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Your broadband questions answered

Broadband Support Zone

Health check for your Up to 8Mb connection

To ensure that you receive the fastest possible download speeds on your line, please follow this simple step by step guide:

Step One - Micro Filters

Please ensure the following:

Step Two - Internal wiring and extension socket use

Step Three - Check computer software and settings

Step Four - Electrical Interference

Step Five - Technical Support

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Can I still use my old email addresses with my new Pipex Homecall broadband account?

Although all Pipex Homecall broadband customers are automatically issued a new email address (typically firstname.lastname@homecall.co.uk) you may wish to continue using an old email address from another Internet Service Provider (ISP). In most instances this will not be a problem, as we are happy to send out emails from your previous accounts on your behalf. However, you may need to contact your previous ISP to make sure that your email address will not be closed down if you have terminated your account with them.

To re-configure your old email accounts so that you can continue to use them, please use the following instructions depending on the email program you use.

 

Microsoft Outlook Express Icon Microsoft Outlook Express
Microsoft Outlook Icon Microsoft Outlook

 

Other email clients (E.g. Eudora, Opera, Thunderbird, etc)
If you are using a different email client you can still send and receive your emails from your previous accounts if you reconfigure your outgoing mail server to: smtp.homecall.co.uk

For information on how to do this, check your programme's help documentation, or call our support line on 0871 663 3300 for help. (Note – there is no need to alter your incoming mail server. You should still be able to receive old emails without changing any of your settings.)

 

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How do I set up my Pipex Homecall Email?

If you use an email program like Outlook Express, or Microsoft Outlook, then you will need to configure it so that it can handle your Pipex Homecall emails. There are two ways you can do this, either by Automatic Set up or by entering the details you need manually.

Automatic Set up
If you visit the setup webpage you can download a small program that will automatically configure your primary email address in Outlook Express (it will also create a pay-as-you-go dial up account that you can use). You can then export these settings to any other email client you may be using.

Go to - Setting or Restoring Your Connection

However, you should note that only primary email addresses will be entered this way. If you have created additional accounts, then they will need to be entered manually, please see instructions below.

Manual Set up
You can enter email account details in most email programs by clicking on Tools, then Accounts or Email Accounts. The precise instructions on how to do this will depend on which email program you are using, and if you are unsure on how to do this, consult your email program’s Help files. However, all email programs will need the following information:

Email address
Simply enter the following: firstname.lastname@homecall.co.uk

Email password
This is sent to you in your Welcome Letter.

Account name / mailbox /username
Although the wording may vary, most email programs will ask you for your account name, username or mailbox name. In all cases, use your full email address, e.g. john.smith@homecall.co.uk. (By default your email program may suggest that the first portion of your email address is all that is needed. This is incorrect, please make sure you enter your full address in all cases.)

Incoming mailserver
pop3.homecall.co.uk

Outgoing mailserver
smtp.homecall.co.uk

If are unsure about how to setup your email account you can call Technical Support on 0871 663 3300 (Mon – Fri 8am to 9pm, Sat 8am – 5pm, Sun 9am – 6pm)

 


 

Changing the outgoing mail server in Microsoft Outlook Express

1. Open Outlook Express.

Outlook Express Icon

2. From the Tools menu, choose Accounts....

Select Accounts from the Tools Menu

3. Click on the 'Mail' tab.

4. Select the e-mail account that you want to update in the Account list.

5. Click the 'Properties' button.

Select the account and click Properties

6. Click on the 'Servers' tab.

7. Delete the contents of the 'Outgoing mail (SMTP)' field, and instead type; smtp.homecall.co.uk (you can leave the Incoming mail server information as it is.)

Edit the outgoing mail smtp box

8. Click the 'OK' button.

9. Click the 'Close' button.

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Changing the outgoing mail server in Microsoft Outlook

Note – some versions of Outlook will differ slightly from the illustrations used here.

1. Open Outlook

Microsoft Outlook Icon

2. From the Tools menu, choose Accounts or E-mail Accounts…

Outlook Tools Menu

3. Select 'View or change existing e-mail accounts'

4. Click 'Next'

Select View or Change Existing Email Accounts

5. Select the email account you want to edit and select the 'Change' button.

6. On the E-mail Accounts property window, change the 'Outgoing mail server' to smtp.homecall.co.uk (you can leave the incoming mail server information as it is.)

