Copyright: Artisoft i.Share 3.0 Client Help © 1998 Artisoft, Inc.
Citation: Artisoft i.Share 3.0 Client Help © 1998 Artisoft, Inc.


Introducing Artisoft i.Share 3.0

Sharing one Internet account

Artisoft i.Share lets all your networked computers use a single Internet account. With i.Share, you no longer need a separate account with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) for each person on your network. Each person can use the Internet for his own purpose at the same time through one shared account.

To use i.Share, you need to install the i.Share server software on a Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 95/98 computer that has an Internet connection. Then you install the i.Share client software on every Windows 3.x, Windows 95/98, Windows NT 4.0 or 3.51 computer that you want to be able to use the Internet connection being shared by the i.Share server.

How client computers use the Internet

After i.Share is installed, when someone working at a client computer wants to use the Internet, he simply starts an Internet application (such as Netscape) just as if he has a direct connection. Working in the background, the i.Share server automatically gets on the Internet and lets the client use its connection. The person using the client computer can get on the Internet without ever seeing the i.Share interface.

One server can share multiple Internet connections, and multiple modems

An i.Share server can share multiple connections (resources) – for example, one to the Internet and one to a corporate intranet. The person at a client computer can select whichever connection resource she wants to use, and can also use multiple resources simultaneously.

Also, Windows NT 4.0 i.Share servers can run and share more than one dial-up connection on different modems at the same time. This feature is unavailable on Windows 95/98 i.Share servers.

Tips

•	Click here to learn how to connect to a shared Internet resource.

•	  Click here for a tour of the main i.Share client windows.


i.Share Resource Browser

You won’t see this i.Share client window unless this is the first time you’ve used i.Share, or you’ve selected the option to Manually select a resource in the Options window.

Internet Connections

The Internet Connections box displays the client user name, and shows i.Share server computers and their resources. You can also use this window to specify a different computer and/or resource to use, but only if you selected the option to Manually select a resource in the Options window (or if this is the very first time you’ve connected to a resource). By default, your client computer will automatically be connected to an available i.Share server’s Internet account.

•	i.Share User Name – This computer's i.Share client name. The i.Share client name is seen by the i.Share server when the client is using a shared server resource. To change this client name, click Options.

Note:  The i.Share user name is different from the client computer's network name.

•	Computer – Shows a list of i.Share servers available on the network. Click the arrow to the right of the drop-down list box to select the server you want to use for your Internet/Intranet connection.

•	i.Share Resource – Shows a list of the available resources on the particular i.Share server that’s selected in the Computer list box, above. Click the drop-down list box arrow to select the resource you want to use for your Internet/Intranet connection.

Buttons

Options – Click to go to the Options window, where you can change your i.Share client user name and the way i.Share connects to the Internet.

Status – Click to go to the Connection Manager window.

Refresh – Click to update the information on this screen.

  Related Topics


Artisoft i.Share Connection Manager

Click the globe icon in your system tray to view the Connection Manager window. If you’re currently connected to an i.Share server and resource, this window displays the following information about your i.Share connections.

i.Share User Name

Shows the i.Share client user name. If you want to change the user name, click the Options button in this window (explained below).

Shared Internet Connections

If you’re currently connected to an i.Share server and resource, you’ll see information in these four columns:

•	Application – The application you’re using for your Internet connection, such as Netscape.

•	Computer – The i.Share server computer that’s sharing its Internet account.

•	Resource – The Internet or intranet account that an i.Share server is sharing.

•	Status – Shows In use, Server not found, or Resource not found.

Click Refresh to update this display.

Options button

Click the Options button in the upper right corner of this window to go to the Options window, where you can change the way your computer connects to an i.Share server and resource, and change the client user name.

About button

Click this button to view version and serial number information about i.Share. This About Artisoft i.Share window also contains an Upgrade button. Click here to go to information about upgrading i.Share using the Upgrade button.

Click OK to close this window.


Options

From Connection Manager, click the Options button to open this window. The Options window lets you change the way your computer connects to an i.Share server and resource when you start an Internet application.

Connection Options

Click one of the following three options to indicate what you want to happen whenever you start an Internet application. By default, i.Share makes your Internet connection automatically using the option to Select the best resource by use and performance.

•	Manually select a resource – When this option is selected, and you start an Internet application, the i.Share Resource Browser window opens and lets you select a specific server and resource.

