====== Going online ======

Your board works on its own computer. To let people reach it, three things must be true: the board listens on the right port, Windows lets traffic in, and your router passes traffic through to the board.

===== 1. Choose how people connect =====

Telnet at port 23 is the usual way and is on by default. You can add:

  * **SSH** for encrypted logins. It is switched on under **Network > SSH Server** and uses port 22.
  * **RLogin**, **the web portal**, **FTP downloads** and **news (NNTP)**, each with its own screen under Network.

Use **Network > Services** to see them all, with ports, in one list. Two services cannot share a port.

===== 2. Open the Windows firewall =====

Allow inbound TCP on each port you use. The command and the full port table are on [[v4:install:requirements|Before you install]].

===== 3. Forward the port on your router =====

If your computer is behind a home or office router, forward the same ports to this computer's address. The exact steps depend on the router; look for "port forwarding". Give the computer a fixed address on your network first, or the forward will stop working when it changes.

===== 4. Give the board a name callers can use =====

Callers need an address. Use a fixed address from your provider, or a dynamic DNS name if yours changes. Test from outside your own network (a phone on mobile data is enough).

===== 5. Protect the board =====

Boards on the Internet are scanned by bots all day. Two protections are on from the start:

  * **Login Guard** slows an address down after failed logins and then bans it for a while. It covers Telnet, RLogin, SSH, FTP and NNTP.
  * **Host Filter** refuses connections from addresses already known to be bad.

Keep both on. See the section on protecting your board when it is published.

===== Before you announce =====

  - Log in as a brand-new user from another computer and go through the whole new-user process.
  - Check that a new user gets the level you intended, and cannot see sysop areas.
  - Read the log in PBDispatch for errors.
  - Make a backup of your whole ProBoard folder.

//The [[v4:connect:telnet|Connecting callers]], [[v4:menus:overview|Menus and commands]] and [[v4:maint:overview|Maintenance]] sections cover each of these in detail.//