MacFormat Internet Connection Guide

How to get on-line with your iMac, G3, PowerMac, Performa, or any Mac OS computer Easy-to-use step-by-step guide Plus time and money saving tips Ten things you'll need to know (possibly) T © connect to the Internet through an Internet service provider or ISP (don't panic - we'll explain what all this means over the next few pages), your Mac needs some basic information. If you sign up using Apple's Internet Setup Assistant (included with recent versions of the Mac OS) or configuration software supplied by an ISP, you won't need to worry about any of this because it will all be handled automatically. However, if you want to connect to an existing account, or to an ISP not listed in the Connection Assistant, you will have to enter the following manually. This information will all be provided by your ISP when you open an account - make a note of it here to keep it handy. Internet service provider (ISP) dial-up access number. The phone number that your Mac needs to dial to connect to the ISP's servers, not the “Support” number you dial to speak to a human being for help or advice. The dial-up access number is often a local-rate (0845 or similar) number, or there may be a local number for your area. There may be different numbers for connecting using different speed modems and connection protocols (36.6K, 56K, ISDN, etc) - make sure you've got the right one for you. If in doubt, ask your ISP first. 2 SF, domain name. This is the “location” of your service provider on the Internet, the equivalent of a postal address. It usually takes a form such as apple.com or futurenet.co.uk. ISP DNS address (primary and secondary). DNS stands for Domain Name Server - the specific computer that will act as your gateway to the Net. Many ISPs offer a "secondary" server as a back-up, but you really need to specify only one ~ though sometimes your ISP sets this automatically when you connect. DNS addresses take the form of four groups of numbers separated by a period (full stop) between each, such as 123.45.678.90 (there may be any- thing between one and four numbers in each group, but there are always four groups). 4 Mailhost address. Many ISPs use different systems for outgoing and incoming e-mail. Your outgoing mail will often be sent to an SMTP “mailhost” which you will need to specify. (SMTP stands for Simple Mail Transfer Proto- col, since you ask.) The outgoing mail address usually takes a form such as smtp.host.com or mail.apple.com. PoPmail address. Your incoming mail may be handled by a separate "POP" (Post Office Protocol) server and you'll need to specify it before you can receive any e-mails. It usually takes a form such as pop.host.co.uk or mailapple.com (it may be the same as the SMTP or outgoing mail address, but make sure you double-check). News server address. Internet newsgroups are distributed around the world and made available on ISPs’ news servers. If you want to read and contribute to newsgroups, youl need to know the name of your own ISP's news server. This usually takes a form such as 7 Lszrame of log-in name, Your Internet account has to be secured so that no-one ese can use i fraudulenty, This is handled first via a unique personal “username” which your Mac uses to log on. This is normally the first part of your complete e-mail address - the "yourname” part before the "@" in yourname@host.com. Password. The other part of your protection is a private password. Your ISP will provide this and your Mac can store and use it automatically if you wish. (Um, you might prefer not to note it here...) Mailbox name and password. Most ISPs assign your username to your personal mailbox too, while others may provide a different name for accessing your e-mail messages. In the same way, most ISPs use the same password for your mailbox as the one you use to connect to your Internet account, but it may be different. 10 E-mail address. This usually takes the familiar form yourname@host.com. An e-mail address normally does not include a POP server address (number 5 above), just your username (number 7) @ domain name (number 2). Internet Connection Guide # Macformat Welcome... to the world he Internet? No such thing. At T least, it's not really a “thing” at all - you can't point to any place and say “there it is.” The term “Inter- net” (“Net” for short) really describes the way that thousands of computers around the world are linked to each other, mainly over telephone lines. These thousands of computers have millions of “pages” of information stored on them, and when you access one of these pages on the World Wide Web (the most popular part of the Net) it's like viewing a kind of teletext page via cable TV on your own computer screen. (This means that even then you don't really “have” the Net yourself; what you've got is like a library card, and you've electronically “borrowed” the pages you're viewing.) When you receive an e-mail (the second most popular feature of the Net), it’s just like getting a phone call: the message is sent from the sender’s computer to yours by way of the phone lines (and a couple of other computers along the way that act like the phone exchange). You'd make a phone call without giving it a thought, and in this little book we'll show you, step-by-step, how to get connected to the Net and use it just as effortlessly. ‘Alex Summersby, editor of MacFormat, Britain's best- selling Mac magazine, welcomes you to the Net.. How to use this book hether you want to connect to the Internet for work or pleasure, for e-mail or the Web or just out of curiosity, we're here to get you on-line as quickly and as easily as possible. Since at least Mac OS 80, Apple has provided the Internet Setup Assistant with just this in mind, and many of the UK’s Internet service providers offer connection “kits” of their own. But what if your set-up isn't typi- cal? What if you get lost or confused, or something goes awry? What if you want to know what's actually going on with your System software? Simplified connection kits have their place. There are times, though, when they wor't do the job unless you understand how they configure or add to your Mac's System software. This information will answer many of the queries and problems people have when connecting to the Internet, and is invaluable if you want to customise or change your set-up in the future. With this in mind, this booklet starts with an over- view of how the Net works and what you need to connect to it (page 4). If you want more info on any particular element, you can look it up (modems, page 6 phone lines, page 7; System components, page 8). If you've got all you need to get your particular Mac set- up connected, you can go straight to our step-by-step guide to using the Internet Setup Assistant (for OS 80 or newer) or the do-it-yourself guide appropriate for your Mac and System version. Finally, our Net quide advises you on choosing an ISP and software for using the Net once you're connected, Have fun! Macformat 4 Internet Connection Guide inside | Startup: what you need How the Internet works page 4 More about modems page 6 More about phone lines page 7 More about System Extensions page 8 How to get on-line Getting connected with Setup Assistant page 10 Connecting to an existing account with it page 12 What the Assistant has done for you page 15 Connecting manually with Open Transport _page 16 Connecting with Classic Networking page 18 Other “auto-configuration” options page 21 Net guide: options Choosing an Internet service provider __page 22 Browsing the Web page 24 Bookmarks page 27 Exploring e-mail : page 28 Save 33% on MacFormat every issue page 30 ©1999 Future Publishing Ltd, Produced in association with Apple Comput tor UK Lid. All rights reserved, No part of this publication may be repro: duced in any form, copied or stored electronically without prior written permission from the publisher. We have made every effort to verify all Information in this booklet, but ne ishing nor Apple Compu ter-can accept responsibility for The Apple logo is a registered trademark of Apple Computer Ine. Apple, Macintosh, Power Macintosh, PowerBook, Mac, iMac and QuickTime are trademarks of Apple Computer Inc.All other copyrights and trademarks in this pub recognised. Published by Future Publishing, 30 Monmouth Str 2BW, UK; phone +44 (0)1225 442244; Web http://vwwemac Startup - what you need How the Internet works Your Mac. Any Mac will do, Phone line. You can connect to the Net over your existing phone line although older models may simply by unplugging the phone and plugging in your modem (or struggle to run the latest using an adaptor to plug both in, if you prefer). Connecting to the Net generation of Web browser involves your Mac making a phone call direct to another computer, so software (which you need to remember that you'll have to pay for the time you're connected, just as if view Web pages). Look up your you were making the call yourself. If you're going to be using the Net a Mac and System version on lot, it might make sense to consider a separate, extra phone line, or even page 8 to find out what your ISDNor BT's Highway scheme, which could give you a faster connection. set-up needs to get connected. This could mean you mightn’t have to be connected as long and thus For details of Web, e-mail and —_keep costs down. For more on phone lines, see page 7. other software, see page 5. System Extensions. You probably already know that your Mac needs certain Extensions to perform some functions, such as printing or playing QuickTime movies. In the same way, it needs some Extensions to connect to other computers over a phone line. Much of Modem. This converts messages from the this booklet is concerned with explaining exactly what form in which they exist in your Mac these are (the basics are on page 5) and how to set (digital data) into an analogue signal that can them up. The good news is that if you're using Mac travel along ordinary phone lines. If you've got OS 8.0, 8.1 or 8.5, you almost certainly already have an iMac, a modem is built-in, and many other everything you need, and you can go straight to Mac models can be fitted with an internal page 10. If not, you'll need to get hold of the appropri- modem too. (You'll need a Terminal Adaptor or ate Extensions and Control Panels for your System ver- router instead of a modem if you're lucky enough sion, but ISPs usually provide these when you sign up. to be using an ISDN line, which is wholly digital.) To find out exactly which ones you need, turn to page 8. __-Find out more about modems on page 6. SS Internet Connection Guide 4 Macformat Your Internet service provider (ISP). Just as your local phone exchange connects you to the phone network, your ISP acts as your gateway to the rest of the Internet. And just as you pay your phone company for the connection service it provides, you normally pay a small monthly charge for your ISP too (though there are some “free” ISPs that take a cut of the phone call charge instead). For more on ISPs, see this page and page 22. The Internet. No-one owns it, no-one really runs it. It’s just there — a vast, intertwined network of networks handling everything from e-mail to countless millions of Web pages to news feeds to FTP (File Transfer Protocol ~ basically software of various kinds that you can copy to your own computer). Macformat 4 Internet Connection Guide Startup - what you need € won't bore you with lots of technical W waffle about peer-to-peer networking and client-server relationships (see, you're bored already). Instead, we'll simplify this whole Internet business into an “us and them” situation. “Them” refers to the countless thousands of interconnected computers (often rather loosely called just “servers”) that make up the Internet in the sense that they are permanently linked to it. Why do you need an ISP? Being a member of this Internet club requires very expensive hardware and a good deal of techn know-how. That’s why Internet service providers (SPs) exist — they