Copyright: Copyright 1995 Netscape Communications Corporation
Citation: Copyright 1995 (C) Netscape Communications Corporation


Netscape Dialer Help Contents
Netscape Navigator Personal Edition--Dialer Help

The Dialer contains the settings Netscape Navigator uses when calling your Internet service provider. You can use this program to

Change the phone number Netscape Navigator uses.

Add phone numbers and settings for calling from different locations (if you travel with your computer).

Charge your phone calls to your Calling Card.

Set properties for running Netscape Navigator from the Dialer program.

Change the settings for your modem.

Click for more information:

The Dialer screen

Step-by-step instructions on using the Dialer

Closing the Dialer

The Dialer configuration file

Troubleshooting problems

Dialer Statistics


The Dialer is an application that contains your login name, your password (optional), and the phone number and other settings for your Internet service provider (these settings are saved in the Dialer configuration file with the .SR extension). Netscape Navigator uses the Dialer to call and connect with the Internet through your Internet service provider.


 The Dialer Screen

The Dialer screen displays your user name, password (you don't actually see it), and the Current Location and phone number that you are using. The Dialer gets this information when you use the Registration Wizard to choose an Internet service provider.

User Name 	Your account login name that your Internet service provider uses for your personal account. For example, some providers use your first  initial and last name (JDOE), while others might use your first name (Jane) or other combinations (JADOE, DOEJ, JANED).

Password 	The characters used to access your personal Internet account.

Current Location 	Displays the Location that Netscape uses when calling your Internet provider. Locations are profiles you create that help you call your Internet service provider from various places (for example, if you travel with your computer). The Default Location is set up when you sign up with a provider (or configure an existing account).

Number to dial 	The phone number Netscape Navigator calls to connect with your Internet service provider. This number is associated with the Current Location. For example, you can have a Home location that calls one number and a Work location that calls another number. The number the Dialer calls depends on which location (Home or Work) you choose in the Current Location.

Dial button 	Calls the displayed phone number and connects to your Internet service provider. Depending on the dial Properties, the Dialer automatically starts Netscape after it makes the connection to your Internet provider.

Properties are settings that control how the Dialer works. Properties let you add and modify Locations, set up phone numbers, and change modem settings.

See Also:

Step-by-step Instructions


Internet service providers are companies that sell phone access to the Internet. You usually pay a monthly fee and sometimes accrue charges for the time you are logged in to the Internet.


User Name is your account login name that your Internet service provider uses for your personal account. For example, some providers use your first initial and last name (JDOE), while others might use your first name (Jane) or other combinations (JADOE, DOEJ, JANED).


Password is the characters used to access your personal Internet account.


Current Location displays the Location Netscape uses to dial your Internet provider. The Default Location is set up when you Sign Up with a provider. Locations are settings you create that help you call your Internet service provider from various Locations (for example, if you travel with your computer).


Number to Dial is the phone number Netscape calls to connect with your Internet service provider. This number is associated with the Current Location.


Dial calls the number in the Dial String. Depending on the dial Properties, the Dialer starts Netscape after it makes the connection to your Internet Provider.


Properties are settings that control how the Dialer works.


Properties

Properties are settings that control how the Dialer works. There are five pages to the Properties screen. To view a page, click the tab or page name at the top of the Properties screen or press Ctrl+Tab.

You can use properties to:

Change or add a location

Control what the Dialer does after calling your service provider

Change modem settings

Change the phone number and service provider information


Locations Properties

Locations are settings you create that help you call your Internet service provider from various locations (for example, if you travel with your computer or use your computer from both home and work, you can create locations that dial different phone numbers or that dial the same phone number as either a local or long-distance call).

Setting	What it does

Location's Area Code	Defines the area code for the location (the area code you call from when using this location). This is used to determine if the phone number for your service provider is local or long distance.

Type of line	Defines the phone line you are using. Most lines are Tone (you hear beeps when dialing). Some older lines are Pulse and are used with rotary-dial or pulse-dial phones. However, Tone phone lines can also use rotary-dial phones. You should use Tone unless you know you have a Pulse line.

