Appendix - B
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Appendix B

-

Getting Started with a

TCP/IP Internet Account to

a network computer and the Internet

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1. Introduction

1.1 What is TCP/IP Access to a network computer?

TCP/IP provides "network-level" access via telephone-and-modem from your home computer to a network computer and to the worldwide Internet. With TCP/IP access, you are able to use the same microcomputer client software that you might use on a computer with a direct (Ethernet) connection to a network computer: Telnet, Netscape, Microsoft Internet Explorer, FTP, POPmail programs such as Eudora, Netscape Mail, Microsoft Internet Mail, Microsoft Exchange Mail, and so on.

By comparison, conventional telephone-and-modem access to a network computer and the Internet involves using a simpler communications program, HyperTerminal for example, so that your computer can emulate a terminal. This enables you to log into a large host computer where you may be able to use Telnet, Lynx, FTP, and E-mail, but only with the host-provided interface.

When connected via TCP/IP, your computer temporarily becomes a part of a network computer. The home computer uses a modem, and only relatively small quantities of data can be moved quickly across its link. Hence, some common Internet activities (such as downloading large files or accessing and displaying remote graphics files) may proceed slowly.



1.2 Obtaining an Account and Other Requirements

In order to use TCP/IP, you must obtain a network computer TCP/IP Account from an internet provider. Look in your local yellow pages, under Internet or Computers for available internet providers.

The network computer TCP/IP Account is a special kind of account which permits you to dial into a special modem pool at your internet provider and access the network with TCP/IP-based software. It is not an account on a computer you log into and use for e-mail or other communications purposes. To have an e-mail account, you must subscribe to another online provider or the same internet provider as your TCP/IP account, but you must also request and probably pay for the e-mail account.

To summarize:

a network computer TCP/IP Account- permits network-level TCP/IP access

to a network computer

Most network providers support the following IBM-type PC hardware/software configuration for TCP/IP access to a network computer:

* IBM-type PC running Microsoft Windows 3.x and Windows 95

* 10 megabytes or more of free hard disk space

* High-density floppy disk drive

* Trumpet Winsock TCP/IP software running on Windows

* Any error-correcting modem. A 9600/14400 bps or 28.8+ Kbps modem

is strongly advised. To support speeds greater than 14400 bps, a

modem should support the V.34 high-speed modem standard.

To use your new TCP/IP account with Windows 95 you must have both your modem and Dial-up Networking properly installed and configured. To configure your modem check the on-line help for Windows 95 or the manual for your modem. Please note that after you complete some of these steps Windows 95 may suggest that you restart your computer. Follow the instructions that Windows 95 recommends and then continue configuring Dial-Up Networking where you left off. To configure Dial-Up Networking please read all of the following information. If you already have dial up networking installed skip to section 3.

This document describes requirements and installation procedures for using Microsoft Windows 95 for remote access to a network computer.

Many other hardware and software configurations in addition to those listed above are possible, and a wide variety of commercial software packages supporting TCP/IP access are available.



1.3 What Phone Number Do I Call?

The phone number of the network computer TCP/IP modem pool is given to you when you subscribe to your internet provider. This is the number you call to connect to the network computer and the internet.




2. Installation



2.1 Software Requirements

* Microsoft Windows 95 with Dial up networking installed

* TCP/IP software, e.g. Netscape, Microsoft Internet Explorer


2.2 Hardware Requirements

* 4 or more megabytes of memory

* 10 megabytes or more of free hard disk space

* High-density floppy disk drive

* Error-correcting modem, configured for hardware (RTS/CTS) flow

control; a 9600 bps modem or faster is strongly advised; a modem

faster than 14400 bps should be a V.34 standard modem



2.3 Installation Checklist

Check off each of the following items as you make sure you've met the stated requirement or followed the specific installation instructions for each.

____ 2.3.1 Hardware and Software requirements

Does your PC meet the software and hardware requirements

stated in section 2.1 and 2.2 above?

____ 2.3.2 Account(s) obtained

Have you obtained your network computer TCP/IP Account

username and password?

____ 2.3.3 Software obtained

Have you obtained the PC software described in Section 2.1

above?

____ 2.3.4 Networking software installed

Have you installed optional software provided by your

Internet provider and/or have you installed Netscape or

Microsoft Internet Explorer?

____ 2.3.5 Configuring Dial-Up Networking:

Double click the My Computer icon located on the Windows

95 desktop and look for a folder inside of it called Dial

Up Networking. If it is present go to step 2.3.6. If it is

not, then go to the next step.

