If you can't access the Internet through an office network, look for one of the literally thousands of independent service providers and online services scattered throughout the world who will gladly give you a dial-up account--for the right price, of course. Windows 98 supplies all the software you need to make a fast, reliable Internet connection. All you need to add is a modem or other connecting device.
The first time you open the Internet icon on the desktop, you launch the Internet Connection Wizard (see Figure 29.1). After you run through this initial setup routine, when you click the Internet icon, the Internet Explorer program starts.
FIG. 29.1 These three options are just a small sampling of what you can do with the Internet Connection Wizard.
The Internet Connection Wizard is a remarkably versatile piece of software. After you get past the initial explanatory screen, you have three choices:
The Internet Connection Wizard doesn't have to be just a one-time deal. You can make the wizard reappear at any time by following these steps:
FIG. 29.2 Want to use the Internet Connection Wizard again? Click the Connect button on this dialog box.
Don't underestimate the Internet Connection Wizard. Although it's easy to stereotype it as a tool for beginners, this wizard is useful for experts as well, and it handles nearly every imaginable task when it comes to setting up and managing Internet connections. Because of the sheer number of choices available when you run the Internet Connection Wizard, it's pointless (and probably impossible) to try to explain or illustrate every step in order. But this is a partial list of what you can use it for:
NOTE: If you have not yet installed Dial-Up Networking, the Internet Connection Wizard installs these system services automatically. You will need your original Windows CD-ROM or disks, and you will need to restart the computer to complete the installation.
There are two obvious prerequisites to any dial-up connection: You need a modem (or another type of connecting device, such as an ISDN adapter), and you need a phone line. If you haven't set up a modem previously, the Internet Connection Wizard includes a series of steps that automatically install the correct drivers and configure your modem. You can also use the Modems option in Control Panel to add a new modem or to configure an existing one.
Although most dial-up connections use only one modem at a time, you can install multiple communication devices. The system depicted in Figure 29.3, for example, includes an analog modem and an ISDN adapter. Note, however, that you can assign only one device to each Dial-Up Networking connection.
FIG. 29.3 This system includes two communication devices: a 3Com ISDN adapter and a Microcom analog modem. Both are available for dial-up connections.
Windows 98 does a super job of identifying and configuring the correct modem type from a list of hundreds of choices. If your modem is Plug and Play compatible, Windows should detect it automatically, install the correct drivers, and configure all relevant settings. For modems that don't take advantage of Plug and Play detection, you might have to do the installation and configuration duties manually.
NOTE: PC Card modems for mobile computers require different installation procedures. Appendix E provides step-by-step instructions.
To add a new modem, follow these steps:
TIP: If you can't find a compatible Windows 95 or Windows 98 driver for your modem, select (Standard Modem Types) from the top of the Manufacturers list and choose the generic model that most closely matches your modem's speed. Although you will lose any advanced features included with your modem, you should be able to send and receive data at the modem's rated speed.
After you've installed drivers for an analog modem, it should be configured correctly. Still, it can't hurt to double-check settings to guarantee that the device is properly set up for maximum performance. A series of nested dialog boxes includes options for adjusting drivers, connection speeds, port assignments, and hardware-specific connection settings, including control over the volume of the modem's built-in speaker.
To set basic modem options, open the Modems icon in Control Panel, select the modem whose settings you want to adjust, and click Properties. A dialog box like the one shown in Figure 29.4 appears. Click the General tab.
FIG. 29.4 Use this properties sheet to adjust the volume of the modem's internal speaker. (Confusingly, the Maximum Speed setting does not control modem-to-modem speeds.)
Three basic options are available here:
To set general connection options, click the Connection tab. You'll see a dialog box like the one shown in Figure 29.5.
FIG. 29.5 Avoid the temptation to tinker with these connection settings. For most circumstances, the default settings work best.