Change the Outgoing Mail Server

7. Click 'Next'

8. Click 'Finish'

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What are filters, and why do I need them?

ADSL micro-filters, known as filters, are small adaptors you need to plug into every one of your phone sockets once your line has been activated. They make sure that the data signals are kept separate from the voice signals – so you can use your voice line at the same time as you receive high-speed Internet access. If you do not use them, your broadband connection can stop your phones from working properly, and vice versa. In addition, devices such as fax machines, Sky TV boxes and some security devices can also prevent your broadband connection working properly if you do not have the filters in place.

Ideally, your modem should be plugged directly into a filter with the filter itself plugged directly into the master socket – but this is not always possible.

The basic rule for using filters is that you need to have a filter plugged into every phone socket in use. If a signal passes through two filters (say, at either end of an extension cable) then they will cancel each other out and you will not get a signal. Lengthy extension cables can also cause problems. This diagram illustrates how filters can be used in a household with multiple devices;

A visual description of a typical household connection showing devices connected from the Main BT socket

As a courtesy, we provide you with two filters to get you started, but you can easily buy more from any PC, electrical or telephone shop. Prices start from £2 or less.

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How can I prevent junk, or ‘spam’, emails clogging up my email Inbox?

‘Spam’ is unsolicited email that is sent out randomly. It typically takes the form of commercial advertising and may often be offensive or not sent in your best interests. When you first get an email address you are unlikely to get much spam, but as time passes you may find it starts to build up. However, there are steps you can take to minimise its impact.

First of all, be very careful when giving out your email address. Try to avoid giving your main e-mail address on web sites, chatrooms, newsgroups or to companies. Avoid forwarding chain-letters or petitions - the lists of addresses can be used by spammers. Also, never reply to spam. Even if you click on an ‘Unsubscribe’ link you will be doing more harm than good by confirming that your email address is active. The basic rule is; if it’s spam - delete it.

Homecall Broadband comes with a basic anti-spam device, which you can activate online via your account administration page. To do this, follow these steps;

1. Go to the main Homecall Broadband page (www.homecallbroadband.co.uk),

2. Click on ‘Account Administration’ and enter your email address and email password to log into Self Care.

3. Click on ‘Display/Update Email Service Details’

4. Go to the field marked ‘Spam Filtering’ and select ‘On’ from the pull-down menu.

5. Click on ‘Update Account’

6. Click on ‘Log Out’ to save this change.

 

In addition, we can also enable your spam filtering if you ring Technical Support (0871 663 3300)

If you require more powerful spam protection, we recommend that you have a look at the following Free anti-spam software:


Alternatively, you may wish to consider using an email program with built in spam filtering, such as the Free Thunderbird:

For general spam advice, visit :

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How can I protect myself against computer viruses?

A virus is a piece of software that copies itself and may be capable of causing harm to files and programme's on your computer. The vast majority of computer viruses are not actually harmful to your PC, but can be a considerable nuisance. They can be transmitted as attachments to an e-mail or in a downloaded file, or be present on a diskette or CD. Typically, the sender of any email that contains a virus will be unaware that their PC is infected and spreading the virus. As a general rule, Never open an email attachment from an unknown or untrusted source. Some viruses wreak their effect as soon as their code is executed; other viruses lie dormant until circumstances cause their code to be executed by the computer.

If you want to protect your computer against the most common viruses, we recommend that you install and run anti-virus software – and keep your virus definitions updated regularly. Some of the more popular anti-virus software manufacturers include Norton, McAffee and Panda.

If you would prefer not to buy additional software to protect your PC we would still recommend you download the following Free anti-virus software:

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What is Webmail, and how do I use it?

Pipex Homecall Webmail is simply a way to send and receive your emails via the Pipex Homecall broadband website – from any computer that is connected to the Internet. There are a few advantages to this.

Firstly, you won’t need to configure an email client, such as Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express in order to start using your email, you can just log on to webmail and start emailing straight away.

Secondly, because you can read your emails online, rather than having to download them to your PC, you are protected against email attachments infecting your machine with viruses. Many people use Webmail to preview their emails so they can delete obvious spam or virus emails online, before downloading their remaining emails to their PC.

To log on to Webmail, just click on the ‘Webmail’ link from the menu on the left, and then enter your full email address, (e.g. john.smith@homecall.co.uk) and your Password.

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How can I keep my PC free of spyware/adware?