have all the equipment needed to give ordinary users like us temporary ac the Internet, It's temporary in that when you dia in you're connected and when you quit you're disconnected, We're just visitors, basically. (How- ever, since the vast majority of servers exist to serve up Web pages to us visitors, pass on our ‘e-mails or store files we might want to copy, don’t imagine that we're simply the poor relations...) Connection software Many Macs are used as standalone computers, but there are lots of users who work on company net- works which link several Macs so that co-workers can share files, gossip and knitting patterns. For networks to work, they have to use standard w: of packaging, directing and receiving data. You might use AppleTalk to connect to your printer (a basic network), or Ethernet to link to a company network. ‘The Internet uses a system called IP (internet Protocol), and your Mac talks to it via ‘CP (Transmission Control Protocol). ‘That's why the Control Panel is called TCP/IP. ‘To connect via phone lines, your Mac needs another bit of software called PPP (Point to Point Protocol). Since System 7.6, PPP is included in Apple’s “Open Transport” system (see page 8). If you have an older System version, you need to get hold of PPP, either from your ISP or in a kit like Apple’s Internet Connection Kit (sce page 21). In a nutshell, then: all your Mac needs to con- nect to the Internet is a modem, a phone line, an account with an ISP, and two types of Extension — TCP Gwhich you've almost certainly got) and an appropriate version of PPP for your System (which you've cither got or can geD. Once connected, to do anything on the Net you'll need the right software ~ a browser to view Web pages, an e-mail program, perhaps an “FTP client” to fetch software for you — but ISPs, maga- zine Cover CDs like MacFormat’s, and Mac OS Install CDs will provide enough to get you started. (See page 24 for further options after that.) Startup — what you need Modems Tf you haven't got a modem built-in, which one should you buy? And how much do you need to know about the technicalities of configuration and fault-finding? our modem is your portal to the Internet — Y: links your Mac via the phone line to your 's computers, which in turn link you to the rest of the Net. If you don’t already have modem, choosing one can be confusing. ‘They all claim to be better than the rest, offering extra features, faster speeds or more flashing lights. The right speed Modem spced is the most important factor to con- si measured in thousands of bits per . Most modems a at either 36.6Kbps or 56Kbps (often abbrev 56K — but don’t confuse this with kilobyt conventional measure for file size, which is eight times bigger). The faster the modem speed, the faster data “downloads” from the Net to your Mac and the less time you need to spend on-line, t ducing your phone bills. A one-megabyte (1,024 kilobyte) file may typically take around five min- utes with a 56Kbps modem or about ten with a .6Kbps (phone lines and “traffic” permitting). A 56Khps modem won't cost much more than & 33.6Kbps and you'll save enough on phone bills to make the 56Kbps a better buy in the long term. Modem standards But wait, there’s more, The two major modem makers rel ed different types of 56K modem: Hayes adopted the “K56flex” standard and US Robotics “x2”. An international standard, V.90, has now been agreed, and both companies now offer software (“firmware”) updaters to convert their products — if you buy one that isn’t V.90 already, make sure it h-upgradable”. 5 SPs, how- ever, don’t yet support V.90 connection. Che with your ISP what protocols it supports and make sure the modem you buy supports the same. You'll need either an external modem such as this one, or an internal modem, like the one that comes fitted in iMac. Troubleshooting When you buy a modem, make sure it comes with a Mac cable (many are designed for PCs). 1 Modems will often come with bundled soft- ware - usually for Windows PCs. Useless. PPP dialler software such as OT-PPP or Free- PPP (see page 8) controls your modem, so installing additional software that’s supplied with the modem could lead to problems. 1 Installing fax or voice software, however, shouldn't cause problems, so long as you remember to disable them before trying to connect to the Internet. 17 To make your modem work with OT-PPP, you just select your model from the list of modem scripts. (Modem scripts are pre-made configu- ration files for modems which contain the in- formation needed to get the modem working. The most important of these is the “initialisa- tion string” - a sort of modem wake-up call.) 1 You won't always find your modem model listed, so check its manual to see if the modem emulates (behaves like) any other - nearly all modems are Hayes or US Robotics compatible. Tif your dialler software doesn't use modem scripts then you may have to type in an initial- isation string for your modem. In FreePPP, select Modem Setup, then try AutoDetect. If this fails, click in the line labelled Use: and type in ATZ or AT&F - if neither works then check your modem manual or contact the maker. 10 That said, though, modem initialisation strings are not usually a problem - it’s nearly always something else that’s preventing an Internet connection from working properly. Internet Connection Guide # Macformat Phone line options Do you have to install a new phone line? Will your friends never be able to get through again? No problem. ou can connect your Mac to the Internet Y using any domestic or office phone line (it doesn’t matter if you have to go though a switchboard — just add the digit you have to di for an outside line before your ISP's dial-up access number). You don’t even need a separate line (although you may find it useful) because, using nothing more sophisticated than a socket splitter, which you can get at electronics and DIY shops, you can plug your modem and your phone hand- set into the same wall socket. Basically, whichever one gets to the phone line first gets to use it Not surprisingly, you can’t get on-line while you're using the phone, or make phone calls while your Mac is connected to the Internet People can’t call you while you're on-line, either, and they can’t leave a message on your answering machine (if you have one) because the line has to be available for the machine to take the mess Call Minder There is a solution to this little problem, though. BT advertises a Call Minder service that acts just like a domestic answering machine, but works at the exchange. This means that it can intercept calls and take messages not just when you're out, but when your line is engaged too. At the time of writing, BT's Call Minder service is £6 per quarter. Avoid BI’s “Call Waiting” service, though: the pips that alert you to new calls will confuse the modem = though you can disable the service for a given call by adding a prefix to the ISP dial-up number ge. Discount options BT and other phone companies offer various dis- count schemes. B1’s Daytime Caller costs 50p a month, but saves you 10% on local and regional daytime calls. Call & Save offers a 10% discount if Macformat 4 Internet Connection Guide catesw.d Save both time and money! BT's Web site is the first place to go when you've got your Internet connection. Here you can find out about discount schemes and ISDN... your quarterly bill is between £25 and £70. Friends & Family saves you 10% on selected direct- dialled numbers. Premier Line offers 15% discounts on calls for a £6 quarterly fee and if your bill is over £70, BestFriend is a free service which lets you nominate a single “best friend” number and save 20% on calls to that number, I’s well worth considering such schemes if you plan to be on-line a lot. Check with your phone company for its current schemes. Home Highway and ISDN BT has ended its recent special half-price offer on additional phone lines, so it will cost you £100 to have a second line installed in your home or office. (Other companies’ prices are similar.) Before you do that, though, you might consider BT's Highway scheme. It’s basically digital ISDN technology but in a more affordable, consumer- friendly form. Llighway gives you two lines, each of which can be used for ordinary analogue con- nection or digital, or the two cn be used in paral- lel for 128Kbps digital connection. Digital lines ran both faster and more reliably than a modem using a normal phone line, and offer much faster dial-up times (typically a second or so rather than half a minute), so even though the line rental is higher it may be cost-effective. (Calls cost the same.) Plus you can use the two lines at once, surfing the Web and talking to friends at the same time. For digital connection, though, you will need to buy an ISDN “terminal adaptor” — cither a plug-in card or, more usually, an external device. Physic- ally, external TAs are barely distinguishable from modems, but can cost £250 or more — ouch “Truc” ISDN requires the installation of a new line, and the rental charges are pretty steep — an option for really dedicated Net users only Startup — what you need Which System Extensions does You can get connected to the Net with almost any Mac, but it needs to have the correct networking software running. e’ve already mentioned that all your Mac needs to connect to the Internet is a modem, a working phone line, an account with an ISP, and two types of E: ‘VCP (for handling and transferring data version of PPP appropriate to your System (for connecting over a phone line). Exactly which of the range of TCP and PPP Extensions is right for your Mac = and therefore exactly how to configure your set-up for the Net ~ depends on which pro cessor it has, how much RAM and which version of the Mac operating system it’s running. On these two pages, we'll help you get your set-up right A matter of architecture When your Mac connects via your modem to your ISP’s server, you're essentially connecting to a massive network of networks, and in order to do this your Mac needs to know how to communicate with other machines, To your Mac, in fact, connec- ting to the Net is not fundamentally different from connecting to a small office network. Both tasks depend on your Mac’s “networking architecture” the set of System Extensions and Control Panels that add network support to your Mac. There are two different networking architectures (software set-ups, in other words) on the Mac. Un- til System 7.5.2, each version of the Mac operating 5 OUse classic networking 2° @ Use open Transport Networking Oyen Traspur i Ap ow Har dase netorkng wd ome Fanaord wa spell dois tke advantage tte Power Pc proceso Open Transport ison If your Mac can run either “networking architecture”, use the Network Software Selector program on your hard drive to choose Open Transport for its superior performance. system came with “Classic Networking” (though the term wasn’t actually coined until there was something else to contrast it with), With System 7.5.3, Apple introduced a new architecture, which is still in use today: Open ‘Transport Essentially, both Open Transport and Classic Networking enable your Mac to accomplish the same tasks — in this case, connecting to the Inter- net. Open Transport, however, manages to do it more quickly and easily than Classic Networking. Which architecture you should use largely depends on which version of the Mac OS you're running, Ideally, other things being equal, you should be running Open Transport for its far casier configuration and faster speed, but not all Macs are capable of running it. If your Mac is using System 7.1 or System 7.5 then it’s likely you're using Classic Networking. If it’s a 68000 or 68020 chip based Mac (e.g. Classic, Mac IL or LC) you'll have to stick with Classic Networking, If it’s How will your Mac connect to the Net? Processor 68000, 020 68030, '040, LC040 | 68030, ‘040, LC040 PowerMac/iMac & Mac OS: (any System) or PowerMac or PowerMac with Mac 0S 76, version up to System 75.5 up to System 7.5.5 or later RAM. (any) AMB or less More than 4MB (any) Recommended technology Classic Networking | Classic Networking Open Transport Open Transport (see page 18) (see page 18) (see page 16) (see page 10) Internet Connection Guide # Macformat your Mac need to get on-line? ing or Open Transport These are the vital files you should find in your System Folder: MacTCP Control Panel If you use MacPPP (see note 1): PPP Extension (v2.5) Config PPP Control Panel If you use FreePPP (see note 1): FreePPP Extension (v2.6) FreePPP Setup Control Panel FreePPP LAP Driver Extension Classic Networking Open Transport Network Control Panel AppleTalk Control Panel EtherTalk Phase 2 Extension . not needed in System 7.5.3 and later Network Extension not needed in Mac OS 8.0 and later TCP/IP Control Panel PPP or Remote Access Control Panel (see note 2) Modem Control Panel Modem Scripts folder in your Extensions folder Notes 1 PPP didn’t come as standard with Macs that use Classic Net- working. You need to install it, and ‘the System Folder items you'll find differ from one PPP variant to another. MacPPP and FreePPP are ‘the most common; see page 18. 