LovlyNet Network Integration

May 7, 2026 · View on GitHub

Table of Contents

What is LovlyNet?

LovlyNet is a FidoNet Technology Network (FTN) operating in Zone 227. It provides an automated registration system that allows BBS operators to join the network and start exchanging mail with other systems without manual coordination with a hub sysop.

Key Features:

  • Automatic FTN address assignment (227:1/10 and up)
  • Self-service registration via CLI tool
  • Automatic uplink configuration
  • Echo area subscription
  • Support for both public and passive nodes
  • Web-based management via Admin → LovlyNet after initial setup

Quick Start

Initial registration is a one-time CLI step:

php scripts/lovlynet_setup.php

The script will guide you through registration and automatically configure your system.

After registration, all ongoing management is done through the web interface at Admin → LovlyNet — including echo area subscriptions, registration updates, and connectivity health checks. You do not need to re-run the CLI tool for routine management.

Public vs Passive Nodes

Public Nodes

Choose public node if:

  • Your BBS is accessible from the internet
  • You have a static IP or domain name
  • You can accept inbound binkp connections on port 24554 (or custom port)

Benefits:

  • Hub can deliver mail directly to you (faster delivery)
  • More efficient mail flow
  • Full two-way connectivity

Requirements:

  • Your BinktermPHP installation must be publicly accessible
  • Public hostname or IP address
  • Port forwarding configured (if behind NAT)
  • Firewall allows inbound on binkp port
  • Tunnel/proxy voodoo

Passive Nodes

Choose passive node if:

  • Behind NAT without port forwarding
  • Dynamic IP address
  • Silo'd or garden network (ie: Community wireless networks)
  • Firewall restrictions prevent inbound connections
  • Development or testing system

How it works:

  • You poll the hub periodically (every 15-30 minutes recommended)
  • Hub cannot initiate connections to you
  • Mail delivery depends on your polling schedule
  • Still fully functional for sending and receiving

Note: Passive nodes must set up regular polling via cron or scheduled task.

Registration Process

Step-by-Step

  1. Run the setup script:

    php scripts/lovlynet_setup.php

  2. Verify information:

    • System Name (from your BBS config)
    • Sysop Name (your name)
    • Site URL (your BBS web address)

  3. Choose node type:

    • Answer "Y" if publicly accessible (default)
    • Answer "N" if passive/poll-only

  4. For public nodes:

    • Provide your public hostname (e.g., bbs.example.com)
    • Provide your binkp port (default: 24554)
    • Script verifies your /api/verify endpoint locally
    • If verification fails, fix your hostname/port and try again

  5. For passive nodes:

    • Script uses placeholder hostname automatically
    • No verification required

  6. Review and confirm:

    • Check the summary of your registration
    • Type "Y" to proceed

  7. Automatic configuration:

    • Receives FTN address from registry (e.g., 227:1/10)
    • Saves credentials to config/lovlynet.json
    • Configures uplink in config/binkp.json
    • Creates echo areas in database
    • Sends areafix request to hub

What You Receive

After successful registration:

  • FTN Address: Your unique address (e.g., 227:1/10)
  • API Key: For future updates (saved automatically)
  • Binkp Password: For secure mailer authentication
  • Areafix Password: For echo area management
  • Echo Areas: LVLY_BINKTERMPHP, LVLY_ANNOUNCE, LVLY_TEST (auto-subscribed)

Verification Endpoint

Public nodes must have a working verification endpoint. BinktermPHP provides this automatically at /api/verify.

Test your endpoint:

curl https://yourbbs.example.com/api/verify

Expected response:

{
  "system_name": "Your BBS Name",
  "software": "BinktermPHP v1.7.9"
}

If this doesn't work, check:

  • Web server is running and accessible
  • HTTPS certificate is valid (if using HTTPS)
  • Router/firewall allows HTTP/HTTPS traffic
  • BBS software is properly configured

Managing LovlyNet (Web Interface)

Admin → LovlyNet is the primary interface for managing your LovlyNet membership after the initial CLI registration. It shows your node number, hub address, server URL, and subscribed area count at a glance, and provides three tabs for managing areas and your registration details.

