Internet Help
Search Tips | Getting Conneced | E-Mail | Buying A Modem
ISP Tips | Trouble Shooting | Mailing Lists | File Transferring
Using A Web Browser | Viruses
Internet Help
Search
Tips | Getting
Conneced | E-Mail | Buying A Modem
ISP Tips | Trouble Shooting | Mailing
Lists | File Transferring
Using A Web Browser | Viruses
THE TOP FIVE COMMON MISTAKES:
THE TOP 10 TIPS FOR SEARCHING THE INTERNET
Q: Why does it say no dial tone when I connect to the Internet?
A: You should check your telephone line and see if it is connected to the proper plug, one that goes directly into the telephone wall jack. It would be good if you had another line that you can connect a handset to so you can take voice calls when your are not on the internet.
Q: What basic things do I need to connect to the Internet?
A: There are four basic things:
The first is a modem, which is a device that connects you to the Internet using standard phone lines; the modem that you chose should at least have 28.8Kps but, if you want a faster service we suggest 33.6Kbps or a 56Kbps.
Next, you will need an analog telephone line. Your telephone line at home is an analog line, and you should have no problems using it to connect.
The third basic thing that you will need is software that enables you to dial the phone with your computer and connect to the internet.
And the fourth basic thing you will need is the internet service provider (ISP).
Q: What is ISP?
A: ISP stands for internet service provider, the company that provides you a connection to the internet; an ISP gives you the software and e-mail accounts, And also, other options on the internet for a monthly fee.
Q: What it the difference between an ISP and an online service?
A: An ISP usually provides only access to the internet. That means there are no specialized offerings such as chat rooms, worldwide news, or online games.
The Online services often referred to as commercial service providers or commercial information service providers, organize the information and display it usually in a menu-driven fashion.
Q: How much RAM do I need to cruise the Internet using Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator?
A: You should have at least 16 megabytes; more memory will help in caching the Web pages you visit; we strongly suggest upgrading to 32MB for faster and better use.
Q: How do I set up my brand new Windows 95 computer so I can easily connect to the Internet?
A: Windows 95 comes with the main software to handle connecting to the Internet but you have to accomplish three main tasks:
Q: Do I need any kind of special phone line to connect to the Internet?
A: No.There are several ways to connect to the Internet with the phone line that you already have connected to your phone. You can use a modem with a range for 28.8Kbps to 56Kbs if your phone company that you are with right now offers using an ISDN, or Integrated Services Digital networks. This uses a special plug with standard phone lines to connect you directly. The result is a faster transfer rate (up to 128K, twice as fast as current analog modem speeds.)
Q: I have tried cruising on the internet during my lunch break and when I get home for work. But it is so slow! And all my friends and co-workers say the same thing. Is there a better time of day to use the internet?
A: The internet is like a big highway; when there are tons of people around the world on it, traffic will slow down and it will take longer for everything to process; no matter where in the world you are, you should not get on the internet if you want faster service at 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays. There is a decrease in traffic in the summer, early on Sundays, Wednesday afternoons, and during the day on holidays because the government and universities are usually not as active online at those times.
Q:I have call waiting but I still can’t use my phone when I am on the Internet. Why not?
A: This is because you only have one phone line; when you are using the internet you are essentially occupying the telephone line, which makes it unavailable for voice calls. In fact, call waiting can interrupt your internet transmissions and we recommend that you turn it off before connecting.
Q:I keep hearing about Web TV. What is it?
A: The Web TV box has a built-in modem (33.6Kbps at the time this was produced) and the necessary hardware to connect your internet using your TV; you can view web pages, send and receive mail, chat with others online, and view newsgroups through web page-based newsgroup reader services.
Back
to top
E-MAIL
Q: Sometimes when I send e-mail, it takes a couple of seconds. But, other times when I send my e-mail messages, it seems like it is going to take a long time. Why is there such a difference?
