |
-| Internal Code | ''LORDKRG'' |
+**2.** Choose **External Programs**, then **Online Programs...**.
-| Start-up Directory | (leave blank) |
-| Command Line | ''?rlogin bbs.theiguru.au:5130 -s 7KQ2-M9XD-4TPW-H3NC -t xtrn=A -P'' |
+**3.** You see a list of program sections (for example "Games" or "Doors"). Choose the one you want the door in, and press Enter.
+**4.** You see the list of programs in that section. Press the **Insert** key (or move to the empty line at the bottom and press Enter) to add one.
+**5.** At **Online Program Name**, type what your callers will see, e.g. ''LORD - Kalgoorlie Retro'', and press Enter.
+**6.** At **Internal Code**, type a short code with no spaces, e.g. ''LORDKRG'', and press Enter.
+**7.** The new program's settings open. Move to each of these with the arrow keys, press Enter, and set it:
+^ Setting ^ Set it to ^
+| Command Line | ''?rlogin bbs.theiguru.au:5130 -s 7KQ2-M9XD-4TPW-H3NC -t xtrn=A -P'' \\ (with **your** key in place of ''7KQ2-M9XD-4TPW-H3NC'') |
 | Multiple Concurrent Users | Yes |
 | Native Executable/Script | No |
 | BBS Drop File Type | None |
-  - Save and leave SCFG. Synchronet picks up the change by itself (or recycle the BBS).
-The options of ''?rlogin'': ''-s'' the server user name (your key), ''-t'' the terminal type, ''-P'' don't pause before connecting. Add ''-q'' to hide the "Connecting" message. Synchronet sends the user's **alias** as the client user name, so your players' accounts are named after their aliases.
+Leave everything else as it is. Start-up Directory stays blank.
-==== Mystic ====
+**8.** Press **Esc** until SCFG asks **Save Changes?**, and answer **Yes**. Then leave SCFG. Synchronet picks up the change by itself within a minute or so (or restart the BBS).
-  - Run the configuration: ''mystic -cfg'' (''mystic.exe -cfg'' on Windows).
-  - Go to **Editors > Menu Editor**, choose your theme, and open the menu your doors are on (for example ''doors'').
+Now go to [[#try_it|try it]].
-  - Insert a new menu item, and set its hotkey (for example ''L'') and its text (for example ''LORD - Kalgoorlie Retro'').
-  - Give the item one command:
+==== Way 2: a temporary door, then change it ====
-^ Field ^ Value ^
+**Make a temporary sign-up door**
+**1.** Run SCFG and add a program as in Way 1 above (External Programs > Online Programs... > your section > Insert), named e.g. ''LORD sign-up'' with Internal Code ''LORDREG''.
+**2.** Set these:
+^ Setting ^ Set it to ^
+| Command Line | ''?rlogin bbs.theiguru.au:5130 -s register -P'' |
+| Access Requirements | ''SYSOP'' (so only you can run it while it is there) |
+| BBS Drop File Type | None |
+**3.** Press **Esc**, answer **Yes** to Save Changes, and leave SCFG.
+**Get the key**
+**1.** Log in to your BBS as the sysop, open your door menu, and run **LORD sign-up**.
+**2.** Fill in the sign-up screen and **write down the key**. Press a key to go back to your BBS.
+**Change the same door into the real one**
+**1.** Run SCFG again and go back to the same program (External Programs > Online Programs... > your section > **LORD sign-up**).
+**2.** Change these:
+^ Setting ^ Change it to ^
+| Name | ''LORD - Kalgoorlie Retro'' (what callers will see) |
+| Command Line | ''?rlogin bbs.theiguru.au:5130 -s 7KQ2-M9XD-4TPW-H3NC -t xtrn=A -P'' (with **your** key). In other words: replace ''-s register'' with ''-s'' and your key, and add ''-t xtrn=A'' before ''-P''. |
+| Access Requirements | Clear it (blank), so all your callers can play. |
+| Multiple Concurrent Users | Yes |
+**3.** Press **Esc**, answer **Yes** to Save Changes, and leave SCFG.
+Until you change it, the door shows the sign-up screen instead of the game, which is why it is limited to SYSOP in the meantime.