•	Select the resource I used last time – i.Share will connect to the Internet using the server and resource that was used for the last connection. The i.Share Resource Browser window won’t appear unless this is the first time you’ve used a resource.
When you use this option, you also need to select one of these two suboptions:

Use a single resource for all applications – Ensures that every application you run will use the same i.Share server resource (Internet or Intranet account) every time.

Allow each application to use a different resource – Lets every one of your Internet applications use different i.Share server resources, and also lets each one use the same resource it used last time.

•	Select the best resource by use and performance – i.Share automatically checks the available servers and resources and connects to the Internet using the one that’s carrying the least load.

Dial Only When Needed

Select this check box if you don’t want i.Share to initiate a connection with the server’s Internet Service Provider until the first time you perform an Internet-only action, such as viewing a World Wide Web page.

Clear this check box if you want i.Share to initiate an Internet connection as soon as you start any Internet-oriented application, even if you're not using it for access to the Internet. Click here for more information.

Identification

i.Share User Name – Type the name you want to use as your i.Share client name. The i.Share client name is seen by the i.Share server when the client is using a shared server resource. This name is distinct from the computer's network name.

Settings

Disable Pop-up Messages – You can select this check box to keep i.Share from displaying a Please Wait message box when it’s searching for i.Share servers. In some cases, it might appear repeatedly if you don’t check this box.

Click OK to make your changes take effect.

 Related Topics


Enter Resource Password

Type in a password to make a connection with an i.Share resource.


Connecting to a shared Internet resource

Just start your Internet application!

Normally, all you have to do is start an Internet application and you’ll automatically start using the i.Share server’s Internet account. However, the first time you run an Internet application after installing i.Share, the i.Share Resource Browser window asks which server and resource you want to use.

Making your first i.Share connection

Follow these steps the first time you want to make a connection after installing i.Share on your client computer:

1	Start an Internet application (such as Netscape Communicator or Internet Explorer).

2	A dialog box asks whether you want to use AutoConnect.
If you click Yes, every time you start an Internet application in the future, you’ll be automatically connected to the i.Share server and resource that has the least amount of Internet traffic at the time.
If you click No, every time you start an Internet application you’ll be prompted to manually choose an i.Share server and resource.

3	If you selected Yes in step 2, go to step 4.
If you selected No in step 2, the i.Share Resource Browser window appears. From the Computer drop-down list box, select an i.Share server. Then from the i.Share Resource drop-down list, select one of its resources.

4	Click OK, and you’ll be connected to the Internet.

The next time you connect

The next time you want to connect to the Internet, start an Internet application. What happens next depends on whether you selected Yes or No in step 2, above:

•	If you selected Yes in step 2, you’ll be automatically connected to the Internet. You won’t need to see the i.Share interface any more unless you want to use it.

•	If you selected No in step 2, the i.Share Resource Browser window lets you choose the i.Share server and resource you want to use. Make your selections, click OK and you’ll be connected.

Tips

If you chose the AutoConnect option, keep in mind that:

•	you can customize the way automatic connection works. Click here for more information.

•	you can change to manual connection later. Click here to learn how to set up manual connection.


Manually selecting a server and resource

As explained in the Help topic Connecting to a shared Internet resource, you can let i.Share automatically connect you to any available server and resource every time you start an Internet application. However, you can also set up the i.Share client so that you have the chance to select a specific server and resource every time you start an Internet application.

Setting up manual connection

1	Click the i.Share globe icon in your system tray (lower right corner of your screen). The i.Share Connection Manager window appears.

2	Click Options. Under Connection Options, you’ll see that the default option is Select the best resource by use and performance.

3	Click the option to Manually select a resource, and click OK.

Making the manual connection

After you’ve followed the steps above, follow these steps:

1	Start an Internet application (such as Netscape or Internet Explorer). The i.Share Resource Browser window appears.

2	From the Computers drop-down list box, select an i.Share server.

3	From the i.Share Resource drop-down list, select a resource.

4	Click OK, and your connection will be made.

Tips

•	Any time after starting an Internet application, you can click the globe icon in your system tray to view your connection status from the Connection Manager window.

•	Click here for more information about your options for connecting to an i.Share server automatically or manually.

  Related Topics


Specifying manual or automatic Internet connection

This Help topic fully explains your automatic connection options, as well as your manual connection options.

