| Dial-up FAQs: | Availability Current and Planned Features General Product Information Pricing Requirements Using Our Service - Installation | Registration | Connecting |
| Availability | Where is Pacific Bell
Internet Services dial-up service available?
How many dial-up access points does Pacific Bell Internet Services have in California? I don't live within a local call of one of your dial-up access points. When will you offer service in my area? Is Pacific Bell Internet Services Internet service available in independent telephone company territories (such as GTE)? |
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| Current and Planned Features | What does Pacific Bell
Internet Services dial-up service include? What access speeds does Pacific Bell Internet Services support? Why don't I get a full 33.6 Kbps connection? Does Pacific Bell Internet Services support 56 Kbps access? What are your customer service hours? What is the difference between your customized Netscape Navigator and the version I can download from Netscape's home page? Do you have to use Netscape Navigator with Pacific Bell Internet Services? Can I use Microsoft Internet Explorer? What newsgroups are available? Does Pacific Bell Internet Services sponsor a newsgroup for its subscribers? How do I search for something on the Internet? Does Pacific Bell Internet Services offer 800# access for when I'm outside the local calling areas? What will my e-mail address look like with Pacific Bell Internet Services? Can I have more than one username? Does Pacific Bell Internet Services offer homepage or web hosting services? Does Pacific Bell Internet Services include a chat option? Does Pacific Bell Internet Services support PPP and/or SLIP connections ? Does Pacific Bell Internet Services support telnet connections? |
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| General Product Information | How do I order
your service? Is dial-up access for business or consumers? I run a small business. Will this be useful for me? Is Pacific Bell Internet Services part of Pacific Bell's Education First program? What are the key differences between Pacific Bell Internet Services and long distance carrier offerings? What are the key differences between Pacific Bell Internet Services and Internet Service Providers (ISP) that only offer Internet access? What are the key differences between Pacific Bell Internet Services and online services? Is it true that the Internet is oversubscribed, and its performance is really slow? What is Pacific Bell Internet Services' notification policy for planned outages? Do Pacific Bell employees and Pacific Bell Internet Services subscribers use different e-mail addresses? |
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| Pricing | How much does your dial-up
access cost? What billing options do I have with Pacific Bell Internet Services? Is my credit card information secure when I supply it to Pacific Bell Internet Services? Do you have an educational discount and how do I qualify? Do you have a non-profit discount? |
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| Requirements | What equipment
do I need to use Pacific Bell Internet Services dial-up service? What modems work with your service? What platforms does Pacific Bell Internet Services' dial-up service support? Can I use my standard phone line, or do I need a separate line for Internet access? Do I need a long distance carrier or Global Service Provider if I choose Pacific Bell Internet Services? |
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| Using Our Service | ||
| Installation |
Will loading Pacific Bell Internet Services impact an existing TCP/IP connection (i.e.,
Internet Provider) on my computer? What modems are supported? What should I do if the Account Setup Wizard can't detect my modem? What should I do if my modem isn't on the Modem Wizard's modem list? What if I want to use my laptop with a PCMCIA modem card? Why do I get an error after installation? |
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| Registration | What speeds are supported? When I try to download your software from your Web site, my screen immediately fills up with "garbage"; how do I fix it? Why doesn't the Dial-Up Networking connection save my password?
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| Connecting |
Is there a maximum amount of time I can be
logged on to the Internet? Why do I have problems downloading e-mail messages over 1-2 MB? What happens if I have call waiting and I'm connected to the Internet? Why is my connection slow? Why isn't the Pacific Bell Internet Services server accepting my user name and password? My "Dialer Statistics" window shows a lot of overrun errors. How can I fix this? (Windows 3.1 only) I can't connect to Pacific Bell Internet Services, what should I do? What should I do if my modem and the remote modem don't connect? What if I don't get dialtone? When I use a different location, the Dialer can't connect to Pacific Bell Internet Services. Why was I suddenly cut off while I was connected to the Internet? How do I access AOL when I am connected to Pacific Bell Internet Services? What can I do when I receive junk e-mail or "spam"? How do I configure different e-mail programs for use with Pacific Bell Internet Services? |
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Availability
- Where is your dial-up access service available?
