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Additional Support
Computer Systems
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Frequently Asked Questions
Setting up a new internet connection can sometimes be a confusing task, especially if you're switching from another ISP or changing from one piece of software to another. This page has been created to hopefully answer some of the more commonly asked questions and help you configure your computer.
Voyager related
Voyager is the software that was supplied to Acorn owning Argonet subscribers. If you don't have an Acorn/RISC OS computer, or haven't migrated from Argonet, you can safely skip to the next section.
- I get "authentication or modem took too long" errors when trying to connect to Orpheus Internet.
- On connecting I keep getting errors from the auto-upgrader saying that ftp.argonet.co.uk cannot be found. How do I stop this?
- I have several email addresses, but after running VoyUpdate, some of the additional email addresses are listed with the wrong domain. What's happened?
Dialup connection related
This section describes some of the common problems encouneted whilst configuring your initial dialup connection to Orpheus. If you have a broadband or web hosting account you can safely skip to the next section.
- The modem occasionally drops the line on me and I can't stay connected for long.
1. I get "authentication or modem took too long" errors when trying to connect to Orpheus Internet.
If you load !Voyager onto the icon bar and then click MENU (middle mouse button) over the green telephone icon, then select Preferences->Connect and scroll to the bottom of the window there should be an option called Extend connection time. Ensure that this option is on (ticked) as the VoyUpdater may turn it off as part of the Argonet>Orpheus upgrade process. Click 'Save' and it should fix the problem. When you click save, it should make the change permanent, so you won't need to repeat the process.
2. On connecting I keep getting errors from the auto-upgrader saying that ftp.argonet.co.uk cannot be found. How do I stop this?
This is caused because the Argonet 'auto-upgrader' server has been turned off, so this feature of Voyager should be permanently disabled. For instructions on how to do this, please visit our Voyager support page.
3. I have several email addresses, but after running VoyUpdate, some of the additional email addresses are listed with the wrong domain. What's happened?
This is due to the way Voyager was originally designed to only handle argonet.co.uk email addresses, so it doesn't quite know how to cope with the added flexibility of multiple domains we're introduced with Orpheus. If you use VoyUpdate v1.04 or above, it shouldn't introduce the (invalid) orpheusnet.co.uk domain, and should adopt the same domain as your primary email address. However, this too can cause problems if you've asked us to register more than one email address for you at different domains. The only solution at present is to wait for an update to Voyager, or to use alternative email software, such as Pluto or MessengerPro.
4. The modem occasionally drops the line on me and I can't stay connected for long.
It would appear that some older modems required specific drivers or initialisation to connect at their optimum speed, especially if you've migrated from Argonet which supported some older, disused modem standards. Orpheus is designed to work with modern modems and as such doesn't require a specific driver as most modems should connect using their out-of-the-box, 'factory' settings.
If you've recently switched from using Argonet, ensure that your modem driver is a generic Hayes one. If using Voyager, this can be changed from the Preferences->Modem configuration window. Set it to use the 'Generic Hayes (1)' driver.
If you have a PC or Mac with a built-in modem, you should look for a 'v90' standard modem setting.
The modem may need turning off for a few seconds and then turning on again, just in case it's already been modified using AT commands on a previous attempt to connect.
General
This section gives information for generally asked questions.
What is DNS?
DNS stands for Domain Name System. This is a service that translates domain names into IP addresses. This is due to the way that computers work. A domain name such as domain.com is easier to remember than an IP address (e.g. 194.154.164.196).
You would need to use the DNS if you have a domain name that is not currently pointing to the correct place. For example, you have a domain name with Nominet and you need to point it to a hosting package with another provider; you would then need to make changes in your DNS to ensure that your domain name is pointing to the correct place. DNS records are stored in a zone file; this is where your record information is stored for your domain to point to the correct server or mail server. Some of the different types of records used are below:
A records also known as Address record are used to point a domain name or subdomain name to a specific web space using an IP address.
CNAME records also known as a Canonical name record are an alias to another name. For example, The CNAME for www.domain.com could be domainname.com. This means that when you go to www.domain.com it will check the DNS records for domainname.com and point you there.
TXT records are used to add arbitrary text into a DNS record. This is usually used to add extra rules or formatting to the domain.
SPF records also known as Sender Policy Framework record. This is an e-mail validation system.
MX records also known as a mail exchanger record are used to direct email to the correct mail server.
If you have any other queries or concerns, please feel free to contact us and we will reply to you personally or add another question to this page.
