Before You Begin

Connecting to the Internet is one if those things you set up once, then forget about. Still, you need to get some information from your ISP up front. The basics are as follows:

• Your username and password

• The phone number your modem will be dialing to connect (if using a dial-up modem connection)

• The IP address of the DNS (name servers, described earlier)

• The IP or symbolic address of your SMTP and POP3 email hosts

• The IP or symbolic address of your news server (optional)

All of this information likely came with your contract when you first signed up with your ISP. Armed with this information, you are ready to begin.