If you own a PC and a modem, there╒s everything you need on CD-ROM Interactive this month to set you surfing the Internet. For FREE... Take a few moments to install the software and the Internet is but a click away. Your password will change on the 15th of every month.You╒ll find it tucked away on the disc and in the magazine.
If you haven╒t already set up the software here╒s how to do it.
Step One
Getting the files off the CD
Put the disc in your CD-ROM drive, then from a DOS prompt ╨ which can either be C: prompt DOS or the DOS window from within Windows ╨ log on to your CD drive. If your PC is set up with D: as the CD drive, type D: at the DOS prompt.
At the top level of the CD-ROM Interactive directory there is a file called net.bat. All you have to do to activate the automatic installation is type net at the D: prompt. Net.bat will then run. It contains the DOS commands needed to set up a directory called \NETSCAPE on your C: drive, copy the files you need from the CD, decompress them and put them in the right place.
(If you want to keep your system tidy, you╒ll be pleased to know that everything goes into the newly-created \NETSCAPE directory, except for a file called netscape.INI which is moved into your c:\WINDOWS directory.)
We╒ve automated the process so it will work for almost anyone ╨ if you are not using the C: drive as your main hard disk, we reckon you╒re smart enough to peer inside net.bat and work out what you need to do. However, encounter any problems and the helpful people at Atlas are waiting on 0171 312 0401 to help talk you through the problem. Please, whatever you do, don╒t ring our normal disc hotline for Internet enquiries. Once you╒ve got all the files across, you might like to have a look inside the readme and license files, if that╒s the kind of person you are. Otherwise, it╒s time to move swiftly on to Windows and complete the installation.
Step Two
Completing the Windows Installation
Launch Windows and from the Program Manager File menu, click Run and type D:\atlas\SETUP.EXE (where D: is the letter of your CD drive).
Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the Windows set-up.
We didn╒t write the installation routine, so you╒ll have to maximise Program Manager once the set-up program has done its stuff.
Program Manager full-screen again? Good. Time to add the browsing tool, Netscape, to the Chameleon Sampler Program Group that has been created for you on the Windows desktop.
To do this, make sure the Chameleon Sampler group is active, then Click on File, then New, and then click the Program Item button, then click the OK button. A dialog box appears on screen.
Type Netscape into the Description box; C:\netscape\netscape.exe into the Command Line box; and c:\netscape into the Working Directory Box before you click OK.
We suggest you leave the default ╘None╒ in the Shortcut Key box, and leave the ╘Run Minimized╒ box unchecked. An icon with a white M in the middle will appear in your program group with the name NETSCAPE under it.
Now you need to make a tidy exit from Windows, reboot your computer and get back into Windows again.
You will need to retype the password which you will find in the Discography section of the magazine (page 7). You will also probably need to configure the software to your modem set-up before you get much sense out of the system.
Once you╒ve rebooted, restart Windows and go to the Chameleon Sampler group. Double click on the Custom icon.
To call up the dialog box that allows you to enter the port settings that your computer and modem are using, access the Setup menu and the Port item.
Tap in the details from your manual and click OK (or try the default settings). Then use the Setup menu again to access the Modem item and enter appropriate settings for your modem in the dialog. Your modem settings whould be in the manual that come with it, but if you╒re not sure, select Hayes which will work with most modems.
A quick check of the Login Settings dialog box, accessed via the Login line in the Setup menu, should reveal that your user name is cdrommag - enter your new password - the Startup Command is HELLO. Also click on Log to make sure the log window is always open. This will inform of you any problems with your net activities, and generally helps the software work on the maximum possible number of systems.
Now click OK and you╒re ready to go into the Internet!
Job done. Make sure you╒re modem╒s connected to the phone, select Connect from the Setup menu, click on OK and, if all is well, you╒ll be on the Net in a few moments. Couldn╒t be simpler╔
Having pressed the log-in, the Chameleon Sampler info box appears. Press OK to go onto the Net╔ Click on Netscape and you╒re away.
EXTRA! Extra!
Our Internet provider, Atlas, has installed a new server which in the long term should provide a more stable and effective FREE service to our readers. The downside of installing the equipment, however, is that it is no longer posible for PC users to use PPP dial-in with the Chameleon Sample software, and you will now need to reconfigure your system to use the SLIP protocol to dial in to us.
To do this, you must delete the PPP interface from the Interface menu in Custom. You must then use the Add option to create a CSLIP interface.
In the Setup menu, configure the IP Address to be 1.1.1.1, the Host Name (your choice) and the Domain as atlas.co.uk. Configure the port, Modem, Dial (01714650355) and Login as cdrommagpc instead of cdrommag. The password, as last month, is gtsdrtae.
In the Services menu, go to Domain Servers and change the IP address in the top row to 193.131.167.12.
If you wish, you can also add a secondary domain server on the second line: 158.43.128.1.
Finally, go to the File menu and Save the changes.
The last stage is to check, and if necessary edit, the slip.ini, which is in the C:\netmanag directory. . Go to end and you should find a section called [CSLIP0]. If you do not have it, create it. The section should already look like this.
[CSLIP0]
SCRIPT=login: $1$u$r word: $1$p$r -i
If it does not, use Notepad to edit it. When finished go to File and Save the file.
You are now ready to logon to the system. The procedure (in Custom) is then to go to Setup, then Log, and then click on Connect. If you have any problems, call Atlas on 0171 312 0401, and they will be only too happy to help.
We apologise for any inconvenience this changeover has caused.
