Connecting to The Diamond Lane with Windows 95

First, some settings you should know:

204.182.16.2 DNS
news.tdl.com news (NNTP) server
mail.tdl.com mail (SMTP) server
www.tdl.com

To install your modem if you haven't already done so:

  1. Open My Computer
  2. Open Control Panel
  3. Open Modems
  4. Pick Add
  5. Pick Next
  6. If a standard modem is auto-selected, click the change button and a modem selection window will appear. Select your brand of modem from the list on the left and then pick your modem model from the list on the right. Click Next
  7. Click Finish. Your modem is now installed. Modems are usually on COM2.
  8. Click the Properties key and select the fastest speed available. Also make sure you have the following setting: Data bits: 8; Parity: None; Stop bits: One. Disable Cancel the call if not connected within XX seconds. Click OK.

Second, setup your serial ports:

  1. Open My Computer, select Control Panel, System, Device Manager, Ports (COM & LPT), Communications Ports (COM2), and Port Settings.
  2. If you have a high speed serial port (16550 compatible) or an internal high speed 28.8 kbps modem, set the serial port speed to 115,000 bits per second.
  3. 3.Click OK and then OK again.

Express Setup for Those with Internet Setup Wizard

Setup your PPP connection for The Diamond Lane:

  1. Go to START
  2. Select PROGRAMS
  3. Select ACCESSORIES
  4. Select INTERNET TOOLS
  5. Select INTERNET SETUP WIZARD. If you can not find this selection, you do not have the Wizard installed, and should skip to Manual Setup
  6. Choose Connect using my phone line, Click Next
  7. Choose I already have an account with a different service provider, Click Next
  8. Select NO to using Microsoft Exchange. Insert your Windows95 setup disks or CD-ROM if asked to do so.
  9. Type The Diamond Lane for the name of your Internet Service Provider (ISP)
  10. Type the access phone number you were given
  11. Do *NOT* select Bring up terminal Windows after dialing, Click Next
  12. At User Name type your user name (remember, it is all lower case), and at Password type your password (upper and lower case must be exactly right). Click Next
  13. Select My Internet Service Provider Automatically assigns me one referring to your IP Address (This is known as dynamic IP Address assignment), Click Next
  14. For your primary DNS Server Address type: 204.182.16.2 Leave the Secondary DNS Server blank, Click Next
  15. For your e-mail address type in your User Name followed by @tdl.com, for example if your User Name is smith, type smith@tdl.com.
  16. Type mail.tdl.com as your Mail Server Address, Click Next
  17. Leave MS Exchange Settings and Click Next
  18. Click Finish

Now get on the Internet:

Double click on The Internet

Congratulations! You're on the Internet!

Manual Setup for tdl using Windows 95

Step 1: Verify that Dial-up Networking is Installed

Press the [Start] button, select Settings, then Control Panel. Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon. Select the Windows Setup tab, then click on the Communications option and press Details... Make sure that the Dial-up Networking option is selected. If it is, go on to step 2. If it isn't, select it and click OK. Windows 95 will attempt to install the needed drivers, so make sure you've got your installation disks or CD handy! Now that Dial-up Networking is installed, you can proceed to step 2.

Step 2: Verify that the Dial-up Adapter and TCP/IP Protocol are Installed

Press the [Start] button, select Settings, then Control Panel. Double-click the Network icon. You'll see a dialog box. Make sure the Configuration tab is selected. Both Dial-Up Adapter and TCP/IP should be present, then you're ready to proceed to step 3.

To add the Dial-Up Adapter, hit the Add... button, double-click Adapter, then scroll down the list until you can select Microsoft. Choose the Dial-Up Adapter and hit OK.

If you need to install TCP/IP, hit the Add... button, double-click Protocol, then select Microsoft, then TCP/IP, and hit OK.

Now your Network dialog box should contain both Dial-Up Adapter and TCP/IP. Select the adapter, click Properties..., Bindings, and make sure the TCP/IP box is checked. You're now ready to proceed to step 3.

Step 3: Configure your TCP/IP Protocol for Dynamic IP Addressing

Now that the driver is installed, you need to configure it so it will work with Windows 95. Go to the Control Panel and double-click the Network icon. You should get a dialog box.

Click on the TCP/IP protocol and press the Properties button. You should get the TCP/IP Properties box.

There are six sections in this dialog box. We'll deal with them in order.

IP Address

Select the Obtain an IP address automatically option.

WINS Configuration

Select the Disable WINS Resolution option.

Gateway

No gateway is required.

Bindings

By default, the Client for Microsoft Networks option is checked. Leave it alone.

Advanced

No changes needed are from the default.

DNS Configuration

This is probably what has been giving you the most trouble. Select the Enable DNS option. This stands for Domain Name Service. Enter your user name in the Host box. In the Domain, put tdl.com.

In the DNS Server Search Order section, put in 204.182.016.002 and press the Add button.

In the Domain Suffix Search Order section, type in tdl.com and press the Add button.

When you're all done setting these options, press the OK button. Then press the OK button in the Network dialog box. Windows 95 will ask you to reboot. Press Yes and run to the fridge for a quick snack. You're almost done!

Step 4: Set up the Connection Icon

Open up My Computer from the desktop and double-click the Dial-Up Networking icon. Double-click the Make New Connection icon. This will walk you through the Make New Connection wizard.

Type in "The Diamond Lane", or whatever you want to call the icon you're about to create to connect. Your modem (which should have been configured when you installed Windows 95) should be shown in the Select a modem: area. Press the Configure button and you'll get a dialog box.

In the General section, Crank up your modem speed to as fast as you think it will go. If you have a 14.4K modem, for example, make the maximum speed 57600. DO NOT, however, select Only connect at this speed. That way, your modem adjusts as the connection needs it to.

Don't worry about the Connection section, the defaults should be fine.

Next, select the Options section. Leave the Bring up terminal window after dialing unchecked. Now hit the OK button.

Click the Next button in the Make New Connection wizard. Enter in the phone number we provided. You don't need to put in an area code if it's a local call.

Press the Finish button and your icon will be created.

Step 5: Setting the Dial-Up Properties

Select your newly-created connection icon, press the right mouse button and choose Properties... You should get a dialog box named whatever name you gave your icon.

Press the Server Type button. You'll get the Server Types dialog box. In the Type of Dial-Up Server section, press the down arrow to drop down the list box. Since you're using PPP, choose that server type in the list box.

Make sure that Log on to network in the Advanced options: section is not checked (this makes for an easier initial install, you can check it off later when you want to try some of the more advanced peer to peer capabilities of Windows 95). Also, make sure that TCP/IP in the Allowed network protocols: section is checked. Then press the OK button.

Hit the OK button in the remaining dialog box, and you're almost ready to dial!

Step 6: Dialing in and Getting Connected

Double-click your session icon that you recently made. You'll get the Connect To dialog. Put your username and password in the appropriate text areas.

Press the Connect button and your modem should start dialing. After a few rings, The Diamond Lane host machine should answer. Windows 95 should take care of the rest! Go ahead and fire up those 32-bit apps!

Good Luck!


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