Online Help
  • Getting Started with Windows 95/NT
  • Changing your Internet Service Provider to Global Passport of Maine
  • Setting Microsoft Internet Explorer to disconnect automatically.
  • Transfering files to the Global Passport Internet Service web server (FTP).
  • Introduction to HTML.
  • Getting Started with Windows 95/NT
    The easy way:

    Step 1

    Close all Windows programs that are currently running.

    Step 2

    Place the Global Passport Internet Service Disk in your disk drive. Windows should detect the disk and then automatically run the installation program.

    Step 3

    If the automatic detection feature is turned off, use Windows Explorer to run the INSTALL.EXE program directly from your drive.

    Step 4

    Follow the instalation program instructions.

    Step 5

    In Dial-Up networking, Enter the local access number (879-2297) for Global Passport Internet Service. You don't need to put in an area code if it's a local call.

    Step 6

    Double click on the Internet Explorer icon. You will be asked for your user ID and password.


    The detailed way:

    Step 1

    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 (Do not click on the box to the left of Communications) and click Details. Make sure that the Dial-up Networking option is selected. If it is, click on Cancel twice and go on to step 2. If it isn't, place a check mark next to it and click OK. Windows 95/NT 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

    Press the Start button, select Settings..., then click Control Panel. Double-click the Network icon. Make sure the Configuration tab is selected. If both Dial-Up Adapter and TCP/IP are present, then you're ready to proceed to step 3.

    To add the Dial-Up Adapter (if you don't already have it in the dialog box), 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.

    Then after you have Dial-Up Adapter you need to install the TCP/IP protocol (if you don't already have it installed), hit the Add... button, double-click Protocol, then select Microsoft, then TCP/IP, and hit OK.

    NOTE: You cannot have more than one TCP/IP protocol installed; you should see only one.

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

    Step 3

    Click on the TCP/IP protocol and press the Properties button. You should get the TCP/IP Properties box. Click on the DNS Configuration tab. Select the Enable DNS option. This stands for Domain Name Service. Enter ws1 in the Host box. In the Domain box, type "gpom.com" (without the quotes).

    In the DNS Server Search Order section you should see 3 dots in a box. Click on server assigned DNS. If you have a older version of windows (win31 or win95) call for instructions. Then press the OK button in the Network dialog box. Windows 95 will ask you to reboot. Click Yes. Proceed to step 4.

    Step 4

    Open up My Computer from the desktop and double-click the Dial-Up Networking icon. Double-click the Make New Connection icon. If the Welcome To Dial-Up Networking Wizard appears, click on Next. If the wizard does not appear, double-click Make New Connection.

    Enter "Global Passport Internet Service" for the name of the computer you are dialing. Then select the modem that you want to use. Click the Next button.

    Enter the local access number (879-2297) for Global Passport Internet Service. You don't need to put in an area code if it's a local call. Click on Next. Press the Finish button and an icon called "Global Passport Internet Service" should appear in the Dial-Up networking folder. Proceed to Step 6.

    NOTE: If you have call waiting it is necessary to place "*70" in front of the local access number. Example: "*70,879-2297" (without the quotes).

    Step 5

    Right-click on the newly created "Global Passport Internet Service" icon. Select Properties. Click the Server Type... button. Make sure that Log on to network in the Advanced options: section is not checked.

    Make sure that NetBEUI and IPX/SPX Compatible in the Allowed network protocols: section are not checked. Then make sure that TCP/IP in the Allowed network protocols: section is checked.

    Click on the TCP/IP Settings... button to the right of TCP/IP. Select Specify name server addresses. For DNS select server assigned (call for instructions with older versions of windows and win 95) . Then Click OK again in the Server Types dialog box. Click OK again to go back to the Dial-Up Networking folder.

    Right click on the "Global Passport Internet Service" icon and select Create Shortcut. Answer Yes to place the shortcut on your desktop.

    Step 6

    Finally, you're ready to connect to Global Passport Internet Service. Make sure your phone cord is correctly attached to your modem. Double click on the "Global Passport Internet Service" Connection. Enter your user name and password and click on Connect.

    After you connect you can go ahead and launch your web browser to surf the World Wide Web, send and receive e-mail or any other Internet programs.

    To disconnect, just bring up the Global Passport Internet Service task on your taskbar, and click on Disconnect.

    If you have had any problems with these instructions please contact Global Passport Internet Service Support at support@gpom.com.

    Changing your Internet Service Provider to Global Passport of Maine
    For Windows 95/NT

    The following steps should be followed to convert your present Internet access account to Global Passport Internet Service.

