Windows XP and Vista Users

Transcription

Windows XP and Vista Users
Windows Mail XP or Vista booklet Fiber 10-07
10/2/07
2:29 PM
Page 1
Welcome
Welcome to Alliance Internet. You have joined one of
the fastest growing Internet providers in the area.
Windows XP and Vista Users
This information will help you understand how your Internet
works. Please take a few minutes to review the following
sections.
If you have any questions or need help with your Internet
service, please call one of our customer service representatives.
You’ll find them helpful and friendly.
We’re glad to have you with us. At Alliance Internet, we work
hard to ensure you receive the finest communication service.
Helpful Information about
Sincerely,
High-Speed Internet
Over
Don Snyders
General Manager
Fiber-Optics
Table of Contents
Windows XP Users: Setting Up Outlook Express
to Check E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Windows Vista Users: Setting Up Windows Mail
to Check E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Speak and you'll be heard ™
24-Hour Help Line: Dial 611
How to remove your previous e-mail account . . . . . . . . . . 12
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Windows Mail XP or Vista booklet Fiber 10-07
10/2/07
2:29 PM
Page 3
Windows XP Users: Setting up
Outlook Express to check e-mail
Step 3. A screen like the following should
appear. Click on the Mail tab.
XP
Step 1. Open Outlook Express.
3
STEP
STEP
1
Step 4. Click on the Add button and
select Mail.
Step 2. Click on Tools and then Accounts.
STEP
4
2
1
STEP
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
2
Windows Mail XP or Vista booklet Fiber 10-07
XP
STEP
10/2/07
2:29 PM
Page 5
Step 5. A screen like the following will
appear. Type in your name. Click on
Next to continue.
5
Step 7. Make sure you type in your
settings as listed below:
Your incoming mail server is a
POP3 server.
Incoming mail (POP3, IMAP or HTTP)
server: pop.alliancecom.net
Outgoing mail (SMTP) server:
smtp.alliancecom.net
Click on Next to continue.
XP
STEP
7
Step 6. Type in the e-mail address that
you selected. Click Next to continue.
STEP
6
3
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
4
Windows Mail XP or Vista booklet Fiber 10-07
XP
10/2/07
2:29 PM
Page 7
Step 8. Type in your Account Name
and Password that you selected. The
Account Name is your e-mail address
(i.e. [email protected]).
Step 10. Your e-mail account will look like
the following. Click on pop.alliancecom.net,
and then click on Properties.
XP
Click on Next to continue.
STEP
8
Step 9. Your e-mail account is now set up
in Outlook Express. Click on Finish.
STEP
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
10
STEP
11
Step 11. Click on the Servers tab, and under
Outgoing Mail Server click on the box that says
My server requires authentication. Click on
OK, and then click on Close. You’re ready
to send and receive e-mail.
9
5
STEP
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
6
Windows Mail XP or Vista booklet Fiber 10-07
10/2/07
2:29 PM
Page 9
Windows Vista Users: Setting
up Windows Mail to check e-mail
Step 3. In the Internet Accounts window,
click on the ADD button.
Vista
Step 1. Go to the Windows Vista start
button, click on All Programs and choose
Windows Mail.
STEP
3
STEP
1
Step 4. Choose E-mail Account for the
account type and click Next.
4
Step 2. In the Windows Mail program,
click on Tools and the Accounts.
STEP
STEP
2
7
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
8
Windows Mail XP or Vista booklet Fiber 10-07
Vista
STEP
10/2/07
2:29 PM
Page 11
Step 5. Enter your name the way you
would like it displayed in the From field
of the outgoing message and click Next.
5
Step 6. Enter your email address and
click Next.
STEP
Step 7. Enter your server information as
follows and click Next.
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
STEP
7
STEP
8
Step 8. Enter your username and password.
Put a check next to Remember password
and click Next.