Outside Line Access	Specifies a number to dial to get outside a phone system. For example, at work you might need to dial 9 to call a number outside of the phone system at your work site.

Disable Call Waiting	If your phone system uses Call Waiting, you can disable it with this option. If you don't disable Call Waiting, you might be disconnected when someone calls you. Check with your phone company for the code to use (for most systems, the code is *70). The Dialer uses this code before it dials any other numbers (outside access, calling cards, and phone numbers).

Provider Phone Number	The area code and phone number you use to call your Internet service provider.

Dial as a long distance call	This option treats all calls as long distance by dialing 1 before dialing any phone number, even if the number is a local call. For example, if you want to dial 555-1212, this option would dial 1-555-1212. However, if you check this option, the Dial area code option appears and is checked to include the area code, so the Dialer actually dials 1-408-555-1212. Uncheck Dial area code to dial 1 only before the number (for example, 1-555-1212).

Dial area code	This option makes the Dialer always use the area code (even for local calls). This is automatically checked when the "Dial as a long distance call" option is checked. Uncheck this option if you need to only dial 1 for all calls. See the "Dial as a long distance call" option for more information.

Calling Card Dial Prefix	The number of your calling card (for some card numbers, this is your phone number). Type your calling card number without any formatting hyphens or parentheses. For example, if your phone number is (408) 555-1212, you would type 4085551212 in the Dial Prefix. If you want to use a direct access number to ensure your call is billed with a specific long-distance company, type it here and leave Dial Suffix blank.

Calling Card 	The access code (PIN) for your calling card. This is the number you normally dial after you hear the calling-card confirmation tone. For some calling cards, the access code is a four-digit number. For other cards, the number is longer.

See Also:

Creating a Location

Using the Dialer


The Location section lets you define new Locations and delete existing Locations. The drop-down list contains all the Locations you have created. All Location information in the window belongs to the Location Name that appears in this box.


The New button creates anew Location.


The Remove button removes the Location displaying in the drop-down list. You can't remove the Default Location.


Area Code is the area code for the Location (where you plan to call from). This number is used to determine if the phone number for your Internet service provider is a local or long-distance call.


The Dialing section lets you define dialing types and access numbers, such as numbers to dial for outside phone numbers. To use an outside access code, type a number for accessing a local outside number (for example, type 9), or type a number for accessing a long-distance number (for example, type 7).


Type of line defines the phone line you are using. Most lines are Tone (you hear beeps when dialing). Some older lines are Pulse and are used with rotary-dial phones. However, Tone phone lines can also use rotary-dial phones. You should use Tone if you aren't sure what type of phone line you have.


You can disable call waiting (if you have this phone service) by choosing or typing the numbers needed by your phone line to disable the service. Check with your local phone company for the number you use to disable the Call Waiting service.


Number to dial lists the first number for a Location. You can change this phone number by clicking the service provider page. Dial 1 first is checked by default, so the Dialer dials 1 before dialing any long-distance phone number.


Dial Prefix is the number of your calling card.

Type the number without any formatting

hyphens or parentheses.


Dial Suffix is the access code (password)

for your calling card.


General Properties

You can select the following general Properties to control how the Dialer works:

Preference	What it does

Start Netscape Navigator	Starts the Netscape application after the Dialer calls and connects with your Internet service provider. You can also start Netscape first, which then starts the Dialer to connect to your service provider.

Minimize statistics window	Minimizes the Dialer and statistics windows and keeps them minimized while you use Netscape or Eudora Light.

Disconnect after X minutes	This option hangs up the phone if you don't use the connection for the specified number of minutes. For example, if you read a long message or type a long email message, you aren't using the modem connection. The timer resets after data is transferred through the modem (by sending or receiving email or navigating around the Web or Internet).

Bring up TTY window	Displays the TTY window.

Enable dial on demand	Dials your Internet service provider whenever you use the Netscape Navigator or Eudora Light. This can reduce your phone bills and connect time because you are connected only when you are sending or receiving information.


