Configuring Your 16-Bit Dialer

(Windows 3.x Users Only)

What is a Dialer?

When you signed up for a Concentric Network account, you received a dialer component of the Quarterdeck Winsock application program bundled with our Internet Access Software Kit. The CNC installation procedure automatically sets up and configures this dialer to use the local (POP) access number you selected. Your computer uses it to dial into CNC's network. It contains your login name, password, profiles and phone number for accessing the Internet through CNC. The winsock program uses this information for establishing your personal connection to the Internet.

If your dialer setup went without a hitch when you initially set up your CNC account, you should have no dialer troubles. So, hooray! You can skip this section. But if you had problems setting up your dialer, or if you are just curious how to do it, read on. Configuring it is somewhat complicated, but if you follow the steps below, you should have very little trouble with it.

The Windows 3.x operating systems (Windows 3.1, 3.11, Windows for Workgroups 3.11) use a 16-bit memory addressing scheme. This means they are confined to using 16-bit applications, including 16-bit dialers. A 32-bit winsock program will not work with these operating systems.

Your dialer also needs to know how and where to send and receive information. It does this using the winsock settings for TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) -- a set of rules governing how to send information, and the DNS (Domain Naming Service) -- a service for providing unique addresses for everyone on the Internet.

Here's what you'll need before you start:

You must have already installed the CNC Internet Access Kit with Netscape Navigator.

Print-out these instructions to use as a guideline while you work (optional, but helpful).

About 15 minutes of time.

Steps to Configuring Your 16-Bit Dialer

STEP 1: Configuring your Profile for multiple accounts with Concentric Network .

STEP 2: Connecting to the Concentric Network .

STEP 3: Launching Netscape Navigator .

STEP 1: Configuring your Profile for a second account with Concentric Network

The Quarterdeck Dialer will allow the user to create and store multiple profiles. This feature is valuable to users who have more than one account or who use more than one access number to connect to the Concentric Network. This feature is located in the Concentric Dialer Configuration.

To ADD a Profile:

Choose "Add Profile".
Enter a user profile name.

When this new user profile is highlighted:

Enter username.
Enter password.
Choose the Pop Phone Number.
Enter your local area code.
Choose "Start Dialer".

To DELETE a Profile:

Highlight the profile you wish to delete.
Choose "Delete Profile".

STEP 2: Connecting to the Concentric Network

From the Quarterdeck Winsock window there are three buttons that are used to control the dialer.

is for connecting to Concentric's network .
is for disconnecting from Concentric's network.
is for accessing the settings in the Quarterdeck Winsock dialer.

Definition of Winsock Dialer settings

"Number of redials" pertains to the number of times the program will try to dial the number before abandoning the connection.
"Redial delay" is the amount of time before the dialer will attempt to dial again.
"Connect time" is the amount of time allowed to establish a connection after the number has been dialed.
"Linger time" is the amount of time the connection will stay open (or active). Placing a zero in this field will disable the feature.
"Auto Disconnect on WSACleanup" is for use with programs that utilize a WSACleanup call every time they perform a task. This setting should be disabled if the dialer disconnects frequently.
"Keep Winsock in memory" prevents the QuarterDeck dialer from disconnecting when all Winsock programs have been closed.
"Prompt on Application Hangup" prompts the user whenever a Winsock application is closed and confirms further use of the dialer or disconnection.

STEP 3: Launching Netscape Navigator

Okay, now for the fun part...Browsing the World Wide Web.

To Launch Netscape Navigator choose the Netscape Icon in your Internet Access Kit program group or you may choose the "Launch Netscape" button located in your Dialer Configuration Icon .

Miscellaneous Settings for the Concentric Network

Below are the server names you must use with other software you may wish to use with the Concentric Network.

Click here for your Local Access Numbers:

Name Server Primary: 199.3.12.2
Secondary: 199.3.12.3
Domain Name: concentric.net
Mail Server: pop3.concentric.net
Pop3 Server: pop3.concentric.net
Pop3 Account: email-id@pop3.concentric.net
SMTP Server: smtp.concentric.net
World Wide Web Home Page: http://home.concentric.net
News Server: news.concentric.net
Gopher Server: gopher.concentric.net
IRC Server: irc.concentric.net

Troubleshooting Your Dialer

Click here for Dialer Troubleshooting help.

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