When you start an Internet application, i.Share connects you to the Internet through the i.Share server computer's Internet account. However, if you have multiple i.Share servers on your network, or multiple resources on the same server, you might want to specify which ones you’ll use.

You can do this even if you’re using automatic connection, by setting up these i.Share client options:

1	Click the globe icon in your system tray (lower right corner of your screen). The Connection Manager window appears.

2	Click Options and select one of the following choices in the Options window:

•	Manually select a resource – If you select this option, every time you start an Internet application, the i.Share Resource Browser window opens, letting you select a specific server and resource.

•	Select the resource I used last time – i.Share automatically connects your application to the Internet using the server and resource you last used. (If this is the first time you’ve used a resource, the i.Share Resource Browser window will appear, letting you select the specific server and resource.)
When you use this option, you also need to select one of these two “suboptions:”

Use a single resource for all applications – Ensures that every application you run will use the same i.Share server resource (Internet or Intranet account) every time.

Allow each application to use a different resource – Lets every one of your Internet applications use different i.Share server resources, and also lets each one use the same resource it used last time.

•	Select the best resource by use and performance – i.Share automatically checks the available servers and resources and connects to the Internet using the one that’s carrying the least load.

Click OK to save your changes.

Tip

Click here to go to complete instructions for the Options window.

  Related Topics


Changing your i.Share client name

The i.Share client name is the name this computer uses to identify itself when connecting to an i.Share server. It is distinct from this computer's network name, and appears only on the i.Share server program's list of client connections.

1	From the Connection Manager window, click Options.

2	Type a new name in the i.Share User Name field. You can type up to 15 characters.

3	Click OK.

  Related Topics


Using dial-on-demand

Dial-on-demand lets you determine when you your computer will tell the i.Share server to log onto the Internet:

•	The moment you start any Internet application.

•	Only when you perform an Internet action, such as sending an e-mail message (this is dial-on-demand and is the default setting).

With dial-on-demand selected, you can open an Internet application for local work (such as using an e-mail program to read old mail) without causing the i.Share server to log onto the Internet.

Setting dial-on-demand

1	From the Artisoft i.Share Connection Manager window, click Options.

2	Select the check box for Dial only when needed.

3	Click OK.

Notes

When Dial only when needed is checked:

•	You must also set the i.Share server's reconnection option. Click here for more information.

•	You’ll experience a pause when you first perform an action that accesses the Internet, while the i.Share server dials your Internet Service Provider.


Dial-on-demand configurations
Dial-on-demand configuration

For dial-on-demand to work properly, you must set the i.Share server's reconnection option to Reconnect when needed.

1	On the i.Share server computer, open the i.Share server program by clicking its icon in the system tray at the bottom right of the screen.

2	Select the Configure tab.

3	In the Dial-Up Networking box, click Modify. The Dial-Up Networking Control window appears.

4	Under Dial-Up Networking Reconnect, click Reconnect when needed.

5	Click OK.

Tip

These instructions can also be found in the i.Share server program's online Help. Select Dial-on-demand configuration in the Index.


Enabling and disabling the i.Share client

While the i.Share client is running, you can right-click its icon in the system tray to bring up a menu with the following options:

•	Open – Select to open the i.Share Connection Manager window.

•	Enable/Disable i.Share client – Select to activate or suspend your connection to the i.Share server. The default setting is Enabled, so that all your Internet/Intranet connections will go through an i.Share server. However, there might be times you’ll want to disable the client to make a direct Internet/Intranet connection from this computer without using i.Share. (See Tips below.)

•	Close Connection Manager – Select to exit the i.Share Connection Manager.

Tips

•	If an i.Share session is already open when you disable the client, that session remains open. However, you cannot open another i.Share session until you enable the client again.

•	The Enable/Disable option is handy if you have a direct Internet connection from your computer and you want to use this connection for some tasks at the same time you are using an i.Share connection for other work. In this case, you can open an i.Share session then disable the i.Share client to open another session using your local connection.


Troubleshooting common problems

If you have any problems making a connection from an i.Share client to a server, or from a server to your Internet service provider, follow these steps:

1	Go to the i.Share server, click the Status tab and click the Access button for Dial-Up Networking. Manually make a dial-up connection to your Internet Service Provider.

