-> How do you setup the uplinks using the software that came with pcboard
-> please?

From their fidohub.doc file:

      The purpose of this document is to discuss topics that relate to acting
      as a hub in a Fido network.  We assume that you have already connected
      to the Fido network by using FIDONET.DOC.

      The foundation laid in that document will be built upon based on the
      assumption that you want to act as a hub.  In reality, there are very
      few differences between being a hub and just a node.  Ultimately, we'll
      cover most of the differences so that you understand them thoroughly.

Uplinks Versus Downlinks
==============================================================================

      When your system acts only as a node, you are a downlink to your hub.
      The term downlink is used because you take things "down" from the
      other system.  A hub, on the other hand, is referred to as an uplink
      because it receives information from other nodes.

      What does this mean to you?  Ultimately, it means that you are not
      only responsible for getting mail to your system but also making sure
      it gets distributed properly to your downlinks.

      PCBoard differentiates an uplink from a downlink in the Fido User
      record.  When you are looking at the Fido View of the user record, you
      see a field which reads "uplink".  This field is only used
for AreaFix
      forwarding at the current time.  Only one Fido record can have this
      field enabled for each network you participate in.


The Importance of the User Record
===============================================================================

      There is not much of a difference between Fido records for a node and
      Fido records for a hub.  The main difference when you are acting as
      a hub is that there are more user records because there is one for
      your uplink(s) and one for each of your downlinks.

      The important thing to remember in relationship with records for your
      downlinks is that now the conference flags in their accounts determine
      if they are able to carry the area or not.  Let's look at a sample:


         Num   Conference     Flags  Last Msg
        ÄÄÄÄÄ ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ   ÄÄÄÄÄ  ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
           30 DR_DEBUG - Do : RS   :        0
           31 BATPOWER - Ba : R    :        0
           32 BINKLEY - Bin : RS   :        0
           33               :      :        0
           34 CFORSALE      : R    :        0
           35               :      :        0
           36 USRMDMS - USR : RS   :        0
           37 MENSA - Mensa : RS   :        0
           38 DESQVIEW - De : RS   :        0
           39 FIDOPCB       :      :        0
           40 MUFFIN - Maxi : R    :        0
           41               :      :        0
           42 PCBOARD - PCB : RS   :        0
           43 PCBNET - PCBO : RS   :        0
In this sample, this downlink can carry the following areas because
      the R (registered) flag is set.

         DR_DEBUG       USRMDMS         PCBOARD
         BATPOWER       MENSA           PCBNET
         BINKLEY        DESQVIEW
         CFORSALE       MUFFIN

       From this list, we can tell the downlink does not want to carry
       the following areas because there is no corresponding S (selected)
       flag for the conference.

         BATPOWER
         CFORSALE
         MUFFIN

       Using AreaFix requests, the downlink chooses which areas to cover
       based on which ones they are registered with on your system.

Registering Users For Conference Access
===============================================================================

       When creating accounts for your downlinks, set up their security levels
       so that they are all the same.  By doing this, System Manager can be
       used to register the downlinks in one swoop.

       Let's use an example to illustrate the point.  You are a hub for the
       1:311 network.  Your address is 1:311/1, and you are responsible for
       the following nodes as downlinks:

             1:311/2                1:311/4               1:311/6
             1:311/3                1:311/5

       Rather than manual registering each Fido user record in the hundreds
       of Fido echoes you carry, simply make sure all accounts have the same
       security level.  Make sure the security level assigned is not already
       defined in your PWRD file or you will alter the conference
       registrations of other, non-Fido, users on the system.  Let's make
       that level 26 for the sake of this example.

