Windows XP Home Edition: The Missing Manual

Connecting to the Internet

If you enjoy a full-time Internet connection like a cable modem or DSL, you’re constantly connected to the Internet. Skip to the next chapter.

If you have a dial-up modem, however, you should now have a connection icon in your Network Connections window.

Manual Connections

Double-click the connection’s icon in the Network Connections window (Figure 10-3). The Connect To dialog box appears, as shown in that figure at left. Just press Enter, or click Dial, to go online.

But that’s just the beginning. If you crave variety, here are a few other ways of opening the connection:

• Right-click your connection icon, and then choose Connect from the shortcut menu.

• If you’ve added the “Connect to” submenu to your Start menu, as described in the box on Section 10.5.2, just choose the name of the connection you want.

• Create a desktop shortcut for your connection icon (the icon in the Network Connections window) by right-dragging it out of the window and onto the desktop. When you release the mouse button, choose Create Shortcut(s) Here from the shortcut menu. Now just double-click the shortcut whenever you feel the urge to surf.

• Drag your connection icon shortcut onto the Quick Launch toolbar (Section 3.5.1), so that you can now get to the Internet with just one click.

The Notification Area Icon

While you’re connected to your ISP, Windows XP puts an icon in the notification area (Figure 10-5), reminding you that you’re online. You can watch the icon light up as data zooms back ...