Broadband beginner - advice on the simple stuff please

I've finally taken the plunge and will swap my Demon/Surftime (full)
dial-up service for BT Broadband, the £27/month version. It's due in a
week or so. Although I gather from my son (who overtook me on the
technological front at least 10 years ago), that it's 'a piece of
cake', I would appreciate a pointer to some really basic stuff on
installation please.

At present, everything is pretty smooth and stable. The only reason
I've held off on this decsion for so long was fear of screwing that
up. I'm the sole user of an XP Home PC, with no network, just DUN. I
use MSIE6 for browsing and Agent for news and email. I start a session
using MailWasher to check my mail (POP3, via Pipex), go into Agent and
read my filetered email and a lot of newgroups, visit sites, etc.

But what will I have to do to keep this familiar routine as closely as
possible? What about my DUN settings in Agent and MSIE6, for instance?
There's no 'ADSL' or 'Broadband' option that I can see. And the last
thing I want is heavy re-configuring stuff in the bowels of XP, which
I regard as a black art <g>.

Any pointers or practical advice (in reasonably non-technical terms)
would be appreciated please.

--
Terry, West Sussex, UK

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Terry Pinnell <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> I've finally taken the plunge and will swap my Demon/Surftime (full)
> dial-up service for BT Broadband, the £27/month version. It's due in a
> week or so. Although I gather from my son (who overtook me on the
> technological front at least 10 years ago), that it's 'a piece of
> cake', I would appreciate a pointer to some really basic stuff on
> installation please.
>
> At present, everything is pretty smooth and stable. The only reason
> I've held off on this decsion for so long was fear of screwing that
> up. I'm the sole user of an XP Home PC, with no network, just DUN. I
> use MSIE6 for browsing and Agent for news and email. I start a session
> using MailWasher to check my mail (POP3, via Pipex), go into Agent and
> read my filetered email and a lot of newgroups, visit sites, etc.
>
> But what will I have to do to keep this familiar routine as closely as
> possible? What about my DUN settings in Agent and MSIE6, for instance?
> There's no 'ADSL' or 'Broadband' option that I can see. And the last
> thing I want is heavy re-configuring stuff in the bowels of XP, which
> I regard as a black art <g>.
>
> Any pointers or practical advice (in reasonably non-technical terms)
> would be appreciated please.


I presume that currently IE6 and Agent connect on demand by invoking your
DUN setting?

With BB, you will have a permanent connection. You will need to set IE6 (in
Internet Options/Connections) to "Never dial a connection".

I don't know Agent, but presumably there is a menu which lets you define the
connection for each email account? Depending on what options this gives, set
them all to "Use any available connection" or "Use Internet Explorer's
connection". Mailwasher should look after itself. I think that, by default,
it does whatever IE does.

One final comment. With an always-on connection with a more-or-less fixed IP
address, you will be more vulnerable to attack by "nasties" than at present.
If you're not already using a software firewall, get one and install it
*before* you switch to BB. The free version of ZoneAlarm will be perfectly
adeqaute for your purposes.

HTH.
--
Cheers,
Tim
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is Black Hole!

Tiscali Tim said the following:

> In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
> Terry Pinnell <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>
>>I've finally taken the plunge and will swap my Demon/Surftime (full)
>>dial-up service for BT Broadband, the ?27/month version. It's due in a
>>week or so. Although I gather from my son (who overtook me on the
>>technological front at least 10 years ago), that it's 'a piece of
>>cake', I would appreciate a pointer to some really basic stuff on
>>installation please.
>>
>>At present, everything is pretty smooth and stable. The only reason
>>I've held off on this decsion for so long was fear of screwing that
>>up. I'm the sole user of an XP Home PC, with no network, just DUN. I
>>use MSIE6 for browsing and Agent for news and email. I start a session
>>using MailWasher to check my mail (POP3, via Pipex), go into Agent and
>>read my filetered email and a lot of newgroups, visit sites, etc.
>>
>>But what will I have to do to keep this familiar routine as closely as
>>possible? What about my DUN settings in Agent and MSIE6, for instance?
>>There's no 'ADSL' or 'Broadband' option that I can see. And the last
>>thing I want is heavy re-configuring stuff in the bowels of XP, which
>>I regard as a black art <g>.
>>
>>Any pointers or practical advice (in reasonably non-technical terms)
>>would be appreciated please.
>
>
>
> I presume that currently IE6 and Agent connect on demand by invoking your
> DUN setting?
>
> With BB, you will have a permanent connection. You will need to set IE6(in
> Internet Options/Connections) to "Never dial a connection".
>
> I don't know Agent, but presumably there is a menu which lets you define the
> connection for each email account? Depending on what options this gives, set
> them all to "Use any available connection" or "Use Internet Explorer's
> connection". Mailwasher should look after itself. I think that, by default,
> it does whatever IE does.
>
> One final comment. With an always-on connection with a more-or-less fixed IP
> address, you will be more vulnerable to attack by "nasties" than at present.
> If you're not already using a software firewall, get one and install it
> *before* you switch to BB. The free version of ZoneAlarm will be perfectly
> adeqaute for your purposes.
>
> HTH.

