Dial-up internet.

[styley]

My brother just bought a lap top and is trying to get onto the internet. He is going to have to do it through a normal telephone line. Does anyone know if it's just a matter of finding our local number for dial up and putting it in or is there more to it?

[NORMANTHEDOG]

you cant just plug it in and get on the internet,go to pc world and get a internet pack with disc and load it and register your details,then you should be fine.

[styley]

Sorry, should have mentioned he's from Rep. of Ireland. We used to have it on a PC in the house but we never set it up, someone else did. I'll look around for a CD with internet on it maybe.

[Ethel]

To use dial up the laptop MUST have a dial up modem.

This is not standard in new laptops and pcs so please check before you do anything else.

If needs be, an external modem can be bought quite cheaply like this one:
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw_pag e.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0826009713.1186163533@@ @@&BV_EngineID=ccffaddljdfddejcflgceggdhhmdgmj .0&page=Product&fm=null&sm=null&tm=null&sku=87 1259&category_oid=

[Buenchico]

I agree with Ethel (i.e. your brother won't get anywhere without a dial-up modem).

However, Norman seems to be unaware that it only takes less than a minute to manually set up an internet connection. There's no need for a CD and no need to subscribe to any service. The easiest way to connect is via a guest account with Webtribe. See here:
http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Technology/Inte rnet/Question407429.html

Alternatively, your brother could use Freewire. The basic ('clientless') service allows connection to the internet with all web data compressed. (Which is great for speeding things up but reduces the quality of images). The alternative service uses a 'client', which is software which allows you to control the level of data compression (or switch it off):
http://www.freewire.co.uk/

Chris

[styley]

Thanks guys but as I say he's in Ireland so either the numbers probably wouldn't dial ir if they did the charge would be too high. I shoul have mentioned about Ireland at the start, live and learn.

[LeMarchand]

Irish ISPs:

http://mel.wordpress.com/2004/10/14/irish-free -dial-up-isp-settings/

http://iiu.taint.org/w/FreeDialupIsps

(Sorry about the links at the bottom of the page on the second link)