- Our dial-up service is now available via a local call to
over 350 communities covering an estimated 85% of all
households in California. These communities are located
in the following geographic areas. For a complete listing
of our service availability, please check our Dial-up
Access Number Calculator.
- Greater San Francisco Bay Area
- Greater Los Angeles/Orange County area
- Greater San Diego area
- Sacramento area
- Fresno area
- Stockton area
- Bakersfield area
- Chico area
- Monterey area
- How many dial-up access points does Pacific Bell Internet Services have in California?
- We currently have over 40 strategically located dial-up access points statewide, which approximately 85% of all California households can reach by a local call.
- I don't live within a local call of one of your dial-up access points. When will you offer service in my area?
- Throughout 1999, we will continue to deploy service to additional areas based on population and Internet usage.
- Is Pacific Bell Internet Services' Internet service available in independent telephone company territories (such as GTE)?
- Pacific Bell Internet Services' Internet service is available to any customer who can make a local call to one of our dial-up points, regardless of whether you are a Pacific Bell customer. Of course, if you're not a Pacific Bell customer you won't be eligible to be billed on a Pacific Bell phone bill, but will need to use our credit card billing option.
Current and Planned Features
- What does Pacific Bell Internet Services dial-up service include?
- Every Extra Access Plan comes with all of the following features:
- First 10 days FREE to try out our service
- Unlimited Access
- One Primary E-mail account
- Two Extra E-mail accounts
- Two Extra E-mail aliases
- One Personal Home Page account (up to 15 MB)
- Customized Netscape browser
- Safety'Net electronic brochure to help you protect your children during their Internet browsing
- Award-winning, 24-hour customer service
- Access to over 40,000 newsgroups
- Speeds up to 56K Access in all locations
- Roaming outside of Pacific Bell territory for only 4 cents per minute
- What access speeds does Pacific Bell Internet Services support?
- Pacific Bell Internet Services now offers K56 flex Internet access. This means that if you have a K56flex-compatible modem, you will be able to dial into our K56flex access ports. In addition, we are currently deploying v.90 Internet access throughout our network. By the end of 1999, 100% of our dial-up numbers will be v.90 compatible. Click here for detailed FAQs about 56K Internet access.
- Why don't I get a full 56 Kbps connection?
- Pacific Bell Internet Services has upgraded all of our dial-up access
points to support 56 Kbps. However, you may have noticed that you do not
always connect at 56 Kbps speeds. This may be due to interference on the
phone line that connects your modem to the modems in our network. Like an
antenna, this line can pick up interference from external sources that can
reduce your connection speed.
In addition, the speed that your dialer indicates does not always reflect your actual connection rate. Your dialer speed reports the initial connection speed between your modem and the modem in our network. Modems regularly retest the phone line and raise or drop their connection speed to compensate for changing interference conditions. However your modem does not interrupt the flow of data to report a new connection speed.
To test how fast your modem is actually transferring, you can try downloading a copy of a large file from within our network. If you are seeing speeds of at least 3.2 Kbytes per second, you are probably sending data back and forth at a rate faster than 28.8 Kbps.
If you use a 56 Kbps modem, you may experience similar connection speed issues. If you are looking for faster access to the Internet, we recommend ISDN. For more information about high speed modems, check out:
-
- When will you support 56 Kbps access?
- Pacific Bell Internet Services is dedicated to providing its subscribers
with state-of-the-art network facilities. Our digital facilities make us
well-positioned to take advantage of technological breakthroughs, allowing
us to implement them quickly and economically.
Pacific Bell Internet Services now offers K56 flex Internet access. This means that if you have a K56flex-compatible modem, you will be able to dial into our K56flex access ports. In addition, we are currently deplying v.90 Internet access throughout our network. By the end of 1999, 100% of our dial-up numbers will be v.90 compatible. 56K.COM
V.90 56K Standard - What are your customer service hours?
- Pacific Bell Internet Services' highly-trained Technical Analysts are available to customers via e-mail using our Customer Support Form.
- What is the difference between your customized Netscape software and the version I can download from Netscape's home page?
- Pacific Bell Internet Services' customized version of Netscape software
includes a customized version of Netscape Navigator or Netscape Communicator,
Dialer, TCP/IP stack, Registration Wizard, and supporting documentation.
However, we do not include nor provide technical support for Cool Talk or
other plug-ins. Our software gives you all you need to connect to the Internet
using a modem.
