Getting Started

Connecting to FirstClass

You must have successfully installed the FirstClass client software version 7.1.

The first time you start the FirstClass client software you will need to specify which server to connect to.

Click on the play button located at the bottom right hand corner of the animation screen to play the movie taking you through how to connect to a FirstClass server (also covered in the text below).

1. Click on the Start button, then select Programs, FirstClass and then FirstClass or double click on the FirstClass icon on your desktop
2. Once you have brought up the login screen click on the drop down arrow next to the Address: field and select the home.fc entry from the drop down menu. The Server: field on the Login screen will read oufcntx.open.ac.uk as shown in Figure 1 Login window
   
   

   Figure 1 - Login window

3. To alter your setup specification you will need to substitute the x in the Server: field with the number of the OU Server that you wish to connect to
   • The most reliable way to find which server your account is situated on is by accessing your Personal Menu and then 'Signing on' to your Home page. How to access your Personal Menu and finding which server you have an account on is covered in the Account Registration part of the Getting Started section
   • However, as a rough guide, the following indicates the servers available at the time of press (mid-2003) and the users allocated to them
     • oufcnt1.open.ac.uk for Open University Business School, Arts, Social Sciences, Faculty of Education and Language Studies, Institute for Educational Technology and School of Health and Social Welfare courses
     • oufcnt2.open.ac.uk for Science, Mathematics, Computing and Technology courses
4. Click the Setup button on the Login window to make the FirstClass Service Setup window appear

   Tip - Are you Using Windows Me?

5. The Server: field on the Service Setup window will initially read oufcntx.open.ac.uk. Replace the x with the number of the server you wish to connect to. Figure 2shows an example of the Service Setup window for someone registered on server 1 (with an address oufcnt1.open.ac.uk)
   
   

   Figure 2 - Service Setup window

6. Once you have entered the appropriate server address, click on the Save button and you will then see the Login window as shown in Figure 3
   
   

   Figure 3 - Login screen

7. If you wish to save your OU Computer Username into your settings file in the User ID: field, then enter it on this login screen and click on the Save button

Tip - Saving Passwords

Your current Password should be entered into the Login window each time you want to use the system.

Before you can connect to FirstClass you will need to establish your Internet connection. Follow your ISPs instructions to achieve this and then launch the FirstClass software.

Enter your Username and Password on the Login screen and you are ready to connect.

Assuming your ISP connection has been successfully made and you have entered your Username and Password click on the Login button to begin the login process.

Your FirstClass desktop will appear and you have now successfully logged into FirstClass.

If you have an account on several (multiple) servers you can make simultaneous connections to those servers from one installation (copy) of the FirstClass client software. For instuction on how to alter your setup for multiple servers follow the instructions given in the Connecting to Multiple FirstClass Servers section.

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