Computer Tips

11.Increasing Modem Performance

To increase modem performance when connecting to the Internet: Disable compression on your modem
In SYSTEM.INI under 386enh section put in: COMxBUFFER=1024 (x is your modem port number )
Add AT%C0 (that's a zero),to the extra settings line of your modem's properties.
Switch errror correction off

12.To Find Your IP Address

To find your IP address when connected: Open Explorer
In the Windows folder find the file WINIPCFG.
Drag a shortcut onto your screen.
Now when you are online you can double click the shortcut to see your IP address and other data.

13.Using UNC Network Names with Files

As already mentioned, you can use long file names in an MS DOS Box.
But you can even use UNC-style network names. Example: DIR \\server\share1\dir1
will give you all files on the computer named "server", in the share named "share1" and in the directory "dir1".

This does not work with CD, but it will work with MD, RD, DIR, COPY, MOVE, REN, and so on.
I use this in combination with a batch file to copy files to a number of computers on a network

14.Changing the Number of Rings Before Dial-Up Server Answers

To change the number of rings before Dial up Networking Server answers: Find the INF file for the modem in the \WINDOWS\INF directory. The filename will begin with "mdm" and end with characters desciptive of the manufacturer, ie. "supra" for Supra Express modem.
Make a copy of this file.
Edit this file with notepad and look for a string "HKR, Answer, 1,, "ATA<cr>".
Change to HKR, Answer, 1,, "None".
A few lines up from this should be the line HKR, Monitor, 1,, "ATS0=0<cr>" Change the value of the S0 register to the number of rings you would like to have the modem answer on.
Remove the modem by using the Control panel | System | Device Manager.
Reinstall the modem using the REFRESH Button.
This should install the modem using the updated INF file.

15.Resetting Forgotten Dial-Up Server Password

If you forget the password you set for you Dial-Up Server
simply delete (or rename) the RNA.PWL file in the WINDOWS directory

16.Monitoring Your Dial-Up Connection

There are some system checks you can use to see how good your ISP and Phone lines are.
You either net OEM SR2 or the ISDN Accelerator Pack 1.1 installed Make sure SYSMON is installed. You can add this through the Control Panel / Add New Programs
Run SYSMON
Select Edit / Add Item
Click on Dial-Up Networking Adapter
Select CRC Errors
Click on OK
If you have lots of CRC errors, either the phone lines or your modem is having problems.

You can also add Framing Errors and Timeout Errors if you are still having problems and your

17.Fixing a problem with Shortcuts that keep network UNC connections

By default, when you create a shortcut to a network application, both the Drive letter and UNC connection are stored as part of the shortcut.
The reasoning that if the drive letter gets reassigned or deleted, the UNC connection will serve as an additional way to ensure that the application is available.
This can also be a problem because when you want to re-assign the drive to a new server, it will still make the connection to the old one through the UNC To disable this feature, there is a program called SHORTCUT.EXE in the Admin / Apptools / Envvars directory.
Execute the program with a -? to see a description of the available switches.

18.Starting a Dial-Up Connection from the Command Line

You can dial your ISP from a command line. This can make it easy to create a batch file that will
do things like dial, start your e-mail and web browser. The syntax is:
rundll rnaui.dll,RnaDial connectoid

Note: The RnaDial and connectoid components of the command line are case sensitive

19.Device Contention when trying to use a Modem

Occasionally, when trying to use your modem, you might get the following errors: Another program is using the selected Telephony device. Try again after the other program completes.
or
Cannot initialize port

The state of Windows 95 device contention is determined by the value for the "COM n AutoAssign=x"
setting in the [386Enh] section of the System.ini file,
where n is the number of the serial port and x is a value from -1 to 1000.

The default setting in Windows 95 is -1. This setting causes Windows 95 to not release a serial port previously used
by a non-Windows-based program.

If you need hot-swapping capability between an MS-DOS-based communications program and a Windows-based communication program,
add the following entry to the [386Enh] section of the System.ini file:

Com n AutoAssign=0 

20.Unable to Browse the Network

If you do not have a logon password, Windows95 might have problems when you try and browse the network.
Try the following steps to solve the problem. Start REGEDIT
Go to Hkey_Local_Machine \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ Current_version \ Network \ Real mode net
Delete the line that says AUTOLOGON=0
Save the changes and reboot the system

21.Auto-Dialing for 32-bit Internet Applications

If your 32-bit Internet applications do not automatically invoke your
Windows 95 Dialer, here is a way I found to enable this feature. First, bring up an internet application such as Netscape or Internet Explorer.
Next, manually dial into your internet provider by double-clicking your connection icon.
Once connected, go to the Control Panel and double-click on the Internet icon.
Once the window open, uncheck the checkbox titled "Dial whenever an Internet Connection is needed".
Click the check box again and make sure there is a check in the checkbox.
Next, click the APPLY button.
Finally , click the OK button.
Once you do this, close your internet application and disconnect from your internet provider.
Re-start your Internet application and the Windows 95 dialer should start up.
NOTE: From my experience, all Internet applications will be effected and will automatically start the Windows 95 dialer. 

22.Changing your Modem's Initialization String

Start REGEDIT
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ System \ CurrentControlSet \ Services \ Class \ Modem \ 0000 \ Init
Change the settings to the values for your modem

23.Increasing the Modem Timeout

If your modem it timing out during file transfers or loading Web Pages,
you might try increasing the timeout period. To change it:

Start Regedit
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / System / CurrentControlSet / Services / Class / Modem / XXXX / Settings
Where XXXX is the number of your modem
Move to the right panel and double click on Inactivity Timeout
The number of minutes for a timeout should be entered between the brackets.
For example, a US Robotics Sportster could have S19=<30> to set it to 30 minutes.

24.Potential problems leaving 16-bit winsock.dll's

If you re having problems getting some of your winsock applications
to work under Win95, make sure you delete any old 16-bit winsock.dll's. If this file is in the directory were the application resides, it could
cause problems. Programs that could have problems like this are:

Ewan.exe (Telnet app)
WSIRC.exe (IRC app)
WSGopher.exe (Gopher app)
NX.Exe (NewsXpress)
Netscape v.1.0
We found that if the software listed above is in the same directory as the
Trumpet Winsock.dll file, then they will NOT work under the MS-TCP/IP stack.