The Pacific Bell Internet Services customized version Netscape Navigator and Netscape Communicator has the same functions as the standard Netscape software. The customized features include easy access to the Pacific Bell Internet Services subscriber home page, with navigation aids.
- Do you have to use your customized versions of Netscape software with Pacific Bell Internet Services? Can I use Microsoft Internet Explorer?
- No, you do not need to use Netscape software with Pacific Bell Internet
Services, but we do supply a complete software solution to register for
our service and surf the net. So, yes, you can use Microsoft Internet Explorer
with Pacific Bell Internet Services. However, you may need to configure
the Microsoft Internet Explorer settings so that it will operate with Pacific
Bell Internet Services. For Pacific Bell Internet Services settings see
our network settings page.
Please note that most users will need the Pacific Bell Internet Services software to register and we only provide customer support for our bundled software.
- What newsgroups are available?
- Pacific Bell Internet Services offers access to over 40,000 newsgroups. As new public newsgroups are created around the Internet, our customers will automatically have access to them.
- Does Pacific Bell Internet Services sponsor a newsgroup for its subscribers?
- Yes, our subscriber newsgroups are: pbinet.announce, pbinet.general, pbinet.discussion, pbinet.newusers, pbinet.test and pbinet.homepages.
- How do I search for something on the Internet?
- Finding the links to subjects of interest often requires the use of a Search Engine. Our customized Netscape browser allows a user to go directly to a popular search engine with the click of a button.
- Does Pacific Bell Internet Services offer 800# access for when I'm outside the local calling areas?
- We offer local dial-up access throughout California. Please click here for a list of our dial-up locations and numbers. In addition, we also have roaming access in nearly 500 cities throughout the United States!
- What will my e-mail address look like with Pacific Bell Internet Services?
- Our domain name is "pacbell.net" Thus, a user ID "jdoe" will have the following e-mail address: "jdoe@pacbell.net".
- Can I have more than one username?
- Yes. Pacific Bell Internet Services offers customers the ability to create
as many secondary e-mail boxes and e-mail aliases as they like.
- Does Pacific Bell Internet Services offer home page or web hosting services?
- Yes, for our dial-up and ISDN customers, we offer Personal Home Page service for an additional fee. Our Personal Home Page service provides a set of easy-to-use tools to help you create your own home page on the Web. We now offer "industrial strength" Web Hosting for business customers.
- Does Pacific Bell Internet Services include a chat option?
- Although Pacific Bell Internet Services does not currently host or provide support for Internet Relay Chat, you can use Pacific Bell Internet Services to connect to other Internet Relay Chat servers.
- Does Pacific Bell Internet Services support PPP and/or SLIP connections?
- Pacific Bell Internet Services supports PPP connections. We do not support SLIP.
- Does Pacific Bell Internet Services support telnet connections?
- Although we don't bundle telnet software on our diskettes, it is easily available for downloading from the Web. Like any Internet provider, we support outbound telnet connections. For security reasons we do not support inbound telnet connections. Users can telnet to servers outside of our network, but not to any internal servers.
General Product Information
- How do I order your service?
- You can order our service a number of different ways. The
fastest way, if you already have an Internet connection,
is to download our
software directly to your computer from our FTP site.
You'll be up and running in a matter of minutes! Or, if
you'd like us to mail you a copy:
- Complete our Online Order Form
- Register an account online
- Call us at 1-800-708-4638
- Is dial-up access for business or consumers?
- Dial-up access is primarily used by consumers and small-
to medium-size businesses. However, many larger
businesses use dial-up Internet access for telecommuting
and remote access applications.
Please note that at the present time, we can not provide technical support for computers using our dial-up service that are connected to a LAN. However, for smaller LAN users who previously couldn't justify a dedicated Internet connection, we recommend our new LAN ISDN service. For more information about this affordable, new service, please contact us at sales@pacbell.net.
- I run a small business. Will this be useful for me?
- The Internet offers a wide range of opportunities to
small business and Pacific Bell Internet Services is committed to
helping make the most of these opportunities for your
business. Many small businesses are already finding out
that the Internet can help their businesses grow, improve
productivity, increase competitiveness, and increase
customer satisfaction.
