TropicNet Windows 95 v.90 Configuration

V.90 56K and ISDN dial-up numbers in Dade, Broward and Palm Beach are available! Configuring Windows 95 for V.90 or K56flex at TropicNet >
Important: Before you start with this configuration, remember that you must request that we set you up as a V.90 or Broward/Palm Beach dial-in user. Connecting with analog dial-up settings to the V.90 Ascend digital 56K modem pool will fail. There is a $10 surcharge over the normal setup fee for this configuration. We can provide a static IP reserved exclusively in your name if needed for an additional $5/month.

Installing Windows 95

To install Microsoft's Windows 95 software, perform the following steps:

Follow the instructions that came with your Windows 95 package.
Sit back and watch it munge your hard drive.
Mourn the loss of most of your other software ;-)

We recommend you do a standard install of all Windows 95 components. Especially important is the Communications module.

Required Software

Unlike earlier releases, Windows 95 comes with its own Winsock program, which can be used to connect to TropicNet.

In the Network Control Panel (Start:Settings:Control Panel:Network), verify that the following items are installed:

TCP/IP protocol
Dial-up Adapter
Client for Microsoft Networks (optional, must be configured if installed)

If any of these items are missing, follow the procedures depicted in the Windows 95 manual and the on-line help facility to install the modules (in the Network Configuration window, add:adapter:add:Microsoft:Dial-up Adapter, add:protocol:add:Microsoft:TCP/IP, then restart your computer when prompted for changes to take effect).

Your K56Flex or V.90 56K modem should have the latest Rockwell or Lucent firmware installed. Consult your modem owner's manual, or your vendor to find out how to upgrade to the latest release. Many modem vendors have software that can be downloaded on their web pages or FTP sites. Customers with US Robotics modems should ensure that they properly upgraded from X2 to V.90 (X2 is NOT supported).

Configuring the Client for Microsoft Networks

If present, the properties for the Client for Microsoft Networks found under Network (Start:Settings:Control Panel:Network:Client for Microsoft Networks:Properties) must be configured for Quick Logon (Network drives are not used until needed). You must restart your computer when prompted for changes to take effect.

Note: you will need to install the Client for Microsoft Networks (in the Network Configuration window, add:client:add: Microsoft:Client for Microsoft Networks) if you want to save your system password in the Connect To window (otherwise, the Save password option is grayed out).

Dial-up Networking

The Dial-up Networking selection can easily be configured by following the steps described below:

Open the icon named My Computer.
Open the folder named Dial-up Networking.
Click twice on the Make Connection icon. Enter the requested information:

For name of Internet Connection type TropicNet.
Fill in the Area code 305 and Telephone number 908-9595 for Dade, Area code 954 and Telephone number 745-9595 for Broward, Area code 561 and Telephone number 962-9595 for Boca Raton, or Area code 561 and Telephone number 515-9595 for West Palm Beach.
Click the Finish button. A new icon will be created within the Dial-up Networking folder called TropicNet.

Highlight the icon named TropicNet and click the right mouse button. A small window will pop up.
Click on Properties. A new window will pop up.

Click on Server Type. A new window will pop up. Fill in the required information:

For Type of Dial-up Server choose PPP: Windows 95, Windows NT, Internet
In the Advanced options section, check only Enable software compression, rest stays blank.
In the Allowed network protocols section, check only TCP/IP, rest stays blank.

Click on TCP/IP settings. A new window will pop up.

Configure TCP/IP settings as follows:

Mark the button Server assigned IP address, even if you opted for a static IP address that TropicNet can provide at additional cost. You will either be assigned an IP from the dynamic pool, or your usual static IP.
Mark the button Specify name server addresses.
Fill in only Primary DNS: 205.159.140.2, rest stays at 0.0.0.0
Check Use IP header compression
Check Use default gateway on remote network

Click OK in the TCP/IP Settings window.

Click OK in the Server Types window.
Select the appropriate modem used on your machine.
Click Configure in the NetSide Corporation window.
In Connections, verify the modem is dialing out using 8 data bits, No parity, 1 stop bit. Always use only harware flow control.
Click OK in the NetSide Corporation window.

Starting Automatic PPP login

The Ascend digital equipment you are connecting to is different than analog modems. It uses Radius and PAP/CHAP authentication. You will automatically be assigned an IP address from the dynamic pool which you MUST accept, unless you opted for a unique static IP that was assigned permanently to you. You can only connect while using PPP encapsulation, meaning through the TropicNet Dial-up networking icon - all other conection types (i.e., dialing in with Hyperterminal) will be refused. You must have a user profile set up in our files to connect.

Once configured, a connection to TropicNet's V.90 dial-up pool can be established by simply clicking on the TropicNet icon within the Dial-up Networking folder. A new window named Connect to will pop up.

In the User name selection type your login code, as assigned by TropicNet.
In the Password selection type your account password.
Check Save password option.
Click the Connect bottom.

After the modem dials out and a connection with the server is established, a window will indicate you are connected. That's it!

You can now start your desired Internet application.

Other 32-bit Applications

You can download the latest Netscape Navigator software directly from their official site:

[Download Netscape Software]

TropicNet offers a selected suite of 32-bit applications for accessing the Internet with Windows 95. These are available for downloading FREE of charge from the NetSide FTP site. You may also run some 16-bit Windows applications where the 32-bit versions are not available.

Please address all correspondence regarding this page to: gmilhet@tropicnet.net Return to [TropicNet Main Page]