Start Netscape when connected starts the Netscape program after the Dialer calls and connects with your Internet provider. You can also start Netscape first, which then starts the Dialer to connect to your provider.


Minimize Dialer when dialing minimizes the Dialer window and keeps it minimized while you use the Netscape program. If you start Netscape first, the Dialer is automatically minimized when Netscape starts it.


Modem Properties

The Modem page contains your modem settings. This information was gathered when you signed up with an Internet service provider, so you should only change these settings if your modem isn't working or if you changed your modem (for example, you installed a newer modem or changed the port your modem uses).

The brand name and model of your modem displays at the top of the Modem page.

Property	What it does

Port	Port is the communications port your modem uses (COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4).

Speaker Volume	Speaker Volume controls the volume of your modem speaker. This lets you hear your modem dial the number, confirm the connection, and begin transferring data.

Maximum Speed	Maximum Speed is the number of bits per second (DTE speed) for communication between your computer and the modem.

Advanced	The Advanced dialog box contains the more complex modem settings. IRQ Number is the interrupt request setting (from 2 to 15) for your modem. Most modems use different IRQ settings depending on the COM port the modem uses (this setting prevents conflicts with other cards and devices in your computer). Consult your modem documentation for the proper setting Two common settings are COM1 with IRQ 4 and COM2 with IRQ 3. I/O Address is the base port address your computer uses to access your modem. You should change this number only if your modem uses an address value different from the one the Modem setup utility determined.


Port is the communications port your modem uses (COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4).You can click the Change Modem button to have the SetUp program automatically find which port your modem is set to.


Speaker Volume controls the volume of your modem speaker. This lets you hear your modem dial the number, confirm the connection, and begin transferring data.


Maximum Speed is the number of bits per second (DTE speed) for communication between your computer and the modem.


Change Modem starts the Modem setup program. It autodetects your modem model name, speed, COM port, and other information. If this program cannot detect your modem, you'll have to set it up manually by using either the Modem setup program or the Modem Properties page.


IRQ Number is the interrupt request setting (from 2 to 15) for your modem. Most modems use different IRQ settings depending on the COM port the modem uses (this setting prevents conflicts with other cards and devices in your computer). Consult your modem documentation for the proper setting (two common settings are COM1 with IRQ 4 and COM2 with IRQ 3).


I/O Address is the base port address your computer uses to access your modem. You should change this number only if your modem uses an address value different from the one the Modem setup program determined.


Service Provider Properties

The Service Provider page displays information about your Internet service provider.

DNS (Domain Name Service) is your DNS address assigned by your service provider. The Dialer gets this number when you sign up with a service provider. You should only change this number if your Internet service provider notifies you of an IP or DNS address change.

Domain Name is the string that identifies your Internet service provider and is used with your user name to comprise your Internet account name (also called a host name). For example, netscape.com is the domain name for Netscape Communications Corporation.


This help system was designed and written by Kelly A. Harrison.


About Properties page
About properties

This page displays information about your Internet Service Provider.


Step-by-Step Instructions

The Dialer program can be used for the following tasks:

Creating a Location

Connecting to your Internet provider

Setting Properties

Changing Modem Settings

See Also:

Closing the Dialer

The Dialer screen


Creating a Location

Locations are phone numbers and settings you create that help you call your Internet service provider from various locations (for example, if you travel with your computer).

To create a Location,

1.	From the Dialer main screen, click the Properties button. The Properties dialog box appears with the Locations page selected.

2.	Click the New button. A dialog box appears.

3.	Type a unique name of the new Location, then click OK (the name can contain spaces). The Location page reappears with the new Location name displaying in the drop-down list.

4.	Change any Location settings you need for the new Location.

5.	Click the Service Provider tab and change any phone numbers you want to associate with the new Location.

6.	Click the Locations tab, and then click New to create another Location. When you're done creating Locations, click OK to save all the Locations.

The last Location you create becomes the Location used for connecting. If you don't want to use that Location, select another one from the list of Locations on the Dialer main screen.