If you have just a few individual computers, our dial-up or individual ISDN Internet access services are ideal. If you have a LAN, then our new LAN ISDN Internet Access service is a cost-effective solution for your entire office. (For more information about our LAN ISDN service, please contact us at sales@pacbell.net). We also offer a helpful online guide for small businesses with the Smart Business Center, available to our subscribers. Whether small businesses want to collaborate using e-mail or research competition on the Web, we will be there to help.
- Is Pacific Bell Internet Services part of Pacific Bell's Education First program?
- We work closely with the Education First program. For more information on Pacific Bell programs for educators, please visit http://www.kn.pacbell.com/.
- What are the key differences between Pacific Bell Internet Services and long distance carrier offerings?
- Unlike long distance providers, Pacific Bell Internet Services has a California focus, offering convenient dial-up access points, partnerships geared toward California, and a user experience tailored to your local area. Pacific Bell Internet Services offers an easy and affordable upgrade to ISDN and speeds of up to 128 Kbps. Finally, we offer very competitive pricing plans along with the superior customer service you expect from Pacific Bell.
- What are the key differences between Pacific Bell Internet Services and Internet Service Providers (ISP) that only offer Internet access?
- Our network is much larger and faster than almost any other ISP in California. And our Customer Service Center, staffed with knowledgeable technical analysts, is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
- What are the key differences between Pacific Bell Internet Services and online services?
- Anyone who uses an online service primarily for e-mail
and the World Wide Web will find an enormous performance
difference between our direct Internet connection and the
Internet connection provided by an online service.
Online services typically provide their Internet access through an Internet gateway, which significantly reduces the performance. Our direct Internet connection is going to give you the fastest throughput available. We also offer even faster performance (up to 128 Kbps) with our ISDN service.
- Is it true that the Internet is oversubscribed, and its performance is really slow?
- It is true that the Internet has proven to be such a
useful and powerful tool that the growth in subscribers
has exceeded the pace of network deployment in recent
years. This has caused some users to occasionally
experience slow periods, especially during peak usage times.
While there is little that Pacific Bell Internet Services can do about the rest of the Internet, if you obtain your access from us, rest assured that you will have the fastest connection available. Every one of our modems at every one of our dial-up access points is capable of handling a 56 Kbps connection. Our network is engineered to strict performance standards and we increase the capacity of our network before performance is impacted.
- What is Pacific Bell Internet Services' notification policy for planned outages?
- We notify customers of planned outages on our newsgroup pbinet.announce and via e-mail as appropriate.
- Do Pacific Bell employees and Pacific Bell Internet Services subscribers use different e-mail addresses?
- Yes. Every day, hundreds of "user unknown" messages are received by the postmaster at pacbell.com. This is because Pacific Bell Internet Services subscribers are using an incorrect domain: user@pacbell.com instead of user@pacbell.net. The correct domain extension for Pacific Bell Internet Services subscribers is pacbell.net. The domain extension pacbell.com is reserved for Pacific Bell telephone employees.
Pricing
- How much does your dial-up access cost?
- Pacific Bell Internet Services has two types of dial-up service:
analog and ISDN. Both methods of access are available with the Extra Access
Plan at the following rates:
Extra Access Plan for analog (standard phone line) connections
- $21.95 per month for unlimited access, or
- $219.50 per year (one-time payment for an average monthly price of only $18.30)
Extra Access Plan for ISDN connections
- $21.95 per month for unlimited access each month at 128K (using 2 'B' channels), or
- $219.50 per year (one-time payment for an average monthly price of less than $25) for unlimited access at 128K (using 2 'B' channels)
There is a one-time set-up fee of $14.95 for Analog and $21.95 for ISDN, but only after you've tried our service for 10 days for free.
- What billing options do I have with Pacific Bell Internet Services?
- Only Pacific Bell Internet Services will give you the option of putting your Internet charges on your Pacific Bell phone bill. Or if you would prefer, we will also give you the option of putting your charges on your credit card.
- Is my credit card information secure when I supply it to Pacific Bell Internet Services?
- When you supply a credit card number during the registration process, the information is transferred via a point-to-point connection over our private network to the Pacific Bell Internet Services registration server. A point-to-point connection means that it travels directly from your computer to ours. Your information is NOT transmitted through the Internet where it might be observed by others. Also, your information is only stored on our registration server which is housed in a security building. It is NOT stored on your computer.
