So, you're having Internet Explorer problems, eh? Well, how'd you get here then? Just kidding. Well, if you're not having problems at the moment, but just browsing our site, it might even be a good idea to print this page out so you will be able to fix any problem you may have later. If you do need help, though, you have come to the right place. This tutorial is based on version 5.0 of Internet Explorer, which is the newest version at the time, but the ideas are the same for previous versions, and also for Macintosh versions of the program.
What is happening to your browser? Let's solve your problem, okay? If you usually just double click on Internet Explorer to get on the internet, but now it isn't working the same way it did before, we have a special tutorial for you here. There are a number of error messages that Internet Explorer will show you, none of them too useful for solving problems. One of the most common is the message "Page cannot be displayed." This usually means that you do not have an active internet connection. Look at your browser, and you should see the menu bar at the top. Click on "Tools", then click on "Internet Options" (for IE 4.0 users, "View" then "Internet Options," for Mac users, "Preferences").
The Internet Options window will appear, and you should see a tab at the top that says "Connections." Click on it, then (for IE 5.0 users) look in the window that lists your connectoids. (If you use version 4.0, click on connect using a modem, then settings, select the connection, click OK). Choose the ACS Netowrks connectoid, then (unless it already is Default) click on "Set Default." Then, click next to "Always dial my default connection." This will make it so that your computer will always dial into the ACS Networks server to get an internet connection. Restart Internet Explorer after clicking "OK" and see if that fixes your problem. Upon restart of the program, you should get a "Dial-Up Connection" window. Make sure you click on connect when this appears.
You may be asking what to do if you know nothing about computers and all you want to do is have someone set everything up for you. Well, you can actually do it yourself, and everything you need comes in a neat little package called the "Internet Connection Wizard." This wizard is not something you need to get, it comes with your computer. You may have never noticed it before. It usually is in one of three places, depending on what version of Windows you have. If you have the newest version of Windows 98, it will be in Start > Programs > Accessories > Internet Tools, or possibly in Start > Programs > Accessories > Communications. If you have the original version of Windows 98, it may be in Start > Programs > Internet Explorer. Anyway, wherever it is, you can easily use this little utility to set up an internet connection on your computer.
The first step on whichever Internet Connection Wizard version you have is to choose the option to set up your internet connection manually. This will allow you to set up a connection to the ACS Networks Server. After every option you choose, you will click "Next", which will bring you to the next section of the Connection Wizard. The next option will be to choose between phone line and LAN. If you use a modem (most people do) choose the option "I connect using a phone line and a modem" (or similar). Remember, click "Next" to go to the next screen. The next choice you will make is what phone number to put in the blank. Don't type in any area code. If you live anywhere but Hawarden, type the number 552-4000 in the blank. But, if you live in Hawarden, type in 551-4150. Hawarden residents with the HiTEC phone system will need to dial this number to get a connection. If you do not have HiTEC, you are welcome to try this number as well, though. After typing in the number, look below it to where you can read "Dial using..." This should not have a check mark in front of it. If it does, click on the check to remove it. The next screen you will see will ask you for your username and password. You should have these written down somewhere, so type them in and click next. The next screen should say "Connection Name" somewhere, and you most likely will have the name "Connection to (number)", where number is the number you typed in previously. Type in there "ACS Networks, Inc." This is the name of the connection that you have just created. The next screen you'll see should ask you if you want to set up an Internet Mail account. Click "Yes" if you want to do so. This will set up Outlook Express as your email client. The next screen should ask for your "Display Name." This, just like the example shown, is your actual name, not anything like a username or email address. That will come later. Type in your name and click next. The next screen should ask for your email address. This is where you type in the address which should look like this:
your_login@acsnet.com
where your_login is replaced by the username you typed in previously. Next, you will be asked for the incoming (POP3) and outgoing (SMTP) mail servers. They are both the same thing,
mail.acsnet.com
You will then be asked for your username and password again, which you need to type in again, even though you did so before also. This will be the username and password you use to get your email, which will be the same thing as you use to get connected. Next, you will see a screen that says you are done, and when you click on finish, as long as you have your modem hooked into the phone line, you are ready to get onto the internet. Need to know about our internet plans? Click here.
That wasn't so hard, was it? You may get some screens that say different things. For example, in version 4.0 of the program, the wizard will ask if you want to change any of the advanced settings, and you need to click no, and will also help you set up and internet news account, which is Usenet. In this case, the username and password are the same, and the news server (NNTP) is news.acsnet.com. The Mac version is slightly different, but essentially asks the same questions. However, Macintosh computers generally do not come with the Internet Connection Wizard.
Software
We support versions of Internet Explorer 5.5 or greater. If you have version 5.0 or less, we strongly suggest you upgrade your version of Internet Explorer. Click Here to go to Microsoft's download sites for Internet Explorer 5.5. You should look for "Internet Explorer 5.5 and Internet Tools."