Connecting To Your Internet Provider
Calling Your Internet Service Provider

You can call your Internet provider from the Dialer or from the Netscape Navigator or Eudora Light applications.

To call from the Dialer,

1.	Start the Dialer program by double-clicking the icon for your service provider.

2.	Choose the Location you want to use by selecting it from the drop-down list. The Default Location contains the information from when you ran the Registration Wizard.

3.	Use the Default Location the first time you dial your service provider. You can continue to use the Default Location unless you need to use other locations, such as if you travel with your computer.

4.	Click the Dial button. The Dialer calls the phone number associated with the location you chose.

5.	When the Dialer connects to your Internet service provider, the Dialer starts the Netscape Navigator application. If you unchecked the Property that starts Netscape Navigator automatically, you need to start it manually by double-clicking the Netscape Navigator icon.

To call from the Netscape Navigator application, start Netscape Navigator by double-clicking its icon in the Netscape Personal Edition group. When you start the Netscape Navigator, it uses the last location set in the Dialer. If you have two or more Internet accounts set up on your computer, Netscape uses the last account you called.

If Netscape Navigator has problems starting the Dialer or using the Location specified in the Dialer, try connecting directly from the Dialer, and then starting Netscape Navigator. If connection problems persist, contact your service provider.


Setting Properties

To set the properties for controlling how the Dialer works:

1.	Start the Dialer program, and then click the Properties button. The Properties dialog box appears showing the Locations page.

2.	Check or uncheck any options you want.

3.	Click the tab at the top of the Properties screen to move to another page (for example, click Modem to set modem properties).

4.	When you're done choosing options, click OK to return to the Dialer main screen. The Properties are saved and used automatically.

See Also:

Creating a Location

Changing Modem Settings


Changing Modem Settings

The Dialer gathered your modem settings when you signed up with an Internet service provider. You should only change the settings if you're having problems with your modem or if you've changed your modem (altered the IRQ, port, or other setting or installed a different modem).

To run the Modem setup program, click the Change Modem button. Follow the onscreen directions.

To manually change modem settings,

1.	Start the Dialer and click the Properties button. A dialog box appears.

2.	Click the Modem tab at the top of the dialog box. The Modem page appears.

3.	Select the port your modem uses (COM1, COM2, etc.)

4.	Select the speed your modem uses.

5.	If you need to change the modem interrupt or base I/O port, click Advanced.

6.	Click OK to return to the Dialer main screen.

See Also:

Modem settings


Closing the Dialer program
Closing the Dialer

To close the Dialer,

1.	Make sure the Properties dialog box is closed by clicking OK or Cancel.

2.	If you are connected to your Internet provider, click Disconnect.

3.	In the Dialer main screen, double-click the control-menu box in the top-left corner.


The Dialer Configuration file

When you sign up with an Internet service provider, the information about the provider, your username and password, and other settings used by the Dialer are saved in a configuration file that the Dialer uses.

Dialer configuration files have the extension .SR and are associated with the Dialer application and icon in the Netscape Personal Edition group. If you choose to sign up with two or more Internet providers, you'll create separate dial icons, each associated with a different .SR file.

To see which .SR file is associated with an icon, click the icon and press Alt+Enter. Windows displays the properties for the icon (see your Windows manual for more information on application properties).

If you have two or more accounts, use the Dialer to start Netscape. If you start Netscape first, the Dialer uses the same account as your previous connections. Also, if you share your computer with others, you may not want to save your password in the Dialer because the Dialer saves the password in the .SR file in the C:\NETSCAPE\DIALER directory where anyone can read it.


Troubleshooting Dialer problems
Troubleshooting problems

The following topics deal with common questions and answers for working with Netscape Navigator and the dialer.

Netscape Navigator problems

Modem, Connection, and Dialer problems


Troubleshooting Netscape Navigator
Netscape Navigator problems

Could not create socket. Insufficient system resources, or Network down.

The Dialer failed to connect with your service provider for some reason, and the Navigator couldnt complete its task (for example, it couldnt go to a location because the Dialer wasnt connected). Try connecting with the Dialer first, and the continue with the Navigator.