- Do you have an educational discount and how do I qualify?
- Pacific Bell Internet Services' Education Partner program offers special pricing plans to qualified colleges, universities, and K-12 partners on a contractual basis. Contact us at 1-800-719-9951 or sales@pacbell.net to find out more. For more information on Pacific Bell programs for educators, please visit http://www.kn.pacbell.com/.
- Do you have a non-profit discount?
- We do not plan to offer a non-profit discount at this time. However, non-profit institutions should find our standard pricing plans very affordable.
Requirements
- What equipment do I need to use Pacific Bell Internet Services dial-up service?
- Minimum recommended PC requirements include:
-
- 386sx or higher
- 14.4+ Kbps modem
- Windows 3.1, 3.11 (Windows for Workgroups), or Windows 95/98/NT 4.0
- 8MB RAM minimum (16MB RAM Recommended for Windows 95/98/NT)
- 15MB free hard disk space, 25 MB recommended
- Minimum recommended Macintosh requirements include:
-
- 68030 Processor or better
- MacOS System 7.1 or later
- 8MB RAM recommended
- 10MB free hard disk space, 15 MB recommended
- Open Transport Version 1.1 if using Open Transport
- What platforms does Pacific Bell Internet Services' dial-up service support?
- Pacific Bell Internet Services' currently provides Internet access software for Windows 3.1, 3.11 (Windows for Workgroups), Windows 95/98/NT and Macintosh operating systems.
- For expert users with other
platforms (such as Windows NT or UNIX), if
you have an existing PPP connection to the
Internet, Pacific Bell Internet Services' online
help will provide you with additional information
required to use our service. However, at this
time we do not support all possible hardware and
software configurations. We can only provide you
with the basic documentation if you are
attempting to connect using anything other than
Windows 3.1/3.11, Windows 95/98/NT or Macintosh.
You will need to have access to a Windows or Macintosh computer to run our registration software. You will then need to customize your existing TCP/IP stack and dialer to use Pacific Bell Internet Services' Internet service. Therefore, you must be knowledgeable about DNS and IP addressing before attempting to complete the required customized installation procedure successfully.
- What modems work with your service?
- Pacific Bell Internet Services has extensively tested its service with modems from many different manufacturers. Most recent Hayes-compatible modems should work with our service. We have found that some modems are incompatible with our Netscape software, particularly modems that require custom software-based drivers. With a Windows 3.1 system many modems based on the Rockwell Protocol Interface chipset will not work properly because of the reliance on proprietary software drivers.
- Can I use my standard phone line, or do I need a separate line for Internet access?
- You can use your standard phone line, but many of our customers find they prefer to obtain an additional line so they can "surf the Net" while conducting business or personal calls over their primary line.
- Do I need a long distance carrier or Global Service Provider if I choose Pacific Bell Internet Services?
- Every Internet Service Provider needs to connect to the global Internet, which they do through interconnection arrangements with Global Service Providers. Pacific Bell Internet Services also connects with Global Service Provider to allow you access to the worldwide Internet.
Using Our Service
- Will loading Pacific Bell Internet Services impact an existing TCP/IP connection (i.e., Internet Provider) on my computer?
- Yes, it may, depending on your system
configuration. If you are having a conflict, you
may receive the error "Netscape is unable
to locate the server xxx.pacbell.net. The
server does not have a DNS entry. Check the
server name in the location (URL) and try
again." For help with this error message,
you can review a Troubleshooting Web Brief for Windows 95/98 or Windows 3.1 or
contact one of our Technical Analysts.
While it is possible to to have more than one TCP/IP connection using Windows 95/98 Dial-Up Networking, Pacific Bell Internet Services does not currently support multiple connections. It is also possible to have multiple TCP/IP connections using Windows 3.1 or Windows for Workgroups. Again, Pacific Bell Internet Services can only provide support for the TCP/IP dialer that is part of our product.
- What modems are supported?
- Pacific Bell Internet Services has extensively tested its service with modems from many different manufacturers. Most recent Hayes-compatible modems should work with our service. We have found that some modems are incompatible with our Netscape software, particularly modems that require custom software-based drivers. Many modems based on the Rockwell Protocol Interface chipset with a Windows 3.1 system will not work properly because of the reliance on proprietary software drivers.