    1. Open My Computer on the desktop by double clicking.
    2. Open up Dial-Up Networking in the My Computer folder by double clicking.
    3. Select your present access providers icon in the Dial-Up Networking by single clicking.
    4. Go to the File menu and select Rename; change the name to Global Passport Internet Service and press Enter to save.
    5. Select Properties under the File Menu.
    6. Under the General tab, change the setting to the appropriate Global Passport Internet Service dial-in number in the Phone number field.
    7. Select the Server Types tab and click on TCP/IP setting. Then change DNS to server assigned. (for older version windows and windows 95 call for instructions)
    8. Click on twice OK to save the changes.
    9. You can create a shortcut to Global Passport Internet Service to replace the existing Shortcut to your old service provider on your desktop. Click on File, Create Shortcut. You will get an error message stating that the shortcut will have to appear on the desktop. Click Yes. You will also want to move you old service providers shortcut to the Recycle Bin.
    10. You are now ready to connect to Global Passport Internet Service using the same process you previously used to connect to your old service provider. Your new login and password are listed on the materials sent to you.
    11. After dialing in you can configure' email and news by making the following changes where login is your dialin account name.
      • Outgoing Mail (SMTP) server: ws1.gpom.com
      • Incoming Mail (POP) server: ws1.gpom.com
      • POP username: login
      • News (NNTP) server: news.nlbbs.com
    12. Change the Your Email and Reply-to-Address fields to login@gpom.com.
    13. Click on OK to save these changes.
    14. Once you get connected, you might want to test things out by sending yourself an email at your new address. It should only take a minute or so until you can retrieve it.
    For Windows 3.1
    1. Open your browser program group by double clicking.
    2. Highlight your old service provider by single clicking.
    3. In the Program Manager window, click on File, Properties and change the Description field in the dialog box from your old service provider to Global Passport Internet Service.
    4. Open the item that you just renamed by double clicking.
    5. Update your user name and password. Your new login and password are listed on other materials sent to you.
    6. Then select Properties under the File Menu.
    7. Under the Locations tab, change the setting for the Provider Phone Number field in the Dialing from Location block to the appropriate Global Passport Internet Service dialin number.
    8. Under Service Provider, make the following changes:
      • Change DNS to server assigned (For older versions of windows and win 95 call for instructions)
      • Change Service Provider Domain Name to gpom.com
    9. Click on OK to save the changes.
    10. You are now ready to connect to Global Passport Internet Service. Click on Dial to connect immediately or, if you want to connect later, close the dialog box by double clicking on the minus sign "-" in the upper left corner of the dialog box.
    11. After dialing in you can configure your email and news by making the following changes where login is your dialin account name.
      • Outgoing Mail (SMTP) server: ws1.gpom.com
      • Incoming Mail (POP) server: ws1.gpom.com
      • POP username: login
      • News (NNTP) server: news.nlbbs.com
    12. Click on the Identity tab and change the Your Email and Reply-to-Address fields to login@gpom.com.
    13. Click on OK to save these changes.
    14. Once you get connected, you might want to test things out by sending yourself an email at your new address. It should only take a minute or so until you can retrieve it.

    If you have any questions or problems, please send email to support@gpom.com or call our support line at (207) 874-4900.

    Setting Microsoft Internet Explorer to disconnect automatically
    Global Passport Internet Service encourages using the automatic disconnect feature of Microsoft Internet Explorer. By using this feature, it allows your computer to log off the internet when idle for a period of time freeing up valuable resources for other Global Passport Internet Service customers.

    To set this feature, perform the following steps:

    Right Click on "The Internet" icon on your desktop.
    Click on "Properties"
    Click on "Connection"
    Check box "Disconnect if idle for"
    Set desired amount of idle time before disconnecting
    Click OK


    Note: If you are downloading a large file, you may need to set the amount of idle time before disconnecting to a higher value or turn off the feature so that your computer does not disconnect in the middle of the download.

    Transfering files to the Global Passport Internet Service Web Server
    The process by which files are transferred to the web server is called "FTP" (File Transport Protocol). You have unlimited access via FTP 24-hours a day. As such, you can create and maintain your web pages on your own computer and upload files to your web site at your leisure.

    Configuring Your FTP Software
    The following information is contained within your account activation notice and is needed to connect to your web site via FTP:

    • USERID
    • PASSWORD
    • FTP HOSTNAME
    The hostname tells your FTP software to connect to the web server upon which your web site resides. In general, the process of configuring the various FTP softwares is the same. We recommend WS_FTP for PC computer users and will be using it in the upcoming examples.

    Each time you run WS_FTP the Session Profile window will be displayed. A profile contains the information needed to connect to your web site. Creating a profile now will eliminate the need for you to configure the software each time you wish to connect to the web server via FTP. To create a new profile, click the "New" button and enter a generic profile name at the top of the Session Profile window. Next, enter the userid, password and hostname for your web site.

    Be sure to select "Auto detect" for the Host Type. (see Fig.1) It is best to select "Save Password" and "Auto Save Config" to maintain these settings for future use. All other fields can be left blank.

    Under the Set-Up tab (fig.2) set the initial directory to "public_html".

    You are now ready to connect to the web server. Click "Ok" to continue.

    How to Transfer Files
    When you connect to the web server, you will connect directly to the root ("home") directory of your account (/home/users/username/public.html). WS_FTP will display a split screen where files on the left-hand side are within your own computer. (see Fig.3) You will see several files on the right-hand side, which are landmarks suggesting a successful connection to your web site.

    You can transfer files directly to the root level and/or create subdirectories. To make your home page load automatically, name the HTML document "index.html" in lowercase and upload it to the root directory of your account. To upload a file or files, simply highlight the file(s) on the left and click the right-arrow button in the center of the screen. Be sure to upload HTML documents and scripts in ASCII mode and images in BINARY mode. To transfer a file to a subdirectory, double-click the appropriate subdirectory to open it before transferring the desired file(s).

    As soon as a file is uploaded to the web server, it is available for all to see. If, after uploading a file, you are still unable to see the updated file via Netscape or Internet Explorer, you need to clear both disk and browser cache. This function can be found by selecting Options > Network Preferences in Netscape. Remember that you must first be connected to the internet through your local internet service provider in order to connect to the web server.

    Notes to Mac Users

  • Select "raw data" transfer mode when using Fetch to transfer both HTML and images.
  • PageMill may add either a .bin or .txt extension to your files which must be removed in order for such files to load properly.
  • Viewing Web Pages in Netscape
    Webmasters often modify an HTML document and reupload it to the server. After returning to their web browser they click RELOAD only to find the original document unchanged. This is a common occurrence for Netscape users and is easily remedied by clearing the browser's disk cache. This can be done in Netscape under Options > Network Preferences.

    © Copyright 1998, Global Passport of Maine. All rights reserved.
    Last Update: 12/27/98