6
9
Vista
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
10
Windows Mail XP or Vista booklet Fiber 10-07
Vista
STEP
10/2/07
2:29 PM
Page 13
Step 9. On the Congratulations screen,
click Finish to complete the email setup.
How to remove
your previous
e-mail account
If you are switching to Alliance Internet from another
Internet service provider, you will need to remove
your previous e-mail account to avoid getting errors.
If you use a program other than Outlook Express or
Windows Mail and would like help, call our office by
dialing 611. You don’t need to follow these instructions
if you already have been using an alliancecom.net
e-mail address.
9
Outlook Express for Windows Users
Step 10. Click Close to close the Internet
Accounts window.
STEP
10
Open Outlook Express.
Click on Tools and then Accounts.
Click on the Mail tab.
Click on the previous e-mail account.
Click on the Remove button. When asked if you
really want to do this, click on Yes.
Repeat steps 4 and 5 if you have more than one
e-mail account that needs to be removed.
Click OK.
Windows Mail for Vista Users
Open Windows Mail by clicking on the Start
button, clicking All Programs, and then
clicking Windows Mail.
Click on the Tools Menu, and then click on
Accounts.
Click the account you want to remove, and then
click Remove.
Need help? Dial 611 from any phone with
Alliance telephone service. If you’re calling from a
phone without Alliance service, call 1-800-701-4980.
11
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
12
Troubleshooting
Windows Mail XP or Vista booklet Fiber 10-07
10/2/07
2:29 PM
Page 15
How do I search the Web?
There are several different search engines to help
you find useful information on the Internet. Three
efficient services are www.google.com,
www.yahoo.com and www.ask.com. To search for a
topic, follow these steps (for Internet Explorer):
1. Choose the search engine you want to use.
Type in the web address (http://www.yahoo.com)
in the address window, and hit enter.
2. In the search window, type in the topic you are
searching for and click on search.
3. A listing of entries that link to your search topic
will appear.
If too many listings for your search appear, you can
refine your search. Use descriptive, specific wording
in your search.
Use quotation marks around words that are a part of
the phrase (i.e. “jazz music”).
Use a plus sign (+) to specify words that must appear
in the search (i.e. jazz+music).
Use a minus sign (-) to exclude words that
should not appear in the search (i.e. jazz+musicNew Orleans).
If your search does not provide the results you
need, click the browser’s Back button and try a
different topic or a different search engine. Other
search engines you may find useful are
www.msn.com, www.dogpile.com and
www.excite.com.
How do I set up my home page?
Your home page can be your own web site or your
favorite search engine or portal. Many customers use
www.goalliance.net as their home page because it
13
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
provides quick access to local and national web sites.
If you do not use this web site as your home page, we
recommend that you bookmark it so you can easily
access customer updates, policy statements and other
valuable information.
If you would like to set up or change your home
page, follow these steps (for Internet Explorer):
1. Double-click on the Internet Explorer icon to
open the browser window.
2. In the address line, type the address of the page
you would like to have as your home page, and
press Enter. (Example: http://www.goalliance.net
or http://www.yahoo.com)
3. Click on Tools. Then click on Internet Options.
4. On the General tab, click on the Use
Current button.
5. The URL for the page you went to will appear
in the box next to Address.
6. Click OK to go back to your web page.
How do I check my e-mail away from home?
Type in the address www.goalliance.net in your
browser window and hit enter. Click on the Webmail
button in the top right corner. Type in your user name
(same as your e-mail address) and password. Open,
read, save or delete messages, just as you would on
your home computer.
Why are my Internet speeds so slow?
If you are experiencing slow speeds everywhere, you
will want to try rebooting your router (if applicable)
and your computer. If you just notice slow speeds
going from page to page, but long-term speed is fast,
your browser’s cache size may be set incorrectly. In
Internet Explorer, go to the Tools menu, and scroll
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
14
Troubleshooting
Windows Mail XP or Vista booklet Fiber 10-07
10/2/07
2:29 PM
Page 17
down to Internet Options. Then click on the Setting
button located in the Temporary Internet Files area. Set
the cache size to be somewhere between 1MB – 10MB
and make sure it is selected to always check for a new
version of the page. Your computer’s speed will
decrease if it is infected with viruses or spyware.