+==== What the door's command line means ====
+<code>?rlogin bbs.theiguru.au:5130 -s 7KQ2-M9XD-4TPW-H3NC -t xtrn=A -P</code>
+^ Part ^ Meaning ^
+| ''?rlogin'' | Synchronet's own rlogin program. |
+| ''bbs.theiguru.au:5130'' | Our server and its port. |
+| ''-s 7KQ2-...'' | Your key. It is sent as the rlogin "server user name". |
+| ''-t xtrn=A'' | Go straight into game A, and back to your BBS when the player quits. Without it, players see our server's game menu first. |
+| ''-P'' | Don't pause with "press a key" before connecting. Add ''-q'' as well to hide the "Connecting..." message. |
+Synchronet sends each caller's **alias** as their name, so their account on our server is ''<alias>@<your tag>''.
+----
+===== Mystic =====
+Mystic has no sysop command for this, so you add a menu item, run it once to get the key, then change the same item into the real door.
+The menu editor's layout differs a little between Mystic versions; the steps below say what to set. Mystic's own help is on its wiki: [[https://wiki.mysticbbs.com/doku.php?id=menus|menus]] and [[https://wiki.mysticbbs.com/doku.php?id=menu_commands|menu commands]].
+==== Step 1: add a temporary sign-up item ====
+**1.** On the computer running Mystic, open its configuration: ''mystic -cfg'' (''mystic.exe -cfg'' on Windows), in Mystic's folder.
+**2.** Open the **Menu Editor** (in the **Editors** menu), choose your theme, and open the menu your doors are on (for example ''doors''; if you don't have one, use ''main'').
+**3.** Insert a new menu item, and set:
+^ Item setting ^ Set it to ^
+| Text | ''LORD sign-up'' |
+| Hot key | a letter not used on that menu, e.g. ''L'' |
+| Access | ''s255'' (sysop security level only, while it is there) |
+**4.** Give the item **one command**:
+^ Command setting ^ Set it to ^
 | Command | **IR** (Outbound RLOGIN connection) |
-| Data | ''/addr=bbs.theiguru.au /port=5130 /user=@USER@ /pass=7KQ2-M9XD-4TPW-H3NC /term=xtrn=A'' |
+| Data | ''/addr=bbs.theiguru.au /port=5130 /user=@USER@ /pass=register'' |
-  - Add the item to the menu's display (or rebuild the menu's ANSI screen, if your menu uses one) and save.
-''@USER@'' is the caller's handle. ''/term=xtrn=A'' takes them straight into game A; leave ''/term'' out for the game menu. Mystic sends the user and password fields in the order BBS servers usually expect; LORD Server accepts them either way round (from version 1.4.1), so you don't need to swap them. Add ''/prompt'' to the data if you'd rather not show Mystic's connecting messages.
+**5.** Save the menu. If the menu uses its own ANSI screen rather than a generated list, add the item to that screen too, or just press the hot key: it works even if it isn't shown.
-==== Other BBS software ====
+==== Step 2: get the key ====
-Use the rlogin door or menu command, with:
-^ rlogin field ^ Value ^
-| Address and port | ''bbs.theiguru.au'', ''5130'' |
-| Client user name (local user) | The caller's name or alias. |
-| Server user name (remote user; "password" on some software) | Your key. |
-| Terminal type | ''xtrn=A'' |
-===== Step 3: try it =====
+**1.** Log in to your BBS as the sysop, go to that menu, and press the hot key (''L'').
-Log in to your BBS as an ordinary user and run the door. You should go straight into Legend of the Red Dragon and be asked to make a character. Quit LORD, and you are back on your BBS.
-If it doesn't work:
+**2.** Fill in the sign-up screen and **write down the key**. Press a key to go back to your BBS.
-^ You see ^ What it means ^
-| "this BBS has no key for LORD Server" | The key isn't reaching the server. Check it is in the server user name (Synchronet: after ''-s''; Mystic: ''/pass=''), with no extra characters. Keys work in upper or lower case, with or without the dashes. |
+==== Step 3: change the same item into the real door ====
+**1.** Open the Menu Editor again and the same menu item.
+**2.** Change these:
+^ Setting ^ Change it to ^
+| Text | ''LORD - Kalgoorlie Retro'' (what callers will see) |
+| Access | Clear it (blank), or the security level your callers have, so all of them can play. |
+| Command data | ''/addr=bbs.theiguru.au /port=5130 /user=@USER@ /pass=7KQ2-M9XD-4TPW-H3NC /term=xtrn=A'' (with **your** key). In other words: replace ''register'' with your key, and add ''/term=xtrn=A'' at the end. |
+**3.** Save the menu.