A: Some sites connect to the internet periodically; while others connect every few seconds; it all mostly depends on what site you are trying to send it to.
Q: How do I send an e-mail I received to someone else?
A: You can have all of your mail forwarded to any valid Internet e-mail account by creating a text file called forward; you can also visit the Mail Tools page on the web, http://charlotte.acns.nwu.edu/mailtools.
Q: Are the messages I send Private?
A: No. Never ever assume that any e-mail message you send is private, even if it’s within your own company’s network.
Q: What does POP stand for?
A: POP stands for post office protocol; this is a protocol designed for handling requests to get mail from client mail programs.
Q: How do I save the e-mail messages that people send to me?
A: You can carbon or blind carbon copy every message.
Q: How do I send secure, private e-mail that no one but the receiver can receive?
A: The best way to ensure only the recipient reads your e-mail is to use some form of encryption; the best program is called Pretty Good Privacy.
Q: Presently I have a 28.8Kbps modem. But, now I’m seeing faster ones in the store. What is the advantage of a 33.6Kbps and a 56Kbps modem? Should I upgrade?
A: A 33,600 bits-per-second (BPS) modem is 4,800 bits per second faster than a 28,800 BPS modem; 56Kbps can be an advantage when you buy the right one; You have to be careful with 56Kbps though because there is not a standard one yet. But, a salesperson will be able to help you chose the right one for your computer and it would be an advantage.
Q:If I buy a 56Kbps modem, will I need a special phone line?
A: No. A 56Kbps modem won’t require any special phone jack or equipment, but it will require a clean, relatively noise-free telephone line.
Q: What do all of those external lights on my modem mean?
A: Those lights show you what is going on between your phone and the telephone line.
Here are what some of the abbreviations mean:
CD Picking up carrier detect signal
HS Connected at high speed
M set to auto-answer
OH off the hook (no connection going on)
RD Receiving data
RI Receiving ring signal
TD Transmitting data
TR Terminal ready
Q: What should I look for in a modem?
A: When you look for a modem, brand name is the key; the modem should also be flash-ROM upgradable, meaning you can boost the speed and the capacity; you should by at least a 33.6Kbps modem.
Q: When trying to install my modem in Windows 95 I realized that my modem's name was not on the Windows 95 program. What should I do?
A: Most people would say that a Rockwell chipset would help, but from our experiences we recommend the standard chip, so chose the standard or the generic modem.
Q: Why do I sometimes get disconnected from the Internet when it seems I have done nothing wrong?
A: There are two main reasons why this may happen: one is due to call-waiting and another is if you are using a Rockwell-based U.S Robotics modem, your modem may be in need of an up-grade.
Q: I am about to make a call for the first time to my internet provider. What are some important questions that I should ask?
A: You should ask your username, password, local access phone number, your host and domain name, DNS server IP address, whether your connection uses a static IP address or not, and the IP subnet mask.
Q: Everything seems to be going fine when I log onto the internet but then it seems that I can’t access a web site I want to see. What is going on?
A: There are four problems that you may be having: You should check that your TCP/IP protocol is configured properly to use your service provider’s DNS server; also, if you are using an Internet Explorer prior to version 3.0, make sure you don’t have both the Use Proxy Server. Also, your Use Auto Dial options in the Internet Properties dialog box should be turned off. Try to empty the cache to your Internet Explorer browser. Then retry again. Make sure that you have not accidentally replaced the Wsock32.dll file with another DLL file.
Q: Can I turn off my call waiting when I am in Windows 95?
A: Yes, go to your Control Panel, choose Modems, and then chose Dialing Properties: Then check the box, "This location has call waiting."
Q: When I try to connect to a site I get a message that says, "DNS error Site not found". What is wrong? Is it something that is configured wrong?
A: If your DNS server is not correct in your networking setup, then your computer may not know which server is the right one and you will not be able to change addresses or locate web pages. You should call up Tech Doctors for more help.
