Connect to BBSes and the Internet Using the PiModem
The PiModem was designed using a Raspberry Pi Zero W and uses its onboard serial port to communicate with the computer.
Those days… Those golden days of surfing BBSes using a dial-up modem hooked up to a phone line, it was a marvelous time. But…. not even close to today’s internet speeds and data transfer capabilities. That said, BBSes are making a comeback with new sites popping up and old ones being dusted off via backup media. Without those old phone lines and modems, most of the new BBS sites are reachable over the internet via a telnet connection. Obviously, retro computer systems are the best way to connect to those sites, or if your PC motherboard can accept them, an old network card will help do the same.
There are also several devices, such as the WiModem232, that emulate a modem command set, which can also connect to BBSes very easily. For the more adventurous, the PiModem Project from PodSix is an excellent alternative as well, which uses a Raspberry Pi Zero W and tcpser to emulate a modem.
The secret to getting the Pi Zero W to emulate a modem is using the onboard UART to act as an RS-232 serial port. PodSix explains, “To make the onboard UART compatible with a standard RS-232 serial port, a logic level shifter is needed. There is an IC called the MAX-232 that will do this, and tons of information is available on building this basic circuit.” An easier way is just to buy an RS-232 module and connect it to the Pi for an all-in-one solution, although you will have to desolder/remove some header pins to do so.
PodSix has uploaded a complete walkthrough of the PiModem Project on his website, complete with links to the necessary hardware and software for those interested in recreating his build.
Anyone remember BBS games?