       Now simply go into System Manager | User File Maintenance | Insert
       Group Conference.  Here, we will register all level 26 (Fido) users
       in conferences 100-300 with the following screen:

          First number of conferences to be inserted in registrations  :   100
          Last  number of conferences to be inserted in registrations  :   300

          Adjust conferences user is normally allowed to join          : Y
          Adjust conferences user can join with expired subscription   : N
          Adjust the user selected conferences for scanning            : N
          Adjust conferences where user becomes a sysop when joining   : N
          Adjust conferences where user has Net Status                 : N
          Reset user's last message read to zero in these conferences  : N

          Adjust users with a security level greater than or equal to  :  26
                                            and less than or equal to  :  26
                           Press PGDN to continue or ESC to abort

       Press PgDn and you're done.  Now the downlinks can use AreaFix
       requests to select which ones they want to carry.  The topic of
       AreaFixing is covered in the FIDONET.DOC file.


Areas of PCBSetup That Relate to Hubbing
===============================================================================

       In this portion of the document, we're going to talk about elements
       of PCBSetup that relate to hubbing.  Our focus is not to describe
       what the options do per se, but rather make you aware of what options
       are targeted toward Fido hubs to provide you a quick reference.

       The following is an abbreviated list of areas to be concerned with:

         PCBSetup | Fido Configuration | Fido Tosser Configuration
            Generate Response Messages
            Enable PassThru's
            Enable Areafix Forwarding
            Auto Add Fido Areas as PassThru's

         PCBSetup | Fido Configuration | FREQ Path List
         PCBSetup | Fido Configuration | FREQ Restrictions
         PCBSetup | Fido Configuration | FREQ Magic Names
         PCBSetup | Fido Configuration | FREQ Deny Nodelist

       Notice that most of these deal with AreaFix, FREQ, and PassThru
       setup.  This should come as no surprise because these are three
       areas that are quite heavily used in relationship to Fido hubs.


Routing Mail : Advanced Discussion
===============================================================================

       In nearly all cases where we talk about routing packets, we are
       referring to netmail messages.  PCBFido's configurability in this
       area is quite extensive.  As a result, this section will discuss
       primarily on helping you understand how one routing option affects
       the other and what will happen to the incoming packets.

       Mail is only considered routable from your site if it gets
       transferred to you but is not for you.  A perfect analogy for this is
       in thinking about the US Mail system.  If you get mail in your box
       that is not addressed to you, what do you do with it?  Do you hold on
       to it, throw it away, or deliver to the person just down the street
       who it IS addressed to?  These are the question PCBFido has to deal
       with in this scenario.

           +---------+---------+---------------------------------------+
           | Inbound |  Allow  |                                       |
           | Routing |  Route  |                  Action               |
           +---------+---------+---------------------------------------+
           |    Y    |   Y     | Automatically readdress packets to    |
           |         |         | the address they should be routed to  |
           |         |         | and add them to the queue.            |
           +---------+---------+---------------------------------------+
           |    Y    |   N     | Put packets in the queue that are not |
           |         |         | addressed for you, but mark them with |
           |         |         | HOLD status.                          |
           +---------+---------+---------------------------------------+
           |    N    |   Y     | Import all messages into the NetMail  |
           |    N    |   N     | area.  Messages that are not to your  |
           |         |         | site are then added to the queue on   |
           |         |         | the next export because PCBFido does  |
           |         |         | not pay attention to who the message  |
           |         |         | is from, just who it is to.           |
           +---------+---------+---------------------------------------+

             Inbound Routing = Enable Inbound Routing in PCBSetup |
                               Fido Configuration | Tosser Configuration

             Allow Route     = Allow Route-To Verb in a Fido Event.  Yes
                               means it is enabled for the node that the
                               netmail is COMING FROM, while N signifies the
                               incoming message is not set to route.

       There is an additional feature to be concerned with as we discuss
       routing messages--secure netmail.  Continuing with the US Mail
       analogy, secure netmail is the equivalent of only opening envelopes
       addressed from people you know (have Fido user records for).

       With this option enabled, many messages may be thrown away before
       the routing issue even comes into play because they did not have
       a Fido record.  On the other hand, if they do have a Fido record
       the routing table outline previously is in effect.

