Connecting to the Internet with Internet Explorer for Macintosh

This article describes how to connect your Macintosh to the Internet using Internet Explorer for Macintosh and an Internet service provider (ISP).

To connect your computer to the Internet, the following hardware and software is required:

• A Macintosh with 68030 or later processor
• System 7.1 or later (System 7.6 recommended)
• 8 megabytes (MB) of RAM
• 7 MB of hard disk space for a minimum installation, 15 MB of hard disk space for a full installation
• A modem (28.8 or faster recommended)
• MacTCP or Open Transport 1.1.1 or later (extension)
• A point-to-point protocol (PPP) dialer (for example, OT/PPP, ConfigPPP, or FreePPP)
• An Internet Service Provider (ISP) account
• Internet Explorer for Macintosh

Getting Started

To connect to the Internet, you need a PPP or SLIP account with an Internet service provider and the following account information:

• User name
• Password
• Access phone number

Your ISP may provide additional information, such as an Internet Protocol (IP) address and an IP subnet mask. These optional items are needed only if your provider gives you a dedicated IP address to use every time you dial in. In addition, your ISP may provide a Domain Name Service (DNS) server address.

Set Up Open Transport (OT)

Use the Network Software Selector in the Apple Extras folder to enable Open Transport. If Open Transport or MacTCP is not included with your Macintosh System software, contact Apple for information about obtaining Open Transport or MacTCP.

NOTE: MacTCP does not work on Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Power Macintosh computers. Note that Open Transport is enabled by default in Macintosh System 7.6 and System 8.

Configure Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)

Once Open Transport is installed, configure your TCP/IP control panel settings using the instructions from your ISP. Enter your IP address, Subnet mask, and DNS server information as needed.

Create and Configure a New Connection for Your PPP Accounts

Configure your PPP dialer. For example, if you are using OT/PPP, follow these steps:

1. Open the PPP control panel.
2. Enter your account information. Your account information usually consists of your user name, password, and access phone number.
3. In the Modem control panel, click the appropriate modem and port.
4. With OT/PPP, you can create multiple configurations by clicking Configurations on the File menu.

Install Internet Explorer

To obtain Internet Explorer for Macintosh, visit the following Microsoft Web site: For additional information about Internet Explorer, visit the following Microsoft Web site: NOTE: If Internet Config is not already installed on your computer, Internet Explorer installs it and stores Internet Config preferences in the Internet Preferences file. This allows you to share your preferences with other Internet programs such as Internet Mail and News, and Personal Web Server. You can change your Internet preferences using Internet Explorer or Internet Config.

Connect to Your PPP Account

To connect to your PPP account, start Internet Explorer. Most PPP dialers automatically connect you, but you may be prompted for a password. To manually connect, follow these steps:

1. Open the PPP control panel.
2. If you have multiple configurations, click the appropriate configuration.
3. If necessary, enter your password, and then click Connect.

Troubleshooting Tips

For information about troubleshooting Internet Explorer for Macintosh, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: The third-party products discussed in this article are manufactured by vendors independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products' performance or reliability.