... Setting Up Dial-Up Modem ...

INSTALLING DIAL-UP NETWORKING

1. Click Start
   
2. Select Settings
   
3. Select Control Panel
   
4. Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon
   
5. Select the Windows Setup tab
   
6. Single-click Communications, then click the Details button
   
7. The Dial-Up Networking item should be checked. If it isn't, check it. You may be prompted for your Windows CD-ROM
   
8. Click OK

NOTE: The following steps assume you have Dial-Up Networking support installed.

INSTALLING THE DIAL-UP ADAPTER AND TCP/IP PROTOCOL

1. Click Start
   
2. Select Settings
   
3. Select Control Panel
   
4. Double-click the Network icon
   
5. Verify the Dial-Up Adapter is present. If it isn't: Click Add
   
6. Double-Click Adapter
   
7. Scroll down the list and select Microsoft
   
8. Choose the Dial-Up Adapter and click OK
   
9. You may be prompted for your Windows CD-ROM
   
10. Click OK
    
11. Verify the TCP/IP Protocol is present. If it isn't: Click Add
    
12. Double-Click Protocol
    
13. Scroll down the list and select Microsoft
    
14. Choose TCP/IP and click OK
    
15. You may be prompted for your Windows CD-ROM
    
16. Click OK
    
17. Click OK until you are asked to restart the system.

After you restart, proceed to setting up your connection according to your ISP's instructions.

More people have regular old modems than have fancy cable modems, although the cable market grows daily. Here we explain the modulate-demodulating world of the modem in simple terms anyone can understand. And whether your modem is internal or external, it works the same.

1. Modem is actually an acronym for "Modulate-Demodulate." See the MODEM in there? Now you know. A modem changes digital signals (ones and zeros) into sound waves, and back to digital again.

2. A modem's main purpose is to connect one computer to another computer using a telephone line. They're just a little better than two cans on a string, but use the same basic principles, with of course a more souped up ability.

3. Your e-mail travels at the speed of your modem between your computer and your mail server. "Your mail server" actually refers to the computer that's hosting your e-mail account.

4. Your computer has to dial another computer's phone number before you can do anything on the Net. If you get a busy signal, this means all the modems in the modem pool are being used.

5. Internet service providers have to install rooms full of modems. These are called modem pools, or modem banks. It's an expensive undertaking. You might want to ask a potential provider what their modem to user ratio is. The lower the better, which means you'll get less busy signals.

6. Cable modems are fantastic because they free up your phone, are always on, and are super fast. It's the newest way to connect. Cable modems use the same cable that a cable TV set uses. Yep, that's right. No extra cables, no adapters, nothing. Just the cable and a cable modem.

7. A cable modem is housed in a plastic container, plugged into a power outlet.

8. A cable modem requires the addition of a Network Interface Card (NIC) to your computer. Another wire runs from the NIC to the cable modem.

9. When you use cable, the Net is always on, and always available. It changes your Net experience. No waiting for a dial up service provider.

10. Cable modems are much faster than dial-up connections. For example, your dial up connection may operate at 33.6 kbps, or 33 thousand bits per second. A cable modem has a theoretical speed of 10 Mbps, or 10 million bits per second. Quite a difference, right?

11. Speeds of 10 Mbps are rarely achieved in the real world. As more users get hooked up with cable modems, the entire speed tends to drift downward. The cable company maintains a bunch of computers that act as servers for the cable modem. And the more users, the more congestion you run into.

12. Even when a cable modem is running slowly, it's still a whale of a lot faster than a dial up connection.

13. Upload speeds are much slower than download speeds, even on a cable modem. Upload speeds can be as high as 2 Mbps.

14. If you have cable TV also, the modem won't tie up the TV. You can watch TV and surf the web at the same time, using the very same cable. Just don't confuse WebTV with cable modem. It's not the same thing.

15. The cost of cable isn't that much. If you compare it to a dial up connection, plus an extra phone line etc, you're actually ahead using the cable modem.

Personally, I don't have cable for two reasons: a) I originally had two phone lines installed (both with one flat rate which I find desirable) and don't mind the extra wait for accessing pages, and b) I'm somewhat leary about leaving access to the internet always on ... the thinking being that if I can always "get out" onto internet, the hackers have a better chance of always "getting in" into my computer. If I am wrong, I'd be glad to hear from you.

Well, any errors or suggestions? ... ... what? everything's working?

This way is back to ... Tips 'n Tricks Menu ... next line for exit.
Here we'll return to ... Navigator ... that's bon voyage.
Oh one moment, please ... TweakUi ... care to download it?

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