FAQ -- (Frequently Asked Questions)

• 1.What can I do to try and troubleshoot my computer?
• 2. I can't receive e-mail?
• 3. I can't send e-mail?
• 4. Why does it say the computer is not answering when I try to connect?
• 5. Where do you provide local access?/What are the access #'s for them?
• 6. If I move, what do I do to get reconnected?
• 7. If I have, "Web TV", Can I get connected through you?
• 8. Why do I lose my connection after I send or receive email?
• 9. Does Tri-Lakes have access to my computer when I am connected?
• 10. Why do I get, Error 691; Invalid user name and/or password?
• 11.How can I get a shortcut to Tri-Lakes Net on my desktop?
• 12. When I dial in the operator comes on and says the number cannot be reached. What do I do?
• 13. Will I receive any long distance charges for using Your internet service?
• 14. I keep hearing that you offer pornography filtration, is that true and how does it work?
• 15. Does this pornography filter protect my email also?
• 16. Why do I get a "page cannot be displayed" when I looking for web pages?
• 17. Why does my connection speed vary throughout the day or from that of my neighbors?
• 18. Why do I get pop up windows?

#1.What can I do to try and troubleshoot my computer?
With a Windows computer restarting the computer can fix most sporadic errors. Errors such as: Illegal Operation Error, Unable to Establish Connection, Out of Memory, and most others. Restarting your computer is the first step to troubleshooting it. (To restart your computer click on the “Start” button in the bottom left, next click on the “Shut Down…” option. This will pull up a window in the middle of your screen. Choose the “Restart” option and click “Ok.” Your computer will then shutdown and reboot itself.)
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#2. I can't receive e-mail?
This is usually caused by having an incorrect incoming mail server name in your email client's settings. Our incoming mail server is mail.tri-lakes.net. This is how to change those setting if you are using Outlook Express:

1. Open up "Outlook Express"
2. Click once on the menu labeled "Tools"
3. Click once on the menu labeled "Accounts"
4. Once in accounts, click on the "mail" tab.
5. Go over and click on "Properties"
6. Once in properties, click on the "Servers" tab
7. In here you will see a box for Incoming Mail Server and Outgoing Mail Server.
Make sure that "mail.tri-lakes.net" (without the parentheses) in entered in each of these boxes.

There are a number of different email clients that you may be using. If you are using a different email program, then you will want to contact technical support to find out how to check this setting.
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#3. I can't send e-mail?
This is usually caused by having an incorrect outgoing mail server name in your email client's settings. Our outgoing mail server is mail.tri-lakes.net. This is how to change those settings if you are using Outlook Express:
1. Follow steps 1 through 6 as seen above.
2. In here you will see a box for the outgoing mail server. This needs to be mail.tri-lakes.net. If it is not then you should change it to this.
If you use an email program other than Outlook Express, please contact our technical support staff to find out how to change this setting.
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#4. Why does it say the computer is not answering when I try to connect?
This is usually caused by dialing a wrong number. There are two different things that can possibly be making this happen.
1. The number is typed in incorrectly.
In order to check this you need to:
a. Double click on "My Computer"
b. Then double click on "Dial-Up Networking"
c. Once in dial-up networking, right click on your "tri-lakes.net" icon.
d. This will bring up a small menu. Select
"Properties"
e. Once in Properties, you will see the phone number that your computer is dialing. If this is incorrect, change it to the right number. ( See #5 for a list of phone numbers.)
f. Click on "ok".
2. Your computer is trying to dial an area code before the number.
If the number you are dialing is correct, then you may be dialing an area code. In order to check this:
1. Go through steps 1 through 5 as listed above.
2. Once you are in the properties, look at the middle of the page. You will see an option here to "use area code and dialing "properties". Make sure that the box is not checked. If it is, remove the check mark. Then click on ok. Now your computer will not dial an area code any more.
If you still are not able to get connected, then you will need to contact someone in our technical support department.
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#5. Where do you provide local access?/What are the access #'s for them?
The local access sites and #'s are as follows:

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#6. If I move, what do I do to get reconnected?
In the case that you move to another area, the first thing you need to do is check the list above to see if we cover that area. If we do cover that area then, the only thing you need to do is change the phone number in your dial up connection box, or your "Short cut to Tri-lakes.net". All other settings will stay the same.
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#7. If I have, "Web TV", Can I get connected through you?
Yes, you can. Since Web TV does not provide local access to many rural areas, your only other option is to find a second party ISP (Internet Service Provider) which can serve as a mediator to get Web TV service.
Tri-lakes.net does have the capability to do this if we cover the area you are in. The only thing you need to do is sign up with Tri-lakes.net and Web TV will handle the rest.
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#8. Why do I lose my connection after I send or receive email?
The most common problem here is due to a setting in Outlook Express. (Assuming that you use this e-mail client.) The setting is, "Hang up after sending and receiving. This is often checked by default when the program is installed. In order to change this, you will need to:
1. Bring up your Outlook Express program.
2. Click once on, "Tools",
3. In the menu; click once on, "Options".
4. This will bring up your, "Options panel."
5. At the top of the panel; in the headers, click on the connection tab.
6 .In this tab you'll see 2 options at the top. "Ask before switching dial up connections" and" Hang up after sending and receiving". If the, "Hang up after sending and receiving" option is checked, uncheck it! This is your problem.