You should rarely need to touch the CLI again once your node is registered. The web interface covers the full management lifecycle: subscribing and unsubscribing echo areas, requesting rescans, updating your registration details, and monitoring connectivity health.

Echo Areas Tab

Lists all echo areas available from the hub with their subscription status. Each row shows the area tag, description, and whether you are currently subscribed. From this tab you can subscribe or unsubscribe individual areas, request a rescan (replay messages from the last N days, last N messages, or all messages), and send freeform AreaFix commands to the hub via the Request button.

File Areas Tab

The same layout as the Echo Areas tab, but for file areas managed through FileFix.

Setup Tab

The Setup tab lets you update your LovlyNet registration without running lovlynet_setup.php from the command line. Fields include:

  • System Name — the name of your BBS
  • Sysop Name — your name as it appears in the nodelist
  • Hostname — your BBS's public hostname
  • BinkP Port — the port your BinkP server listens on
  • Site URL — your BBS's public web address
  • Passive Node — check this if your node does not accept inbound connections

Saving the form sends the updated information to the LovlyNet registry. A checklist panel alongside the form shows the current health of your registration (reachability, certificate, BinkP connectivity, etc.) to help diagnose configuration problems.

Updating Registration

Preferred method: Use the Setup tab in Admin → LovlyNet to update your hostname, node type, sysop name, or port. Changes take effect immediately without requiring CLI access.

CLI alternative: If you need to update from the command line (e.g., during initial server setup before the web interface is accessible):

php scripts/lovlynet_setup.php --update

The script will:

  • Use your existing API key and node ID
  • Re-verify public nodes (if applicable)
  • Update configuration on the hub
  • Preserve your FTN address

Common update scenarios:

  • Hostname changed (new domain, IP address)
  • Switching from passive to public (or vice versa)
  • Sysop name changed
  • Port changed

Checking Status

Via the web interface: The Admin → LovlyNet dashboard shows your FTN address, registration date, subscribed area count, and a connectivity health checklist at a glance.

Via the CLI:

php scripts/lovlynet_setup.php --status

Shows:

  • FTN address
  • Registration date
  • Last update time
  • API key (masked)

Configuration Files

config/lovlynet.json

Stores your registration details:

{
  "node_id": 123,
  "api_key": "64-character-hex-string",
  "ftn_address": "227:1/10",
  "hub_address": "227:1/1",
  "hub_hostname": "lovlynet.lovelybits.org",
  "hub_port": 24554,
  "binkp_password": "16-char-hex",
  "areafix_password": "16-char-hex",
  "registered_at": "2026-02-06T12:34:56+00:00",
  "updated_at": "2026-02-06T12:34:56+00:00"
}

Important: Keep this file secure. The API key allows updates to your registration.

config/binkp.json

The setup script automatically adds a LovlyNet uplink:

{
  "uplinks": [
    {
      "me": "227:1/10",
      "address": "227:1/1",
      "hostname": "lovlynet.lovelybits.org",
      "port": 24554,
      "password": "your-binkp-password",
      "domain": "lovlynet",
      "networks": ["227:*/*"],
      "enabled": true,
      "compression": false,
      "crypt": false,
      "poll_schedule": "*/15 * * * *"
    }
  ]
}

Polling Configuration

Manual Poll

To manually poll the hub:

php scripts/binkp_poll.php

For passive nodes, set up a cron job:

# Edit crontab
crontab -e

# Add line to poll every 15 minutes
*/15 * * * * cd /path/to/binkterm-php && php scripts/binkp_poll.php >> data/logs/poll.log 2>&1

For public nodes, polling is optional but recommended as a fallback:

# Poll every 30 minutes
*/30 * * * * cd /path/to/binkterm-php && php scripts/binkp_poll.php >> data/logs/poll.log 2>&1

Manual AreaFix Commands

Tip: Most echo area management can be done graphically from the Echo Areas tab in Admin → LovlyNet. The commands below are for advanced use or when web access is unavailable.