I get the messages: Unable to locate host or Cannot connect to host

This usually occurs when Netscape Navigator makes too many calls through multiple threading. Edit the NETSCAPE.INI file and change the following lines:

[Network]
Use AsyncDNS=no
Max Connections=1

This error might be caused by several other reasons, including any of the following:

Your system might be behind a firewall. To connect to the Internet you need access to a SOCKS or Proxy server. Check with your network administrator to get the details of the SOCKS or Proxy server being used. Specify this information in the Netscape Navigator preferences.

The host you are trying to connect to might be down.

You might be having problems with your SLIP or PPP connection. Contact your Internet service provider or network administrator.

While connected to the Internet, I'm suddenly cut off.

Your phone line probably has a service, such as Call Waiting, that interrupts your phone line. Make sure you disable Call Waiting by changing options in the Dialer. Youll get the same results if someone in your home picks up the phone while youre connected.

It's also possible that your modem is trying to transfer data too fast. Use the Dialer to slow down your modem's data transfer rate.


Troubleshooting Modem, Connection, and Dialer errors
Modem, Connection, or Dialer errors

A connection attempt is already in progress.

You tried to dial in while the Dialer was already trying to establish a connection. Wait until the current dial-in session is finished, and then try again.

Authentication failed; no response from remote device.

The Dialer connected successfully with the remote access server but could not verify that your dial-in name and password are correct because the remote server disconnected. This can happen if your name and password are wrong, or if there is too much noise on the telephone lines, or if there is some other unknown interruption.

Make sure your user name and password are correct, and then try again. If this problem persists, contact your service provider to verify that the remote access server is operating correctly and that your user name and password are correct.

Authentication failed; too many unsuccessful attempts.

The Dialer connected successfully with your service provider but you tried to connect with the wrong password too many times. Your service provider sets the maximum number of times you can try to connect. When you exceed the maximum number of attempts, you should contact your service provider to verify your user name and password.

Error opening serial port; invalid BPS rate specified.

The modem speed set in the Dialer Modem properties isnt a valid speed. Acceptable modem speeds include 14400, 38400, 57600, and 115200.

Error opening serial port; port is already in use.

Another application is using the COM port for your modem. If there is a modem on another COM port, choose the Modem page of the Dialer properties dialog box and specify the available COM port you want to use. Otherwise, close the application that is using the COM port, then try to dial again.

Error opening serial port; port is already open.

Another application didnt close the COM port when it was done using it. This can happen if the other application closed unexpectedly (such as after a General Protection Fault or Application Error). To avoid this problem, exit and restart Windows, then try to connect again. You might also have to restart your computer to reset the modem.

Error opening serial port; invalid port specified.

The Dialer couldnt access your modem. This could happen if you incorrectly setup your modem or if you moved your modem from one COM port to another. Reconfigure your modem by using the Change Modem button in the Modems property page of the Dialer.

Error opening serial port; unknown reason (x).

The Dialer couldnt use the COM port you selected for an unknown reason. Try choosing a different COM port or click the Change Modem button on the Modem properties page, then try dialing again. You can also restart your computer and try again.

I cant connect to my Internet service provider.

The most common reason is that the service providers phone line is busy or doesnt answer. If your provider has two numbers, specify a second number in the Properties dialog box in the Dialer. Also, it could be that the phone line was noisy, so the Dialer disconnected.

Invalid I/O address specified. Please enter a valid hexadecimal number, or select Default.

The COM port cannot be used. This can happen if the COM port you selected has been configured with an incorrect I/O address or IRQ number. To solve this problem, choose the Modem page in the Dialer properties dialog box, then click the Advanced button. In the dialog box that appears, enter valid numbers for the I/O address and IRQ, then click OK. Once you have done this, try dialing again.

Invalid dynamic link call; device 000E, service 5

There is a problem with the Microsoft Windows virtual communication device (VCD) driver. After Windows 3.1 was released, Microsoft added two new services to its VCD driver. These new services let a virtual device driver claim ownership of a COM port so that no other application can use it. The version number of the new VCD driver was 3.11, and Microsoft included this version with all releases of Windows after 3.1.

