mirror of https://github.com/9001/r0c.git
180 lines
8.0 KiB
Markdown
180 lines
8.0 KiB
Markdown
# `r0c` telnet server
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* retr0chat, irc-like chat service for superthin clients [(on PyPI)](https://pypi.org/project/r0c/)
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* MIT-Licensed, 2018-01-07, ed @ irc.rizon.net
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* **[windows telnet 360 noscope](https://ocv.me/r0c.webm)** <- good video
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![screenshot of telnet connected to a r0c server](docs/r0c.png)
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* see [installation](#installation) or grab the latest release: **[r0c.py](https://github.com/9001/r0c/releases/latest/download/r0c.py)**
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## summary
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imagine being stuck on ancient gear, in the middle of nowhere, on a slow connection between machines that are even more archaic than the toaster you're trying to keep from falling apart
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retr0chat is the lightweight, no-dependencies, runs-anywhere solution for when life gives you lemons
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* tries to be irssi
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* zero dependencies on python 2.6, 2.7, 3.x
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* supports telnet, netcat, /dev/tcp, TLS clients
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* is not an irc server, but can [bridge to/from irc servers](#irc)
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* [modem-aware](https://ocv.me/r0c-2400.webm); comfortable at 1200 bps
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* fallbacks for inhumane conditions
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* linemode
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* no vt100 / ansi escape codes
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## endorsements
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* the german federal office for information security [does not approve](https://ocv.me/stuff/r0c-bsi.png)
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## compatibility
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* 1980: [TVI 920C](https://a.ocv.me/pub/g/nerd-stuff/r0c-tvi-920c.jpg)
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* 1987: [IBM 3151](https://a.ocv.me/pub/g/nerd-stuff/r0c-ibm-3151.jpg) (also [video](https://a.ocv.me/pub/g/nerd-stuff/r0c-ibm-3151.webm)), using gnu-screen to translate VT100 sequences
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* 1993: [windows 3.11](https://a.ocv.me/pub/g/nerd-stuff/r0c-for-workgroups.png)
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## features
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irc-like:
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* public channels with persistent history (pgup/pgdn)
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* private messages (`/msg acidburn hey`)
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* nick completion with `Tab ↹`
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* notifications (bell/visual) on hilights and PMs
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* command subset (`/nick`, `/join`, `/part`, `/names`, `/topic`, `/me`)
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* inline message coloring, see `/help`
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technical:
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* client behavior detection (echo, colors, charset, newline)
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* message input with readline-like editing (arrow-left/right, home/end, backspace)
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* history of sent messages (arrow-up/down)
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* bandwidth-conservative (push/pop lines instead of full redraws; scroll-regions)
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* fast enough; 600 clients @ 750 msgs/sec, or 1500 cli @ 75 msg/s
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* [bridge](#irc) several irc channels from several networks into one r0c channel
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## windows clients
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* use [putty](https://the.earth.li/~sgtatham/putty/latest/w32/putty.exe) in telnet mode
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* or [the powershell client](clients/powershell.ps1)
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* or enable `Telnet Client` in control panel `->` programs `->` programs and features `->` turn windows features on or off, then press WIN+R and run `telnet r0c.int`
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putty is the best option;
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* the powershell client is OK and no longer spammy as of windows 10.0.15063 (win10 1703 / LTSC)
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* windows-telnet has a bug (since win7) where [non-ascii letters occasionally render but usually dont](https://ocv.me/stuff/win10-telnet.webm)
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* this is due to a buffer overflow in `telnet.exe`, so r0c will apply a rate-limit to avoid it
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* looks like messages larger than 512 bytes end up messing with the unicode glyphs area? or something
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## linux clients
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most to least recommended
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| client | example |
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| :--- | :--- |
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| telnet | `telnet r0c.int` |
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| socat | `socat -,raw,echo=0 tcp:r0c.int:531` |
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| bash | [mostly internals](clients/bash.sh) |
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| netcat | `nc r0c.int 531` |
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you can even `exec 147<>/dev/tcp/r0c.int/531;cat<&147&while IFS= read -rn1 x;do [ -z "$x" ]&&x=$'\n';printf %s "$x">&147;done` (disconnect using `exec 147<&-; killall cat #sorry`)
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## tls clients
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if you enable TLS with `-tpt 2424` (telnet) and/or `-tpn 1515` (netcat) you can connect to r0c with TLS encryption using any of the following:
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* `telnet-ssl -zssl -zsecure -zcacert=r0c.crt r0c.int 2424`
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* `socat -,raw,echo=0 openssl:r0c.int:1515,cafile=cert.crt`
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* `socat -,raw,echo=0 openssl:127.0.0.1:1515,verify=0`
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* `stty -icanon; ncat --ssl --ssl-trustfile r0c.crt -v r0c.int 1515`
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* `stty -icanon; openssl s_client -CAfile ~/.r0c/cert.crt -nbio -connect r0c.int:1515`
