Often, no configuration changes are needed to connect Windows 95/98/Me computers to onShore hotWire. To see if you are already configured for our connection, please open up your browser (Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator). If you can successfully bring up your home page and browse the Internet, no additional configuration is necessary. If not, please follow the instructions below. These instructions assume that a fully operational network interface card is already installed.

Go to Start | Settings | Control Panel | Network

In the list of network components (in the Configuration tab), look for TCP/IP > network interface card. If there is not a TCP/IP entry listed please continue below. If there is a TCP/IP entry for the network interface card, skip to the next page. If there is no TCP/IP entry for the network interface card (as in the example), continue to the next step.

Click Add, then in Select Network Component Type, select the component type Protocol and click Add.

Under Manufacturers, select Microsoft, and under Network Protocols, select TCP/IP. Click OK

With TCP/IP >network interface card selected, click Properties If there are no other adapters installed on the system, it will be labeled TCP/IP as in the example

In the IP Address tab, select Obtain an IP address automatically. In the Gateway tab, remove any installed gateways, as this will be automatically obtained with the IP address. In the DNS Configuration tab, select Disable DNS, as this will be automatically obtained with the IP address. Click OK to exit the TCP/IP Properties, and click OK again to exit the Network properties

Several prompts may pop up before reaching the Restart Now message; if asked to Keep existing files, answer Yes; if asked to identify the computer, click the Identification tab in the Network window and type a name for the computer, and a workgroup in the Workgroup field, which can both be any name, then click OK.

If the computer fails to present the Restart Now message, go to Start | Shut Down, select Restart, and click OK. Once rebooted, you should be able to open up your browser and browse the Internet. If this does not work, please call tech support for assistance (312.850.5200 options 2, 3)

In the IP Address tab, select Specify IP address, and enter the IP Address and Subnet Mask (as provided with New User information).

In the Gateway tab, enter the gateway (as provided with New User information) and click Add to move it to the Installed Gateways field.

In the DNS Configuration tab, select Enable DNS, and enter DNS servers (as provided with New User information) in the DNS Server Search Order by clicking Add. Click OK to exit the TCP/IP Properties, and click OK again to exit the Network properties. If the computer fails to present the Restart Now message, go to Start | Shut Down, select Restart, and click OK.

Go to Start | Run. Enter winipcfg and click OK. In the drop-down menu, select the network adapter, which usually has the same name as designated in the Network configuration. Examples include, but are not limited to, names ending beyond the edge of the menu, NDIS 5.0 Driver, names ending with NIC, or ELNK Ethernet Adapter.

The IP Address field displays the computer's current IP address, which comes from the specified IP address in the Network configuration (see above instructions), or from a DHCP server, which automatically assigns IP addresses to computers on the network that are configured to obtain an IP address automatically.

To get a new IP address, click Release, which should zero the values, then click Renew, which will request a new IP address from the DHCP server. Often, computers are assigned the same addresses they were previously assigned. If 169.254.xxx.xxx is displayed clicking Release will not clear this address. If it remains after the Renew process is completed, the computer was unable to get an address from the DHCP server. Verify that all network cables are properly connected and restart the computer.

Clicking More Info >> expands the window to display additional information for the selected adapter, including Adapter Address (MAC or Physical address unique to each network interface), DNS Servers' addresses (who tell other computers the numerical IP address of a requested site, e.g. http://www.onshore.com/ is located at 66.146.192.150), as well as the date and time that the current IP address lease was obtained, and the date and time the lease will expire. Once a lease request is completed, the computer may need to restart for the new settings to take effect.