The DIAL.386 driver included with Netscape Navigator Personal Edition uses the services in the new VCD driver to make sure no other application uses the COM port while it is being used. The Dialer checks the VCD driver to make sure it is Version 3.11 or later before using these new services.

A problem can occur when another company has obtained the VCD source code and released their own version of the VCD driver that appear to be Version 3.11 or later but that doesnt support the new services. When this happens, this error message appears.

To avoid this error message in the future, make sure you are using ShivaPPP Version 3.5 or later, and add the following section and line to your SYSTEM.INI file (usually found in your C:\WINDOWS directory):

[ShivaPPP]
ClaimPort=0

This entry tells ShivaPPP not to use the VCD driver regardless of which version it is.

Invalid IRQ number specified. Please enter a number between 2 and 15, or select 'Default'.

The number you entered in the Advanced dialog box for the IRQ Number for the COM port is incorrect. Enter a valid number between two and fifteen in the IRQ Number field, or select a valid number from the IRQ Number drop-down list.

The connection is slow.

If your phone line is noisy, your modem either slows down to ensure good data transfer or retransmits information several times. Try redialing first to see if you simply had a bad phone line. Use the Dialer Statistics window to see if you experience overruns or other errors.

Its also possible that there are a lot of people using the same Internet service provider and the server has too much traffic, making all connections slow.

The remote access server doesn't accept my user name and password.

Check the phone number to make sure you are calling the correct Internet service provider, and check with your service provider to make sure that you are using a valid user ID and password.

Unable to communicate with answering device. Please check that it is installed and configured properly.

The Dialer established a connection with your service providers modem but was unable to establish a connection with the remote access server. This can happen for any of the following reasons:

The answering modem is not connected to a remote access server. This can happen if you call a bulletin board service or a commercial online service. Check the telephone number you are usingNetscape connects only to Internet service providers..

The remote access server isnt set up to allow users to dial in. Contact your service provider to verify that the server is set up for dialing in.

The remote modem might be configured incorrectly. In this case, your modem might be able to establish a connection with the remote modem, but the two modems might not be able to exchange the correct information to establish a dial-in connection. You can call your service provider to ensure that their modem is working.

Windows dial-in driver (dial.386) not loaded. Unable to connect. ShivaPPP dial-in driver is not installed.

The files ShivaPPP needs were not loaded when you launched Microsoft Windows. This is because of one of the following reasons:

The file called DIAL.386 must be in the DIALER directory, which is usually C:\NETSCAPE\DIALER, and the following line must appear in the [386Enh] section of your SYSTEM.INI file:

device=c:\netscape\dialer\dial.386

You must load one of the ShivaPPP DOS dial-in drivers (either DIALODI.EXE or DIALNDIS.EXE) before you start Microsoft Windows. This is usually done in your CONFIG.SYS file. You might need to reinstall Netscape.

Unable to negotiate dial-in connection (failed)

The remote modem isnt working properly. Try calling again in a few minutes. If you continue to get this error, contact your service provider.

Unable to display statistics.

The Dialer couldnt open the statistics window because there wasnt enough system resources to do so. Try closing other applications.

Unable to find modem database file (modems.ini). Please check installation.

The Dialer cannot find the MODEMS.INI file that contains a complete listing of all the modems you can use. If you moved this file, move or copy the file back into the NETSCAPE\DIALER directory. If the file has been deleted, reinstall Netscape Navigator Personal Edition .

Warning: Your time limit for this dial-in connection will be exceeded in <X> minutes.

You are approaching the maximum time allowed by your service provider for your connection. You should finish your work as quickly as possible because youll be disconnected soon. You can reconnect later.

When I use a different location, the Dialer can't connect to my Internet service provider.

Make sure the location uses the correct phone number (including area code and dialing settings). Check all options on the Locations property page including the Calling Card dialog box.