       What's The Best Routing Method
       ------------------------------
       Obviously there are options for a reason.  If there was a
       universally accepted way to route that was in everyone's best
       interest, the routing options would not be required.

       A good recommendation for a large number of systems is to enable all
       of the options: secure netmail, inbound routing, and the
       ALLOW-ROUTE-TO verb.  With this configuration, it pretty much
       prevents other sites from "mail-bombing" you and having you route a
       message to Siberia or somewhere else across the world.  Why?  Because
       netmail is only allowed from sites you have user records for and
       ALLOW-ROUTE-TO has to be enabled for the calling site for the packet
       to go back out automatically.


AreaFixing As It Relates To A Hub
===============================================================================

       The process of AreaFixing takes on a new angle when you start
       talking about a hub.  No longer are you talking about sending AreaFix
       requests, but rather the topic shifts to that of receiving the
       requests.

       The only configuration items to worry about with AreaFixing are the
       response files.  When a downlink sends you an AreaFix request,
       PCBoard automatically sends back a response message in the form of
       netmail to let the other node know the status of their request.

       Response files are simply text files.  Their location is controlled
       in PCBSetup | Fido Configuration | File & Directory Configuration.
       On the other hand, the filenames are unchangable.  The following list
       shows the names of the response files and describes when they are
       sent out:

         AFIXFAIL.MSG  Areafix failed. Added text: Why it failed
         AFIXLST.HDR   Areas Currently received by remote site
         AFIXAVL.HDR   Areas Available to remote site
         FREQINFO.MSG  FREQ information for your system (files available, etc.)
         FREQFAIL.MSG  FREQ failed. Added Text: Reason for failure.

       No doubt, you'll want to customize these files for your system.
       Simply use any ASCII text editor to make or edit these files.

   AreaFix Forwarding
   ------------------
       The concept of AreaFix Forwarding allows for you to forward area
       requests that you do not carry to your uplink.  If the uplink carries
       the area, they will send it back as a PassThru area.

       What is required to make all of this work?  Not very much really.
       Check the following list to make sure you follow all of the steps:

         1.  In PCBSetup | Fido Configuration | Tosser Configuration make
             sure the following options are enabled:

               Enable PassThru's
               Enable Areafix Forwarding
               Auto Add Fido Areas as PassThrus

         2.  Make sure the Fido user record for your uplink has the Uplink
             status enabled from the Fido View.

PassThrus
===============================================================================

       A PassThru area is a tag that one of your downlinks want to carry,
       but not one that you want to carry on your own system.  Here is what
       happens in general terms (assuming you are the hub).

         1.  You pick up the echo mail messages from your hub.

         2.  Upon importing, your system will realize that is a PassThru
             area and move it to the passthru file on your system.  The
             messages are never actually imported, just held until your
             downlink calls and picks them up.

       The concepts of AreaFix Forwarding and PassThru areas are
       intertwined. The reason that these two are integral components of one
       another is that if you do not carry an area, the AreaFix request must
       be forwarded to your hub if you want it to be a PassThru area.

       With PCBFido, you can have new areas automatically added as PassThru
       areas, which means very little work is actually required on your
       behalf. For areas to be automatically added, you have to have "Auto
       Add Fido Areas as PassThru's" enabled in PCBSetup | Fido
       Configuration | Tosser Configuration.

       When a downlink makes an AreaFix request that is forwarded, the
       PassThru area is automatically added and the downlink is registered
       to carry the area.

       With the auto-add areas any area that comes into your system for
       which no tag exists, will be automatically added as a PassThru
       area.  Normally, the messages targeted for the non-existent area
       would go to the BAD tag.  Since they go to PassThru areas, you can
       periodically scan the PassThru areas using FIDOUTIL.EXE to see if
       there are any areas you want to permanently setup as conferences.

--- PCBoard (R) v15.3/M 10