2	Open an Internet application on the server and make sure it runs properly.

3	Go to the i.Share client computer and start an Internet application.

If your Internet application still doesn’t automatically connect to the Internet, follow these additional steps:

1	Close the application then click the globe icon in the system tray (lower right corner of your taskbar). The Connection Manager window opens.

2	Click the Options button, then click the option to Manually select a resource and click OK.

3	Start an Internet application again. The i.Share Resource Browser window should appear. Note:  If the i.Share Resource Browser window doesn’t appear, you may need to reboot your computer to make the “Manually” option you selected take effect.

4	From the Computers drop-down list box, select the i.Share server.

5	In the i.Share Resource drop-down list, select the Internet resource associated with the application running on the server (mentioned in step 2) then click OK. Your connection will be made.

This procedure usually corrects i.Share connection problems. If not, your Winsock file may have been overwritten.

Related topics: Understanding error messages


Understanding error messages

Click the error message you're interested in to view a suggested solution. You may have to scroll down to find the message you need.

Access denied

An Internet resource has already been selected

Attempting an operation on an invalid adapter number

Can no longer communicate with the i.Share server

COM port already in use by another application

Connection Manager is out of memory

Could not locate the correct function call

Dial-Up connection - Authentication failure

Dial-Up connection - Cannot find connection in phone book

Dial-Up connection - Error in command

Dial-Up connection - Line busy

Dial-Up connection - No answer

Dial-Up connection - No carrier

Dial-Up connection - No dial tone

Dial-Up connection - Unable to establish connection

Dial-Up connection - Voice answer

Error creating a thread on the server

General Error

Insufficient system resources exist to complete the request

Invalid channel handle

Invalid command sent/received

Invalid memory handle

Invalid parameter

Invalid session handle

i.Share is busy waiting for you to connect to another application

No i.Share servers were found

No memory is available

The Client and Server versions are incompatible

The Client cannot continue this session - shut down your application

The data area passed to a system call is too small

The logon session does not exist. It may already have been terminated

The Internet connection is already in use

The memory control block address is invalid

The number of sessions (applications) that can use this i.Share server has been exceeded

The number of users permitted for this i.Share server has been exceeded

The password entered is not correct

The request was aborted

The requested service has not been started

The selected resource is not connected

The service did not respond to the request in a timely manner

The specified network resource is no longer available

There is not enough memory available for this operation

This network connection does not exist

Transport no memory

Server has returned out of memory

Unable to access this connection

Your previous i.Share server and resource are not currently available


Unable to access this connection

There’s a problem connecting to the i.Share server and resource.

If there’s another server and resource available, try connecting to it. You can also try stopping and restarting the server.


i.Share is busy waiting for you to connect to another application

i.Share is still waiting for you to connect to another application. You’ll need to complete that connection before running this application.

1	Click OK in the error message window.

2	In the i.Share Resource Browser window, select the i.Share resource that you want to use to run the application you tried to start first. Then click OK.

3	Restart the other application.


Troubleshooting general system problems

Note:  This solution applies to several error messages.

1	First, try ending and restarting the application.

2	If the error persists, quit and restart Windows. Then restart an Internet application and reselect your i.Share server.

3	If you're still having problems, try restarting the i.Share client and i.Share server computers.


The specified network resource is no longer available

The server is no longer functioning or has been stopped, or the dial-up resources were modified as you were making your selection.

Exit your application and restart it.


The password entered is not correct

Passwords can be required for access to each Internet resource on the server.

Check with your system administrator to ensure that you're using the correct password. Or reset the Internet resource password on the i.Share server.

Tip

  Click here to go to instructions for setting passwords on server resources.


COM port already in use by another application

Another program on the i.Share server is using the modem/COM port. The other program must release the COM port before it can be used by i.Share.

If ModemShare is installed on the same server, the COM port may be allocated to another client.


The Client and Server versions are incompatible

The software versions of the i.Share server and client are different.

Update Artisoft i.Share on all your computers. See Artisoft's World Wide Web site at http:\\www.artisoft.com for the latest updates.


No i.Share servers were found

No active i.Share servers were found on your network.

Make sure the i.Share server computer is turned on and the server program is started. Once the server’s started, click Refresh on this computer to update the display of available resources.


Troubleshooting application problems

Note:  This solution applies to several error messages.