Click on the Start button from the taskbar, then select Settings, and then Control Panel. Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon. Select the Windows Setup tab, then click on the Communications option and press Details. Make sure that the Dial-up Networking option is selected and click OK and

then again. Windows 95 will attempt to install the needed

drivers, so make sure you have your Windows 95 installation

disks or CD readily available. Follow the Windows 95

installation instructions and continue with the TCP/IP Dial

account setup. Please note that you will probably have to

restart your computer after installing Dial-Up Networking, so

you might want to quit any applications you have running

before proceeding. At some point through the installation

procedure you will be prompted to put in a Windows username

and password and your workgroup name. Put in any information

that you like and click OK.

____ 2.3.6 Verify that the Dial-up Adapter and TCP/IP Protocol are installed:

Pressing the start button from the taskbar, next select Settings, and then Control Panel. When the Control Panel folder opens double-click the Network Icon. Click on the Configuration tab and make sure that the Dial-Up Adapter and TCP/IP protocol are present. If they are both installed go to step 2.3.7. If the Dial-Up Adapter is not present go to

the next item. If the TCP/IP protocol is not installed skip the next item and go on to the one after it.

To add the Dial-Up Adapter, click on the Add button, double- click Adapter, select the Microsoft option by scrolling through the available list of choices, then choose the Dial- Up Adapter and click OK.

To install TCP/IP, click on the Add button, double-click on the Protocol option, then select the Microsoft option, then select TCP/IP, and click OK. The Computer will restart.

Check your Network settings again. The Network dialogue box should now have the Dial-Up Adapter and TCP/IP listed in it. Keep the Networking control panel dialogue box open since there is still some configuration to do here.

____ 2.3.7 Configure the Dial-Up adapter to use the TCP/IP protocol:

From within the Networking Configuration Dialogue box select the Dial-Up Adapter, click on the Properties button, then click on the Bindings tab, and make sure that the TCP/IP box is checked, click OK to close the Bindings tab. Again do not close the Networking Dialogue Box.

____ 2.3.8 Configure your TCP/IP Protocol for Dynamic IP Addressing:

Click on the TCP/IP protocol and press the Properties button. This will bring up the TCP/IP Properties box. There are six sections in this dialogue box.

The IP Address Tab should be the first page to open. If it is not open then click on the tab called IP Address. Then

click in the circle to select the Obtain an IP address

automatically option.

Select the WINS Configuration Tab. Then click in the circle to Disable WINS.

Select the Gateway Tab. This option should be left as it is, it will be supplied dynamically once you are connected.

Select the Bindings Tab. Check to see that Client for Microsoft Networks option is checked.

For the Advanced Tab, no changes are required.

Select the DNS Configuration and set up the following information:

1.Click on the circle to enable DNS.

2.Enter your user name in the Host box.

3.For Domain, put in the domain name provided to you by your

internet provider.

4.In the DNS Server Search Order section, put in the IP address provided to you by your internet provider and

press the Add button.

5.In the Domain Suffix Search Order section, type in the

domain name provided to you by your internet provider and

press the Add button.

When you're all done setting these options, press the OK button. Then press the OK button in the Network dialog box. Windows 95 will ask you to restart the computer, do so.

____ 2.3.9 Set up the Dial up Networking to Connect to the Internet

Open up My Computer from the desktop and double-click the Dial-Up Networking icon. Double-click the Make New Connection icon. This will walk you through the

Make New Connection wizard.

Type in "TCP/IP Dial-Up Access" for the name of the computer you are dialing. Your modem (which should have been configured when you installed Windows 95) should be shown in the Select a modem area. Press the Configure button. Select the correct speed based on the following information:

9600Bps Data modem make the maximum speed 38400.

14.4KBps Data Modem make the maximum speed 57600.

28.8+KBps Data Modem make the maximum speed 115200.

If you have an external modem and you do not have a buffered serial port (a 16550 UART) select 19200 as the maximum speed. You can find out what type of serial port you have by double clicking on the modem icon in the control panel and clicking on the diagnostics tab for the correct com port and clicking on the more info button. This may take a few minutes.

Regardless of your speed settings DO NOT select Only connect at this speed. By not selecting this you will allow your modem to negotiate the optimum connection with the TCP/IP

modem pool.

For the Connection section, leave the default settings.

Select the Options section, leave the Bring up terminal window after dialing unchecked and click the OK button.