You can adjust four settings here:
Finally, you can set hardware-specific options that control the basic functioning of your modem. Click the Advanced button to see the dialog box shown in Figure 29.6.
FIG. 29.6 Adjust these advanced connection settings only if you understand the consequences of your actions. Unnecessary tinkering here can reduce data transmission speeds.
Four advanced options are available in this dialog box:
ON THE WEB: Zoom Telephonics offers a comprehensive source of information about modem technology and the AT command set. You can browse its listings at
Most home and small-office dial-up connections use conventional analog lines. In some areas, you can use the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) to establish high-speed digital connections. Compared with analog lines, ISDN circuits offer significant advantages:
ISDN technology has its share of disadvantages as well. Generally, these lines cost more--sometimes many times more than an analog line. Not all ISPs support ISDN, and those that do often charge a premium as well. And finally, configuring an ISDN connection can be a nightmare, and the technology is difficult and filled with jargon.
ISDN hardware comes in all shapes and sizes, and every piece of hardware uses a different setup routine. Some devices install as network adapters, others as modems, and still others as routers on a network. When you choose an ISDN device using the Add Hardware option in Control Panel, Windows installs the ISDN Wizard. This tool allows you to configure the technical details of your ISDN line, as shown in Figure 29.7.
FIG. 29.7 Although some ISDN adapters emulate modems, this device from Eicon Systems looks like a network card to Windows 98.
ON THE WEB: For more information about ISDN technology, check out Dan Kegel's detailed web page athttp://www.alumni.caltech.edu/~dank/isdn/
For details on how to order ISDN service, plus links to updates of the ISDN software for Windows 98, try Microsoft's Get ISDN page.
Although the ISDN Configuration Wizard makes setup somewhat easier than it used to be, the process is still complex. When connecting an ISDN line, you must get detailed instructions from the manufacturer of the adapter and from the phone company--and then follow those instructions to the letter. At a minimum, you'll need to know the service provider IDs (SPIDs), the telephone numbers for each channel, and the switch type used in the telephone company office. Some ISDN hardware includes a utility that enables you to upload this information to the adapter itself.
TIP: After you successfully install your ISDN adapter, it appears as a choice in the Internet Connection Wizard and the Dial-Up Networking Wizard.
Telephone companies are no longer the only sources of access to the Internet. There is an increasing number of high-speed alternatives to traditional dial-up access that use different types of wires--and in some cases no wires at all.
Hughes Network Systems, for example, sells a small satellite dish called DirecDuo, which provides Internet access at speeds of up to 400Kbps as well as several hundred channels of TV programming. Not to be outdone, many phone companies are rolling out systems that use Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) technology to provide Internet access at speeds in excess of 1MB per second, while allowing you to use the same line for voice calls. And some cable TV companies now offer Internet access over the same cable you use to receive television signals.
Depending on the system configuration, these solutions can deliver data at speeds of up to 10MB per second, roughly on a par with local area network performance. Although Windows 98 does not offer built-in support for any of these cutting-edge technologies, third parties offer hardware and Windows drivers that work well. If you plan to use any of these services, be sure to ask the provider for detailed instructions on how to access the service from Windows 98.
Windows 98 uses a service called Dial-Up Networking (DUN) to connect your system to the Internet over telephone lines. The Internet Connection Wizard automatically installs DUN if necessary. Individual connection icons within the Dial-Up Networking folder contain all the information you need to connect with the Internet. You'll find the Dial-Up Networking folder in the My Computer window. To open this system folder from the Start menu, click Start and choose Programs, Accessories, Dial-Up Networking.
If you already have an account with an Internet service provider, the wizard's step-by-step procedures can help you create a Dial-Up Networking connection with a minimum of clicking and typing. The default settings assume you're making a standard PPP connection, with IP address and DNS settings assigned dynamically. Follow these steps:
FIG. 29.8 The default connection icon uses a generic name. You can add location info to make the icon's purpose easier to identify.
