The Online World resources handbook

Your first trip online. Typical pitfalls and simple solutions http://home.eunet.no/~presno/bok/v3.html
press to get the job done. How you use your communications program may vary
considerably from our example. In general, however, it will be the same for most people
doing manual communication. Once online, the environment is the same for all users.
If you plan to use automatic communications as explained in Chapter 16, this chapter
may not be that important. Your program will do the job for you. Still, take a few
minutes and browse through the text. It may enable you to handle unexpected problems
better.
Our example assumes that you have an MS DOS computer. Not because this is the best
microcomputer in the world, but because there are more of them than anything else. We
assume that you have an external, intelligent Hayes compatible modem and the
communications program Procomm (version 2.4.2).
Assembling the equipment
You have the modem, the cable (to connect your modem with the computer), a phone
cable (to connect your modem with the phone or the wall jack), and a communications
program.
Check that the modem's power switch is off. Place the modem by the computer, and
plug the power supply cord (or the power adapter cord) into the AC wall socket. Switch
on the modem.
Do NOT use 115 volt equipment in 250 volt sockets!
Connect modem and computer using the modem cable. There may be several optional
sockets on the computer. These are usually marked RS 232, COMMS, MODEM, or just
nothing. The connector may be of a flat 25 pins, 9 pins, or a round 8 pins type. Use
communication port number 1, 2, or whatever else is available for this purpose.
If you have several options, and the socket for communication port number 1 seems
free, use this. If not, try one of the others.
Next, connect the modem to the telephone line. If in luck, the modem came with a
phone cable that works with your setup. If so, it is simple:
1.
2.
Disconnect the phone cable from the telephone. Insert the modular plug into the
right jack on the modem. This jack is often marked with the word LINE, with a
drawing of a modular wall jack, or another understandable icon.
You may be able to connect the phone to the modem using the phone cord that
came with the modem. This may allow you to use the phone for voice, when the
line is not busy with communication. (You may have to make changes in this cord
to make it work with the connected phone.)
This concludes the technical assembly of your equipment. Next step is to install the
communications program. When this is done, we will check it out.
Installing the program
Let us assume that you have received Procomm on a diskette, and that it is set up with
its default configuration. PROCOMM.EXE is the program. The other files have no
importance here.
Enter Procomm and press ENTER. Our first task is to prepare it for communication:
If you are using a monochrome display, use the command
PROCOMM /B
The program will greet you by a welcome text. At the bottom of the screen, the message
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