2. Apple Remote Access 30 re- places both ARA 2.1 and Open Transport/PPP with a consolidated system for remote/Internet access. In the very latest versions of the Mac 0S, therefore, and also if you have upgraded to ARA 30, the PPP Control Panel is replaced by the Remote Access Control Panel. See page 17 for a full list of Open Transport System components. runn application ca a 68030 chip based Mac (c.g. Mac Ilsi, Hci, LCI, LCI, Performa 400) or a 68040 or 68LC040 chip based Mac (e.g. Quadra, Centris series, LC475, Performa 630) with 4MB of RAM or less in either case, the same applies. (Turn to page 18 for how to configure your Mac using € jetworking,) As a gencral rule, if you have a Mac with more than 4MB of RAM and a 68030 or later processor (including a PowerMac), you can (and should) run Open ‘Transport. If you're using a System version carlier than 7.5.3, however, you will nced to install OT (sce page 16 for details of how you can do. that, and how to configure it yourself ~ that is, without the Internet Setup Assistant t with the latest versions of the Mac OS If you with a System version be- tween 7.5.2 5, it is probably capable of | cither Cl for doing th — see page 21.) Open Transport: three things to note The “wrong” DNR file? You may find a file called MacTCP DNR loose in your Sys- tem Folder. This is still needed under Open Transport, even though OT doesn’t use MacTCP any more. If you trash this file, it will simply be re-created next time you make an Internet connection. In fact, if you're having trouble with your TCP/IP connections, or upgrading to a new version of MacTCP or OT, it's often helpful to delete this file (and the MacTCP Prep file in the Preferences folder - though if you do you'll need to re-enter some settings, so note them first! Saving those settings The TCP/IP Control Panel (check that you're using v1.2 or later) g cither technology. If so, it came with an d Network Software Selector in the Apple Extras folder, with which you can select sic Networking or Open would, of course, recommend the latter.) If you're using a PCI PowerMac (that every desktop model from the PowerMac 7200, 7500 and 8500 to date and 6400 models) or don't have a choice — Open Transport is installed by default, At least since Ma have got Apple's Internet makes configuring your se — see page 10 for our guide to using it, or same m: y with the less sophisticated Internet ansport, (We basically including Performa 5400 OS 7.6 or later, you OS 8.0, ctup Assistant, which Pas easy as possible Iso OS 7.6 connection Kit can “Export” settings to a file, which is useful for saving them. You can also save multiple configurations by choosing Configurations from TCP/IP's File menu ~ ideal if you have several ISP accounts. Switching modems? The Modem Control Panel can also save multiple configurations. Great if your alternative ISPs support different protocols. Macformat 4 Internet Connection Guide on-line Mac OS 8: Getting connected couldn't be easier than in Mac OS 8.0, 8.1 or 8.5, thanks to the Internet Setup Assistant. A comes with 8.0 and newer, can configure your Mae whether you have a existing ISP account or not. (For more on earlier “assistants”, see page 21.) If you're new to the Net, ant offers you the choice of registering selection of UK ISPs and then auto- ures your Mac for t ISP. Or already signed up with an ISP, the As helps you to configure your Mac’s Internet Control -y-to-use inter you begin, make sure your modem is plugged into your modem port (the socket marked with a litte telephone symbol) and a working telephone line, and switch it on. internet Setup Assistant Internet Access Do you already have an Internet account? few steps are the same: double-click on the Internet Setup Assistant in the Assistants folder on your hard isk. When prompted, click Yes to begin. On the next screen (shown here), click Yes if you already have an Inter- net account (and turn to page 12 of this guide). If you don’t already have an account with an ISP, click No and continue, The Assistant now explains what it's going to do - click on the right arrow at the bottom of the screen to start. 4 Whether you have an ISP account or not, the first [a [a internet Setup Assistant 15P information ‘choase ty country: ) Choose ty ISP. 0 Gis aD | 7 med Demon Internet | | more people get on with us | | > | | the UK's gest andtindtest nena Service Prodan | Deven rarot Utes, Gator Howe, | 322 ogee Part Pas Sales & Enquiries: 0181 371 1234 | ‘avallable Choices: | rene. Condon 200 Click the rightarrow to continue ‘Additional 15P informs > (> Demon Internet | ramen t | | BS) friendliest internet Service Provider te eee cthamen deanna eee we loptete toi Cecchetti” For more details visit http enw demon.net | Click the rightarrow to continue, or the lft arrow to select another ISP wae) the right panel display a list of the pre-set ISPs. Click the name of the ISP to register with. (To help you decide which ISP to choose, refer to page 22 of this guide.) Click the right arrow to continue. If the ISP you want is not one of the pre-set choices, click the left arrow at the bottom of the screen until you get back to screen 3, and choose the “configure your ISP” option. (You'll then need to enter your details yourself - turn to page 12 of this guide.) A, Select your country from the pop-up menu to make ISPs, information on your selected ISP is displayed next. If you're not satisfied or you've changed your mind, click the left arrow to go back and choose another. If all is well, click the right arrow to continue. J If you've chosen to go ahead with one of the pre-set 7 Internet Connection Guide # Macformat creating a new ISP account [e = iiernet Setup Assistant 5] Tntemet setup Assistant = Modem Settings ag ‘ ry i] ‘ret ate are ye tala? al ‘This asistant bps you chose aninerant Servi Proviter « = {5} inyour area and set up your computer so tat you can acon: (SERIA NEES connect to your chisen ISP and start usin ls servic, ‘Which port i the mem connect to? © Click ner it you want to eenster with an ISP ort: (em Port = Ifyou already have an SP and do nt vant to resistor with an eitional Soe yor fins ite wo tne vps? TSP, youcancontigure your ISP new Tore Pulse ‘J = O Click tere it you wont oconfigure your ISP, CD anore cat tone (Dia whether oF nat ial tne is detected) Click th right orrow a continu, Click the rightarrow to continue S12 [> (als [o} from the list (click on the up-and-down arrows next to the modem name and the full list pops up). If yours isn't listed, choose the closest match (see page 6 of this guide). If your phone “beeps” when you dial, leave the dial- ling option set to Tone; if it “whirrs", choose Pulse. Unless you're connecting through an office telephone exchange, you do not need to Ignore dial tone. Continue by clicking the right arrow next to the page number at the bottom. 2] First choose your modem model (or ISDN TA or card) first time rather than configure an existing account, and click the right arrow to continue, The next screen is a notice telling you that Apple doesn’t endorse any par- ticular ISP - in other words, you're free to choose any of the ones listed or any other you like. If you have already signed up with an ISP or know that the ISP you want is not listed, click the “configure your ISP” button on screen 3 and then the right arrow, and skip to page 12 of this guide. J Verify that you want to sign up with an ISP for the [a internet Setup Assistant fe ‘Somme things you should consider when selecting an ISP hat the tantly fee? there a startup fee? ‘convection time unlimited or charged ger tour? {15 technical support included? Depenting on te ISP you select, you may be asked for eredit cord information fr billing purpose, Please verify the ISP server number below, adding any prefix your phone Line requires. Then make sure that your modem on, connect to your computer, end connected tothe phone line. peas 0796666 Click the right arrow to continue This assistant fs ready to setup your machine for Inter The assistant will now connect you to the ISP registration server. The server vill ask you Tor some more information and our Mc OS computer will then be configured Tome ou tarot stink. Aa. To cot te he Remote Access aoction of th Contrl Strip, oF Sever wor us pps feces Coral Purl, Fa lose sete, oa 1 Help. Show Details Caneel} (Goanead taal (afa}o! you're connecting from your office, for instance), enter it, followed by a single comma, before the ‘number shown, Click the right arrow to continue. Make sure your modem is on, connected to your Mac and plugged into a working phone line. The Assistant is now ready to dial your selected ISP's registration server and set up your new account for you. B. If you need to dial a prefix for an outside line (iF Macformat 4 Internet Connection Guide your Web browser program, and open your selected ISP's registration page. You'll need to enter your per- sonal information including your name, address, telephone number and billing details. The exact process varies between the ISPs, but all five pre-sets are easy to use and require absolutely no technical knowledge. Your details will be verified and, if successful, the Assistant will configure your Control Panels for your newly-created account. 