- What should I do if the Account Setup Wizard can't detect my modem?
- Some modems cannot be positively identified, and
must be input manually. Look in the documentation
that came with your modem to find your modem
manufacturer and model name. Then follow the
instructions in the Account Setup Wizard.
Sometimes the Modem Wizard detects a modem other than your manufacturer's. This can happen because different modems respond similarly to our software's attempts to identify them. For example, you might have a US Robotics modem, and the Modem Wizard might detect it as "Rockwell based." The Modem Wizard detected the Rockwell chip in your US Robotics modem. In this case, your modem was detected correctly and it's fine to finish the Modem Wizard.
- What should I do if my modem isn't on the Modem Wizard's modem list?
- If your modem brand and model aren't in the list
of modems that appears, click on
"Hayes-compatible" in the Manufacturer
list. Then click a model with your modem's speed
in the Model list.
If your modem fails to work (or you see an error message stating "Unable to Initialize Modem") press the "Back" button in the Account Setup Wizard until you reach the Modem Setup screen. Press the "Select Modem" button. If you have Windows 95/98, chose the "Other Windows Modem" item from the list on the left side of the screen. If you have Windows 3.1, chose the "(Hayes Compatible)" item. Then chose the speed of your modem from the list on the right side of the box.
- What if I want to use my laptop with a PCMCIA modem card?
- If you're using a PCMCIA modem card that supports
cellular phone lines, you can use your modem with
either a cellular or regular phone line. However,
some PCMCIA modems need to be initialized
differently depending on whether they use a
cellular or regular phone line.
If you want to use your modem with a regular phone line, let the Modem Wizard in the Account Setup Wizard detect your modem. This way, the modem will be configured to use a regular phone line.
If you want to use your modem on a cellular line, choose your modem from a list in the Modem Wizard, rather than letting it be detected. In the "Manufacturer" list, select the modem's manufacturer. Next, in the "Model" list, select the correct model with the words "cellular mode" after it. Then finish running the Account Setup Wizard.
- Why do I get an error after installation?
- A common problem is that the installation program forces the user to re-start Windows, but the user is not prompted to remove the installation diskette. When Windows re-starts, the system tries to boot from the floppy drive. The fix is to simply remove the installation diskette from the floppy drive and try re-booting again. If you continue to experience an error message, please contact us using our Customer Support Form.
Installation
Registration
- What speeds are supported?
- Our service currently supports 14.4 Kbps through 56 Kbps. If you have a K56flex modem, you can dial into our K56flex access ports. In addition, we are currently deplying v.90 Internet access throughout our network. By the end of 1999, 100% of our dial-up numbers will be v.90 compatible. Click here for detailed FAQs about 56K Internet access.
- When I try to download your software from your Web site my screen immediately fills up with "garbage", how do I fix it?
- This typically happens when Netscape Navigator
does not know what to do with the file type
you're trying to download. Netscape Navigator
comes with pre-configured settings for common
files types and can take an appropriate action
for each of them. Files that Netscape Navigator
does not have pre- configured settings for are
displayed on your screen as they download.
In order to prevent your screen from filling up with "garbage" you must tell Netscape Navigator how to react when a file with a particular extension is encountered. To configure a setting for a new extension please follow the steps listed below.
- Open Netscape and log onto the network
- Click on the Netscape Options menu and select "General Preferences".
- Click on the "Helpers" folder tab.
- Scroll down the list of file types and select the "application/octet-stream" line
- Click on the "Save" option under "Action"
- Select the folder tab "Apps"
- Confirm that the field next to "Temporary Directory" reads "c:\temp"
- Click "OK" at the bottom of the window
Netscape Navigator should now be able to download your new file type and handle it appropriately.
- Why doesn't the Dial-Up Networking connection save my password?
- For Windows 95/98 users: If you're not connected to a LAN, you can set your computer to save your password. To save it, click the "Start" button, point to "Settings", and click on "Control Panel". Double-click the "Passwords" icon, click on "Users can customize their preferences and desktop settings", and click "OK". You'll need to restart your computer before this change takes effect. For more help visit Windows95.com.
Connecting
- Is there a maximum amount of time I can be logged on to the Internet?
- In an effort to provide you the best quality of service, Pacific Bell
Internet Services has established new maximum log-on session and idle times.