As you saw in step 7 of the previous procedure, the Internet Connection Wizard includes an option for adjusting advanced connection settings. If your Internet service provider uses a SLIP connection or requires scripting, or if you need to enter a fixed IP address and specify addresses for DNS servers, select Yes in the Advanced Settings dialog box (see Figure 29.9) and fill in the four boxes that follow.
FIG. 29.9 When you select Yes in the dialog box, the Internet Connection Wizard takes a brief detour into advanced configuration options.
Advanced settings include the following:
TIP: These advanced settings are useful if you have multiple dial-up accounts (a corporate dial-up server and a personal account with an ISP, for example). Create a separate Dial-Up Networking icon for each account, and then individually adjust the IP address and other settings for each connection icon.
Most dial-up Internet connections are simple one-modem, one-line propositions, and transmission speed is limited by the slower of the two modems at the ends of the connection. Under specialized circumstances, though, you can use two or more connecting devices to increase the speed of a dial-up connection. These so-called multilink connections require the following conditions:
The most common use of multilink connections is to join two 56KB or 64KB channels on an ISDN line to create a 112KB or 128KB connection.
To enable multilink options on an existing connection, follow these steps:
FIG. 29.10 If your Internet service provider supports multilink PPP, use these settings to combine two modems to create a faster virtual connection.
Today, most commercial Internet service providers use logon servers that communicate easily with Windows Dial-Up Networking connections. Some older providers or noncommercial dial-up sites, however, might require additional keyboard input that the Windows connection can't provide. In such cases, you must create a logon script for use with the Dial-Up Networking connection. When you open a connection icon whose configuration details include a script, Windows opens a terminal window and sends the additional commands. The script might operate unattended in the background, or it might stop and require that you make an entry in the terminal window.
Script files are simple text files that end in the extension .SCP. You'll find these four general-purpose scripts in the Program Files\Accessories folder:
TIP: Some scripts require editing before use. If so, it's prudent to back up the script file you plan to modify before you make any changes.
To assign a script to a connection icon, follow these steps:
FIG. 29.11 Choose a logon script from this dialog box. then click the Edit button to open Notepad and edit the script.
When you open a Dial-Up Networking connection with a script attached, the terminal window appears. If you selected the Step Through Script option, you'll also see the Automated Script Test window shown in Figure 29.12.
FIG. 29.12 Use the step option to walk through a logon script one step at a time for debugging purposes
Normally, the terminal window doesn't accept keyboard input. If you need to respond to a prompt, check the Allow Keyboard Input box. When the script has finished processing, you might need to click Continue to complete the connection.
NOTE: For detailed documentation of the dial-up scripting language, look in the Windows folder for a file named SCRIPT.DOC.
The top option on the Internet Connection Wizard lets you choose an Internet service provider and set up a new Internet account. Although you can research available ISPs and sign up for an account on your own, this wizard offers a quick, hassle-free way to change service providers or set up a new account.
Using the wizard is a straightforward process. You specify the country you live in, the area (or city) code, and any necessary dialing instructions. The wizard installs a handful of required software components, including support for TCP/IP and Dial-Up Networking. During the setup and configuration process, the wizard may restart your system one or more times. Although the wizard manages the details of shutting down and restarting, you'll have to respond to dialog boxes like the one in Figure 29.13 to move the installation process along.
Eventually, the wizard makes two phone calls. The first is to Microsoft's Internet Referral Service, which uses your area (or city) code and the first three digits of your phone number to identify Windows 98-compatible Internet service providers available in your area and language. Because Microsoft regularly updates the roster of eligible service providers, the exact choices you see will vary; the list should resemble the one shown in Figure 29.14.
FIG. 29.13 The Internet Connection Wizard's automatic signup option requires almost no intervention except for input in this dialog box.
FIG. 29.14 The Microsoft Internet Referral Service generates a list of available Internet service providers just for you, based on your location and operating system.