7] Click Go Ahead and your modem will connect, launch Get on-line Mac OS 8: (re-)configuring an The Internet Setup Assistant can also help you set up or modify your account details with your existing ISP. f you already have an account with an Inter- I net service provider (or you've chosen an ISP which isn’t one of the pre-set ISPs that the Setup Assistant will connect you to automatically), the Assistant can still help you get connected, but you'll need to enter certain settings yourself. So before you begin, make sure you have the con- figuration details to hand. Usually your ISP will include these in a welcome pack. You'll find an outline of the details you might need on page 2 of this guide ~ make a note of them there for easy reference if you like. Introduction @ ‘This sistant helps you organise the information you need toaccess the Internet. Befure you bein this proces, you ‘may need to contact your ISP or network ediministrator To.aid an Intervet configuration, you wll ned to know the following ‘¢cnmsin name server (DNS) addresses and/or domainname ‘typeof configuration (PP, Ethernet, MacIP, or other) ‘your Internet Protcal(1P) adress, subnet meak, router adresses In addition, if you ezess the Internet vie # modem, you vill need: * your 15P's phone number = Your user name and password as registered with the ISP Click the right arrow to continue Double-click on the Internet Setup Assistant in the Assistants folder on your hard disk. When prompted, click Yes to begin. On the next screen (shown in step Ton page 10 of this guide), click Yes if you already have an Internet account. You'll then see this screen, listing what information you might need (but you probably won‘t need some of it, such as subnet mask - if you will, your ISP will have told you). To continue, click the right arrow next to the number at the bottom of the screen. [Er Hemet Setup Assistant PPP Connect Scripts ig Does your ISP require that you use a PPP Connect Script when you tog in? Ore to PPP Connect Scripts are files that help your madem communicate with Your Internet Service Provider (ISP). These scripts are generally Supplied by your ISP. you need help finding or selecting a PPP Connect Script, consult your ISP or network administrator Click the right arrow to continue, ‘You may tave Been assigned your own IP (Internet protocol) address, Is there an IP addres for tis configuration? Ore @M% Click the rightarrow to continue [ais io] (afete] don't need a connect script. If you do, follow the Unless specifically told otherwise by your ISP, you instructions supplied by your ISP to install it. Again, unless specifically told otherwise by your ISP, it’s safe to assume you do not have an IP address to enter, so leave it set to No. Internet Connection Guide # Mactormat Get on-line existing ISP account ———— =SInternet setup Assistant =— internet Setup Assistant === guration name and connection type ‘Wat would you Lite to name this configuration? For example, “Home”, Work", “On The Post", et, It is alo common to tbe the ISP name ‘You con connect tothe Inter et either thraugh «phone Line (using 9 moder) or through a network (as ina corporate aie). f you plan to the Apple Reinate Acceso focal into a local network, click "Network How will you be connecting tothe lnter net? @ Fodem Network Click the right arrow to continue “What isthe phone number fr this configuration? Your ‘computer call this number to connect to the Internet. ‘hat name do you use vith tis service (also known a your log-in name or user 1D)? Leave thio field blank for guest acess inet is your password? You can leave this blenk, but you wll have to enter your password ech time you ue the Imer et er vice Click the right arrow to continue EO] (afate] name and select the Modem button as your Internet connection. Click the right arrow and you'll see a sereen asking you to specify what modem you're using - see step 2 on page 11 of this guide. Click the right arrow at ‘the bottom of the screen to continue. 2 Enter the name of your ISP as the configuration password as supplied by your ISP. (Remember, the dial-up access number is the one your Mac dials to connect to the Net, not the one you dial to get help or advice from your ISP's Support personnel.) 3. Enter your dial-up access number, username and Internet setup Assistant =o) SSS Ld ia — Domain Name Servers “ E-mail address and passvord é Domain name servers are entry points tothe Internet. Each ‘domain name server as its own DNS airess.& DNS adress is | ast of four nunters separated by full-stops (a in Some 1SPs et your DNS information When you connect. IF this is the tae, you can eave ths field Bank What i the ONS odireas (or addresses) for this configuration? Specity upto tenaf the. Enter each DNS abress ona separate line 795.40.11210 195.40,1191 ‘Ehat Is the Domain Name Cor fost nome) for this confguration? It is optional end consists of two ar mare words separated by full-stops (for Click the rightarrow to continwe. ‘What 19 the e-mail efdrexs for this configuration? s This dress is where people send you e-mail (for example chris@tsp.com or gat@company com or kellyescheol edu). ‘What isthe e-mail pesoword for this configuration? ‘You can leave this blank, but you ill have to enter your password when you want to receive mail ree ‘What i the quoting character you would like to use? This character recedes each Line of quoted text ofan email message [S| Click the right arrow to continue fate] (afs{o] information for you automatically when you connect, so if you haven't been supplied with the DNS IP address (or addresses), simply leave the DNS field blank. If you have been given more than one number, then enter the primary address first, followed by the secondary below. Enter your ISP's domain name in the bottom field. Z It's possible that your ISP will configure DNS Macformat ¢ Internet Connection Guide this will be a combination of your username and your ISP's domain name - username@domain.co.uk, for example. For simplicity, enter your password in the field below and leave the “quoting character” at its default. (What does this do? When you reply to an e-mail you've received, you normally have the option of including the text of the message you're replying to. Each line of it will begin with the “quoting character” - > is the usual one.) = u Enter your e-mail address on the next screen. Usually Get on-line SS internet Setup Assistant = [C= internet Setup Assistant =] E-Mail snd host computer ‘ane mall account for tis configuration? (Ff ‘i bxampe: mate pep lsp.com or slanemal company com) ‘This acount, als calleg your POP (Pst tice Protocol) secaunt, fo where you receive your e-mail nie rem ubontine co uk ‘iat fo the e-mail hast for this configuration? (for example <smtp.iapcom ar rail company com) LUsully called the SHTP (Simple Mat Transfer Protocol) host, this ‘computer is where your outgohm e-mail Is processed Click the right arrow to continue Newsgreup Host Computer % Newsgroups are an Inter et service you can use to folloy or Join ongoing discussions on a wide renge af subject “What isthe news aroup host for this configuration” (for example: ews isp com or ant company com) ‘This computer is sometimes referred tos your NNTP (Network News Transfer Protocol) host. (Optional) Click the right arrow to continue (alo [p The next screen, confusingly, asks for your “e-mail account” address. It does not want your e-mail address again. In this box you should enter your user- name followed by the @ symbol and then the address of your POP server (POPmail or incoming mail address). Your ISP's documentation will include this under one of these names. In the other box, enter the SMTP server (outgoing mail or mailhost) address as supplied by your ISP. the address of the NNTP or news server in this field. Tf you don’t have newsgroup access, you can just leave this box blank. J If your ISP supports newsgroup access, then enter jnternet Setup Assistant internet Setup Assistant a bo you use proxy servers for Internet connections? Proxy servera provide added security, and are sometirows requred if you are acessing the Internet from within corgorate setwork behind firewall Or ow Click the right arrow to continue ‘This assistant now has al the information necessary to complete your computer's Internet configuration To complete your Internet settings, click Go Ahead. To connec you can either se the emote Aooess section of the Contal trip, or Sou can use the Rernate Access Control Panel. For instruction, se Msc 1 Help. [H Connect when finished To make your changes, click Go Ahead Show Details Gancet_} (Go ahead }) (alvifo} Your ISP may have provided you a proxy or web- cache address. If you have this information, enter it here. You can leave it blank if your ISP doesn’t need ‘one. If you're not sure, it should do no harm to leave this blank (unless you're connecting from within your company network rather than over a modem ~ in which case your Network Administrator will help you out with this). You've entered everything that's required now. If you don't want to connect straight away, uncheck the Connect when finished box (that is, click in it to make the check-mark in it vanish). Click Go Ahead to let your Mac auto-configure itself for your ISP account. Next time you connect, your Mac will use the settings you've entered. Internet Connection Guide # Maeformat What the Assistant does The Internet Setup Assistant simply uses your replies to configure three Control Panels. This is what it did... pple’s Internet Sctup Assistant makes it casy A lo get on the Net. Provided you're armed with the “Ten things you'll need to know” (page 2 of this guide), getting on-line is no more complicated than answering a series of questions. What the Assistant doesn't do, directly, is tell you what it actually did with your answers (though it docs optionally display a summary of all the infor- mation you've entered at the end). To get you connected, the Internet Setup Assis- tant modifies just three Control Panels on your Mac. You can get on-line without the Assistant just by making the required changes in these Control Panels. (They should be in the Control Panels fol- der within the System Folder on your hard disk.) Knowing which altcrations you need to make to which Control Panels can ofien be the key to fix- ing things if they go wrong, and to getting on-line with other ISPs without having to go through the whole process again. This assiatant is ready to complete your Internet configuration with fe folowing information: Name: nicer Ennai Password ponesnenennenneny E-mail Address: E-mail (POP) Account: E-mail (SHTP) Host Newogroup Host fie-reukonline co uk nie remail ukonline co.uk Imai ukonlie 60 uk ews ukonline co.uk Domain Name: Ukootine co.uk ISP Phone Numter: 845383 1121 DS Adresses: 195.40.112.10, 195.40.119.1 Hide Details Gancet_} ([Goanead J (ae The Internet Setup Assistant is simply a step-by-step interface for configuring your system. At the end, you can review your settings. Macformat 4 Internet Connection Guide | met: @m or | eam @ to Ore | Caper it ne \ Once the Internet Setup Assistant has done its work, you can open the Modem Control Panel to see how the Assis- tant has configured it for the modem you specified. ppd serve» vere lbs sped server The TCP/IP Control Panel contains your ISP's primary and secondary domain name server addresses, plus its domain name. Again, these were entered for you by the Assistant. Remote Access (Home] | resister Quest | mmifiee The Assistant enters your username, your password and your ISP's dial-in access number in the Remote Access Control Panel (if you're using Mac OS 8.5) or the PPP Control Panel (if you have Mac OS 76, 8.0 or 8.1). | Getting on-line manually using Open Transport is faster than Classic Networking, and easy to set up, too... networking system included with the Mac OS ing your Internet Connection is simple — just three Control Panels to set, using details from your ISP (see page 2). With that done, you've now entered everything needed to connect to the Internet! But before you can use your Internet applications (such as Web browsers and e-mail software), you must use the PPP Control Panel to connect. Choose the Con- nection tab from within the Options in the PPP Control Panel and you can enable automatic con- nection. ‘This means you won't then need to select Connect before launching your applications. Once your Mac is connected, the button in PPP renames itself to Disconnect; you simply click it to log off. I f you're running Open Transport, Apple's new Installing OT on older Systems If you're not already running Open Transport, how do you install it? Assuming your Mac can run it (sce page 8), you could upgrade to Mac OS 7.6 or newer; or if you want to stick with your older Sys- tem (though OT does require at least 7.1 to run), it can be downloaded from the Net (which of course requires a Net connection already...). Once Open Transport has been installed, you need to install PPP dialler software. Apple’s own. OT/PPP is by far the simplest to configure and use, OT/PPP v1.0 requires System 7.5.3 or later Gf you have an older System, you can also download 7.5.3 — but really you should upgrade to 7.5.5, which is much more stable, or 7.6). The OT/PPP V1.0 installer is also available for download; or if you have Mac OS 7.6 or 7.6.1 you'll find it on your original System CD in the CD Extras folder. Tip: the files you don’t need If you try to open the AppleTalk Control Panel but get an crror message saying that “OTGlobalLib” is g, don't try to look for it, I's actually nota arate file but part of the Open'TransportLib file. Similarly you may get a