Browser Basics

Whether you're brand new to browsing the World Wide Web or you have some experience under your belt, you'll want to check out the practical questions and answers and loads of useful browser tips in this section.

Toolbar
Most browsers have a toolbar which consists of buttons that are shortcuts for menu commands. They make browsing faster and easier.

Back
Lets you return to pages you've viewed, beginning with the most recent. With Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.0, right-click the Back button, and select from a list of recently visited sites.

Forward
Lets you move forward through pages you've viewed using the Back button. With Internet Explorer 4.0, right- click the Forward button, and select from a list of recently visited sites.

Stop
Halts the process of downloading a Web page. Click this if you want to stop downloading a page for any reason, if you're having trouble downloading it, or if you don't want to wait for it to download. Then try downloading it again or browse elsewhere.

Refresh
Updates any Web page stored in your disk cache with the latest content. (When you return to a page you've visited, your browser displays the file stored in your disk cache, rather than the current page on the World Wide Web. This saves download time.)

Home
Returns you to your home page. You can designate any Web page as your home page.

Search
Displays a choice of popular Internet search engines in the left pane. Your search results appear in the left pane, too. When you click a link, the page appears in the right pane, so you don't lose sight of your search results.

Favorites
Displays a list of the sites (and, with Internet Explorer 5.5, the folders, files, and servers) that you've saved as Favorites. Click on any item in the list to jump to it.

Print
Prints the page you're viewing. This is one way to save information from the Internet so that you don't have to reconnect to view it again. You can even print the URL associated with each hyperlink, making it easy to navigate to the site later.

Font
Lets you display text in a larger or smaller font with Internet Explorer 5.5.

Mail
Connects you to the default mail client and newsgroup program.

Edit
Opens a file in Microsoft Word word processor that contains the HTML code for the page you're viewing so you can see and even edit it.

What's In a Web Browser?
A Web browser contains the basic software you need in order to find, retrieve, view, and send information over the Internet. This includes software that lets you:

Send and receive electronic-mail, or e-mail, messages worldwide, nearly instantaneously.

Read messages from newsgroups, forums about thousands of topics in which users share information and opinions.

Browse the World Wide Web (or Web) where you can find a rich variety of text, graphics, and interactive information.

What is a URL?
A URL, or uniform resource locator, is the address of an Internet file. Usually it consists of four parts: protocol, server (or domain), path, and filename. Sometimes there's no path or file name.
Here's an example: http://powerlink.adelphia.net/browser/index.html

ARCHIE
A system for locating files that are stored on FTP servers.

BROWSER (WEB)
A piece of software (such as Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer) used to browse the World Wide Web.

DNS (Domain Name System)
A scheme for translating numeric Internet addresses into strings of word segments denoting user names and locations. (e.g. http://www.wowway.com is numerically known as  12.45.102.135)

FINGER
A software tool used to determine whether another user is logged on to the Internet. It can also be used to find out a user's e-mail address. Because finger represents a significant security hole, WideOpenWest does not provide finger capabilities.

FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
A protocol that describes file transfer between a host (server) and remote (client) computer; also, programs based on this protocol. (e.g. Netscape and other browsers provide built in FTP capability.)

GOPHER
A search tool that presents information in a hierarchical menu system somewhat like a table of contents.

HTML-HyperText Markup Language
The 'language' (or, more appropriately, the 'text format') that all World Wide Web sites are written with. HTML's ease of authoring has much to do with the success and explosive growth of the World Wide Web.

IP (Internet Protocol)
A standard that describes how packets of data are transported across the Internet and recognized as an incoming message. Every machine that is accessing the Internet must speak Internet Protocol.

IP Address
A unique number that every Internet Device possesses.

IRC (Internet Relay Chat)
A software tool that makes possible real-time keyboard conversations on-line.

MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Exchange)
This protocol allows for the sending and receiving files via Internet e-mail.

NEWSGROUP
A newsgroup is a collection of articles (usually organized by topic) that you may read and contribute to.

NNTP (Network News Transport Protocol
An extension of the TCP/IP protocol; describes how newsgroup messages are transported between compatible servers.

PING (Packet Internet Groper)
A TCP/IP utility that sends packets of information to a computer on a network. It can be used to determine whether a computer is connected to the Internet.

PROTOCOL
A set of rules or standards that describes ways to operate and achieve compatibility.

SLIP/PPP (Serial Line IP/Point-to-Point Protocol
Two protocols that allow dial-up access to the Internet through a serial link.

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)
The protocol in a TCP/IP network that describes how e-mail moves between hosts and users.

SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol)
A protocol that describes how information is passed between reporting devices and data collection programs. It can be used to gather information about hosts on the Internet.

TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)
A compilation of network and transport-level protocols that allow a PC to speak the same language as other PCs on the Internet or other networks.