If the summary information isn't enough to help you decide, click the More Info icon to the right of a listing for extra details about that company's services. When you're ready to choose, click the Sign Me Up icon to the right of the entry you want. The Internet Connection Wizard makes a second phone call--this one to the provider you've chosen.
Each provider's signup procedure varies, but in general you'll have to supply your name, address, and credit card info. The wizard takes care of all remaining details, including setting up Dial-Up Networking connection icons and installing any necessary access software.
Windows stores every connection icon you create in the Dial-Up Networking folder. Although you can make copies and shortcuts for use elsewhere, the only way to create or manage these icons is to open the Dial-Up Networking folder (see Figure 29.15). You'll find it in the My Computer folder or inside the Accessories folder on the Start menu.
NOTE: Believe it or not, some Microsoft documentation calls these icons connectoids.
FIG. 29.15 Open the Dial-Up Networking folder to create or manage your connection icons. Note the additional Create and Dial icons in the toolbar.
Like the Desktop, Control Panel, and Printers folders, the Dial-Up Networking folder is a special system folder and doesn't have a corresponding MS-DOS-style directory. To make this folder more accessible, open the My Computer window and drag the Dial-Up Networking icon onto the Quick Launch bar, or drag the icon onto the Start button to create a shortcut at the top of the Start menu.
As you've seen, the Internet Connection Wizard creates connection icons as part of the process of configuring your Internet connection. If you're comfortable working directly with connection icons, you can create them from scratch using a two-step wizard accessible from the Dial-Up Networking folder. Follow these steps:
CAUTION: Although this is a quick way to create a Dial-Up Networking icon, the default settings will almost always require editing. For example, by default these connections use three different protocols; for most Internet connections, only TCP/IP is needed.
Regardless of how you create a Dial-Up Networking connection icon, you can change its properties at any time. Open the Dial-Up Networking folder, select an icon, right-click the icon, and choose Properties. You'll see a multi-tabbed dialog box like the one in Figure 29.16.
FIG. 29.16 Use this dialog box to change the phone number or modem associated with a connection.
On the General tab, you can adjust the area code, country code, and phone number for any connection. You can also change the modem or other connecting device you use for the connection.
Click the Server Types tab to adjust properties specific to the server with which you plan to connect. Figure 29.17 shows the choices available.
FIG. 29.17 If your ISP uses any nonstandard settings, you need to adjust them here.
The Type of Dial-Up Server drop-down list contains five choices. You'll select PPP in most cases. If you're dialing in to a UNIX server with a shell account, however, you might need to choose SLIP or CSLIP.
NOTE: PPP stands for Point-to-Point Protocol. SLIP is short for Serial Line Interface Protocol. PPP has largely replaced SLIP as the standard method of remotely accessing Internet service providers, thanks to its better error-checking features and its capability to handle automatic logons.
Unless your ISP recommends that you change settings in the Advanced Options area, leave that section alone; the defaults are correct for standard PPP connections. For example, most ISPs support Password Authentication Protocol (PAP) or the Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP). If you check the Require Encrypted Password box, you won't be able to log on.
For Internet access, you can improve performance by clearing the check marks in front of NetBEUI and IPX/SPX in the list of Allowed Network Protocols. TCP/IP is all you need unless you're dialing in to a Windows NT server.
Finally, click the TCP/IP Settings button to check the configuration details of your connection. You'll see a dialog box like the one in Figure 29.18.
FIG. 29.18 If your ISP has assigned you a static IP address, enter it here, along with the addresses of DNS servers.
The default settings for a Dial-Up Networking connection assume you're dialing in to a network that assigns you an IP address automatically each time you connect, without requiring that you specify DNS servers. On networks that use static IP addresses, you manually fill in your IP address and the addresses of DNS servers. For access to an ISP, leave the WINS server entries blank and don't change the default gateway or IP header compression unless your ISP specifically recommends it.