message under Mac OS 8 that “OTUtilityLib” is missing. I too isn’t a separate file. The full list of OT components is on page 17: the solution is to ensure that all are present mi het mack: vbw gpd server > Roster atrecs: <b pte by eorver > | | | | oe | | | EJ TCP/IP: Set the Connect via: option to PPP. Configure should be set to Using PPP Server unless your ISP has told you otherwise. In the Name server addr: field, enter the IP addresses of your ISP's primary and secondary DNS server. In the Search domains: field enter your ISP's domain name. (See page 15 for an example configuration.) Where can you get it? Open Transport is installed as standard with Mac 0S 7 and newer, and that's the best way to get it If you don’t have that, but you are running a System between 71 and 75.5, all the software needed for OT is freely downloadable from Apple's Support FTP site; the addresses are below. If you don't have access to a Mac with a working Internet connection (or a friend with one), contact your ISP and ask if they can send you the software on CD-ROM or floppy disk. Open Transport vL1.1 ftp://ftp.info.euro.apple.com/Apple.Support-Area/ Apple_SW_Updates/English-British/Macintosh/ Networking-Communications/Open_Transport/ OT-PPP v0 installer ftp://ftp.info.euro.apple.com/Apple.Support.Area/ Apple_SW_Updates/US/Macintosh/ Networking-Communications/Open_Transport/ OT_PPP_1.O-sea.hqx System 7.53 ftp://ftp.info.euro.apple.com/Apple.Support.Area/ Apple_SW_Updates/English-British/Macintosh/ System/Older_System/System_75_ Version 75.3/ Internet Connection Guide # Macformat Open Transport Moiem mec ERA =) sent @ Om | | ome: @rwe Ore | | Ci tarred teow i 2 Modem: Choose which port your modem or ISDN adaptor is connected to. Choose its model (or the nearest you can find) below and select whether you wish to hear it dialling. If your telephone makes electronic “beep” sounds when you dial then leave the dialling option set to Tone; if it “whirrs” choose Pulse. Unless you're connecting through an office telephone exchange, you don’t need to Ignore dial tone. Get on-line @ resistored| ie oi Const j (penis — CO ssave password | | a — PPP: Enter your username and password, as supplied by your ISP. Save password saves you having to type it in each time, but you may prefer to do so if other people use your Mac. Enter the ISP's dial-up access number and close the Control Panel to save your settings without connecting. Open Transport needs the following files to function ~ check that they're all present. (The latest versions are indicated.) For more on OT, see also page 8. 1 Extensions: Serial (Built-in) (v1.3.3) Shared Library Manager Shared Library Manager PPC 2 Shared Libraries (also in Extensions folder): OpenTptAppleTalkLib (v1.3) OpenTptInternetLib (v1.3) OpentransportLib (v1.3) (On pre-PowerMac models, "68K" versions of these libraries are required for Open Transport to work. They are not needed on PowerMacs and will actu- ally slow them down, so search for Libraries with "68K" in their names and remove them if found.) 1 Other support files (also in Extensions folder): Open Tpt AppleTalk Library (v1.3) Open Tpt Internet Library (v1.3) Open Transport Library (v1.3) (Confusingly, these are not the same as the Shared Libraries with almost-identical names; you need both sets of files in your Extensions folder.) 1 Control Panels: AppleTalk (vl) TCP/IP (v1.3) Open Transport/PPP In addition to all these, to connect to the Net over a modem or ISDN line you need OT/PPP, a version of PPP (point-to-point protocol). OT/PPP requires Open Transport 1.1.1 or later, plus these files: 12 Shared Libraries (in Extensions folder): OpenTpt Modem (v1.0/v3.0) OpenTpt Remote Access (v1.0/v3.0) (68K Macs need their own version of these instead: these have "68K" in their names.) Opentpt Serial Arbitrator (v1.0/v3.0): only useful if you have fax software set to monitor for incoming faxes. It is however known to cause some conflicts; remove it if you don’t need it. 1 Control Panels: Modem (v1.0/v3.0) PPP (vLO). (In the latest versions of the Mac 0S, and also if you have upgraded to Apple Remote Access 3.0, this is replaced by the Remote Access Control Panel.) If you're using the Setup Assistant You may also find a file called Internet Access in your Extensions folder. This is a shared library required by the Internet Dialer, Internet Setup Assistant and other Apple-supplied Internet connection aides - it is part of the Apple Internet Connection Kit and the Mac OS 8 Internet Access Kit, for instance. It works with the Internet Config Preferences file to specify Internet settings. Macformat 4 Internet Connection Guide Get on-line Getting on-line manually using If your Mac isn’t running Open Transport, here’s how to configure it for Net access using MacTCP and FreePPP... ne of the essential System components for 0 getting connected is MacTCP. Check to sec if it’s in your Control Panels or your original system disks. If you don’t have it, your ISP should be able to provide you with a copy — phone their support desk and ask. (Apple’s latest version is, 2.0.6; v2.0.8 is an unofficial “bug-fix” but is fine.) MacTCP can’t be downloaded free from the Net ‘Once you've the installed MacTCP, you need to install PPP dialler software (to establish a dial-up connection with your ISP). Various di available, but the most commor MacPPP. FrecPPP is actually based on MacPPP and has made many improvements both graphically and technically. We recommend FreePPP for its ease of installation and setup. SNMP Macintosh Agent, SNMP MaclCP Agent, nager, SNMP 'TCP/IP Transport, and Mac AP Client (all v1.0.2) are all installed under sie Networking by the MaclCP 2.0.2 installer. \cy are not needed under MacTCP 2.0.6 (or O1); remove them if you find them on your Mac, PPP software variants Several software packages are available to pro- vide dial-up PPP access to your ISP. FreePPP is the most popular, so we've featured it here. Your ISP may have supplied you with different PPP software, such as MacPPP/ConfigPPP, InterPPP or SonicPPP. The principles of configuring these are the same, although their interface can vary. You can download FreePPP from the address below, but if you don’t know anyone who already has Net access to download it for you, don't want FreePPP or can't see how our guide applies to what you have, contact your ISP for instruc- tions on configuring your software. FreePPP (for Classic Networking) http://www.rockstar.com/ppp.shtml. Tastall reePPP 262 = — Custom tal onthe rer at ef if you wish to canta wach software wal be stad Sper e130 emameaccMe mayen ences reread ee 2 = rm eS cc) J Launch the FreePPP Installer and follow the on- screen prompts to install it. Restart your Mac when the installer has finished. (SE recount |S ovaiup |[ Options ] ‘Main Number: iat area code C]Dial as long distance filternate Number 1 firea code: _ Phone number: dio! area code [Dial as tong distonce fiternate Number 2 firea code: Ss prone number, [—Y (eoner) CH) a Enter the area code of your ISPs dial-up access line and the phone number. Click the Dial area code if the area code of the ISP is different from your telephone area code. If your ISP has more than one dial-up number, enter them in the Alternate number fields. Then click the Options tab at the top of the window to continue. Internet Connection Guide # Macformat TreePrT Setup a on (8 Generat | (HE accounts | (7 Locations Allow applications to open connection Ei check tine state when connected EA Show alerts during connect and disconnect Hon connect, open FreePPP Setup application Coven appt Open TPP...) yin a Open the FreePPP Setup application inside the FreePPP folder which has been installed on your hard disk. Click the triangle to make the window larger, revealing various configuration options. (BE necount |(E oiaiup (Options | Password: [7 | CAReconnect automatically if connection drops. Click the Accounts tab and press the Edit button to configure your ISP account. Enter the name of your ISP in the Account name field, along with the user- name and password supplied by your ISP (see page 2). Then click the Dialup tab of the window to continue. Bomein nome: [netgates.co.uk_] Primary ONS: [193.63.170.100 Secondary ONS: [193.63.170.101 [Heonngure ar TCP/IP for this Recount IP address: @ Assigned by PPP server o [0.00 — |] * a FreePPP Location Configuration Location name: [ome mea cose: [01275] Long sistance pret, linen account area code does not match location area code: ‘Dial account area code without long distance prefin ~ mn vorereme [| pl | a< | Concet) (Cox) B, Enter your ISP's domain name in the Domain name field. Enter the address of the primary and secondary DNS servers in the relevant fields. (If your ISP hasn't provided a secondary DNS address, leave that field blank - see page 2.) Unless specifically told otherwise by your ISP, you should set your IP address to Assigned by PPP server. Click the OK button to continue. Macformat 4 Internet Connection Guide configure your location settings. Enter an appropriate name (e.g. "Home" or “Office”) in the Location name field. Enter your telephone area code and select Dial account area code without dialling long distance prefix from the pop-up menu. If you need to dial a prefix for an outside line (if you're connecting through your office switchboard, say), enter it in the Dial prefix box, before clicking OK. = b Click the Locations tab and press the Edit button to FreePPP Modem Configuration Connected to: Ta Speoker enapied EdMangup on disconnect _UPerforma internat modem Otong re-dial delay last modem initialization ‘Modem init string settings: @ Autooetect init si Use: MacicP. Ether Talk Ethernet Pauwess: (0050 configure your modem. Enter an appropriate name (eg. the name of your modem) in the Modem config name field and select which port the modem is connected to. If your telephone makes electronic “beep” sounds when you dial then leave the dial type set to Tone; if it “whirrs” choose Pulse. If you want to hear your modem dial, enable the speaker option. Leave the remaining options alone, unless specifically told otherwise by your ISP, Click OK to continue. u Click the Modems tab and press the Edit button to “obtain Address: -— —=IP Address B Quit the set-up application and restart your Mac. 1 Open the MacTCP Control Panel and select FreePPP. (If you're using another PPP variant, it should appear here in the same way.) Click the More button to continue. LE OMonuatty crass] Address: 0.0.0.0 @ server subnet Mask: 255.0.0.0, (dynamically Net | Subnet | Node pus: 24 Net ey ewe Routing Informatio Seenett & — Otek Gateway Address: Node: fo) Qhack aaa domain Name Server Information: L = Domain AP ndaress CS) Cored | 2 Click OK and enter your IP address if you have one, or Rj leave it set to "0.0.0.0". Close the Control Panel, restart your Mac and you're ready to connect. hee seme t a e ives. reo: [laws] ‘M General | (BE Accounts Tocations (@E Modems Allow applications to open connection [Disconnect if idte for[_10 minutes >} x Ea Check tine state when connected [Show alerts during connect and disconnect ta connect, open FreePPP Setup application Dlopen application on connect... To connect to your ISP, you can either open FreePPP |. setup or use the FreePPP menu in the top right corner of the menu bar. Choosing Connect either way will cause your modem to dial into your ISP's server and enable you to run your Internet applications. Once you're connected, the button and menu item rename to Disconnect = selecting this will end your Internet session. Internet Connection Guide # Macformat Automatic configuration? Setup kits and configuration utilities are supposed to make life easier, but do they just make it more confusing? he idea of an Internet connection kit is T perfectly sound, Setting up TCP and PPP Control Panels manually could well prove daunting to complete beginners, and a step-by- step walkthrough that simply asks the necessary questions and then does the job for you is the idcal solution in these cases However, there’s