I just got abusively jerked around by the "tech support" at my webhost, so I'll try to get some info here to work around their blockade. I asked for mysql (which comes with the package), and he sent me an email with an individual IP, username, and password. If I logon, I see a mysql prompt, so I suppose it's working. But that is not my first priority right now - first I want to just telnet. I assume telnet is the easiest way to start, then I will see if I can learn to browse the Net remotely using an x-manager. I downloaded programs like xwin and cygwin-xfree86 and winlinux to try this on my windows laptop, but I have my reason to want to eventually do things through the unix server because it's on all the time. The tech support person contradicted himself (i.e. lied) by first saying that mysql and telnet had to be to separate servers, then later said that they didn't offer telnet (!!) but could only offer ssh (which I already knew is different from telnet) and could only offer it on the mysql server. (I already emailed the company owner that they're asking for trouble if they don't fire this person, including a detailed map to the owner's home courtesy expedia.com). Can anybody who knows unix servers well tell me if I can manage to do any telnet using just the mysql settings that work so far? I mislayed my copy of "Hacking Exposed" the last time I moved, and as a former graduate math student at Berkeley I know that gaining root access would not be difficult, but I'm really not into that sort of thing, so could someone please help?