Local Help Not Found

 

There was a problem in finding your local copy of the PointCast help. This might be because either:

  • You haven't received all of the PointCast Help files. Try clicking the "Update All" button.
  • You are having problems connecting to PointCast. These problems are preventing PointCast from downloading your Help files.

If you can connect to the Internet, click here to access Help through the Web.

If you have having problems connecting to PointCast, the rest of this page will help you get connected.
 

  Connection Troubleshooting

Here are some common questions or problems about connecting to the PointCast Network. Click on a link to see the solution.


 

  Communication Basics

When you first installed the PointCast Network, the installer asked you to provide information about your Internet connection. This information is usually enough to set up the connection, but from time-to-time viewers have to do a bit more work to connect to the PointCast Network.

Action Steps
To configure your Internet settings:

How do I find additional help?

Contact the PointCast StatusLine for up-to-the-minute recorded information covering common questions and answers and the status of the PointCast Network: 800-586-4733.

For additional help, send your question to PointCast WebMail Support.
 

  PointCast Internet settings

PointCast offers three types of connections, specified in the Connect Using field of the Internet Settings page. The actions you need to perform depend on which connection type you choose. The three types of connections are:


Direct Connection

Select this option if you have a direct connection to the Internet (you don't have to connect through a modem). Usually you have a direct connection if you are working for a larger company, university, or a government office.

Usually problems with direct connections result from misconfigured proxies or network problems. If you suspect network problems, see your network administrator.

Do you need proxies?

To see if you need to set proxies, look at your proxy setup in another working Internet application, such as your Web browser. If it is using proxies, copy the HTTP address to the PointCast Proxy setup page by clicking Personalize and choosing Application Settings and selecting the Proxies tab. Enter the proxy address in the space provided. The PointCast channel viewer does not support SOCKS proxies at this time.

Windows Dial-up Networking

Select this option if you use a modem to connect to the Internet and your Internet Service Provider uses the Windows Dial-up Networking component.

Your Internet Service Provider software should enter information into the Windows registry to use Windows Dial-up Networking. Using the pull-down menu, select an already configured connection under the "Select a Connection" menu.

If you have problems with your Windows Dial-up Networking settings:

  1. Click the Windows Start Button.
  2. Choose Programs.
  3. Select Accessories and then Dial-up Networking.
  4. Configure or create a new Connection Setting.

Note: If any of the above files are not in their default locations, you can click on the Browse button to find the files.

Finally use these steps to check your proxy settings:

  1. Click the Settings button and choose "Application Settings".
  2. When the dialog is displayed, click on the "Proxies" tab.
  3. Ensure that all proxy fields are blank and the ports are set to zero.
  4. Ensure that the "Enable Proxy" check box is cleared.
  5. Ensure that the "Automatically find PointCast Caching manager" check box is cleared.
  6. Click OK.

Other Modem Service

Select this option if you use a modem to connect to the Internet and you use a dialer provided by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or other third party. Your ISP must provide you with a valid IP address. Contact the Customer Service department of your Service Provider for more information.

Note: When using most other modem services, you must first launch your Internet software and connect to your ISP. Once you are connected, launch PointCast and click the Update button. Once you have updated, remember to disconnect from your ISP.
 

  PointCast proxy settings

Depending on how your network is configured, you might need to specify a proxy setting in your PointCast Channel Viewer to access the PointCast Network.

Companies often protect their intranets from outside access by setting up a firewall. A proxy server allows computers within the intranet to access the World Wide Web through the firewall. If your company uses a proxy server, you need to describe this server for PointCast so that it can retrieve information. There are two common types of proxies: HTTP or SOCKS (pronounced "socks"); you use one or the other, but not both. HTTP proxies allow you to tell PointCast not to use the proxy server for certain web addresses within your intranet (behind your firewall).

If you are not sure about your firewall or proxy servers, see your network administrator.

You use a proxy server only when you have a direct connection to the Internet. If you need to configure a proxy, make sure you specified Direct Connection on the Internet settings page.

