Frequently
Asked Questions
How can I check my E-mail from work or while
I'm traveling?
You can login to our webmail system with a browser such as Internet Explorer or Netscape from any Internet connection. This means that you can check your e-mail from work or while on vacation, etc.
Just go to http://www.softsolutions.com/webmail to login to our mail system with your account info.
What can I do about SPAM?
There is no way to stop all spam on the Internet but you can greatly reduce the amount that you receive.
Click here for suggestions.
What can I do about Pop-up Ads?
Many websites and "free" programs support themselves by selling advertising.
This advertising often is in the form of "pop-up ads". Pop-ups can even appear when the browser is not open or when the user is not connected to the Internet.
These are often generated by what is commonly referred to as "spyware".
There are a number of programs, such as AdSubtract
that offer pop-up blocking. A couple of the popular search engines (Google,
Yahoo) also offer a "toolbar" that can be added to the Internet Explorer browser that have pop-up blocking capability.
If you suspect you have spyware installed on your computer, you can use
programs such as Ad-aware to help
you detect and remove spyware from your machine.
NOTE: Windows 2000 and XP machines have a built-in feature
called "Windows Messenger" that allows anyone on the
Internet to pop up windows on your screen. Should a pop up box appear on your screen with the words "Messenger Service" in the title bar, chances are that you have Windows Messenger Services enabled.
Click here to learn how to disable
Windows Messenger Service.
How can I keep my kids from going to adult
websites?
We recommend that you use or content filtering
solutions.
Should I have an Anti-Virus Program installed in my computer?
We strongly recommend installing an Anti-Virus software in your
computer. There are
various programs on the market. We suggest McAfee or Norton
AntiVirus. It is important to note that not all viruses come from the internet, so even if you
don't surf the net much it is still a good idea to have Anti-Virus software.
Where can I go to find out about Virus and E-mail Hoaxes?
Often you may receive E-mail asking you to forward it to as many people as you
can. They contain bogus warnings usually intent only on frightening or misleading users.
You can refer to Symantec's
website or HoaxBusters whenever you receive what appears to be a bogus message regarding a new virus, or promotion that sounds too good to be true.
My computer says "No Dial Tone"
First make sure there's a phone line hooked up to your modem. Make sure that the
phone cord is hooked up in the right place on the modem, usually the jack that says
"Line" or "Telco" on it. If you have voice mail through your phone company and you have unheard messages you
usually hear a stutter dial tone when you pick up your phone. If you hear this
stutter tone you need to listen to your messages. Modems don't detect this stutter
tone as a dial tone and will say there's no dial tone.
Why do I keep getting bumped off from the Internet?
Software Solutions has a 15 minute Idle time out. If there is no activity with
your connection during a 15 minute period you will get bumped off. Most ISP's only
allow a 5 minute idle time out. The reason we do this is to conserve resources and
free up connections for people that really need them. Your email can be configured
so that you are not connected while you read/write email. If you would like help
setting this up please contact us. Some of the other reasons for
getting bumped off are call waiting, picking up the phone while you're
connected to the Internet, or poor line quality (hum or noise on line).
When I try to log on, the computer keeps asking for my password?
Passwords are case sensitive. Make sure you are typing it
correctly. Check and make sure
that your caps lock is turned off. User names need to be entered
in lowercase. Your account may also be disabled for non-payment. If you
suspect that this might be the case, please contact us.
I can connect, but I can't go anywhere?
First, try to reboot your computer. If that doesn't work, reinstall your
TCP/IP driver (Windows 95/98 users
only). If you are using our adult Content Filtering, someone may have tampered with your
proxy server settings. Give us a call and we can verify your settings.
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