Although connection icons can exist only in the Dial-Up Networking folder, you can create shortcuts to those icons and put them anywhere you want. To place a shortcut on the desktop, open the Dial-Up Networking folder, select an icon, right-click it, and choose Create Shortcut. You can also right-drag a connection icon to any folder or onto the Start menu and choose Create Shortcut(s) Here from the menu that appears when you release the icon.
Right-clicking a connection icon does not produce Cut, Copy, or Paste menus. But you can share these icons with other users or copy them to other machines if you know the undocumented technique. When you drag a connection icon out of the Dial-Up Networking folder and drop it in any legal location, including the desktop or a mail message, Windows creates a special Dial-Up Networking Exported File, which has the .DUN extension.
Although these exported files resemble shortcuts, they behave differently. There's no shortcut arrow, for example. In addition, when you right-click a Dial-Up Networking Exported File icon and choose Properties, you see an abbreviated properties sheet in place of the normal shortcut information. But if you drop one of these files in the Dial-Up Networking folder of another machine running Windows 95 (with Dial-Up Networking version 1.1 or later) or Windows 98, it works just as though you'd created the connection from scratch. This is an excellent technique for quickly giving other users access to Dial-Up Networking without forcing them to go through the process of creating a connection icon from scratch.
To rename a connection icon, open the Dial-Up Networking folder, select the icon, right-click, and choose Rename. To delete a connection icon, select the icon, right-click, and choose Delete.
Each time you use a Dial-Up Networking connection icon, you have the option of specifying which location you want to dial from. Settings for each location include the area (or city) code for that location, calling card information, prefixes required to reach an outside line or to dial long distance, and much more. Locations are especially useful for owners of portable PCs: By doing nothing more than selecting a location entry from a list, you can tell Windows to simply dial the access number for your ISP's server when you're at home, but to use a dialing prefix, area code, and calling card number when you're on a business trip in another location.
Even if you always dial in from your home or office, you can still take advantage of multiple locations. This is especially true if your Dial-Up Networking calls sometimes incur long distance or toll charges or if your telephone company requires special dialing procedures for nearby area codes.
To set up dialing locations for the first time, use the Telephony option in Control Panel. To adjust dialing options on-the-fly when you're making a dial-up connection, click the Dial Properties button to the right of the phone number in the Connect To dialog box. And if you've opened the Modems option in Control Panel, you can click the Dialing Properties button on the bottom of the General tab. Regardless of which technique you use, you'll see a dialog box like the one in Figure 29.19.
FIG. 29.19 Don't be fooled by the name; you can use dialing locations to define dialing prefixes and area code preferences or to bill your calls to a telephone credit card.
NOTE: Why are dialing settings grouped under the Telephony icon? All 32-bit Windows communications programs use a common feature set called the Telephony Application Programming Interface, or TAPI for short. Programs that use TAPI can detect when another TAPI-aware program wants to use a phone line, which makes it easier for the two programs to share a single line gracefully. A simple TAPI function lets them use centrally defined dialing settings as well.
If your ISP has multiple access numbers and you sometimes get a busy signal on your local number, you might want to call a number outside your area code. To that end, you can set up a location that lets you charge the daytime calls to a less-expensive long-distance provider using a telephone credit card.
Follow these steps to set up a new location called "Credit Card Call from Home":
FIG. 29.20 Use the Calling Card dialog box to set up access options for a telephone calling card.
FIG. 29.21 Although this dialog box looks daunting, it's remarkably effective for scripting calls you make with a calling card.
Now, whenever you want to call a Dial-Up Networking connection using a telephone calling card, select the appropriate location in the Connect To box, and Windows will automatically dial the correct sequence of tones.
TIP: Because Telephony locations work with all TAPI applications, you can use these same calling card settings with the Windows 98 Phone Dialer (found in the Accessories group) and other communication programs as well.
