Cable Guide. Beginners Only!

Ready...
Processor	Absolutely any	The main factor here is whether the operating system has drivers for your network card, if it does then processor type and speed has no impact at all. We've seen a 486 166Mhz work fine. However - tech support is unlikely to be offered for anything pre-pentium. Anything less than 400MHz will give a poor browser experience.
Operating System	Absolutely any	Once again the main factor is whether the operating system has drivers for your network card, if it does then choice of operating system has no impact at all. We've seen all the Windows systems (95,98,XP,NT and 2000) function fine. We're not sure which qualify for tech support.
Network Interface Connection (NIc)	Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) RJ45	The RJ45 socket looks like a phone socket but is wider with 8 wires instead of 6. Note: the cable company will provide the UTP cable - you can't use a modem cable. There are 4 possibilities:- Motherboard: Some newer boards have the NIc on-board. It is commonly located above the USB sockets. Slot: Some PC's (especially ex-company PC's) are LAN ready using a slot mounted NIc. Check for an RJ45 socket on one of the slot faceplates. It will normally have a couple of status LED's. USB Connected: You can get NIc's that connect via a USB port. Look for an RJ45 attached to a USB cable. Laptop: Sometimes use an external NIc via PCMCIA card, but some have a NIc on the back.
Network Drivers	Windows Native or Supplied with Network Card (NIC)	Most NIC's are supported by Windows 98 onward. If you are still using '95 check for drivers that came with your card. (CD or floppy)

Network Upgrade:

Assuming that you need to install a Network Interface Card (NIC) you have a number of alternatives. Chose the option most suitable for your technical experience or finances. (Most of these products cost less than $50 and should take less than 30 minutes to add)

Steady...
Motherboard NIC	Cable Ready	Check the Device Manager for an active Network Device, if one is not listed then it may be disabled in the BIOS. If the device is listed but has an error run the network troubleshooter.
External Device	USB Connected	The advantage of a USB connected NIC is that you don't have to open your PC to add it. The disadvantage is that they are often a pain in the butt to configure. They are getting better.
Internal Card (NIC)	ISA	Older PC's may only have ISA slots (long dark connector). Although they used to be common they are now dated and may require special order. Double check with your supplier when ordering - emphasize ISA Card Disadvantage is the need to install inside the PC - check with your PC supplier as to impact on warranty. It's also a bit dated, if you have a choice - chose PCI. Advantage - it's been around a while - many networks were built on these, so they are very reliable.
	PCI	Newer PC's may only have PCI slots (shortish light connector), some have combination of ISA and PCI. Disadvantage is the need to install inside the PC - check with your PC supplier as to impact on warranty. Advantage - based on well established technology so they are very reliable. Very cheap too.
No Spare Slot	What if you need a slot but don't have a spare? Don't despair - do you really need that modem card?	Although some experts recommend that you keep your Dial-up connection for emergencies, if you have to make a choice between modem card and network card ---- dump the modem! The only real reasons to keep the modem are   1) FAX - find it on-line;   2) Voice mail - buy a $20 answer phone

Getting Connected:

With Plug and Play (sic) your new network card should be up and running in under 30 minutes. Select all the defaults for a nice easy install - and a hackers playground (see Security below).

The Cogeco rep will install a splitter close to the cable entry point and run coax to your PC location, where he will leave the cable modem. If you get a real nice guy he may even plug in the UTP cable. depending on the installation option you chose he may even setup the PC. If not, read on:-

Go......
UTP Cable	The Cogeco rep will leave a short UTP cable. Plug it in. It will only fit in your RJ45 NIc - you CANNOT use a regular modem cable. Tech Stuff CAT5 - is a 100MHz standard for UTP cabling. You DON'T need it. Since the cable speed is less than 10MHz, you don't need CAT5. (You should use CAT5 between PC's if you are home networking)
Logon	You don't need to logon. As soon as the cable modem auto-configures the NIC you are connected! Run winipcfg.exe from the Start->Run menu, you should see an ip address in the 24.141.x.x range. You will need an e-mail user name and password.
Internet Connection	Select Tools->Options from the IE menu (or right click the IE desktop icon and select Properties). Select the Connections tab. You might want to keep dial-up for times when the cable is unavailable - in this case select the Dial whenever a network connection is not present option. Otherwise remove any entries in the Dial-up settings box and select the Never dial a connection option. Select the LAN settings button; then check Automatically detect settings
E-mail	When you sign up with Cogeco they should give you an account (user) name and password. You will need these for your e-mail logon. The account name is also your e-mail name and is of the form username@cogeco.ca. The password is usually an 8 character word or word combination. This is not good and should be changed soon.
Outlook Express	Add Cogeco to your Outlook Express accounts. Select Tools->Accounts, then the Mail tab. Click Add and use the wizard to enter the account details. e.g.  User Name: accountname@cogeco.ca  Password: as given  Pop Server: pop.cogeco.ca  Smtp Server: smtp.cogeco.ca
Network Configuration	The default network configuration is aimed at home networking and is totally unsuitable for an Internet connection. While XP claims to be secure complete with firewall, the standard Windows is about as secure as a colander. Don't believe us? Test your PC's security at Steve Gibson's ShieldsUp site. A discussion of network security is too complex to include in this no-tech cable guide. Visit Steve's site and follow his step-by-step instructions to make your PC more secure.
Security	Before you do anything else ....... Get a firewall NOW! The instant your PC starts up it will be connected to the Internet, and constantly open to a barrage of hack attacks. Many operating system bugs allow an intruder to compromise your system without you even being aware, without you opening an e-mail, and your Virus Scanner won't detect it. Visit the ZoneLabs site for more details. While there are a number of freely available firewalls, many of them have severe limitations. Industry guru Steve Gibson (see ShieldsUp) is tentatively awaiting the "stable version" of the free ZoneAlarm. For this reason Zenica exclusively recommends ZoneAlarm Pro.
Cogeco	Web http://www.cogeco.ca Tech Support 1-866-879-7179 E-mail Selfcare https://selfcare.cogeco.com

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