Click the Next button in the Make New Connection wizard.

1.Enter in the phone number to connect to provided to you by

your Internet provider for the phone number. Put in *70,

(with the comma before the number) to disable Call Waiting

if you have it. This will disable call waiting for this

call only.

2.Press the Finish button and your icon will be created.

____ 2.3.10 Setting the Dial-Up Properties:

Select your TCP/IP Dial-Up Access icon. Click the right

mouse button and choose Properties.

Click the Server Type button.

In the Type of Dial-Up Server section choose the TCP/IP, Windows 95, Windows NT 3.5, Internet server option.

Make sure that Log on to network in the Advanced options section is not checked.

Also, make sure that TCP/IP in the Allowed network protocols section is checked. Then press the OK button. Click the OK button in the remaining dialog box, then click OK again.



____ 2.4 Dialing in and Getting Connected:

Double-click your TCP/IP Dial-Up Access icon that you

recently made. You'll get the Connect To dialog box with a

blank user-name and password field. Enter the information

given to you from your internet provider (e.g. username and

password) in the appropriate fields.

Press the Connect button and your modem will start dialing. After a few rings, the TCP/IP Modem pool will answer. The modems will try to connect at the best rate possible, this may take a few seconds. If you get timed out try connecting once more with the same settings. If after trying once again your modem still does not connect check your modem's initialization string.

Make sure your modem is on and attached to a phone line.

Select "Connect" from the Dialer menu. This selection runs

a script which will attempt to connect to a network computer

and login with your username and password. When dial-in is

completed, you can "minimize" the TCP/IP window.

Try running Netscape or Microsoft Internet Explorer: it will

automatically attempt a connection to the World-Wide-Web. If

you succeed in connecting to the Web, then the installation

was a success!

When you are done and wish to disconnect from the Internet,

select "Disconnect" from the TCP/IP status window.

If your connection attempt fails, any of a large range of

things might have gone wrong. Follow these steps:

-try connecting a second time

-check your configuration. Retrace your steps in setting

up your software

-see the troubleshooting section of this document

-if all fails, make careful notes of any error or warning

messages you see on your screen and, at your next

opportunity, send an e-mail message or call your internet

provider, and let them know the details of what happened.




3. Application Notes


3.1 Windows 95 Specific Applications

Most of these applications are available in 32 bit or Windows 95 specific versions.


3.2 Telnet (included with Windows 95)

Check your Windows 95 documentation for information on the built in

telnet software.



3.3 Netscape

Netscape must be configured with your name and electronic mail

address in order to receive your e-mail. Select "Options",

"Preferences", "Mail and Proxies" and fill in the fields:

Mail Server: Your mail server name provided to you by

your e-mail provider

Your Name: Your name

Your E-mail: Your e-mail address


3.4 Microsoft Internet Explorer

Microsoft Internet Explorer must be configured with your name and

electronic mail address in order to receive your e-mail. Select

"Mail", "Options", "Server" from the Microsoft Internet Mail Menu

and fill in the fields:

Name: Your Name

Organization: Your organization

E-mail Address: Your e-mail address

Outgoing Mail (SMTP): Your mail server name provided to you by

your e-mail provider

Incoming Mail (POP3): Your mail server name provided to you by

your e-mail provider

Account Name: Your internet account username

Password: Your internet account password





4. Solving Problems

The most common problems with TCP/IP dial-in and Microsoft Windows

result from either a modem that has not been configured to use

"hardware" (RTS/CTS) flow-control or from an attempt to communicate

at a speed beyond the capabilities of Windows and the particular PC

being used.



4.1 Modem Hardware Flow-Control

Most new modems shipped today are configured at the factory for

"hardware" flow control; many older modems were not. If you

experience communication problems - especially the symptom of

successful initial dial-in connection but lack of success when

running an application like Netscape or Microsoft Internet Explorer

or Telnet - the safest course of action is to explicitly configure

your modem for hardware flow control.


4.2 Attempting 28.8+ Kbps Communications

Successful communications at 28.8+ Kbps is highly dependent upon

telephone line quality; not all line characteristics affecting data

communications are audible to the human ear. Connection quality can

vary widely according to your location or time-of-day, or even the

weather. As a result, connections can be "flaky", especially if

the quality of the phone connection is just on the border of being

adequate for full-speed 28.8+ Kbps communications. Sometimes

things work better if you lower your connection speed to 19.2 Kbps.

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