Default Areas

  • LVLY_BINKTERMPHP - General discussion about BinktermPHP and FTN systems
  • LVLY_ANNOUNCE - Network announcements and sysop information
  • LVLY_TEST - Testing and experiments

Subscribing via Netmail

Send a netmail to AreaFix at 227:1/1:

  • To: AreaFix
  • Subject: [Your areafix password from config]
  • Body: +AREA_TAG (to subscribe) or -AREA_TAG (to unsubscribe)

Areafix Commands

Send these in the body of a netmail to AreaFix:

  • %HELP - Get help and list of commands
  • %LIST - List all available echo areas
  • %QUERY - Show your current subscriptions
  • +AREA_TAG - Subscribe to an area
  • -AREA_TAG - Unsubscribe from an area
  • %RESCAN AREA_TAG - Request rescan of area

Troubleshooting

Registration Fails with "Failed to verify node ownership"

Problem: Registry couldn't verify your /api/verify endpoint

Solutions:

  1. Test endpoint manually: curl https://yourbbs.example.com/api/verify
  2. Check web server is accessible from internet
  3. Verify HTTPS certificate is valid
  4. Check firewall rules
  5. If unavailable publicly, register as passive node instead

"This system is already registered"

Problem: Node name already exists in registry

Solutions:

  1. Use --update flag to update existing registration
  2. If you lost your API key, contact the hub sysop
  3. Registry will auto-increment name (e.g., My_BBS → My_BBS_2)

"Requested node number X is already in use"

Problem: Trying to import existing node, but number is taken

Solutions:

  1. Remove the existing uplink from config/binkp.json before registering
  2. Let registry auto-assign a new number
  3. Contact hub sysop if you need that specific number

Hub Never Connects

For public nodes:

  1. Verify binkp server is running: ps aux | grep binkp_server
  2. Check port is open: netstat -an | grep 24554
  3. Test from outside your network: telnet yourbbs.example.com 24554
  4. Check firewall/router port forwarding
  5. Verify binkp password in config/binkp.json matches registry

For passive nodes:

  1. This is normal - you must poll the hub
  2. Set up polling via cron (see Polling Configuration above)

No Mail Flowing

Check these:

  1. Binkp server running: php scripts/binkp_server.php &
  2. Poll the hub manually: php scripts/binkp_poll.php
  3. Check logs: tail -f data/logs/binkp.log
  4. Verify echo area subscriptions in admin interface
  5. Send test message to TEST echo area

Re-registering After Moving Systems

If you're migrating to a new server:

  1. Copy config/lovlynet.json to new server
  2. Copy config/binkp.json to new server
  3. Run php scripts/lovlynet_setup.php --update
  4. Update hostname if changed
  5. Restart binkp server

Advanced Usage

Importing Existing Manual Configuration

If you obtained a node number without using lovlynet_setup.php, or were manually added to the network, you will not have a full LovlyNet configuration including a config/lovlynet.json file and API key. Without these, the setup tool cannot prove ownership of your existing node number and cannot safely import your configuration.

Contact the LovlyNet administrator to have a config/lovlynet.json generated for your node. Once you have that file, place it in config/ and you will have full access to the web interface and CLI tools without needing to re-register or change your FTN address.

Multiple Networks

BinktermPHP supports multiple uplinks. LovlyNet is just one network. You can:

  • Join other FTN networks (different zones)
  • Maintain separate uplinks for each
  • Use domain routing to separate mail

Each network should have its own domain identifier. Additional uplinks can be configured under Admin → BBS Settings → Binkp Config.

Changing Node Type

From passive to public:

  1. Configure port forwarding and firewall
  2. Test /api/verify endpoint externally
  3. Update via Admin → LovlyNet → Setup tab (or run php scripts/lovlynet_setup.php --update)
  4. Set public hostname and uncheck Passive Node
  5. Hub will start delivering mail directly

From public to passive:

  1. Update via Admin → LovlyNet → Setup tab (or run php scripts/lovlynet_setup.php --update)
  2. Check the Passive Node option
  3. Set up polling via cron
  4. Hub will stop attempting inbound connections

Getting Help

Network Information

  • Network Name: LovlyNet
  • Zone: 227
  • Hub Address: 227:1/1
  • Hub Hostname: lovlynet.lovelybits.org
  • Hub Port: 24554
  • Protocol: Binkp over TCP/IP

References