> One final comment. With an always-on connection with a more-or-less fixed IP
> address, you will be more vulnerable to attack by "nasties" than at present.
> If you're not already using a software firewall, get one and install it
> *before* you switch to BB. The free version of ZoneAlarm will be perfectly
> adeqaute for your purposes.

Yes, ZoneAlarm is highly recommended as a basic firewall. It can even monitor what software attempts to connect outside or act as a server to accept connection. And it is much better than the Norton Internet Security interms of performance.

Ricco.
--
Firefox, probably the best browser in this world

"Ricco@X24" <ricco@{spam_no_thx}riccoholic.com> wrote in message

> Firefox, probably the best browser in this world

" *this* world" ???

The Martians are here! And they have better browsers!

On Fri, 05 Mar 2004 09:49:08 +0000, Terry Pinnell
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I've finally taken the plunge and will swap my Demon/Surftime (full)
>dial-up service for BT Broadband, the £27/month version. It's due in a
>week or so. Although I gather from my son (who overtook me on the
>technological front at least 10 years ago), that it's 'a piece of
>cake', I would appreciate a pointer to some really basic stuff on
>installation please.
>
>At present, everything is pretty smooth and stable. The only reason
>I've held off on this decsion for so long was fear of screwing that
>up. I'm the sole user of an XP Home PC, with no network, just DUN. I
>use MSIE6 for browsing and Agent for news and email. I start a session
>using MailWasher to check my mail (POP3, via Pipex), go into Agent and
>read my filetered email and a lot of newgroups, visit sites, etc.
>
>But what will I have to do to keep this familiar routine as closely as
>possible? What about my DUN settings in Agent and MSIE6, for instance?
>There's no 'ADSL' or 'Broadband' option that I can see. And the last
>thing I want is heavy re-configuring stuff in the bowels of XP, which
>I regard as a black art <g>.
>
>Any pointers or practical advice (in reasonably non-technical terms)
>would be appreciated please.

As you post with a Pipex dial up address, I'm surprised you didn't go
with them for Broadband.....they also give you a free DUN facility as
a backup.

I used to be an ntl dial up subscriber and had to use Mailwasher just
like you do due to the huge amounts of spam. Mercifully, I don't get
any now I'm on Pipex.

I also used to use Agent and still do. As someone else has already
explained in reply, setting the required details in Agent is very
straightforward and common sense. You must have set them in Agent for
your dial up connection anyway....

If BT are as good as Pipex they will send you all the configuration
addresses you need beforehand.

Good luck and post again if you get stuck.


Filthy Rich
Music House

"Tiscali Tim" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I presume that currently IE6 and Agent connect on demand by invoking your
>DUN setting?

>With BB, you will have a permanent connection. You will need to set IE6 (in
>Internet Options/Connections) to "Never dial a connection".
>
>I don't know Agent, but presumably there is a menu which lets you define the
>connection for each email account? Depending on what options this gives, set
>them all to "Use any available connection" or "Use Internet Explorer's
>connection". Mailwasher should look after itself. I think that, by default,
>it does whatever IE does.
>
>One final comment. With an always-on connection with a more-or-less fixed IP
>address, you will be more vulnerable to attack by "nasties" than at present.
>If you're not already using a software firewall, get one and install it
>*before* you switch to BB. The free version of ZoneAlarm will be perfectly
>adequate for your purposes.

Many thanks for that - much appreciated. Yes, your openning assumption
was correct.

Re the protection, Windows XP includes 'Internet Connection Firewall'
(ICF) which I do have enabled. If this is OK, I would continue with
that when I get broadband. The Help says:
"ICF [also] protects a single computer connected to the Internet. If
you have a single computer connected to the Internet with a cable
modem, a DSL modem, or a dial-up modem, ICF protects your Internet
connection."