TELNET
A terminal emulation protocol (or a program based on that protocol) that lets you log on to other computers on the Internet. For most users, this program is unused, as it typically requires a familiarity with the Unix operating system.

URL (UNIFORM RESOURCE LOCATOR)
World Wide Web browsers use URLs to find and access all forms of information on the Internet -- including text files, newsgroups, mail lists, gopher directories, HTML documents, program files, images, sounds, movies, etc.

USENET (User Network)
A public network made up of thousands of newsgroups and organized by topic.

VERONICA (Very Easy Rodent-Oriented Network Index to Computerized Archives)
A search tool, like Archie, that appears in Gopher menus.

WAIS (Wide Area Information Server/Search)
Software that is used to index large text files in servers. On the client side, it finds and retrieves documents in databases, based on user-defined keywords.

WHOIS
A TCP/IP utility that lets you query compatible servers for detailed information about other Internet users.

WINSOCK (Windows Socket)
An application programming interface (API) designed to let Windows applications run over a TCP/IP network.

WWW (World-Wide Web)
Term to describe the network of HTTP servers that uses hypertext links to find and access files.

Did you find the word you were looking for? If not try Netlingo.

Windows 95 / 98 Support Installing TCP/IP
1.	Click Start, go to Settings, then click Control Panel. In the Control Panel Double Click the Network Icon.
2.	Click the Add Button.
3.	Next, Select Protocol and Click ADD
4.	Choose Microsoft (located on the left side), then choose TCP/IP (from the right side), then press Ok
5.	TCP/IP should then appear in the network configuration area as shown below
6.	TCP/IP is now installed. You are now ready to configure the TCP/IP settings

Windows 95 / 98 Support TCP/IP Configuration Guide Before You Start: Please make sure you have your Windows 95 installation disks or cd-rom. Windows 95 may need to copy driver information during the configuration process. If your Ethernet card was supplied with a driver diskette(s), be sure to have them available as well.
1.	Once the Ethernet card is installed in the PC, you will need to configure your TCP/IP settings.
2.	Click Start, then Settings, then Control Panel. Double Click the Network Icon. You should see the Network Configuration screen appear
3.	Highlight TCP/IP, and click Properties. (Note the TCP/IP may also read TCP/IP with the name of the installed Network Card following it) Such as: TCP/IP Allied Telesyn AT 2450
4.	Click the IP Address Tab. Next, put a dot in the Obtain an IP Address Automatically field.
5.	Click the Wins Resolution Tab. Next, click "Disable Wins"
6.	Click the DNS Configuration Tab Next, click "Disable DNS"
7.	Click the Gateway Tab. Make sure there are no numbers in the Installed Gateway Field. If there are: highlight the numbers and click Remove.
8.	Click on the Advanced Tab. Make sure the checkbox Set this protocol to be the default protocol is checked. If this box is grayed out, you will not be able to check this box.
9.	Next, Click the Bindings Tab. If you have installed the Client for Microsoft Networks, verify that file and printer sharing are not checked. If the Client for Microsoft Networks is not installed on your system, no components will display in the Bindings tab.
10.	Click OK.
11.	Next, Click the Ethernet Adapter shown in the Configuration Window. Then Click the Properties button.
12.	Next, click the Bindings Tab. Make sure that TCP/IP has a check mark.
13.	Click OK, then click OK again. Windows may prompt you to Restart the Computer. Click Yes to save settings and Restart. That's It. You're Done!

Windows NT 2000 How To Setup Your Lan Connection
1.	Open Control Panel. Double-click on Network and Dial-up Connection.
2.	Double click on Make New Connection.
3.	Select Dial-up to the Internet and click Next.
4.	Select Connect using my local area network (LAN) and click Next.
5.	Click Next.
6.	Click Next.
7.	Click Next.
8.	Click Finish.

E-Mail Usage Policy

Before you begin to configuring your e-mail client, we would like to remind you that WideOpenWest forbids the use of spamming in any way. This includes but is not limited to the following activities:

Sending bulk unsolicited messages Sending e-mail messages that provoke complaints from the recipients Sending junk e-mail Using distribution lists that include people who have not given their permission to be included in such a distribution process Harassing other Internet users. This includes but is not limited to the transmission of threatening, libelous or obscene materials. Posting or transmitting charity requests, petitions for signatures, chain letters or letters relating to pyramid schemes or contests, or any other duplicative or unsolicited messages (commercial or otherwise). Posting or transmitting through the Service any material that constitutes or contains advertising or any solicitation with respect to products or Service.

For more information on e-mail usage please read our WOW! Internet Terms of Service

In order to view your e-mail you will need to add settings to Microsoft Outlook so the program will know where to find it on our server.

Follow the instructions below to set up your mailbox in Internet Explorer (you may want to print these instructions for later use.)