Another good use of dialing options, at least for residents of the United States, is to help cope with the explosion of new area codes over the past few years. There was a time when you dialed all local calls direct and dialed 1 plus the area code and number for long distance. No more. Today, most large metropolitan areas have already been partitioned into smaller zones, each with its own area code. As a result, some local calls demand an area code, but others don't. And there's no firm set of rules that dictate when you dial 1.
The version of Dial-Up Networking that debuted in Windows 95 worked well enough, but it fell down completely on this job. Windows 98 vastly improves your ability to deal with nonstandard area codes and dialing configurations. To adjust these options, open the Dialing Properties dialog box and click the Area Code Rules button. You'll see the dialog box shown in Figure 29.22.
FIG. 29.22 Have local dialing rules changed for you? Use these advanced area code options to tell Windows exactly how to dial.
Use the options at the top of the dialog box to specify dialing rules for prefixes within your own area code. The bottom options specify how to handle nearby area codes.
TIP: Would you prefer to not use dialing properties at all? When you create a Dial-Up Networking connection icon, clear the check mark from the box labeled Use Area Code and Dialing Properties. Then enter the phone number exactly as you'd like Windows to dial it, complete with any prefixes, area codes, city or country codes, and calling card numbers.
Although it started out with the launch of Windows 95 as on online service competing with America Online and CompuServe, today The Microsoft Network (MSN) is a curious hybrid. Though partly an entertainment medium with "channels" of content ranging from the Disney Blast to Microsoft Investor, it's also a low-cost Internet service provider with worldwide coverage and a variety of access plans.
Naturally, Microsoft makes it easy to install the MSN access software and sign up for a trial account. Look on the Windows desktop for an icon called Set Up the Microsoft Network. If you choose this option, it will load nearly 4MB of software and call a Microsoft server to establish your account. Although MSN uses many of the same components as Windows 98 (most notably Internet Explorer 4.0), it also adds its own distinctive touches, including a custom Connection Manager.
A typical MSN setup makes these changes to your system:
In addition, MSN makes other subtle changes throughout the operating system, including installing and configuring a handful of multimedia players.
TIP: If you use MSN to access the Internet but aren't fond of its interface, you can have the best of both worlds. When you install MSN, it adds a connection icon to the Dial-Up Networking folder. Use that icon to connect, and you'll bypass all of the MSN interface changes. Even if you uninstall the MSN software completely, you can still access your MSN account with this connection icon. If you do so, for your username, enter MSN/username (include the slash, but substitute your username) and dial your local MSN access number.
Increasingly, online services resemble Internet service providers both in the services they offer and the rates they charge. When you open the Online Services folder on the Windows desktop, you have access to shortcuts with which you can connect to America Online (AOL), AT&T WorldNet, CompuServe (which is now owned by AOL), and Prodigy Internet.
The icons in the desktop folder are shortcuts to much larger setup files stored on the Windows 98 CD-ROM. You can use these icons to open a new account or to enable access to an existing account with one of these services.
For more details about each of the online services, including technical support numbers, see the text file in the Online Services folder.
After you've created a Dial-Up Networking icon that contains your connection settings, you can establish a connection using any of these three methods:
To connect to the Internet manually, follow these steps:
FIG. 29.23 Regardless of the settings you defined for the connection icon, this dialog box lets you temporarily change the phone number, username, location, and other settings.
FIG. 29.24 Status messages like this can help you identify problems when making an Internet connection.
After you successfully complete the connection, you'll see an informational dialog box like the one in Figure 29.25. At the same time, a Dial-Up Networking icon appears in the notification area to the right of the taskbar.
FIG. 29.25 If you'd prefer not to see this dialog box after every completed connection, check the option just above the Close button.
Internet Explorer includes a component called Connection Manager, which can automatically establish an Internet connection whenever you attempt to access a web page. You can configure Connection Manager to pause for confirmation or to dial automatically.