If the option ("Hang up after sending and receiving") is not checked then the problem lies elsewhere and you will need to contact our technical support team.
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#9. Does Tri-Lakes have access to my computer when I am connected?
"No." We do not have access to your computer, nor do we have the capability to change settings within your computer or it's programs."
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#10. Why do I get, Error 691; Invalid user name and/or password?
This problem is usually caused by typos. Make sure you have typed your user name and password in small case letters with no spaces. Also do not append "tri-lakes.net". If you make certain the password and username are correct, and the problem persists, please call for technical assistance.
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#11.How can I get a shortcut to Tri-Lakes Net on my desktop?
To put a shortcut for your Tri-Lakes Net connection follow these steps:

• Open “My Computer”
• Open the “Dial-Up Networking” folder (ME users this will be under “Control Panel”)
• Right click on the “Tri-Lakes Net” connection. (This connection may be named something else. Other common names are: “My Connection” and “Connection to 335-7890.” The number may be different depending on where you are dialing from.)
• From the option that pop up choose “Create shortcut”
• Windows will pop up with an error saying that windows cannot create a shortcut here. It will also ask you if you want to put a shortcut on your Desktop. Click “Yes” and Windows will put the shortcut on your desktop without prompting you further.
• Close the Dial-Up Networking folder and you should see the new shortcut on your desktop ready to be used.

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#12. When I dial in the operator comes on and says the number cannot be reached. What do I do?
The most common problem is that the computer thinks it needs to dial a 1 or a 417 in front of the number. To check this, go to “My Computer” then “Dial-Up Networking.” Open the connection you use to connect to Tri-Lakes and look at the number under the “Phone Number” field. If the number has a 1 or a 1-417 in front of the dial-up number then removing that should fix the problem. To remove the area code from dialing click on the “Dial Properties” button off to the right. There will be a field close to the top of the window where it asks for an area code. Make sure you have a “417” in that box. After the correct area code is entered click “Ok” and check the phone number again. The 1-417 should be gone.
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#13. Will I receive any long distance charges for using Your internet service?
No. As long as you live in one of the areas that our service covers, you will not receive any long distance charges to connect to the internet. Once connected to our service, the content that you view and emails that you send will not cause any additional charges.
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#14. I keep hearing that you offer pornography filtration, is that true and how does it work?
Yes. We do offer a pornography filter as an addition to our standard internet service. This filter only costs an additional $3 per month to put on your account.

The filter we provide protects your web browser from going to web sites with either offensive or pornographic content on them. In the event that someone tries to go to one of these pages, the filter will redirect them to a page stating that that site is not accessable.

If you are interested in setting up this service, you will need to call us and let us know. Our technicians will be happy to help you set that up.
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#15. Does this pornography filter protect my email also?
No. Our pornography filter is limited to web pages only. We do have filters in place to attempt to limit the number of junk email messages that people recieve. But the pornography filter does not filter the content being sent through your email.
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16. Why do I get a "page cannot be displayed" when I looking for web pages?
There are many reasons for this to happen. The main reasons that this may
happen to you is:

1. The web address that's typed in the browser window has been typed
wrong.

2. The web address (URL) is no longer valid.

3. The company hosting the
site is experiencing technical difficulties at that time and to test this theory
visit other URL's (2 or 3) that you frequently visit or are marked in your favorites.
Say you are trying to visit http://www.kcchiefs.com but it won't come up for you
and you get a "page cannot be displayed" instead. Try visiting 2 or 3 other web pages
to varify if this is the problem. Say http://www.tri-lakes.net or http://www.ky3.com.
If these web pages come up for you and http://www.kcchiefs.com doesn not then the people
hosting http://www.kcchiefs.com are experiencing technical difficulties. If nothing comes up
for you no matter where you go then this conclusion brings us to reason

4.It could be the settings on your computer may need to be adjusted or replaced. If this is
the case please give us a call so we can help you further.
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#17. Why does my connection speed vary throughout the day or from that of my neighbors?
There are many reasons for this as well as not all phone lines or companies
are created equal. Quality of phone lines is a big factor, especially if you live in rural
areas and the swtiches you go through could vary exponentially from that of your neighbors
across the street. Depending upon the city you're in, most of our sites are 56k. There's nothing in the router
that'll change your speed from that of another. You are all treated the same when you hit our
server but the data rate coming from your PC through the phone lines is what makes the difference
and can be good, fair or bad.
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#18. Why do I get pop up windows.
Pop up windows are explained very easily and are the result of web or HTML programming. Many web
sites will have their sites programmed to pop up their advertisers adds in small and large windows.
This is a big turn off to some people but it helps certain companies create revenue from their
respective endorsers.
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