+==== What the data means ====
+^ Part ^ Meaning ^
+| ''/addr=bbs.theiguru.au /port=5130'' | Our server and its port. |
+| ''/user=@USER@'' | The caller's handle (Mystic fills it in). Their account on our server is ''<handle>@<your tag>''. |
+| ''/pass=<key>'' | Your key. |
+| ''/term=xtrn=A'' | Go straight into game A, and back to your BBS when the player quits. Without it, players see our server's game menu first. |
+Add ''/prompt'' if you'd rather not show Mystic's connecting messages. Mystic sends its user and password fields the other way round from Synchronet; our server takes them either way, so don't swap them.
+----
+===== Other BBS software =====
+Use your software's rlogin door, gateway or menu command. Sign up first with ''register'' as the server user name (some software calls it the password), write down the key, then change ''register'' to the key:
+^ rlogin setting ^ For the sign-up ^ For the real door ^
+| Address | ''bbs.theiguru.au'' | ''bbs.theiguru.au'' |
+| Port | ''5130'' | ''5130'' |
+| Client user name (local user) | the caller's name or alias | the caller's name or alias |
+| Server user name (remote user; "password" on some software) | ''register'' | your key |
+| Terminal type | anything | ''xtrn=A'' |
+If your software can't do this, email [[slaterm@theiguru.au]] with your BBS's name and the tag you'd like, and we'll send you a key.
+----
+===== Try it =====
+**1.** Log in to your BBS as an **ordinary user** (not the sysop) and run the door.
+**2.** You should go straight into Legend of the Red Dragon. The first time, it asks you to make a character: a name, then male or female, then a class.
+**3.** Play a little, then quit LORD (Q at the town square, then confirm). You should be back on your BBS.
+If something is wrong:
+^ You see ^ What to check ^
+| "this BBS has no key for LORD Server" | The key isn't reaching the server. Synchronet: it must come straight after ''-s''. Mystic: after ''/pass=''. Check for a typing mistake. Upper or lower case doesn't matter, and the dashes are optional. |
+| The sign-up screen instead of the game | The door still says ''register''. Change it to your key (Way 2 / Step 3 above). |
+| The game menu instead of the game | ''xtrn=A'' isn't being sent. Synchronet: ''-t xtrn=A''. Mystic: ''/term=xtrn=A''. |
 | "your BBS's access is turned off" | Email us. |
-| "the user name ... can't be used here" | The caller's name has nothing a server account name allows (names use letters, digits, spaces and ''- _ . '''). |
+| "the user name ... can't be used here" | That caller's name has nothing our server's account names allow (letters, digits, spaces and ''- _ . '''). |
-| "Failed to connect" or nothing at all | Your BBS can't reach ''bbs.theiguru.au'' port 5130. Check your firewall allows outgoing connections. |
+| "Failed to connect", or nothing happens | Your BBS can't reach ''bbs.theiguru.au'' port 5130. Check that your firewall allows outgoing connections to it. |
-| The game menu instead of the game | ''xtrn=A'' isn't being sent as the terminal type. |
+| "There have been too many sign-ups today" | Sign-ups are limited to 3 a day from one address. Try again tomorrow, or email us. |
+===== Who sees the key =====
+  * The key is made by our server and sent to the screen of whoever runs the sign-up: you. Your BBS passes it through like any other text and doesn't store it.
+  * Our server keeps only a scrambled copy (a hash), so we can't look it up either: a lost key is replaced, not recovered.
+  * Afterwards it lives in your door's settings. Your callers never see it. Anyone who can open SCFG or Mystic's configuration on your BBS can.
+  * Anyone who has your key can play as your players, so keep it to yourself.
 ===== Lost or leaked keys =====
-Keep your key between you and us: anyone who has it can play as your players. If it is lost, or you think someone else has it, email [[slaterm@theiguru.au]] from the address you sign your BBS's messages with, giving your tag. We'll make a new key (the old one stops working at once) and send it to you; put it in your door in place of the old one. Your players and their characters are kept.
+If you lose your key, or think someone else has it, email [[slaterm@theiguru.au]] from the address you use as sysop, with your BBS's name and tag. We'll make a new key (the old one stops working at once) and send it to you; put it in your door in place of the old one. Your players and their characters are kept.
 ===== Running your own server =====
-To host LORD for your own players (and let other BBSes link to you), install LORD Server on a Windows computer: see [[quickstart|Quick start]] and [[linking_a_bbs|Linking a BBS]]. Everything above works the same with your server's address and rlogin port.
+To host LORD for your own players, and let other BBSes link to you, install LORD Server on a Windows computer: see [[quickstart|Quick start]] and [[linking_a_bbs|Linking a BBS]]. Everything on this page works the same with your server's address and port.