Does that look adequate? Or should I switch it off and get ZoneAlarm?

--
Terry, West Sussex, UK

On Fri, 05 Mar 2004 17:16:44 +0000, Terry Pinnell
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Re the protection, Windows XP includes 'Internet Connection Firewall'
>(ICF) which I do have enabled. If this is OK, I would continue with
>that when I get broadband. The Help says:
>"ICF [also] protects a single computer connected to the Internet. If
>you have a single computer connected to the Internet with a cable
>modem, a DSL modem, or a dial-up modem, ICF protects your Internet
>connection."
>
>Does that look adequate? Or should I switch it off and get ZoneAlarm?

The Windows XP firewall is OK as far as it goes, but it won't tell you
if a trojan / piece of adware tries to "phone home". The XP firewall
stops unsolicited packets coming in but doesn't do any checks on it
going out. ZoneAlarm does both (though it is definitely a bit of a
resource hogger).

I would definitely use ZoneAlarm, but that's me...

"King Queen" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Fri, 05 Mar 2004 17:16:44 +0000, Terry Pinnell
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> >Re the protection, Windows XP includes 'Internet Connection Firewall'
....
> >Does that look adequate? Or should I switch it off and get ZoneAlarm?
>
....
> I would definitely use ZoneAlarm, but that's me...

I'd always keep ICF switched on regardless; use ZoneAlarm as well.

"Terry Pinnell" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I've finally taken the plunge and will swap my Demon/Surftime (full)
> dial-up service for BT Broadband, the £27/month version. It's due in a
> week or so. Although I gather from my son (who overtook me on the
> technological front at least 10 years ago), that it's 'a piece of
> cake', I would appreciate a pointer to some really basic stuff on
> installation please.

Why oh why do you want BT Broadband - at least get something good value such
as plusnets 24.99 package with free activation, modem and a whole host of
other features or if you don't need p2p their 18.99 a month package.

>
> At present, everything is pretty smooth and stable. The only reason
> I've held off on this decsion for so long was fear of screwing that
> up. I'm the sole user of an XP Home PC, with no network, just DUN. I
> use MSIE6 for browsing and Agent for news and email. I start a session
> using MailWasher to check my mail (POP3, via Pipex), go into Agent and
> read my filetered email and a lot of newgroups, visit sites, etc.
>
Shouldn't be a problem then, for a single user a PCI Adsl modem (I say PCI
as I don't like USB that much, howeveer these are more common and do the
same) will make use of DUN the same as your exisitng modem so the only real
difference is that it will be faster and you can leave it on if you want.

Do also make use of the XP Built in firewall and ensure virus software up to
date, probably a good idea to logoff broadband unless your using it as well
on a single pc.

> But what will I have to do to keep this familiar routine as closely as
> possible? What about my DUN settings in Agent and MSIE6, for instance?
> There's no 'ADSL' or 'Broadband' option that I can see. And the last
> thing I want is heavy re-configuring stuff in the bowels of XP, which
> I regard as a black art <g>.
>
Yep, it won't take too much effort.

> Any pointers or practical advice (in reasonably non-technical terms)
> would be appreciated please.
>

Don't go with BT - probably the best advice you could get.

Sam
> --
> Terry, West Sussex, UK
Me too (Horsham)
>


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King Queen <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>On Fri, 05 Mar 2004 17:16:44 +0000, Terry Pinnell
><(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>Re the protection, Windows XP includes 'Internet Connection Firewall'
>>(ICF) which I do have enabled. If this is OK, I would continue with
>>that when I get broadband. The Help says:
>>"ICF [also] protects a single computer connected to the Internet. If
>>you have a single computer connected to the Internet with a cable
>>modem, a DSL modem, or a dial-up modem, ICF protects your Internet
>>connection."
>>
>>Does that look adequate? Or should I switch it off and get ZoneAlarm?
>
>The Windows XP firewall is OK as far as it goes, but it won't tell you
>if a trojan / piece of adware tries to "phone home". The XP firewall
>stops unsolicited packets coming in but doesn't do any checks on it
>going out. ZoneAlarm does both (though it is definitely a bit of a
>resource hogger).
>
>I would definitely use ZoneAlarm, but that's me...

Thanks for both the follow-ups re firewalls. I'll get ZoneAlarm too
then.

--
Terry, West Sussex, UK