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* windows: [powershell client](https://github.com/9001/r0c/blob/master/clients/powershell.ps1) with port `+1515` (the `+` enables TLS)
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* powershell does not verify certificate; the other clients do
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the powershell client and bash client comes bundled with the server; see [protips](#protips)
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## connecting from a web browser
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![screenshot of chrome connecting to r0c through ttyd](docs/r0cc.png)
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oh you betcha! see the [webtty readme](webtty/)
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# installation
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just run **[r0c.py](https://github.com/9001/r0c/releases/latest/download/r0c.py)** and that's it (usually)
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* or install through pypi (python3 only): `python3 -m pip install --user -U r0c`
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you can run it as a service so it autostarts on boot:
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* on most linux distros: [systemd service](docs/systemd/r0c.service) (automatically does port-forwarding)
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* on alpine / gentoo: [openrc service](docs/openrc/r0c)
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* on windows: [nssm](https://nssm.cc/) probably
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## irc
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if you want to connect your r0c instance to an irc network and bridge channels between them, you can do that:
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![screenshot of a r0c channel being bridged to an irc channel](docs/r0c-irc.png)
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```bash
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python3 r0c.py --ircn a,127.0.0.1,6667,r0c --ircb a,chat,g
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```
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run that command to start r0c with irc bridging enabled; r0c will then connect to an irc server (which we nicknamed `a`) on `127.0.0.1:6667` with the irc-nick `r0c` and bridge the irc-channel `#chat` with the r0c-channel `#g`
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if you then start an irc server locally, for example [miniircd](https://github.com/jrosdahl/miniircd/blob/master/miniircd) by running `python3 miniircd --verbose` then you're all set, people can now join r0c by connecting via irc
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to bridge additional channels on the same network, add more `--ircb` args, for example `--ircb a,tech,tech` like in the screenshot, and optionally add more networks with `--ircn`
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## firewall rules
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skip this section if:
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* you are using the systemd service
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* or you are running as root and do not have a firewall
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* or you're on windows
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if you're using firewalld, and just want to open up the high ports (not 23 and 531) then this is probably enough:
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```bash
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firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port={23,531,2323,1531,2424,1515,8023}/tcp
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firewall-cmd --reload
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```
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but having to specify the port when connecting is lame so consider the folllowing --
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telnet uses port 23 by default, so on the server you'll want to port-forward `23` to `2323` (and `531` to `1531` for plaintext):
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```bash
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iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 23 -m state --state NEW -j ACCEPT
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iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 531 -m state --state NEW -j ACCEPT
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iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 2323 -m state --state NEW -j ACCEPT
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iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 1531 -m state --state NEW -j ACCEPT
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iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 2424 -m state --state NEW -j ACCEPT # tls telnet
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iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 1515 -m state --state NEW -j ACCEPT # tls netcat
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iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 8023 -m state --state NEW -j ACCEPT # http/ttyd
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iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -i eth0 -p tcp --dport 23 -j REDIRECT --to-port 2323
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iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -i eth0 -p tcp --dport 531 -j REDIRECT --to-port 1531
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```
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(you'll have to do this on every reboot)
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# documentation
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not really but there is a [list of commands](docs/help-commands.md) and a [list of hotkeys](docs/help-hotkeys.md), and also [UI demystified](docs/help-ui.md)
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## protips
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try the following commands and hotkeys after connecting:
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* `/cy` enables colored nicknames
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* `/b3` (max cowbell) beeps on every message
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* `/v` or `ctrl-n` hides names and makes wordwrap more obvious; good for viewing a wall of text that somebody pasted
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* `CTRL-L` or `/r` if rendering breaks
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## other surprises
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* when running **[r0c.py](https://github.com/9001/r0c/releases/latest/download/r0c.py)** it will extract a few bundled clients for your convenience (powershell and bash); look for the `[SFX] sfxdir: /tmp/pe-r0c.1000` message during startup, they'll be in a `clients` subfolder over there
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* if you installed r0c through `pip` instead then the clients will be somewhere crazy like `C:\Users\ed\AppData\Roaming\Python\share\doc\r0c\clients\powershell.ps1` or `/home/ed/.local/share/doc/r0c/clients/powershell.ps1`, good luck!
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