We recognize you may forget to disconnect from the Internet from time to time after completing your Internet session. To help you manage your session times, we have set the following maximum connect and idle times:
Analog:
Connect: 6 Hours
Idle Time: 30 MinutesThe new log-on session and idle lengths took effect on September 15, 1998. Should you need additional session time, simply reconnect at your convenience. The new session and idle times will not affect DSL Internet customers.
- Why do I have problems downloading e-mail messages over 1-2 MB?
- Our network has been tested extensively for
sending and receiving e-mail attachments, with
complete success using Netscape mail and other
mail clients. Although Pacific Bell Internet Services does
not place a file size limit on e-mail or
attachments, we recommend that they do not exceed
1-2 MB. Problems with receiving large e-mails can
be related to a multitude of factors, including
your modem, amount of installed RAM (Random
Access Memory), and lack of hard drive space.
Pacific Bell Internet Services provides limited troubleshooting for difficulties with sending and receiving large attachments. If an e-mail message is larger than 1-2 MB, and you are unable to retrieve the message, you can delete it from our mail server using our E-mail Management tool. This may be necessary so that other e-mail you have waiting on our mail server can be retrieved.
- What happens if I have call waiting and I'm connected to the Internet?
- You will need to disable call waiting prior to connecting to the Internet for the duration of your call; otherwise an incoming call could disconnect you from Pacific Bell Internet Services. This is simple to do, and our customized Netscape Navigator software allows you to disable call waiting for the period you are connected.
- Why is my connection slow?
- There are several reasons that might explain why
your connection is slow. If your phone connection
is "noisy" (static or background
noise), your modem either slows down to ensure
good data transfer or retransmits information
several times. Try re-dialing to see if you
simply had a bad phone connection. Use the
"Dialer Statistics" window to see if
you experienced "overruns" or other
errors. To fix overruns, see My
"Dialer Statistics" window shows a lot
of overrun errors.
To change the port speed on your dialer:
For Windows 95/98 Users
- Open the "My Computer" icon.
- Open the "Dial-up Networking" icon.
- With the RIGHT button on your mouse, press the "PBI" connection icon.
- From the menu which appears, choose the "Properties" menu item.
- Click on the "Configure" button.
- Press the arrow next to the "Maximum Speed" setting, and choose another speed from the list which appears.
- Click the "OK" button.
For Windows 3.1 Users
- From the "Window" menu, choose the "Netscape Personal Edition" window.
- Launch the "PBI Dialer" icon. The dialer window will appear.
- Click on the "Properties" button.
- Choose the "Connections" tab.
- Press the arrow next to the port speed setting and choose another speed from the list which appears.
- Click the "OK" button.
For Macintosh users:
- From the Finder, open the Pacific Bell Internet folder.
- Launch the "FreePPP Setup" icon. The FreePPP Setup window will appear.
- Make sure the triangle to the left of the word "Using" is pointing down.
- Click the "Modems" tab.
- From the list of modems which appears, select the modem which appeared above, in the "Using" menu. Press the "Edit..." button.
- From the "Port Speed" window, choose the desired speed.
- Make sure the "Flow Control" menu is selected as "CTS & RTS (DTR)".
- Press the "OK" button, then close the "FreePPP Setup" window.
- Why isn't the Pacific Bell Internet Services server accepting my user name and password?
- In the Dialer, check the entry for Pacific Bell Internet Services' phone number and make sure it's correct. Also, make sure you're using the correct user ID and password. Your password is case sensitive so make sure your Caps Lock key is not on and your entries are correctly upper and lower case. Windows 3.1 users can check the troubleshooting document "Why can't I log onto the Pacific Bell Internet Services' network?" for more information.
- My "Dialer Statistics" window shows a lot of overrun errors. How can I fix this? (Windows 3.1 only)
- An overrun error occurs when the data is coming
into the computer from the remote connection
faster than it can handle, so data is lost.
This problem usually occurs when you use a fast modem, but your computer only has a 8250 or 16540 UART chip. The UART chip is on your serial board or modem, and handles the flow of data through the serial port to your computer. Newer computers usually use the 16550A UART chip. The 16550A chip can usually handle communications from high-speed modems. You might want to upgrade or replace your serial board (usually an inexpensive procedure) to the 16550A UART chip. You can find out which UART chip your computer has by clicking the "Statistics" button when connected.