Q: When I am on the internet how can I find out how long I have been on ?
A: You should Double-click the connection icon in the System Tray; A dialog box will appear and will have the amount of time you’ve been connected and at what speed.
Q: How long am I able to store my e-mail on the system?
A: If you are using a local internet provider, you should call them up and ask, but usually you can store your e-mail as long as you need. There are two things that could happen that would change this situation. One would be if you stop paying for your account and the second reason would be if your e-mail box becomes over loaded.
Q: What is the easiest way to tell people that I am going on vacation and not getting my e-mail?
A: The easiest way is to fill out a form at the Mail Tools page located at http://charlotte.ancs.nwu.edu/mailtools.
Q:Can I send an e-mail from a web page without logging on to an e-mail service?
A: If you are trying to send a quick message, try going to a Web2Mail form page at http://middlebury.edu/cgi-bin/Web2Mail.pl.
Q: I got a message that I do not think came from the person who supposedly sent it. How can I find out who really did send the message?
A: To find out where your letter was sent from, choose Show All Headers from the View menu of your e-mail program. You will then be able to see the route that that message traveled. But, you must remember that people can send messages from many places, and there are times that you do not know for sure who wrote the letter.
Q: How do I set up and work electronic mailing lists?
A: There are two main mailing lists: moderated and unmoderated; On the moderated list, a list administrator gets away from the junk mail and only sends you the worthwhile messages. An unmoderated list usually involves little or no intervention of your mail and you get all of it. The computer serves up the list and is most commonly called a list server. The three main types of list server softwares are ListServ, ListProc, or Majordomo. But, there are a lot more out there besides those that you can use.
Q:How do I subscribe to an e-mail list?
A: With the most common list servers, you just send a subscribe command to your list servers of choice.
Q: What is the command to change directories?
A: Type cd and then the name of the directory. Then hit the enter key.
Q: When I try to download files, they always end up corrupted. What is going on?
A: What you are probably doing is using the wrong mode when transferring files. Make sure that you save the file mode to ASC2(or text).
Q: How can I download from more than one site at the same time?
A: To start off go to the Session menu. Then choose Spawn Session. This will bring up another session of CuteFTP, log into the same server. Then you can choose to change sites, or you can continue on downloading multiple files from the same site.
Q: What is WS_FTP?
A: WS_FTP is one of the most widely used Windows based FTP clients around. This program offers graphics and many other advanced features, for example, directory and file renaming, and multiple file transfer. This is an easier way than the text-only files.
Q: Every time that I try to connect to a file server using the Netscape Web Browser I purchased, I get an Access Denied message. What is going on?
A: Your problem is probably that you have not included your e-mail address. To do this:
Q: What does Error-57 mean?
A: Error-57 means that the FTP server is too busy to handle your requst at the moment. You should try connecting later when the sever is less likely to be busy.
Q: I keep getting Internet Explorer cannot open the Internet site. What does this mean and what is going on?
A: This is an error message and it means that your proxy server probably is not configured correctly. To see if that is the problem, follow these steps:
Q: Can I automatically enter my login name and password when I specify the URL and the FTP server?
A: You can automatically enter the login name and the password by entering the following URL in the location field of your browser: ftp://username:password/serversite.com/path/file
Q: Which Web Browser can transfer files?
A: Netscape Navigator versions 2.0 and 3.0, Netscape Navigatoe Gold, Navigator Communicator, and the Internet explorers version 3.0 and 4.0 are all able to tranfer files in one way or another.
Q: How do viruses infect computer systems?
A: Viruses infect systems when they are executed or when a disk containg a virus is used to boot the computer. Viruses spread like human viruses. They attach themselevs to other programs, then they execute when the infected program is run.
Q: What is the best way to prevent my system from being infected with a virus?
A: You could:
Q: What is a Trojan Horse?
A: A Trojan horse is not a virus. It is a program dressed up as something else.