Starting PBDispatch

PBDispatch is the one program you leave running. It accepts connections on every port you have switched on, starts a program for each caller, and shows you what is happening.

Run PBDispatch.exe from your install folder. A window opens with a dashboard of tiles.

Figure 1. The PBDispatch dashboard.

The dashboard shows:

• how many callers are on and who they are;
• the state of each service (Telnet, SSH, RLogin, FTP, Web, NNTP, BinkP and inter-BBS messaging), with its port;
• activity over the last hour, system status and recent log lines;
• quick actions for common jobs.

The toolbar above the tiles has Layout presets (Overview, Operator or Compact), Edit layout (drag and resize the tiles), Reset layout and a switch between dark and light.

The log pane, and the Telnet line in the header, should say that PBDispatch is listening on Telnet, port 23 unless you changed it. If it reports Unable to bind Telnet port, another program already has that port. Close it, or change the port under Network > Telnet Server in PBConfig and restart PBDispatch.

Open the Windows firewall for the port too. See Before you install for the command.

Open View > Service Management (or use the Services quick action). If you do not see it, use Reset layout. Each service has Stop, Start and Restart buttons. Stopping a service closes its port but does not disconnect callers who are already on. Start and Restart re-read the service's settings, so a change you made in PBConfig takes effect without restarting PBDispatch.

Closing PBDispatch closes every port. Callers who are already on keep their sessions, but PBDispatch can no longer track them.

The Tools menu has:

• Local Login… starts a session on this computer, with no network. It is how you log in first.
• Configure System (PBCONFIG)… opens PBConfig.
• Rotate Logs Now… starts a fresh log.
• Login Guard and Host Filter, which protect the board from abuse (see the section on protecting your board).
• Check for Updates / Install… if you have turned on Program updates.

PBDispatch only answers callers while it is running. For a board that should stay up, run it on a computer that stays on, and make sure it starts when Windows starts.

A page on starting PBDispatch automatically with Windows is still being written.