A short term fix to reducing overruns is reduce your maximum port speed setting, and connect again. See "How to Change the Port Speed on your Dialer" for instructions.
- I can't connect to Pacific Bell Internet Services, what should I do?
- First, you may just have a noisy phone connection so the Dialer disconnected. Just disconnect and try dialing again. There also may be a problem with the local access number you are dialing. Try using another Pacific Bell Internet Services' access number in the "Properties" dialog box in the PBI Dialer. Finally, if all else fails, you may want to call Pacific Bell Internet Services to make sure the connection is up.
- What should I do if my modem and the remote modem don't connect?
- Make sure the phone number you have entered is
correct, and includes any access codes needed to
place a call from your location. For example,
many office telephone systems require dialing a
"9" before any outside numbers.
It's also possible (but very rare) that Pacific Bell Internet Services' modem is down. If you think this is the case, try calling later or contact our Customer Service Center.
- What if I don't get dialtone?
- Try the following:
- Make sure that the telephone line is plugged into the correct jack on the back of the modem. The telephone line should be plugged in the "phone line" jack.
- You can also test the modem by connecting a telephone directly to the modem's "phone line" jack. Then connect the modem's "line port" jack to the wall jack. At that point, if you’re able to make calls with the telephone, the modem is connected properly.
- Do you have Call Waiting or the Pacific Bell Message Center voice mail? Make sure that Call Waiting is disabled and that you have no outstanding incoming messages on the Message Center.
When I use a different location, the Dialer can't connect to Pacific Bell Internet Services.- In the Dialer, make sure the location uses the
correct phone number (including area code and
dialing settings). The following instructions
tell you how to check or change the phone number
in the dialer.
For Windows 3.1 Users
- From the "Window" menu choose the "Netscape Personal Edition" window.
- Launch the "PBI Dialer" icon. The dialer window will appear.
- Choose the "Connection" tab.
- The dialer number appears in the "Provider phone number" box. View or change as desired.
- When finished, click the "OK" button.
For Windows 95/98 Users
- Open the "My Computer" icon.
- Open the "Dial-up Networking" icon.
- With the RIGHT mouse button, press the "PBI" connection icon.
- From the menu which appears, choose the "Properties" menu item.
- The dialer number appears in the "Phone number" box. View or change as desired.
- When finished, click the "OK" button.
For Macintosh users
Please visit our Macintosh help page for dialer instructions.
- Why was I suddenly cut off while I was connected to the Internet?
- Call Waiting service can interrupt your phone
connection. Make sure you disable Call Waiting by
changing options in the "Dialer".
You'll get the same results if someone in your
home picks up the phone while you're connected.
You're also disconnected automatically when your computer is idle for a certain length of time. You can set the amount of time allowed for inactivity on the "General" page of "Dialer Properties".
Finally, it's also possible that your modem is trying to transfer data too fast for your computer to handle. Use the "Dialer" to set a slower modem data transfer rate. See "How to Change your Port Speed" for instructions.
- How do I access AOL when I am connected to Pacific Bell Internet Services?
- To access AOL, open AOL, and go to Keyword: Modem and click on the Connecting via TCP/IP selection.
- What can I do when I receive junk e-mail or "spam"?
- The most effective method of dealing with spam is
to complain directly to the spammer's service
provider. For example, Pacific Bell Internet Services has
a strict policy against spam and unsolicited e-mail,
and will disconnect customers who violate the policy.
You should also be aware that posting to newsgroups makes it more likely that you will receive junk e-mail since there is software that scans postings to collect e-mail addresses. But don't give up on participating, we suggest that in the name field you type:
userid@REMOVE_TO_REPLYpacbell.net This way, a human can correctly modify your address, but an automated process will just send it to an invalid address. And if your e-mail software has filtering capability, use it! Netscape Communicator Version 4.0 has this feature. Finally, check our spam page for more information.
- How do I configure different e-mail programs for use with Pacific Bell Internet Services?
- Information about configuring third-party e-mail programs for use with Pacific Bell Internet Services can be found in our Extra E-mail Boxes section. Click here to find information about Windows95/98/NT, Windows 3.1 and Macintosh e-mail software options. For network settings only, click here.