Itz4U - Hints & Tips print-out

To print-out the Hints & Tips that are displayed in the Tips Machine, switch your printer on now, and click on this page. Next, either press Ctrl+P (the Ctrl key together with the P key), or click on 'File' then 'Print' and set your printer settings to suit. The printer will now print-out this page.

ITZ4U - HINTS & TIPS - for Internet Explorer & Outlook Express:

Test your Net connection. While on-line & with your browser open, click on 'Start', 'Programs', 'MSDOS Prompt'. In the black window type this: ping www.virgin.net (or any other web site) now press Return/Enter key. This calls up the Virgin site, and displays the time (in milli-secs) it takes to make 4 connections. You'll see the minimum & maximum times. Under 200ms is OK. Any longer, or no response, then your ISP's connection could be unduly slow. Complain to them! Type EXIT to return to Windows.

Browse the Net off-line, to cut your phone bill! The next tip tells you how, but there is a small cost - it uses some of your hard drive space to store the web pages you visit ON-line, so you can view them again in more detail at your leisure OFF-line - and without paying BT!

Browse OFF-line - here's how. Click on 'Tools', then 'Internet Options'. In next window, select 'Temporary Internet Files, Settings'. In the settings window, move the slider to the right, to increase the storage space on your drive - to say 100mB. When ON-line, quickly goto all web pages you want to store, but don't stop to read them - you can do it OFF-line later for free! ALSO SEE NEXT TIP.

To ensure your browser opens OFF-line when you run it: Click 'File' and on the drop-down menu, click 'Work off-line' before you exit your browser. Always do this before you exit, to ensure it opens OFF-line next time.

E-Mail OFF-line too! To avoid automatically going ON-line, click 'File' and on the drop-down menu, click 'Work off-line'. Do this before exiting each time. If your 'Dialler' tries to dial-up, just click on 'Cancel'. Now you can create one or more messages, then click 'File' and 'Send later'. When you're ready to send them all in one go, click on 'Send & Receive'

Easy way to put your contacts into your Address Book. When you get e-mail, right click on the name or subject, and select 'Add to Address Book' on the drop-down menu.

Have BT's Call Waiting? To avoid connections problems, switch this off. Here's how. Goto 'Start', 'Control Panel', 'Modems' and select 'General tab'. Click on 'Dialling Properties' and click the box marked 'Disable Call Waiting' (some versions, 'Dial from this location') and in the adjacent box type, #43# and click OK. To restore Call Waiting after you log off, use your phone and dial *43#

Call Minder can cause some modems to object, especially if there are messages waiting for you. So before going on-line, collect any messages by dialling 1571

Your browser is typically set to hold web pages for 20 days. To increase this, click on 'Tools', 'Internet Options', and on the 'General tab' click the up arrow next to the 'days' box, to say 30 or 60 days. History - a record of sites you've visited - can be cleared here if you wish

When you delete emails, they get sent to the Recycle Bin, but are still on your hard drive occupying space! And for others to read! If you really don't want them, then do this. Click on 'Tools', select 'Options' and on the 'General tab' click the box (put a tick) next to 'Empty messages from the deleted folder on exit'

If you send & receive loads of mail, this occupies valuable drive space. The answer is to 'compact' your mails. Here's how. Click & highlight your 'Inbox' the click 'File', select 'Folder' and then 'Compact Folder' (or 'Compact all folders') . Do the same with your Outbox

Back-up your Add. Book, and make it usable in most word-processors. Open Add. Book & click 'File', select 'Export' then 'Add. Book' (or 'Other Add. Book') . In next box, select 'Text file (comma separated values) ' & click the 'Export' button. Type where you want to save the file, e.g. C:|My Documents|addbook.txt Now select 'Next' & check the entries in your Book that you want to save, then click 'Finish'

To see your browser enlarged to full screen, press the F11 key (top row). It's a 'toggle' meaning you use it to switch full screen on & off

If you like a web site and want to visit it again, to save typing in the web name, simply right click on an empty area of the page, and from the drop-down menu, click 'Add to Favourites' (a shortcut is to press the Ctrl key and D together) . Then, when you want to visit that site again (this one?), click 'Favourites' & click on that site's name. It's entered into the Address Bar for you - just click 'Go' or press the Enter key to connect

If you see any images on web pages that you'd like to keep, then right click on the image, and from the drop-down menu, select 'Save Picture As...' Then in the next box, note the Filename used, and the 'Save in' location, then click 'Save'. Later, view the file with 'Paint' or other graphics programs. If you can't find the file, then click 'Start', 'Find' and enter the filename, or part of it, to search for. Note the file's location!

How to disconnect from the Internet? This is not made clear, and yet is very simple. When you're on-line, you'll see an icon of 2 linked computers next to your clock (bottom right corner), with green lights flashing. If you double click this icon it'll pop-up on screen - click 'Disconnect' to come off-line. If you let the mouse hover over this icon, it'll tell you the download connection speed - should be around 40,000bps

If there are chances of storms, then disconnect your modem cable from the BT socket. Lightning can 'fry' your modem & PC - it HAS happened! Also disconnect if away from home for a time.

Fed up with your browser always opening with a web site? Then change it: Open Internet Explorer, click on 'Tools', then 'Internet Options'. On the 'General tab' click 'Use Blank' then click OK. Now you'll have a nice clear screen!

E-Mail attachments can carry viruses!. So either delete any mails with doubtful attachments, or click them & 'Save to Disk' - DON'T open them as this allows the virus to strike - and then do a virus scan BEFORE opening.

The best time (also cheapest at 1p/min) for browsing the 'Net, is Sat & Sun mornings up to 12 noon. After that, the USA wakes up, gets on-line and slows the 'Net own!