more than one connection kit on the market (many ISPs supply their own), they work in different ways, and they may install different/older versions of System software you've got already, clouding the issue still further. Many kits also install software like Web browsers and e-mail programs, and it may be impossible to dis- entangle useful items like these from Control Panels and System Extensions you don’t want Apple's Internet Setup Assistant, examined in depth on pages 10 to 15, is pretty foolproof, and probably the best solution yet. It takes over where the old Apple Internet Connection Kit left off... The AICK was a good idea, but it proved con- fusing to use and to configure for different ser- vices. It hid all the technicalities so successfully that it was difficult to work out what it had done ind why. It wasn’t popular among ISPs or other support professionals, for similar reasons. Unless your Mac has the Internet Setup Assistant (or you trust your ISP’s own kit), our view is that you're better off configuring your Control Panels manually — at least you'll know what's going on. Internet Config Apple’s Internet Connection Kit may have been of limited value, but there’s one utility that is genuinely useful — Internet Config, Configuring your Mac for the Internet can be a time-consuming business. There are endless set- lings and addresses to enter into every Internet application you use — and, what’s worse, you often find yourself entcring the same informati such as your e-mail address, over and over again in each one. Internet Config was introduced in an attempt to serve as a centralised database of these Macformat 4 Internet Connection Guide ‘Acwwe et [matted 8) | Mac OS 8.5's Internet Control Panel is the front-end to Internet Config - possibly the most time-saving configura- tion utility of them all. essential settings and configurations Since its introduction several years ago, Internet Config has gone through several incarnations, cach version better than the last. It's now incor- porated in the Mac OS as the Internet Config Extension, You don’t interact with this Extension directly, but use various configuration applications, In Mac OS 8.5, the Internet Control Panel is a front-end to Internet Config, enabling you to con- figure its settings easily. Without Mac OS 8.5, Internet Config is configured with the /mernet Config Setup application, The interface can vary between versions, but the configuration settings are virtually identical whichever way you do it — provided you go to the Edit menu and choose Advanced from the User mode option. Do this or you'll be able to change only a few basic settings. Applications must be written specifically to support the retrieval of Internet Configs settings, so some older programs may require you to enter some settings again. The majority of applications released in the last year, though, and virtually all of those being released now, are Internet Config, compliant ~ check the applications’ ReadMe files, Internet Config is an invaluable companion for anyone with an Internet connection, If you don’t have Mac OS 8.5, you can download the latest version of the Internet Config package from hitp://www.stairways.com/stairways/ic/ index.html. I's worth spending ten minutes or so configuring it with the information provided by your ISP because, once it’s done, you may never need to enter it again! Choosing an ISP BE uiae Do you want vetted, high-quality content, 24-hour technical support or simply a cheap connection to the Internet? There's sure to be an Internet service provider to suit you... he equipment necded to connect directly to T the Internet is expensive and beyond the budget of individuals or small companies. This is the province of Internet service providers (ISPs), companies which connect individuals (and smaller companies) to the Internet on a temporary basis via “dial-in” numbers. When you (or your Mac, to be precise) dial in, your modem connects with a modem at the ISP end, the two modems establish communication, and while they remain connected you have access to the Internet. ISPs have whole banks of modems waiting for calls from subscribers. Not surprisingly, though, they don’t have a modem waiting for each one. ‘There may be times (rare these days) when you call up and all the modems are engaged. Some ISPs publish “modem-to-uscr” ratios as a selling point, but nobody ean guarantee you an instant connection every time you dial in. Why they charge ‘This hardware isn’t cheap. And running costs arc high, too, since the ISP must pay high line rental costs, must employ engineers to fix any faults, and will run technical help and sales departments too That's why you have to pay an account fe (usually monthly). It’s like paying your telephone company for providing and maintaining your tclephone service. Some ISPs now offer a “free service, but you still pay for the phone call and they usually get a cut of that. More on this shortly Free Web space In addition to connecting you to the Internet, most ISPs offer further services. One of these is free Web space so that you can set up your own Web ite. ‘The reasons why you might want to do this are as varied as Web users themselves. You might want to share your hobby with other people, or you might want to promote your business. If this is of interest to you, find out how much free Web space you get, and whether you're allowed to use it for commercial purposes — some ISPs offer separate “business” services which they may insist you swap to if you want to do this. You may get, say, only 5MB of Web space. But don't worry — this goes a lot further than SMB of hard disk space. This is largely because graphics designed for use on the Web are kept very com- pact (normally in the very economical GIF and JPEG formats) — they have to be, because bigger files take longer to download, and potential viewers of your Web page aren’t going to sit wait while their phone bills mount up. and News servers As well as free Web space, your ISP will almost certainly provide access to Internet newsgroups via a “news server”, There are now tens of thou- sands of newsgroups, and these are routinely copied around the world on to various different “news servers”. Your ISP may provide only a selected or limited range of these newsgroups Multiple e-mail addresses All Internet accounts come with an c-mail address, but many ISPs offer five or more. What's the point? Well, if your whole family is using your Mac for Net access, cach person can send e-mail with their own name on it, In a small business, you could set up an e-mail address for one or two specific employees, another for “sales”, another for “technical support” and so on, and route incoming mail to the right recipient. (Note that multiple e-mail addresses is not the same as multiple accounts — ask your ISP if you're unsure.) Internet Connection Guide # Macformat Technical support On the subject of technical support, this is some- thing that your ISP should provide. Although this guide sets out to tell you everything you should need to know to get connected, it’s still possible to encounter problems specific to your ISP or your hardware/sofiware set-up. ISPs often update and change their services, to0, so you may need their help in re-configuring your system Free ISPs “Free” ISPs are big news at the moment. ‘The first “free” services were financed by “banner” ads on the pages you viewed, but then someone had the bright idea of exploiting BI’s discounts on leased lines. You don’t pay a charge to the ISP, but you do pay for the call, and the ISP takes a cut of this. “Free” ISPs carn revenue equivalent to local call ates when subscribers call in, and the difference between this revenue and what they have to pay BT is enough to support the service. There are no strings. But don’t expect free Web space, free support (quite the contrary!) or any other frills. On-line Services CompuServe, AOL and UK Online are “On-line services” or information providers as well as ISPs. ‘They do offer Internet access, but their principal service is premium-quality, vetted (and often ex- clusive) information. They don’t cost a fortune, but you have to want the information they offer. Their “kid-safe” channels are often popular with parents. We've listed all the companies offered by the Internet Setup Assistant ("), plus a selection of other Mac-friendly Internet service providers. The monthly fee quoted is for unlimited Internet access and includes UK VAT at 175%. “Multiple” e-mail addresses give you the option of creating as many custom addresses as you wish. Name Phone number 56K Tech FreeWeb E-mail Monthly of ISP for enquiries standards ISDN? _ support. space addresses fee Abel Internet 01314455555 _all Yes 7 days, 14 hrs 10MB Multiple S116 Atlas Internet (01713120400 V90, flex Yes 7 days, 6 hrst None © Multiple £1175 * Professional Web hosting service for businesses offered AOL* 0800 376 5432 all No 7 days, 9hrst 10MB 5 £1695 = * Includes extra exclusive content ** Unlimited access. Low-usage: £495 for three hours, then £2.35 per hour BT ClickFree 0800 7317887 flex Yes days, 16 hrs _ None Multiple Free * BT Internet 0800800001 flex Yes ‘days, 24frs ~——«10MB™ 55 U7 * * Plan Unlimited account. Plan 180: £4.70 for thvee hours, then £2.35 per hour (no Web space or e-mail) Serve* 0990 000200 v90 Yes 7 days, 16 hrs 5MB 1 £1795 * Includes extra exclusive content ** Unlimited access. Low-usage: £6.20 for five hours, then £195 per hour * Demon Internet 0845 272 2666 __all Yes. 7 days, 24 hrs _15MB Multiple £175 * Direct Connection 0800 072 0000 _V90, flex Yes 7 days, 7hrs+ _20MB Multiple £1350 Easynet 0845 333 4000 _V90,flex __Yes 7 days, 24 hrs Unlimited Multiple £1199 Enterprise Internet 0845 604 0174 V90. flex Yes. 7 days, 6 hrst_ 25MB Multiple £11.75 Global Internet 0870 909 8076 Vi90, flex Yes 7 days, 24 hrs 50MB Multiple N/A® * £35.24 per quarter (equals £11.75 per month) *LineOne 0800111210 all Yes 7 days, 16 hrs 5OMB 5 £999 NetDirect 0800731 3311 all Yes T days, 9 frst 25MB Multiple £1409 NetMatters 01502 58000 __V90 Yes 7 days, 13 hrs _ 5MB 20 £14.10 Nildram 0800 496 2910 _V90, flex “Yes 7 days, 14 brs 25MIB Multiple £11.75 Pavilion Internet 08453335000 V90,flex Yes. 7 days, 16 hrst Unlimited Multiple £14.75 Power Internet 01908 605188 _V90, flox Yes. Tdays, 24 hrs 25MB Multiple £14.10 Prestel Online 0990 223300‘ V90.X2__‘Yes. 7 days, 24 hrs Unlimited Multiple £1056 UK Online 0845 333. 