Although not as damaging as viruses, Spyware and Adware can be a real nuisance – they can slow down your PC’s performance, result in unwanted pop-ups and, in extreme cases, even hijack your normal web connection and direct you to other websites.

However, there are a number of Free utilities that you can download that can identify and remove spyware, and even protect you from becoming infected in the first place.

We recommend you download and install both of the following:

For more information on spyware, visit;
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/security/expert/honeycutt_spyware.mspx

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What is a firewall, and should I have one?

A firewall is a device, or piece of software, that protects your PC against unwanted or unauthorised attacks from the internet. It does not provide protection against computer viruses, or spyware, but can prevent other computer users from accessing your PC. The latest version of Windows XP comes with a built-in firewall activated by default but we still recommend that you install one of these Free firewall programs.

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How do I access my web space?

Although you get 125MB of web space with your broadband account (you are allowed a maximum of 5 sub-domains, each with 25MB of space) it is not activated by default. To enable it, you need to log into the Account Administration section of this website (see the toolbar on the right) and then select ‘Add web space’. Once you have done this, you will be prompted to create a web space name and password.

Your web space’s internet address, or URL (Uniform Resource Locator) will take the form;

http://www.webspacename.homecall.co.uk/

where "webspacename" would be the web space name you requested.

E.g. If your web space name was ‘favouritefilms’ then the URL would be; http://www.favouritefilms.homecall.co.uk/

We don’t provide any support in actually constructing and maintaining web pages – we just provide the space itself - but you can find plenty of web pages that will help you create your own web pages. Here are a few to get you started, but remember there are plenty more available;

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How do I set up my PC so I can play Xbox and PlayStation games online using Pipex Homecall Broadband?

If you wish to connect your games console to the Internet, we recommend you follow the simple instructions on the following websites:

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Optimising your up to 8Mb broadband connection

In order to improve the speed of your broadband service, we recommend that you should upgrade your Pipex Homecall broadband modem settings. This will help you achieve the absolute maximum broadband speed that your telephone line can sustain.

Don't worry, this process is very straight forward, should only take a few minutes, and it's absolutely free.

What do I need to do?

To maximize the speed of your broadband connection, you should follow these simple step-by-step installation instructions:

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Please note: this notification only applies to Windows users. Apple Mac users are not impacted and may continue to use their existing Pipex Homecall or Homecall Broadband modem.

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Can I share my internet connection with other computers?

Sharing your connection is possible with our broadband service however you may require additional hardware. Although most modems/routers are compatible with the system we would recommend you purchase an "ADSL Modem Router". A good example of this type of device is Netgear DG632 ADSL Modem Router. This will allow two computers to be connected to the internet at the same time

Please Note: you will not be required to install the Homecall CD if you use a Modem Router.

There are other ways of sharing your internet connection that do not require you to purchase other equipment. To find out more, please follow the link below:

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/

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Do I have access to newsgroups on Pipex Homecall broadband?

Yes, Pipex Homecall does offer access to our newsgroup (NNTP) server. The news server address is: news.homecall.co.uk

If you require any help in setting this up, please follow the link below

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/using/howto/oe/gettingnews.mspx#EDAA

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I have received 2 usernames by post, which one should I use and when should I use it?

Once you have signed up for the service we send out two usernames, below are examples of the two we supply:

1) john.smith_home@dslconnect.co.uk

This username should be used when logging onto broadband only, this is not your Pipex Homecall email address.

2) john.smith@homecall.co.uk

This is your email address, self-care, and dialup username. This should be used at the following places:

Self-care - Account Administration
Webmail - Webmail

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How can I change my broadband password?

To change your broadband password please call technical support on 0871 663 3300 or email broadbandsupport@homecall.co.uk. When contacting support, please make sure you have your account number and broadband username ready.

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My internet explorer displays another ISP name in the internet explorer title bar, how do I change this?

To remove the ISP branding from your internet explorer title bar, follow the steps below

1) Click Start
2) Click Run
3) Type “rundll32 iedkcs32.dll,BrandCleanInstallStubs" (without quotes) and press Enter or OK.

Other methods can be found at the link below:

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/ie/ispunbrand.htm

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How can I set my homepage in internet explorer?

To change your homepage please follow the steps below:

1. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
2. Click the General tab.
3. In the Homepage section change the value in the address line to http://www.homecallbroadband.co.uk/customer
4. Click on Apply and then click OK

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