Connecting via Dial-up Modem


When all else fails, you might need to dial up to the Internet the old-fashioned way: by connecting your built-in modem to a phone cable that's plugged into a phone jack or the data port on the side of your room telephone.

You should bring your Internet Service Provider's (ISP) local, toll-free, or Internet dial-up numbers that you'll need to use while you're on the road. Be aware that most ISPs will charge an additional roaming fee to use these numbers. And, if you're staying at a hotel, you'll probably be charged additional dialing fees even for local calls.

To get a list of local dial-up phone numbers for your ISPbefore you go on the road, either visit its Web site or try looking on the List of ISPs (www.thelist.com) to see if the area you 're visiting is ser-viced by your current plan.


Though you should have created and tested your network settings options before you left home, the following section shows how to set up your laptop's internal modem to connect to the Internetmake sure that you have a modem! Take a quick peek at the back of your laptopif you see a jack with a phone icon next to it, you probably have a modem. If you don't have one installed, you can pick up either a USB-based or a PC Card modem from almost any computer hardware retailer.

What's a DNS number?

DNS (Domain Name Service) numbers are the numerical IP addresses associated with an Internet domain. Usually you know your domain by an alphabetic name, but behind all these clever names is an unmemorable address made up of numbers. Some ISPs will serve your DNS numbers to you automatically, and others require you to enter these numbers into your network settings manually before you can get online. Just to make sure you stay connected, get your DNS numbers from your ISP before you leave.


To configure Windows XP dial-up access

1.

Gather this information from your Internet Service Provider (ISP):

  • Username and password

  • Dial-up access phone number

  • DNS numbers for your ISP

2.

From the Start menu, choose Control Panel.

3.

Double-click the Network Connections icon.

If your screen is in Category view, it might be easier to configure if you switch it back to Classic view.

4.

Click Create a new connection under Network Tasks.

5.

On the New Connection Wizard Welcome screen that appears, click the Next button. When the Network Connection Type screen appears, select Connect to the Internet and click the Next button.

6.

Select Set up my connection manually and click the Next button.

7.

Select Connect using a dial-up modem and click the Next button.

8.

In the ISP Name field, type a name to identify your connection (for example, On the Road Jack) and click the Next button.

If you're staying at a hotel, be sure to add the pre.x (often a "9") to your phone number so that you can access an outside telephone line.


9.

In the Phone number field, type your ISP's dial-up access phone number (from step 1) and click the Next button.

10.

In the User name field, type your email address.

11.

In the Password field, type your password.

12.

In the Confirm password field, retype your password.

13.

Uncheck the box next to "Use this account name and password when anyone connects to the Internet from this computer."

14.

Uncheck the box next to "Make this the default Internet connection."

15.

Check the box next to "Add a shortcut to this connection to my Desktop" (only if you want this) and click the Finish button.

16.

Consider staying someplace that has high-speed Internet access next time.

To configure Mac OS X dial-up access

1.

Gather this information from your Internet Service Provider (ISP):

  • Username and password

  • Dial-up access phone number

  • DNS numbers for your ISP

2.

Choose Apple > System Preferences.

3.

Choose View > Network.

4.

Choose Show > Internal Modem.

5.

Click the PPP button.

6.

Type the information you gathered in step 1 into the corresponding fields.

Your username goes in the Account Name field. If you want the other users of this computer to use the same connection method, select the checkbox for "Save password." In the Telephone Number field, don't forget to prefix the ISP's dial-up number with any numbers that your hotel requires to get an outside line, and it can't hurt to place a comma before the access number so that the modem pauses briefly during dialing.

7.

Click the TCP/IP tab.

Choose either PPP or Manually from the Configure pop-up menu, as instructed by your Internet Service Provider.

Choosing PPP allows your provider to automatically assign you an IP address when you connect. Choosing Manually is appropriate if your ISP gave you a static IP address. This static IP address would be entered in the IP address field.

8.

Enter the DNS addresses in the corresponding field, if your ISP requires you to manually enter them.

With some ISPs, DNS addresses are dynamically supplied to you (meaning you don't need to know them).

9.

Click Apply Now.

10.

Click Connect Now and wait for the old-fashioned modem sounds. When the Authentication and Connect process is complete, open a Web browser to verify your connection to the Internet.

11.

Consider staying at a hotel that has high-speed Internet access next time.



    Global Mobile. Computing without Walls, without Wires, without Borders
    Global Mobile. Computing without Walls, without Wires, without Borders
    ISBN: N/A
    EAN: N/A
    Year: 2003
    Pages: 78

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