Inbox

Compiled by MICHAEL FOREMAN

Welcome to InBox, where we attempt to answer your internet questions.

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Beryl Stout complains she keeps getting cut off by her internet service provider (ISP): "It does not happen when I am downloading, thank goodness, but if I am working on e-mails or newsgroup messages I find I have to reconnect. I went into my mail program (Eudora Pro) and altered the checking time for incoming messages from 0 to 10 minutes. I haven't had a problem since, but is there a better way?"

Your ISP is probably not to blame for the disconnections, Beryl. Some ISPs will disconnect you if there is no "network activity" - that is, you are not sending or receiving anything - for several hours, but not for a few minutes. Go to start/settings/control panel/internet options/connections/settings. Now click on the "advanced" box under "dial-up settings." Notice the button that reads: "Disconnect if idle for XX minutes"? I would guess that it's now set for 20 minutes or less. If so, either uncheck the box or set it to a more reasonable time, say one hour. This should allow you to compose your messages and stay online without any more rude interruptions.

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Whenever Shelagh clicks on "new mail" in Outlook Express a warning box pops up: "The signature file specified does not exist." - "What have I done to make this appear and how do I rectify it?" asks Shelagh. "What damage, if any, is being done?"

Relax Shelagh, your PC has not been harmed. Signature files are a useful feature of e-mail programs that save you the bother of typing details like your name and e-mail address in every message. In this case your signature file has obviously gone astray. The problem is easy to fix, but you have a couple of options.

First, if you don't want to use a signature, simply go to tools/options/signatures and uncheck the box "add signatures to all outgoing messages." However if you want to recreate a signature file, open any text editor such as Microsoft Word and compose a signing off message - for example: "Regards, Shelagh." Now save this as a text only file, then go to tools/options/signatures, check the "file" button, and browse for the file you have just saved. Alternatively you can click on the "text" button and type your message directly into the box provided.

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