If you have provided proxy server information for other Internet applications (such as the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator browsers), you use the same information with the PointCast Network.

If you have: Follow these steps:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0
  1. Click on the View menu and select Options.
  2. Click on the Connection tab.
  3. Connect using proxy server may be checked.
  4. Click on the Settings button.
  5. Copy the HTTP or SOCKS proxy information and port number.
Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0
  1. Click on the View menu, select Internet Options.
  2. Click on the Connection tab.
  3. Connect using proxy server may be checked.
  4. Click on the Advanced button.
  5. Copy the HTTP or SOCKS proxy information and port number.
Netscape Navigator 3.0
  1. Click on the Options menu, select Network Preferences,
  2. Click on the Proxies tab.
  3. Manual Proxy configuration may be marked.
  4. Click on the View button.
  5. Copy the HTTP proxy and port number.
Netscape Communicator 4.0
  1. Click on the Edit menu, select Preferences,
  2. Under Category, double-click on Advanced
  3. Select Proxies, click on the View button.
  4. Copy the HTTP proxy and port number.

Proxy Settings in PointCast:

Action Steps
To begin setting up your PointCast proxy information:
  1. Click on Personalize and choose Application Settings.
  2. Click on the Proxies tab.
Click here to go directly to the Proxies Settings page.
To enter a proxy address:
  1. Ensure that the "Enable Proxy" check box is set.
  2. Enter either an HTTP proxy address in the HTTP proxy box or a SOCKS proxy address in the SOCKS proxy box.
      Note: you must enter either an HTTP or SOCKS proxy address; you cannot enter both.
      Note: If you use the network name for the HTTP proxy, ensure the name specifies the complete domain name (such as "proxy.mycompany.com") or you should use the IP address (such as 205.102.25.5).
  3. If necessary, enter the port number.
  4. If you're using HTTP proxies and PointCast needs to access servers within your intranet, enter their names in the "No Proxyy For" box (PCNADMIN - which is used to locate a PointCast intranet channel - is set by default).
  5. To prevent the PointCast Channel Viewer from accessing the proxy server for any intranet address, check the "Bypass proxy server for local (intranet) addresses" check box.
To finish and save your settings
  1. Click OK

Unsupported Proxies

  • The PointCast Network does not support automatic proxies.
  • The PointCast Network does not support some 32-bit winsocks, such as FTP OnNET32, Novell, and Multinet.

 

  Common communication problems

The message "Unable to communicate with PointCast..." can be caused by a number of reasons. Here are some possible suggestions to help you resolve this problem.

  • The communication lines may be busy. Simply try to connect/update again in 5-10 minutes.
  • Within the PointCast Channel Viewer, click on Personalize and choose "Application Settings". When the dialog appears, click on the Internet tab. Verify that the "Connect Using" setting matches your type of connection.
  • If you are using a modem to connect to your ISP ensure that the fields in the Proxies tab of the "Application Settings" dialog are blank, except the two port fields. Those should be set to zero.
  • If you are on a direct connection to the Internet, ensure that your Proxy settings are correct. The settings in PointCast should be just like the settings you use in Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer.
  • Lastly, click on the Help button in the PointCast Channel Viewer. At the bottom of the PointCast Help window, there is a line that begins with "WSOCK32.DLL..." Make sure this path is correct. If the path is not correct, copy the correct winsock.dll file to the PointCast directory.

 

  Dial-up connections

To use the PointCast Network with Windows Dial-up Networking, you must have the Microsoft version of wsock32.dll (32-bit Winsock). It is normally located in the \windows\system directory. The size is approximately 65 KB (66,560) dated 8/24/96 or 7/11/95. If you do not find this file, you may need select the View menu item in Windows Explorer, then choose Options, select the View tab and set Show all files. This is because Windows hides all files with the .dll extension by default.

First look in the \windows\system directory. If the correct wsock32.dll does not exist in the \windows\system directory, you can use Find file to search for the file:

  1. Click on the Start menu and select Find, then choose Files or Folders. This brings up the Find: All files dialog.
  2. In the Named field, type wsock32.dll
  3. In the Look in field, type C:
  4. Ensure that the Include subfolders check box is selected.