Your computer’s operating system and available memory
also can impact your Internet speed.
How do I use FTP (File Transfer Protocol)?
To use FTP, you need an FTP program such as
WSFTP or Filezilla. Internet Explorer 5 and higher
versions also have FTP features built into them. The
settings you use to connect to Alliance's FTP server
depend on the type of Web package you currently
have with Alliance Communications. If you are using
the personal Web space that you received when you
signed up with Alliance, you will need to provide the
following information:
Address: ftp.alliancecom.net
Your Username
Your Password
Note: Your username and password for your
personal Web account are the same as your e-mail
username and password.
If you have purchased a domain for use with your site,
you would need to provide the following
information:
Address: ftp.yourdomainname (ie. If the domain
name is johndoe.com, the address would be
ftp.johndoe.com).
Your Username
Your Password
Note: Web sites with domain names associated
with them are configured with their own unique
username and password.
15
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
How do I avoid getting viruses?
The best way to avoid viruses is to never open
attachments in your e-mail, but this isn’t practical
for many e-mail users. You should purchase a piece
of anti-virus software, such as McAfee or Norton,
both of which are readily available in most computer
stores and over the Internet. For an extra layer of
protection, you should subscribe to Alliance
Internet’s virus filter. This filter will help prevent
viruses from reaching your computer through your
Alliance e-mail addresses. Dial 611 to subscribe.
Ask about special promotions.
How do I avoid getting spam?
The best way to reduce spam is by adding a spam
filter to your Alliance e-mail address. Spam messages
are diverted to a secondary box so you can read
them if you choose to do so. Dial 611 to have the
features added to your Internet account. Ask about
special promotions.
The Federal Trade Commission also conducted a
study to determine from where spam comes. Here is
what the commission found:
■ 100 percent of the e-mail addresses posted in
chat rooms received spam.
■ 80 percent of the e-mail addresses posted at
news groups and web pages received spam.
■ 50 percent of addresses at free personal Web
page services, 27 percent from message board
postings and 9 percent of e-mail service
directories received spam.
If you want to use these types of services, you
should consider using a second e-mail address just
for these activities.
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
16
Troubleshooting
Windows Mail XP or Vista booklet Fiber 10-07
10/2/07
2:29 PM
Page 19
Do not reply to spam asking the mailer to stop
sending you messages. You’re actually confirming
that your address is active and could start receiving
even more spam as a result.
I can't get connected. What's the problem?
How do I check the messages that were
filtered out for spam?
What about security on a fiber network?
Go to www.goalliance.com. Click on the Spam Filter
button in the top right corner. Enter your username
(same as your e-mail address) and your password, and
then click on Login.
What does “This page cannot be
displayed” mean, and how do I fix it?
This error means that the browser cannot find the page
on the Internet. It is caused by either not having access
to the Internet or a typing mistake in the web address.
If you have typed the web address correctly, reboot
your router (if applicable) and computer. If you still
get the error message, call our office any time so
one of our customer service representatives can
troubleshoot further.
I keep getting “General Protection Fault,”
“Invalid Page Fault,” “Application caused
an Illegal Operation and will be shut down”
errors. What are these?
These are errors caused by one or more programs
running on your computer at the same time.
The best way to deal with these is to record what
program causes these errors and contact either
that software’s manufacturer or your computer’s
manufacturer and tell them of the error you
are getting.
17
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
Reboot your router (if applicable) and your
computer. Also make sure all of your connections
are secure. Dial 611 if that still doesn’t work.
Because you no longer need a modem, your
computer or router will have a public IP address.
If you have a router, you may want to change the
login/password to something other than the default.