4500 _V90,flex Yes 7 days, 24 hrs Unlimited Multiple ‘£1199 * Virgin Net 0500 558800 _all TBA 7 days, 24hrs_10MB 5 £1199 All details are correct as we go to press, but please check details carefully with ISPs before signing up. Mactormat 4 Internet Connection Guide Browsing the Web The World Wide Web is the popular, graphical, dynamic face of the Internet. Here's how it works, and how you can get more out of it. he World Wide Web (‘the Web” for short) is T the collective term for millions upon millions ges” of information that you on-screen, with graphics as well as text with video, sound or animation too. Web browsers are the programs that fetch these pages and display them on your Mac. But Web pages aren't like ordinary documents. Word pro- cessing documents or spreadsheets, for example, re already formatted with specific fonts, margin tings, document sizes and so on. Web pages, though, are nothing more than raw text with em- bedded codes telling your Web browser how to reconstruct them on your screen. ‘There are two reasons for this. First, plain text files, even with embedded codes, are small and therefore much faster to transmit. Second, it has to be possible to view Web pages on many different types of comput d soon) with different screen si ting systems... or ae ee “itwasa bug, Dave. Only Macintosh was designed to function perfec Web pages consist mostly of text, graphics and links. The latest HTML enhancements and design techniques, though, enable designers to create striking, interactive Web sites. In fact, ITTML (Hypertext Markup Language, the code used to construct Web pages) is the closest thing to a “standard” file format in computing Your Web browser, then, reconstructs Web pages from the information embedded in the HTML file. The graphics you sce on the page, though, are not in this file. Inst are codes in the HTML file which tell the browser to fetch any graphics needed, where to get them, where to put them on the page and how big they should be. his is why you sometimes see pages with mis ing graphics — empty boxes containing a “broken graphics” symbol. Your browser has looked for the picture requested, but not found it Graphics take much longer to download (fetch onto your Mac) than text, and for this reason some pcople prefer to switch off the graphics dis- play in their browsers. This isn’t a very popular Netscape or Explorer? There are two dominant Web browsers: Netscape Com- municator and Microsoft Internet Explorer. Both are free, and they're often supplied together, on Mac OS CDs and magazine Cover CDs for example. Both are up to version 4.5, and now PowerMac-only. Both are up-to-date, and there are more similarities between them than differences, but they do diverge in approach (Netscape puts bookmarks in the menu bar at the top of the screen; Explorer has a “Favourites” tab to the side), and in features (the newer Explorer 4.5 is far more Mac-friendly than it was, and has made it easier to print or copy Web pages). Netscape Navigator is the browser part of the Com- municator suite, which also includes an e-mail program, newsgroup reader and an effective Web page designer. Explorer comes with a very good e-mail program (Out- look Express), which also handles newsgroups. Explorer dominates on the PC, thanks to aggressive marketing and bundling with the Windows operating system. (Some Mac users reject it for that very reason.) Explorer 4 is a good browser but not your only choice: Netscape matches it, though the two tend to leapfrog each other, each new version adding improved features. (If you have a pre-PowerMac model, Netscape makes older versions of Navigator available for download. Microsoft has promised to re-release a 68K-compatible version of Explorer 4.1. If your Mac is very ancient, hunt out MacWeb, an old browser with very modest system requirements ~ but frankly it can’t handle most, of the best stuff on modern Web pages.) Internet Connection Guide # Macformat hecho ® Seem wees Ie HTML is probably the closest the computing world will get toa “standard” format. The Futurenet Web site has to look the same on a Mac running Netscape Navigator... strategy these days, though, partly because of the increased speed of modems and Internet connec- tions and partly because many Web site designers now use highly sophisticated graphics-based lay outs — without the graphics, the page becomes confusing or navigation impossible Multimedia elements are becoming common, too, but you usually need “helper” software on your Mac for them to work, such as Macromed Flash player for certain animations, RealPlayer for audio and some video, and QuickTime for video. Luckily, many sites offer you the chance to down- load the helper software you'll need. Links you can't follow Most Web pages you see are stored on computers permanently connected to the Internet (“servers”). When you enter a Web address (a URL or Uniform Resource Locator) into your browser it locates that page by first finding the right server, then the right page. All this information is built into the Web address. However, once you've found one Web page, you can follow links to others, which aren’t necessarily stored on the same computer or even in the same continent. Either a piece of text (con- ventionally coloured blue) or a graphic can be a link to another Web page, and many designers are now using pop-up menus and “image-maps” — cr images with clickable zones that take you to different destinations. That’s why you have to wait for your browser to find and fetch each new page — or why it sometimes can’t follow a link at all us design Web sites, you'll soon discover, vary an awful lot in terms of design. Although the HTML language was once very basic, enabling you to do little more than insert pictures into text, make words a Mactormat 4 Internet Connection Guide «as it does on a Windows PC running Internet Explorer 4. Web pages are not pre-formatted - they arrive with a set of instructions on how your browser should “build” them. bit bigger or a bit smaller, and add links, it’s now capable of magazine-style multi-column layouts and the kind of sophisticated navigation and inter- action you expect to see in multimedia CD-ROMS. Mostly, these designs are actually built around very simple “tables”. Many designers also use “frames”, though, which are effectively individual Web pages displayed in two or more “panes” in the same window. Frames can be a very effecti design and navigation tool. In the wrong hands, though, they can be highly confusing and incon- sistent, So as you browse some of the Web’s more experimental Web sites, don’t be surprised if you get lost now and then. Reliability ‘The Net is not 100% reliable, either. International telecoms links may break down or, more likely, just get overcrowded. It's a well-known phenom- enon for UK users that the Internet slows down when the American continent wakes up around lunchtime — UK evening call rates are cheaper, but delays and download times can be longer Individual Web sites can be unreliable, too. Sites set up by individuals or well-meaning amateur organisations can be very flaky indeed, with poor design, links or graphics that don’t work properly and a multitude of “Under Construction” signs, On a local level, your ISP’s modems might all be busy. This isn't a common problem these days, but it’s still possible to dial up your ISP only to get an “engaged” tone. Just try again straight away — ISPs have so many users, and so many modems, that people are logging on and off every second. Save money by browsing off-line Doing the same can save you money, too. Using the Internet can be a costly business, even at Sie Tat te oom Commenter Finding the Web sites you want can be time-consuming! The Yahoo site combines a search engine with a browsable directory of Web sites organised by subject matter. local call rates, At a typical daily rate of Sp per 75 seconds, for example, your Internet connection is costing you £2.40 an hour —and it’s easy to spend an hour or more on the Internet One solution is to limit your browsing to off- peak times. This won't always be feasible, though, especially if you use the Internet at work. Instead, then, you need to browse the Web intelligently. Here’s how. As soon as you visit a page, your browser copies it to your hard disk in an area called its cache. (That’s why it’s faster to revisit the page during the same session — your browser doesn't have to download it all over again.) You can increase the size of your browser's ache so that it stores not just the last few Web pages you visited, but the last few dozen, Instead of spending costly on-line time reading through everything, you can then study these pages in “off- line” mode without even being connected to the Internet (that is, without a live phone connection) unless you follow a link to a new page. Tips on searching If you don't know the address of the Web page you want, or you simply want to take a look around, try one of the many directory sites or search engines (see page 27). Yahoo, for example, organises Web sites into categories and by subject matter. Internet search engines work like the Find function in your word processor, but they search the whole Internet for matches. This can produce rather too many results, but most search engine: offer advanced options where you can specify whole phrases or sentences to search for, or com- binations of words occurring separately in a Web page. Many also offer “intelligent” search functions that provide a long list of matching Web sites in order of potential relevance. Some enable you to Your browser will temporarily download any Web page you visit to a cache on your hard disk. If you increase the cache size, you can read pages “off-line” and save on phone bills. type in questions in plain English, too, including Mae OS 8.5’s built-in Sherlock, which also offers many other time-saving features (check your Mac OS 8.5 documentation for the details). The bigger the better? ‘The Internet is such a vast place, and the range of content so diverse, that even the best search en- gine can be a bit too hit-and-miss. Search engines may also not be the best solution for those who need accurate, verifiable information — journalists, for example ~ since for every useful Web site yielded by a search engine, there will be a dozen tun by ill-informed amateurs or cranks. As a rule of thumb, the quality of information on the Internet is roughly proportional to the of the organisation providing it. This doesn’t mean small Web sites are always wrong, but large organ- isations can't afford inaccuracies, either about their own products or those of their rivals. The same applies to news and other information. When you need accurate information, then, by all means use a scarch engine, but get as close to the source of the information as you can — if you want to find out about Adobe Illustrator, for exam- ple, go straight to the Adobe Web site, That said, of course, magazine Web sites and specialist news or reference sites can provide lots of impartial information, and it’s their job to be accurate! Savvy Net users have a range of strategies for finding what they want. Search engines play a part, but so do favourite Web sites, which contain not just useful information but links to other sites too ~ sites with good information generally have good links too. Although the creators of a Web site can’t usually vouch for the quality of the sites they offer links to, they're likely to have at least visited the site and judged it worth including. Internet Connection Guide # Macformat Bookmarking favourite sites You can use your browser's “pookmarks” to store your favourite Web addresses in an organised, structured list... enable you to store a Web site’s cess later via a book: ‘avourites folder. But don’t yf » whole idea of bookmarks is that they help you find a favourite page quickly, but they won't if it’s buried five layers deep in a bookmarking system that includes half the Web sites in the world Different people will have different ideas about bookmarking, but if you find yourself visiting the same Web pages half a dozen times, then maybe worth marking, Don't simply record bookmarks in one long list. You can set up any number of sub-folders for ing your bookmarks according to subject- nple, and this will make it much ier to find sites when you want them And don’t forget to clear out your bookmarks periodically — junk quickly accumulates! | Netscape Navigator uses a structured folder system, much like the Mac's own Finder, to store bookmarks. It takes slightly longer to set up, but saves much more time later. Macformat ¢ Internct Connection Guide MacFormat’s favourite hookmarks Apple Computer http//www.apple.com/ One of the most popular of all sites on the Web, Apple's stylish home page is the gateway to a wealth of Macintosh-related information, including the latest Apple news, technical support and essential software updates. The Apple Store UK http://www_apple.com/ukstore/ Now you can use the Web to buy a Mac direct from Apple; or just play with the delightful customisation options to create your fantasy Mac set-up. Yahoo UK & Ireland nttpy//www-yahoo.co.uk/ Thousands of Web site addresses divided into clearly-labelled categories - an essential directory. Search the whole Web or just UK sites. Excite UK http://www.excite.co.uk/ ‘One of the Web's most popular search engines, helping you locate the exact site you're looking for ‘out of millions. Download.com http://www.download.com/ These days, more and more publishers are offering try-before-you-buy