The session between your i.Share client computer and the i.Share server no longer exists. This could be because the server was stopped, or because a user at the server disconnected your client session, or because of a problem on your network.

Exit all Internet applications on the i.Share client computer. Then restart an Internet application.

This causes the client computer to reconnect to the i.Share server, if one is available.


Troubleshooting dial-up connection problems

Note:  This solution applies to several error messages.

There's a problem with one of the following:

•	the Dial-Up connection settings

•	your modem

•	your phone line

•	your Internet Service Provider (ISP) equipment

1	Stop the i.Share server. At the server, make sure all your Dial-Up Networking settings are correct and that your modem and telephone line are working correctly.

2	Then start a manual Dial-Up connection by clicking the connection entry. Make sure the Save Password option is checked and that you have the correct modem settings required by your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

3	Connect to your ISP, then disconnect and start the i.Share server.

4	Then, at an i.Share client computer, re-establish your application's connection.


Dial-Up connection - Authentication failure

The Internet Service Provider (ISP) account name and password are incorrect.

1	Check the Dial-Up Networking phone book entry for your account and password. Then stop the i.Share server.

2	At the server, start a manual Dial-Up connection by clicking the connection entry. Make sure the Save Password option is checked and that you have the correct modem settings required by your ISP.

3	Connect to your ISP, then disconnect and start the i.Share server.

4	Then, at an i.Share client computer, re-establish your application's connection.


Your previous i.Share server and resource are not currently available

The server and resource you connected to last time can no longer be found on the network.

This could be because the i.Share server was stopped, because the resource no longer exists on the i.Share server, or because there's a problem with your network.

If other resources are available, you can connect to them now. Otherwise, check the i.Share server computer and your network for the above problems, then try again.


Upgrading i.Share to more concurrent users

If you have the evaluation version of i.Share, or the 3- or 10-user version, you can purchase an upgrade over the telephone and activate it using the Upgrade button. You can purchase versions of i.Share that support 3, 10 or 32 concurrent users.

To check your current maximum number of users, go to an i.Share server, click the Status tab and look for Maximum.

Note:  Regardless of whether you have the 3-user, 10-user or 32-user version, i.Share will support 32 concurrent Internet sessions. In other words, 32 Internet applications can be connected to the Internet at the same time, but they can only be run from the quantity of computers allowed by your i.Share license (3, 10 or 32).

To upgrade i.Share, call Artisoft's headquarters at 1-520-670-7100 and make payment arrangements. Callers in the U.S. and Canada can call the toll-free line at 1-800-846-9726. You can also get information about upgrading from Artisoft's World Wide Web site at www.artisoft.com.

When you purchase the upgrade, you'll receive a new serial number and verification key. Then you can follow these steps on every i.Share client and server computer:

1	Open the i.Share program, if it isn't already running.

2	Click the About button (client) or the About tab (server).

3	Click Upgrade. The Upgrade i.Share window opens.

4	Type your new serial number and verification key into the fields in this window.

5	Click OK, then restart your computer to make the upgrade take effect.


Upgrade i.Share

If you have the evaluation version of i.Share, or the 3- or 10-user version, you can purchase an upgrade over the telephone and activate it using the Upgrade button. You can purchase versions of i.Share that support 3, 10 or 32 concurrent users.

To check your current maximum number of users, go to an i.Share server, click the Status tab and look for Maximum.

Note:  Regardless of whether you have the 3-user, 10-user or 32-user version, i.Share will support 32 concurrent Internet sessions. In other words, 32 Internet applications can be connected to the Internet at the same time, but they can only be run from the quantity of computers allowed by your i.Share license (3, 10 or 32).

To upgrade i.Share, call Artisoft's headquarters at 1-520-670-7100 and make payment arrangements. Callers in the U.S. and Canada can call the toll-free line at 1-800-846-9726. You can also get information about upgrading from Artisoft's World Wide Web site at www.artisoft.com.

When you purchase the upgrade, you'll receive a new serial number and verification key. Then you can follow these steps on every i.Share client and server computer:

1	In the Upgrade i.Share window, enter your new serial number and verification key.

2	Click OK, then restart your computer to make the upgrade take effect.


resource

An Internet or Intranet account being shared by an i.Share server computer. An i.Share server can have several available resources.


Internet application

Any software program that interacts with the Internet; for example, an e-mail program or a Web browser.