DR. MAC'S COMPUTER CLINIC
No. 18

BOOST YOUR INTERNET CONNECTION

Welcome to another Computer Clinic.

QUESTION : What does www. stand for ?

The "world wide web" ... OR ... the "world wide wait" !

If your internet experience makes you think the second answer is the correct one, then here's how to boost YOUR internet connection! Remember, these settings are for the home-user with a stand-alone computer, connecting to the internet in the normal way with a modem. They are NOT for business computers connected to a large company network.

DUN stands for Dial- up Networking. So, how can we get the best out of it?

• We showed you how to make useful shortcuts in Clinic 3 - one of these was a shortcut to your Dial-up Networking folder. Double-click on this to open it.
• If you haven't made this shortcut, double-click on "My Computer" and double-click again on the Dial-up Networking folder you will see in there.
• Inside the DUN folder, you will see your ISP (Internet Service Provider) dial-up icon. Some of you may have two (or more) ISP's. If so, follow these steps for EACH one.
• Hold your mouse over the ISP icon and RIGHT-click.
• A small menu will pop-up. Click on "Properties" ..... like this :

RIGHT-click over your ISP ... A pop-up menu appears ... Then, click on Properties

• A new box will pop up with a number of tabs at the top.
• Click on the tab that says "Server Types"
• You will now see the following box. Different versions of Internet Explorer and Windows have slightly different boxes. But, the principle stays the same - The ONLY box that should be ticked is the very last one - TCP/IP

1. ALL these boxes should be BLANK!     2. TCP/IP is the ONLY box that should be ticked. 3. Now click on the "TCP/IP Settings" button.

• When you click on the "TCP/IP" button, the following appears :

Then, click on O.K.

Server assigned IP address must be selected   Server assigned name server addresses must be selected N.B. If you are a MAC user, you need to get these "Specify name server addresses" settings from your ISP. This does NOT apply to PC users. ? Use IP header compression ? Sometimes it speeds things up when this is NOT ticked. At other times it makes no difference. Give both a try ! Use default gateway must be ticked

• Once you have clicked on "O.K." this box closes and you are back at your "Server Types" box.
• Click on "O.K. to close that box as well.

GREAT! That wasn't too complicated, was it!

---

• Double-click the "Control Panel" shortcut on your desktop (we've told you how to make one!)
• Make absolutely sure you have the correct area dialling code for where you live
• As most of us have "Tone dialling" these days, make sure that is selected as well.

3. Finally, click on O.K.

1. Make sure you have your correct Area Code here. If not, delete what IS there and type in your correct code.   While you are here, check that you have "Tone dial" selected (Most of us have tone dialling these days - but make sure you DO if you select this!)   2. Click on "Apply"

AND THAT'S THE TELEPHONY SETTINGS DONE !

Some of you may not want these settings. Read this section through, then decide. Personally, I don't like Internet Explorer automatically trying to connect to the internet when I launch it. I also don't like I.E. always taking me to a certain web-page when I connect. All of this slows things down. Here's how to stop this behaviour!

• Open Internet Explorer
• On the very top tool-bar, click on "Tools" and then on "Internet Options"
• The following box opens up. If you DON'T like I.E. always forcing you to wait for a web-page to open up when it starts, click on the button "Use Blank"

Now, click on the "Connections" tab (see top of this picture)

Do the steps below FIRST - THEN come back to this tab) Click on "Use Blank" if you want to STOP I.E. forcing a connection to a web-page.             Then, click on "Apply"

After you have clicked on "Apply" - click on the "Connections" tab. at the top.

• The following box opens. All the ISP's you have will be listed here. You don't have to worry about this list. However, take a look at the options under the list of ISP's :

3. Finally click on "O.K."

These are my own personal preferences, so only select them if you feel the same! I do NOT like I.E. and Outlook Express trying to connect me to the internet whenever I open them - when all I want to do is go there and change some settings or type some e-mails! If that's the way YOU feel, select No 1 - "Never dial a connection" 2. THEN click on "Apply"

TIP : You can very conveniently connect to the internet by going to the DUN folder - right-clicking over the icon of your ISP - the same little pop-up menu appears - and click on "Create shortcut". You will be told a shortcut cannot be created "here" (in the DUN folder) - do you want it placed on your desktop? Select "Yes"

In future, whenever you want to connect, simply double-click the ISP's shortcut (on your desktop) and your modem will start to dial up. Easy! And quicker!

WHAT DOES "www." STAND FOR !!!

AND ... as a bonus : Does your modem sound like a squawking chicken having its neck twisted every time you dial up the internet? I'll show you how to shut it up .... for good!

Until the next Clinic ...

Best wishes, Happy, Safe and FASTER Computing!

Dr. Mac

Dr. Mac's Computer Clinic LIBRARY All the Computer Clinics that have appeared on the idf50 web-site are HERE