When you find the file, copy it to the \windows\system directory.

If you have problems with your Windows Dial-up Networking connection:

  1. Click the Windows Start button and select Programs, then choose Accessories and then Dial-up Networking. If you don't find Dial-up Networking there, double click on My Computer (on your desktop) and then double click on Dial-up Networking.
  2. Configure or create a new Connection Setting.

Contact your Internet Service Provider or Microsoft if you think that Windows Dial-up Networking is not working correctly.
 

  Connecting with America Online

You must use a 32-bit version of America Online to connect to PointCast.

To check your version of America Online, go to the America Online Help menu and choose About America Online. If the dialog says "America Online 3.0 for Windows", you have a 16-bit version (the 32-bit version says "America Online 3.0 for Windows 95", note the "95"). To find out how to get a 32-bit version of America Online, go to America Online.

To set up your Internet connection to PointCast so that is uses the 32-bit version of America Online:

  1. Click on the Personalize button and choose Application Settings, then click on the Internet tab. (Click here to go to the Internet settings page.)
  2. Click on the Connect Using drop-down list and select `Other Modem Service'. The "Set Up Other Dialer" dialog appears.
  3. Ensure that the checkmark in the Search PATH for wsock32.dll check box is set.
  4. Click OK to close the "Set Up Other Dialer" dialog.
  5. Click OK to close the Application Settings dialog.
  6. Close PointCast.

To update PointCast using America Online:

  1. Log on to America Online.
  2. Go to America Online's Internet Connection channel (keyword Internet).
  3. Minimize the AOL application window.
  4. Launch PointCast by double clicking on the PointCast shortcut icon.
  5. Click Update All or update a single channel by selecting the channel option.

The PointCast Network needs to see the AOL connection to the Internet when the PointCast Network is launched or it can't update.

Note: At this time, AOL 3.0 for Windows 95 does not support 32-bit dialer integration (Windows Dial-up Networking). Until that change, the PointCast Network can not automatically update through AOL.
 

  Username and Password not saved

There are three possible symptoms of this problem. You might get any of these messages:

  • "Error connecting to (ISP) Please check your connection and try again later."
  • "Service return error"
  • "Error connecting to (ISP) unexpected error (4)"

In most cases, PointCast initiates the modem and starts to verify the username and password, then the error appears.

PointCast is unable to make a connection to the Internet because your username and password may not have been saved in Windows Dial-up Networking. Make sure that the Save Password option in the Connect To box is checked in Dial-up Networking. If the Save Password option is grayed out, you need to make sure that you have Client for Microsoft Networks set up in the Control Panel for Networks.

To set up the Client for Microsoft Networks:

  1. Click on the Microsoft Start menu and choose Control Panel on the Settings menu.
  2. When the Control Panel list appears, double-click on the Network icon.
  3. Under Primary Network Logon, choose `Client for Microsoft Networks'.
  4. If `Client for Microsoft Networks' is not listed, choose Add to select Client and follow the screens.
  5. After rebooting, you should receive a Windows login screen. Enter your name and leave the password field blank by clicking the OK button (so it will not prompt you for it again in the future).
  6. Open the My Computer icon on your desktop and go the Dial up Network folder.
  7. Double-click on your Network Dialer icon, enter the user name and password, and check the Save Password box.
  8. Click on Connect to dial your Internet service.
  9. After disconnecting, your Save Password settings will now be retained.

If this does not solve the problem, additional information can be found at Microsoft's knowledgebase Web page at: http://support.microsoft.com/download/support/mslfiles/SETUP.EXE. This page has a file to download that fixes a problem with a password list update in Windows 95 Service Pack 1.
 

  No new information

This problem could be due to heavy Internet traffic or information packets being lost in transit. Please try updating later. There are two other things you can try:

  • Ensure you have enough free space on your hard drive.
  • Verify that your system date is correct, by going to the Windows Control Panel and opening Date/time.

 

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