NOTE: Connection Manager does not work with other Internet programs. If you want Outlook Express to dial automatically each time you check your mail, you'll have to set up separate dialing options using that program. See Chapter 32 for details on how to set up an automatic mail and news connection.
To set up Connection Manager, open the Internet Options dialog box and click the Connection tab. Choose the option labeled Connect to the Internet Using a Modem, and then click the Settings button. The Dial-Up Settings dialog box shown in Figure 29.26 appears.
FIG. 29.26 Internet Explorer can handle the dialing duties, but you'll have to specify these options first.
After you've configured all Connection Manager options, click OK to close the Dial-Up Settings dialog box, and click OK again to close the Internet Options dialog box. Then open Internet Explorer and try to access a web page. If you don't have an open Internet connection, you'll see a dialog box like the one in Figure 29.27.
FIG. 29.27 By default, Connection Manager prompts you before trying to make a dial-up connection.
Here are some tips for getting maximum benefit out of Connection Manager:
The Disconnect If Idle option automatically closes your dial-up connection if there's been no activity for the amount of time you specify. The default value is 20 minutes, but you can reset the idle time to any value between 3 and 59 minutes.
If you're working with a web page when the idle-time setting expires, Internet Explorer won't suddenly close the connection. Instead, you'll see an Auto Disconnect warning dialog box like the one shown in Figure 29.28. You have 30 seconds to respond before Connection Manager shuts down access to the Internet.
The Auto Disconnect dialog box gives you these options:
FIG. 29.28 You'll receive fair warning before Connection Manager shuts down an open connection.
CAUTION: Some sites can keep an Internet connection open indefinitely. For example, stock tickers that automatically refresh every few minutes will keep your connection from hanging up, as will sites that deliver streaming data such as RealAudio. Don't expect Internet Explorer to disconnect automatically if you leave one of these pages open and then walk away from your computer.
If you prefer not to use the Connection Manager, open the Internet Options dialog box and configure Internet Explorer to connect using a local area network. You'll have to connect manually using a Dial-Up Networking connection icon before attempting to access a web page. To turn this into a single-click process, follow these steps:
FIG. 29.29 Use these settings to bypass all dialog boxes when you click on a connection icon.
Whenever you have an open connection to the Internet, you can check its status in a variety of ways. For example, you can double-click the icon in the notification area, or you can right-click and choose Status to see a display showing the total length of time this connection has been open and the total number of bytes you've received and sent (see Figure 29.30).
FIG. 29.30 To eliminate the display of connection information in the bottom of this status window, click the No Details button.
TIP: To see status information at a glance without opening a dialog box, simply point to the icon in the notification area. After a few seconds, a ScreenTip will appear.
When you've finished working with your Internet connection, you have three options for closing it:
In a perfect world, your computer would be able to process data packets as fast as your modem could deliver them. Unfortunately, there's rarely anything perfect about online communications. Some users find it nearly impossible to connect to the Internet at their modem's rated speed under any circumstances; others find that connection speeds are maddeningly variable (dialing the same access number with the same hardware might result in a high-speed connection one time, while a few minutes later the system might connect at a fraction of its rated speed).
Diagnosing connection problems can be extremely frustrating. Connecting with an Internet server can involve dozens of computers and network links, and the slowest link in that chain dictates the speed of the connection. Sometimes the bottleneck is at the server itself; when Microsoft releases a new version of Internet Explorer, for example, its servers invariably slow to a crawl in the face of overwhelming demand. In addition, physical problems such as a sliced fiber-optic cable on the Internet's backbone can cause slowdowns for every server that depends on that segment.
The initial connection speed doesn't always tell the full performance story either. Using the V.34 and V.90 standards, modems can shift speeds on-the-fly, varying up or down to compensate for changes at either end of the connection. The only surefire way to measure the effectiveness of a connection is to measure net throughput; if you download a file from a web site, for example, Internet Explorer will display throughput statistics in a dialog box (see Figure 29.31). With experience, you'll learn to detect when a connection is abnormally slow and when you should begin the diagnostic process.
