The following pages are intended to help you properly connect a computer running Windows 95 to Switch Online.

The Network Control Panel

1. Before starting this section, please have your Windows 95 CD available as Windows may need to copy some additional files.
2. Click on the Start Button. Move the cursor up to the Settings option, then over to Control Panel and click.
3. Locate the Network icon and double click on it. This should display the Network Configuration Window. Make sure that you have the components "Dialup Adapter" and "TCP/IP" installed.
4. If you see both of these, proceed to Step 5 - If you DO NOT have these in the Network Configuration Window, click on ADD, select the type of component to add (the "Dialup Adapter" is an Adapter and the "TCP/IP" is a Protocol). After selecting the component, click ADD. In the Left window, select Microsoft; in the Right window make the appropriate selection of either "Dialup Adapter" or "TCP/IP".
5. Double click on the TCP/IP component. This will display the TCP/IP Settings window.
6. On the IP Address tab, make sure the option "Assign IP Address Automatically" is selected. Click on the Wins Configuration tab and make sure that the option to "Disable Wins Resolution" is selected. Click on the DNS Configuration tab and select the "Disable DNS" option.
7. Click on the OK button, then click the OK button again.
8. Several updates will be made to your system. Then a window will appear telling you to restart the computer. Click on the Yes button and wait for you system to restart.

1. After your system restarts, close the Control Panel. Click on the Start Button, move up to Programs, and then to Accessories. Click on Dialup Networking.
2. If the Make A New Connection Wizard does not start, double click on the Make New Connection Icon. You will be asked to enter a name for the new connection you are about to create. Type in Switch Online.
3. Click on the Next button. You will now be prompted for the area code and phone number of the computer you are dialing. Enter the area code and access number provided by Switch Online. For a list of numbers, click here. If you live in Maryland, be sure to include the area code in the same box with the phone number. Do you have Call Waiting on the phone line the computer is using? To disable Call Waiting, put *70, or 1170, at the beginning of your access number. Example *70,240-327-0007 -Please note the comma and no spaces in number. This will disable call waiting ONLY when connected to the Internet. Click on the Next button.
4. Click on the Finish button. Now there should be a newly created icon called Switch Online.
5. With the right mouse button, click on it one time. From the small menu that appears, select Properties.
6. Remove the check mark from the "Use Area And Country Code" option for Windows 95. (Windows 98 users will see the option listed as "Use Area Code And Dialing Properties")
7. Make sure that the Type of Dialup Server starts with "PPP,....". Make sure that none of the items in the Advanced Options section are selected. The only item in the Allowed Network Protocols section that should be selected is TCP/IP.
8. Click on the TCP/IP Settings button. Make sure that the first option, "Server Assigned IP Address", and the fourth option, "Specify Name Server Addresses", are selected.
9. In the Primary DNS field, enter 12.26.83.2, the Secondary DNS field should not be used and should remove any numbers that exist in this field.
10. Make sure that the options call "Use IP Header Compression" and "Use Default Gateway on Remote Network" are both selected.
11. Click on the OK button. Click OK again. Click on OK a third time in order to close the last properties window.

1. Now you are ready to test your connection. Double click on the Switch Online. In the window that appears, Type in your User name: and Password:, Please Note: You must add @switchol.com to your username. Your username should now read like an email address, with all lowercase letters and no spaces.
2. Click Next
3. You should now be connected to Switch Online.