Learning.........Detail

This control panel stores your username, password and dialup number. This information will be supplied by your ISP (Internet Service Provider) when you sign up. Enter your username first by clicking in the 'Name:' field. Next your password which will appear as dots for security reasons. You may wish to check the 'Save Password' check box to save you having to enter it every time you connect. (This is recommended) Lastly enter the number in the 'Number:' field. This is the basis of your Internet connection. However you should confirm some other minor setting within the Remote Access Control Panel.

Click the 'Options' button at the bottom of the main Remote Access window. A new window will open titled 'Options'. This window operates a tabbing system. This is illustrated by the three tabs at the top titled 'Redialing' ,'Connection' and 'Protocol'. The protocol window is most important. You should confirm that:

Use protocol should be set to 'PPP'
You should check the 'Connect automatically when starting TCP/IP applications' box if you wish the computer to automatically connect to the Internet when launching the browser, mail client and other Internet apps. (This is recommended for new users)
Both 'Allow error correction and compression in modem' and Use TCP header compression' should be on.

Under the connection tab accessed by clicking the tab you should confirm that:

Disconnect if idle for XX mins (where XX is a number) is checked to prevent unnecessary phone calls.
For new users I suggest checking the 'Launch Application Status'. This will launch a little program the main function of which is to provide easy connection and disconnection.

You may wish to ignore the redialing tab which bares no relation to the Internet Connection itself although it's fairly self explanatory.

Once you have completed/confirmed all these settings click OK in the Options window and close down the Remote Access window by clicking the box at the top left of the window. If you have changed any of the setting or entered new information you will be prompted to save the changes to that configuration. You should choose 'Save'.

Another function of remote access you may find useful is the 'User Mode' item. Choose UserMode from the Edit menu. This will provide self explanatory security functions when set to advanced. This may prove useful if you have kids around.

In the title bar of this window you will notice '(imac)' . This is the name I have used for this configuration. You may wish to have more than one Internet connection. You can do this by using the multiple configurations feature. To access this select 'Configurations' from the File menu while the Remote Access Control Panel is active.

When selected a new window called Configurations will appear. Here you can perform a number of functions from renaming and deleting configurations to duplicating and configuring new Internet Connections.

To configure a new connection select an existing configuration and click 'Duplicate'. A window will appear prompting you to enter a name for the new config. You can enter anything you wish here (I tend to enter either username or ISP name which helps me remember). Click OK. You should now be back in the Configurations window. Highlight the new configuration by clicking on it. Then click 'Make Active'. You will now be able to change the details in the remote access window to reflect your new settings as described in the left hand column.

The TCP/IP control panel is available in the Control Panels folder and access in the same way as the Remote Access Control panel described above.

You should confirm the following settings:

Connect Via: should be set to PPP
Configure: should be set to Using PPP Server
Name server addr: should be set to the IP address supplied by your ISP. There should be two numbers.
Additional search domains can be left blank or enter the domain name of your ISP.

You can have multiple configurations and user modes in exactly the same way as described above in the Remote Access section.

Once your information is entered you can close the window by clicking the top left corner box. You will be promted to save your changes if you have modified your configuration.

Of the three control panels this is the easiest to configure. In fact it is usually pre-configured on new Apple computers including all iMacs. However, should you need to confirm your settings....

You should confirm that:

Connect Via: is set to Internal Modem if you have in internal modem or Modem Port on older macs with external devices.
The Modem: section should have a modem description closest to the modem they have selected (for iMacs: iMac internal 56k). External modems should come with a script that should be placed in the Modem Scripts in the Extensions Folder in the System Folder in Macintosh HD.
The sound and dialing should be set as displayed above.
Ignore dial tone should be left empty. This function is only useful if you have a message service that interupts the dial tone when messages are left.

You can then close the window and save in the customary way if you have had to make changes.

Early iMac users note: There is a default modem script called 'iMac 56k v.34' which may provide a more reliable connection if you are experiencing difficulties.

Notes

¹On some systems (8.1 and before) Remote Access is known as PPP but has virtually the same layout and functions.