While connected, I often hear a series of tones from my computer's speaker. What does this mean?

The tones indicate that your computer is experiencing overrun errors while communicating with your service provider. An overrun error occurs when the data is coming into the computer from the remote connection faster than the computer can handle it, so data is lost.

The most common reason this occurs is when you are using a fast modem with an 8250 or 16540 UART chip. The UART chip is a chip on your serial board that handles the flow of data through the serial port to your computer. Newer computers should have serial boards that contain a 16550A UART chip. The 16550A chip can usually handle communications from high-speed modems. If you hear tones often while connected, you might want to upgrade or replace your serial board (usually an inexpensive procedure) to the 16550A UART chip.

You can find out which UART chip your computer has by clicking the Statistics button when connected (see Error! Reference source not found.Chapter 4 for more information).

You have been disconnected by the remote device possibly due to inactivity.

The Internet service provider closed your dial-in connection, possibly because your computer was idle for longer than allowed. Try to redial. If this error continues to happen, there might be a problem with the service provider; contact them for assistance.

Your modem and the remote modem don't connect.

See the Dialer Modem properties to make sure you have specified the proper COM port and modem. Make sure the phone number you have entered is correct, and that it includes any access codes needed to place a call from your location. For example, many office telephone systems require dialing a 9 before any outside number.

Its also possible (but very rare) that the service providers modem is down. If you think this is the case, try calling later or contact the service provider.

Your remote network connection has been lost.

Your connection closed for unknown reasons. This can happen if the modem was suddenly disconnected, or if the telephone connection between your modem and the remote modem was cut off. You need to redial to reconnect with your service provider. If you aren't successful, contact the service provider to report the problem.


Using the Dialer Statistics window
Using the Dialer Statistics

When you connect with your Internet service provider, the Dialer collects information about the connection, including errors. You can use this information to help solve connection problems.

When youre connected to your provider, you can click the Statistics button to view the information. The Dialer also writes to disk all the statistics information to a file called STATS.TXT in theC:\NETSCAPE\DIALER directory.

Title	Description

Port BPS 	Specifies the speed (bits per second) at which the serial port sends information to the computer (DTE speed). This is not the speed at which the modems communicate.

Connect BPS 	Specifies the speed (bits per second) that your modem and the service providers modem transfer data (DCE speed).

Flow Control 	Specifies the type of flow control the dial-in software uses (Hardware or Software). Hardware flow control is also known as RTS/CTS. Software flow control is also known as XON/XOFF.

Serial Chip 	Specifies the type of serial chip your computer uses. This chip handles the flow of data through the serial port to your computer. Newer computers should have serial boards that contain a 16550A UART chip, which can handle communications from high-speed modems.

PPP Compression 	Specifies if the connection is using PPP compression. This feature is not supported by all service providers.

Overrun Errors 	Specifies the number of overrun errors encountered at the serial port. An overrun error occurs when the data is coming into the computer from the remote connection faster than the computer can handle it, so data is lost. The most common reason this occurs is when you are using a fast modem with an 8250 or 16450 UART serial chip. You might need to slow down your modem or upgrade your serial chip.

Invalid CRCs 	Specifies the number of invalid CRCs (Cyclic Redundancy Checks). This occurs when data is transferred and there is an error in the transmission (usually phone line noise).

Frames Received OK	Specifies the number of frames received without errors. When modems transfer information, the data is separated into frames to ensure you get all the data correctly.

Frames Rejected 	Specifies the number of frames that didnt transmit correctly but not due to a CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Checks) problem. You can get transmit problems for different reasons. This value is almost always 0.

Largest Frame Received 	Specifies the size of the largest frame your modem received.

Frames Transmitted 	Specifies the number of frames your modem sent. Transmission of a frame does not imply that it has been received successfully by the remote server.

Frames Retransmitted 	Specifies the number of frames your modem had to resend.

Largest Frame Transmitted	Specifies the size of the largest frame your modem sent.

IP Address 	Specifies the IP address for your computer for this dial-in session. This address changes each time you log in with your service provider.