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Disabling Keep-alives
A keep-alive is anything which keeps your computer on the Internet when you're not using the computer, thus causing possible congestion on the
phone lines. Most people who are running keep-alives don't actually realize it. It can be something as simple as having your computer check your email at intervals less than 35 minutes, unless it hangs up
immediately after checking for email. Keep-alives violate your contract with TurboNet.
To disable your keep-alives, here are some things to try:
- Check your email program to make sure it's not automatically checking your email more often than every 35 minutes. If you're using Outlook Express, go to the Tools menu and click Options. Either un-check
the box that says "Check for new messages every", or change the time to at least 35 min. If you're using Netscape Communicator, Click the Edit menu, then pick Preferences. Click the "+" in
front of Mail & Newsgroups unless it's already a "-". Click the Mail Servers submenu, then the Edit button on the right. Either un-check the box that says "Check for mail every" or change
the time to at least 35 minutes.
- If you have RealPlayer, check to make sure it's not updating automatically. Open RealPlayer. Go to the View menu, Preferences, Content, Channel Settings. Un-check "enable automatic channel
headline updating". At least, we think that's it. Real Player can also cause your computer to actually dial your modem.
- If you have Napster, make sure the server is not keeping you on-line automatically. Go to the File menu and Disconnect. Closing the program does not do it.
- Check anything else which will transfer information across the Internet automatically, without your intervention. It might be a stock ticker, ICQ, AOL Instant Messenger, anything with a refreshing banner,
a home page which automatically updates itself, etc.
You can make sure you've disabled all of your keep-alives as follows: Leave your computer connected to the Internet without using it for at least 30 minutes. Either close your
browser or leave it on a page that does not have any activity. If you then try to use the Internet and you've been disconnected, you are a success. Our dial-up server will disconnect you after 30 minutes of
inactivity to free up the line for other customers.
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