If you are viewing this page I assume that you have or have had your Internet connection configured. However, your computer allows you to configure other connections and perform many more functions. This page should help you understand the way your computer connects to the Internet and allows access to various services. Your computer is configured via little pieces of software called Control Panels. These are accessed either via Macintosh HD -> System Folder -> Control Panels or by using the Apple menu (The latter being far quicker). There are three control panels used to configure an Internet Connection. As long as you have all the relevant information this is a very easy process. These are detailed below
Remote Access¹
This control panel stores your username, password and dialup number. This information will be supplied by your ISP (Internet Service Provider) when you sign up. Enter your username first by clicking in the 'Name:' field. Next your password which will appear as dots for security reasons. You may wish to check the 'Save Password' check box to save you having to enter it every time you connect. (This is recommended) Lastly enter the number in the 'Number:' field. This is the basis of your Internet connection. However you should confirm some other minor setting within the Remote Access Control Panel. Remote Access Options (protocol selected) Click the 'Options' button at the bottom of the main Remote Access window. A new window will open titled 'Options'. This window operates a tabbing system. This is illustrated by the three tabs at the top titled 'Redialing' ,'Connection' and 'Protocol'. The protocol window is most important. You should confirm that: Use protocol should be set to 'PPP' You should check the 'Connect automatically when starting TCP/IP applications' box if you wish the computer to automatically connect to the Internet when launching the browser, mail client and other Internet apps. (This is recommended for new users) Both 'Allow error correction and compression in modem' and Use TCP header compression' should be on. Under the connection tab accessed by clicking the tab you should confirm that: Disconnect if idle for XX mins (where XX is a number) is checked to prevent unnecessary phone calls. For new users I suggest checking the 'Launch Application Status'. This will launch a little program the main function of which is to provide easy connection and disconnection. You may wish to ignore the redialing tab which bares no relation to the Internet Connection itself although it's fairly self explanatory. Once you have completed/confirmed all these settings click OK in the Options window and close down the Remote Access window by clicking the box at the top left of the window. If you have changed any of the setting or entered new information you will be prompted to save the changes to that configuration. You should choose 'Save'. Another function of remote access you may find useful is the 'User Mode' item. Choose UserMode from the Edit menu. This will provide self explanatory security functions when set to advanced. This may prove useful if you have kids around.	Remote Access Control Panel In the title bar of this window you will notice '(imac)' . This is the name I have used for this configuration. You may wish to have more than one Internet connection. You can do this by using the multiple configurations feature. To access this select 'Configurations' from the File menu while the Remote Access Control Panel is active. When selected a new window called Configurations will appear. Here you can perform a number of functions from renaming and deleting configurations to duplicating and configuring new Internet Connections. The Remote Access Configurations Window To configure a new connection select an existing configuration and click 'Duplicate'. A window will appear prompting you to enter a name for the new config. You can enter anything you wish here (I tend to enter either username or ISP name which helps me remember). Click OK. You should now be back in the Configurations window. Highlight the new configuration by clicking on it. Then click 'Make Active'. You will now be able to change the details in the remote access window to reflect your new settings as described in the left hand column.
TCP/IP The TCP/IP control panel is available in the Control Panels folder and access in the same way as the Remote Access Control panel described above. The TCP/IP Control Panel You should confirm the following settings: Connect Via: should be set to PPP Configure: should be set to Using PPP Server Name server addr: should be set to the IP address supplied by your ISP. There should be two numbers. Additional search domains can be left blank or enter the domain name of your ISP. You can have multiple configurations and user modes in exactly the same way as described above in the Remote Access section. Once your information is entered you can close the window by clicking the top left corner box. You will be promted to save your changes if you have modified your configuration.	Modem Of the three control panels this is the easiest to configure. In fact it is usually pre-configured on new Apple computers including all iMacs. However, should you need to confirm your settings.... The Modem Control Panel You should confirm that: Connect Via: is set to Internal Modem if you have in internal modem or Modem Port on older macs with external devices. The Modem: section should have a modem description closest to the modem they have selected (for iMacs: iMac internal 56k). External modems should come with a script that should be placed in the Modem Scripts in the Extensions Folder in the System Folder in Macintosh HD. The sound and dialing should be set as displayed above. Ignore dial tone should be left empty. This function is only useful if you have a message service that interupts the dial tone when messages are left. You can then close the window and save in the customary way if you have had to make changes. Early iMac users note: There is a default modem script called 'iMac 56k v.34' which may provide a more reliable connection if you are experiencing difficulties.