demos. Visit Download.com for a huge array of demos, previews and giveaways. BBC News littp://www.bbe.co.uk/news/ Just as authoritative on the Web as it is on the box, the BBC brings you up-to-the-minute news and current affairs 24 hours a day. MacCentral http://www.maccentral.com/ Our favourite Mac news site includes daily, even hourly updates, plus entertaining opinion columns. and a games spin-off site. A great Mac read. MacFormat http://www.macformat.com/ MacFormat's official Web site includes a compre- hensive buyer's guide to Mac products, plus all the latest news and gossip about Britain's best-selling Macintosh magazine. Efficient e-mail It's true of Web browsers, and true here: which e-mail program you choose isn't as important as what you do with it when you've got it... ny people find that their e-mail program FAN i intsserssis nc ows While the Web is all about information, e-mail is all about communication. Just as the phone has almost completely supplanted the letter as a means of staying in touch with friends and family, so e-mail is threatening to do the same to business correspondence — or even to the phone. The biggest revolution is in international com- munications. Most people struggling with a second language find it much casier to decipher a written e-mail than speech, with all its imperfections, in- flections and regional accents, Even when you're both talking the same language, it can be much easier to express a complex idea — or a conten- tious point! — in carefully-composed words rather than in a live conversation, when you are put on the spot in more senses than one. Most of all, you can send an e-mail at any time of day, without having to allow for different global time zones. What's more, telephone conversations are tran- sitory. Unless you take notes (or record them), there’s no permanent record of what was said, by whom and when, But you can keep, archive, and even search your e-mail correspondence You can forward it to others, too, cither singly or as a group. No matier how many people you send an ¢-mail to, you only have to send it once — the Internet looks after the re: How it works When you send an e-mail message, it travels from your Mac to your ISP’s mail server. From here, it's routed around the Internet according to the ¢-mail address of the recipient(s). It ends up on their ISP's mail server, waiting for them to log on to download their e-mails, Similarly, your ISP will be storing c-mails addressed to you, ready for when (Fela) ele When Claris products were split up between FileMaker Inc and Apple, Claris Emailer 2 disappeared. A shame, since many reckon it’s the nicest, neatest e-mail program ever. you log on to download them. Your e-mail program will make this an almost transparent process. You'll often send.and receive at the same time, by clicking a single button, when the sofiware will send any messages in your Outbox and download any waiting messages into your Inbox, Good e-mail software will also give you the option of composing and reading your messages off-line, so you pay phone call charges only for the time it takes to actually transfer messages between your Mac and the ISP server. E-mail addresses and address books E-mail addresses may look like gibberish, but they're actually quite straightforward, Somewhere in the middle there will be an @ symbol. To the left of this is the recipient’s name (or nickname, or company name); to the right is the computer that stores their e-mail messages (or strictly, their ISP's domain location). That’s all there is to it This makes e-mail addresses a little easier to re- member, but much of the time you might not have to because your e-mail program will store these details in its address book. Typically, you might only have to start typing out the recipient's name when you compose a message and the software will look it up and complete it automatically Address books are very easy to compile, too, because every time someone sends you a message their e-mail address will be included. Mos programs can automatically create a ne book entry from any message you reccive. Links on and to iets sites Web sites can have special ¢-mail links so that you can contact a company’s es department directly, say, or send a query to a company’s technical sup- port department. If you develop your own Web Internet Connection Guide # Macformat No junk please | “Junk e-mails" are every bit as tiresome as the paper circulars that drop ugh your letterbox ~ particu- larly as you have to wait while they download. When you send an e-mail, visit a newsgroup or (sometimes) “even browse a Web page, companies can extract your e-mail address, and many make a living out of selling-on tens of thousands of "random" addresses. account with multiple i choose a “ju site, it’s a feature you might like to build in. $i larly, you can promote your company’s Web site by including a link to it in your e-mail messages. If your e-mail program (and your “UITML-enabled”, this will be a “hot” link — that is, one that will open the recipient’s browser at your Web page when they click on it. All this and formatting too Most e-mail programs now support HTML format- ting. This means you can use different font si and colours, insert graphics a bulleted lists to your me: Web sites. If the recipient's program is not HTML- enabled, though (or if they've got this feature switched off), the message will arrive as plain text but with a Web page “attached” Net guide Kids and newsgroups Don't let your kids visit newsgroups unattended, any more than you'd let them talk to strangers on the telephone. In once case recently, a child in America was abducted by someone she had “met” on the Internet, who posed as another child and tricked her into meeting her at a secret location. _ Newsgroups can be useful forums for discussion for adults, but dangerous places for children. You've got no way of knowing the age, sex or purpose of the people you're dealing with, especially in groups that deal with popular culture, like music or films, rather than specific technical subjects. Any | postings you "make to newsgroups are public and include your. e-mail address - and (if you've set these up inthe “signature” automatically added to messages you send) even your telephone ‘number and address. E-mail attachments Attachments (sometimes called one of the most useful things about ally in business. By attaching a file to an you can send a copy of your company 3 a colleague in San Diego, or a pic your family to your Aunt Maude in Ch ‘Attaching « file to an ¢-mail is far, far quicker than copying it to a floppy disk and posting it. Mailing lists Finally, e-mail-based mailing lists are much more useful than the junks mail you get through your letterbox. Many organisations run mailing lists to keep people up to date with news, developments or leisure interests. They're cheap to set up and run, so they're ideal for small clubs and societies Tam FE] Sond Melk Message Composition | Re rae cae ie Select Fite to Attach: am ——_ pee fe (SJ microtaser 600 (ororwrter Dor bill Here tard) [C) Product database an veil sna |f Wastebaste A Frnt i All e-mail programs have address books. These can contain not just an e-mail address, but other contact information ‘too and - in the case of Netscape Messenger ~ a page of notes, which could be useful in business. Macformat 4 Internet Connection Guide E-mail messages can have attachments. It's the easiest way to send files to colleagues or friends, and it’s one of the reasons why iMac doesn't need a floppy disk drive ~ with an Internet connection, you can transfer files instantly. Subscribe and save up to 33% More advice, more guidance and all the information you need to keep up to date - all in MacFormat, and all yours for up to 33% off cover price! acFormat is Britain’s best-selling Macin- tosh magazine. Its the magazine for all hands-on Macintosh users: G MacFormat covers the whole range of Mac uses, from graphics to games, DTP to databases, multi- media to music, the Internet to education. It’s not just for the design studio professional or the sys tems manager; i's the magazine for everyone who uses a Mac at home, at work or in education. 1G Macl¥ormat looks at things from the hands-on user's point of view, so we don’t review demos or betas; we review only the finished, shipping products you can actually buy, and we'll tell you straight what’s worth your money and what isn’t We have a cast-iron policy of editorial indepen- dence, We are not influenced by whether 1 facturers or supplicrs advertise in the magazine. They find out the rating at the same time you do, when the magazine is published GD And, perhaps most importantly, MacFormat will never assume that you have money to burn, We'll keep you up to date with the news and new products, and we'll help you make a wise buying decision; but we're dedicated to helping you get more from the setup you've got. Our practical, step-by-step how-to's are the best in the business. On top of all this, MacFormat’s market-leading Cover CD-ROM every issue brings you demos so you can try software for yourself before you buy, selected shareware, valuable resources, and even complete commercial programs! Whether you're a Mac novice or veteran, Mac- Format will help you get more from your Mac, no ter what you use it for Where to find out more Ask for MacFormat at your newsagent, or visit our Web site at http://www.macformat.com/ to 7 Tiational Reoprapiie om Dy FEET A Complore vone most common Mac ost common Wa SL) srobiems sive!) 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Bank or Building Society account number [LILI ILI CT TT TT {1 | 5, Instruction to your Bank or Building Society Please ay Future Pushing Dect Debits from te acount dale on ths Isttlon subject to theses ase bythe Dire Dla Guarate: 1 understand that ts nsructon may remain wit Fulire Pubs ai sodas lb passed ltr to ny bak oF bull society / Signature(s) —_ Date Ref No (Office use only) ‘Barks a Bldg Soke yok act Dect Dab Instn for some ype of arnt t ' I i I I I t I I 1 I 1 I ' I I i I 1 I 1 I i 1 1 1 A ql 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 i i 1 1 1 ' 1 1 1 1 1 1 ! 1 ' 1 1 1 I t I t I I I i I I 1 I i I I I I I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1] ORDER CODE MCFOLsUPP99 L Macformat 4 Internet Connection Guide MacFormat's Internet Connection Guide & library of information that you can access in moments, even if you're sick or infirm. The least costly, least restricted way to spread your word. The greatest force for individual empowerment there has ever been. A way to reach customers, colleagues or potential clients no matter where they might be. An indigpensable business tool, and a growing means of entertainment. The Internet is all of this and more, all at once. Whatever your reason for wanting to get connected, this little booklet will get you on-line as quickly and as easily as possible. FIVE THINGS THE NET CAN DO Does your daily paper offer searchable, instantly accessible aychived news stories? Does your local computer shop offer free demos of 1,001 leading applications? Could you post your company’s annual sales spreadsheets tp your accountant for 2.5p, to arrive 30 seconds ldter? Do you know arly shops you can browse through without pushy sales assistants, without even having to leave home to visit? This book was een by four people in three separate locations, and no-one had to leave their office once! (Except to eat, obviously. And sleep. And Visit the loo. But you get the idea...) INSIDE: WHAT YOU NEED How the Internet works What you need to get connected Why do you need an Internet service provider? All you need to know about modems Do you need a new phone line? What System Extensions does your Mac need? Ten things you may never need to know (but you should ask your ISP anyway) HOW TO GET ON-LINE Getting connected the easy way - automatically Connecting to the ISP of your choice What the Internet Setup Assistant does for you Should you use your ISP's setup software