FIG. 29.31 How fast is that connection, really? Use data throughput statistics such as these to measure performance instead of relying on the reported connection speed.
When you encounter performance problems with dial-up connections, try using the following steps to isolate and repair the problem.
First, make sure you're using the correct driver for your modem. If you must use a generic driver for your 56KB modem, be sure to choose the correct one. (Windows 98 includes separate high-speed drivers for older modems that use the incompatible K56flex and X2 technologies, for example.)
TIP: In early 1998, the International Telecommunications Union finally agreed on a standard for 56KB modems. The final standard goes by the designation V.90; if you own a high-speed modem that uses an earlier version of 56KB technology, contact the modem manufacturer for up-to-date information on upgrades, and check with your ISP to see which standards it supports.
Next, check with the modem manufacturer to see whether an upgrade is available for the modem's firmware, the internal microcode that dictates how the hardware works with communications software, including Windows Dial-Up Networking. Many newer modems store this code in programmable flash memory, which allows you to download bug fixes and install them just as you would upgrade a system BIOS.
Finally, make sure that you've configured your serial port to work at the proper speed. If you've throttled the port rate to 19,200bps, for example, that will be the maximum throughput you can expect--regardless of the modem's capabilities. For a 28.8 or 33.6 modem, you must set your port rate to at least 38,400bps, and 56KB modems require a minimum port speed of 57,600bps. (See the section "Configuring an Analog Modem," earlier in this chapter, for details on how to adjust the Maximum Speed setting for a modem.)
NOTE: Don't be misled by advertisements for high-speed modems. Although it's theoretically possible for analog modems to communicate at 57,600bps, limitations on phone lines in the United States restrict maximum transmission speeds to roughly 53KB, and that speed is available downstream only (when the data is flowing to your modem). The upstream data speed (data flowing to your ISP or between two modems over a conventional analog line), cannot exceed 33.6KB.
Faulty wiring and noisy phone lines are among the most common causes of connection problems. If you routinely connect at speeds well below your modem's rated capabilities and you've ruled out configuration problems, try the following suggestions:
When you use the Internet Connection Wizard to create a Dial-Up Networking icon, the resulting connection settings use only the TCP/IP protocol. That's not the case, however, when you create a DUN icon using the Make New Connection icon in the Dial-Up Networking folder. If you notice that it takes an inordinately long time to establish a connection, Windows might be attempting to negotiate a connection over multiple protocols unnecessarily.
To solve this problem, open the Dial-Up Networking folder, right-click the connection icon, and choose Properties. Click the Server Types tab and look at the settings in the dialog box that appears. If the NetBEUI and IPX/SPX Compatible boxes are checked (see Figure 29.32), remove the check marks from both boxes and try again.
FIG. 29.32 When you create a connection icon manually, Windows attempts to use this full array of protocols. To improve performance, clear the check boxes for all but the TCP/IP protocol.
One of the most effective ways to track down problems with a dial-up connection is with the help of Tracert, a command-line utility included with Windows 98. As the name implies, you can use this command to trace the route that packets take as they move between your computer and a distant server. With the information that Tracert reports, you can often identify problems with Internet servers.
To use Tracert, open an MS-DOS Prompt window and type tracert hostname (where hostname is the name of the server you're trying to reach, such as www.microsoft.com). When you press Enter, this command sends packets of data to the destination you specified.
The output shows how many hops each packet requires; each hop is an intermediate computer that hands off the data to the next link in the chain. The list also shows the time (in milliseconds) that each hop requires. A time of 10ms or less is typical of a high-speed connection; when times exceed 250ms, as they often will for servers running over slow links, you've found the source of sluggish throughput. l
© Copyright, Macmillan Computer Publishing. All rights reserved.
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}