This will prevent malicious users from logging
onto your router. Be sure to enable firewall
services on your router. If your router doesn’t have
firewall services, you may want to purchase a
hardware or software firewall solution. If your PC
is directly on the network (no router), you should
have some sort of software firewall running.
Windows XP and Windows Vista comes with a
software firewall, and there are many others that
can be purchased separately.
Is my computer safe if I don't have any programs that protect it from outside threats?
No. You are vulnerable to a variety of threats if you
don’t have programs that protect your computer
from hackers, viruses, spyware, spam, etc. It’s only
a matter of time before you run into trouble if you
don’t protect your computer. Continue reading
for more information about how to protect your
computer.
Why do I need an anti-virus program along
with Alliance’s e-mail virus filter?
One-hundred new computer viruses are discovered
every week. Even the country’s top Internet security
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
18
Troubleshooting
Windows Mail XP or Vista booklet Fiber 10-07
10/2/07
2:29 PM
Page 21
professionals recommend that you have layers of
protection.
How can I prevent my children from accessing
inappropriate material on the Internet?
You should have both Alliance’s e-mail filter and
anti-virus software to give your computer the best
protection possible. There are two main differences
between Alliance’s e-mail filter and anti-virus
software like those offered by Norton or McAfee.
Internet safety is a rapidly growing concern. Families
depend on the Internet, but parents must maintain an
appropriate environment for their children. Below
are links to some well-known filtering programs:
1. Alliance’s e-mail filter is updated for you
automatically. You don’t have to perform any extra
steps to receive the latest protection. With Norton
or McAfee anti-virus programs, you can set them to
notify you automatically when you need to update
your program. You, however, still must set aside
time to run the updates on your computer.
Today, most viruses are spread through e-mail
attachments. It’s important to have an e-mail virus
filter like the one Alliance offers, so you’ll receive
the most up-to-date protection.
2. Alliance’s e-mail filter protects your Alliance
e-mail account. Anti-virus software from Norton and
McAfee protects you from receiving viruses through
numerous sources including web pages, files you
download, etc.
By subscribing to Alliance’s e-mail filter and
anti-virus software, your computer will have the best
virus protection possible.
Go to www.symantec.com for information on Norton
Anti-Virus and www.mcafee.com for additional
details on McAfee’s anti-virus software.
If you want one program that contains anti-virus,
anti-spam, firewall, privacy control, parental controls
and pop-up blocker features, you could consider
using Norton Internet Security or McAfee Internet
Security Suite.
19
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
ContentProtect www.contentwatch.com
CYBERsitter www.cybersitter.com
Net Nanny www.netnanny.com
Norton Internet Security at www.symantec.com and
McAfee Internet Security Suite at www.mcafee.com
offer parental controls plus ad blocker, anti-virus,
privacy control, anti-spam and firewall features all
in one program.
Please be aware that children and teenagers can
easily access pornography through free file-sharing
programs like Kazaa, which also are popular for
downloading free music. Content filters typically
don’t block items accessed through file-sharing
programs. Make sure your children haven’t downloaded file-sharing programs onto your computer.
Remember, there is no replacement for Internet
safety rules within the home.
Where do pop-up ads come from and how do
I stop them?
The majority of web sites on the Internet earn their
money in a respectful and tasteful manner. There are
those, however, who are more actively attempting to
raise their bottom line. To do this, they vicious
unleash popup ads that spawn more ads until your
computer crashes or you purchase something.
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
20
Troubleshooting
Windows Mail XP or Vista booklet Fiber 10-07
10/2/07
2:29 PM
Page 23
The popup ads suck speed from your connection
because you have to wait while they load. Popup ad
spawners, which are only a few pixels wide and don’t
have close buttons, bring up new popup ads every
few minutes.
The newest Internet Explorer version has a built in
popup blocker.
