I am running a small network of three PCs all running Windows 98 Second Edition, configured for Internet sharing, using the Internet sharing wizard on the gateway computer. Netscape is the default browser on each of the computers. The default dial-up is via FunnelWeb in Canberra, the only dial-up that is set up. The Connection tab in Internet Options (Control Panel) is set to dial whenever a connection is required. The system works fine other than when launching email or Netscape from one of the client computers, the dial-up usually takes longer than the time-out period on the relevant application. This is not a problem as the application can simply be re-started when the dial-up is completed. The problem is that the gateway computer now dials a connection randomly, without a request from a resident application or from an application on one of the client computers. There is no rhyme or reason to the timing. Can you help me with a setting change or some other solution to this problem?

Even though you say that the internet connection dials without a request from an application on the gateway or client computers, I would say that an application is requesting access to the internet. To fix the problem, firstly, check each computer to ensure that there is nothing in the ‘Task Scheduler’ which would dial the connection out. Secondly, check all applications (including. ones in the CTRL-ALT-DEL menu) to see if any have an auto-update (or alike) feature which would cause them to connect to the internet (sometimes programs like RealPlayer and Getright do). Lastly, although it may be a hassle, you can do two things. You could turn off the modem when you know you are not going to connect to the internet, or you could turn off the option to dial a connection.