Norton Internet Security at www.symantec.com and
McAfee Internet Security Suite at www.mcafee.com
offer a pop-up blocker, and they also have firewall,
anti-virus, privacy control, anti-spam and parental
control features all in one program. Other pop-up
blocker programs also are available on the Norton
and McAfee web sites.
What is spyware, and how do I get rid of it?
The most common form of spyware is adware, which
collects data about you based on the web sites you
visit. This information is sold to marketers who then
bombard you with pop-up ads and spam targeted
toward your interests.
Here are some signs that you have spyware on your
computer:
• Your web browser’s default home page changed
to a site you didn’t select.
• There are bookmarks in your “favorites” that you
didn’t add.
• Pop-up ads constantly appear when you’re
online.
• Your computer noticeably slows down when
you’re online.
• The send and receive lights on your modem
blink wildly, even though you’re not on the Web.
21
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
•
The network/modem icon in your system tray
flashes rapidly, even though you’re not surfing.
Two common spyware removal programs are Spy
Bot at www.safer-networking.org and Ad-Aware at
www.lavasoft.de/software/adaware. Several other
programs also are available on the Internet and at
local retailers. Remember to read all information
that comes with the program you choose. You should
consider running a spyware removal program at least
once a month even if you have Norton or McAfee
programs.
Is there a program that contains pop-up
blocker, anti-virus, anti-spam, firewall,
privacy control and parental control
features all in one package?
Yes. Several are available. Norton Internet Security
at www.symantec.com and McAfee Internet
Security Suite at www.mcafee.com are all-inclusive
programs that are popular among Internet users.
Both companies have a variety of other products,
too. Pick the ones that are appropriate for your home
or business.
Why should I avoid using file-sharing
programs to download free music,
software, etc.?
Peer-to-peer programs like Kazaa or Gnutella, for
example, leave your computer vulnerable to hackers,
spam, viruses and pop-up ads.
These programs open a data “tunnel” between your
computer and other computers, which creates a huge
security hole. The entire world literally has access to
everything on your computer, not just your music
files. Certainly, your computer contains information
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
22
Troubleshooting
Windows Mail XP or Vista booklet Fiber 10-07
10/2/07
2:29 PM
Page 25
that you don’t want to share with the world.
Plus, when you’re downloading free music files,
software, etc., you usually don’t know from where it
is coming. Some people lace MP3 files with Trojan
horses, viruses, worms or spyware. Infected files
might damage your system or allow hackers to steal
information on your computer.
The peer-to-peer programs can increase the number
of pop-up ads and spam messages you receive.
Kazaa, in particular, installs numerous spyware programs on users’ computers. The most common form
of spyware is adware, which collects data about you
based on the web sites you visit. This information is
sold to marketers who then bombard you with pop-up
ads and spam targeted toward your interests.
I am having problems with the Internet.
Where do I go for help?
Look through the questions in this section. There
may be a simple solution to your problem listed
here. More troubleshooting and helpful tips are
located at www.alliancecom.net/support-help.php.
If you do not find what you are looking for, or if
you would simply prefer to speak to a customer
service representative, dial 611 from any phone
with Alliance telephone service. Or dial
1-800-701-4980 if you’re calling from a phone
that does not have local phone service through
Alliance Communications.
These programs also offer children and teenagers
easy access to pornography even if you have parental
controls on your computer.
Now that you know the dangers of file-sharing
programs, you should strongly consider removing
them from your computer. Then you might want to
download and run spyware removal programs. Some
examples include SpyBot at www.safer-networking.org
or Ad-Aware at www.lavasoft.de/software/adaware.
Please remember to read all information that comes
with the program you choose.
If you like the convenience of downloading items
from the Internet, affordable and secure options are
available. Music fans, for example, can use iTunes,
which charges 99¢ per song. With these types of
services, you don’t have to worry about downloading
infected files or breaking copyright laws. Avoiding
the damage that can be done to you and your
computer might be worth the small charge.
23
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
Dial 611 • www.goalliance.net
24