Frequently Asked Questions about ACORN
Last modified June 15, 2007
Copyright ©1999-2007 Akron Community Online Resource Network. All rights reserved.
| What is ACORN? |
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ACORN is the Akron Community Online Resource Network, a service of the Akron-Summit County Public Library. ACORN first became available to the public in June of 1995 as Akron's first Community Networking site (at that time it was known as the Akron Regional Free-Net). From the beginning the Akron-Summit County Public Library was a major partner, providing the communications hardware and links for our T1 connection to the Internet and for the initial 16 dial-in lines.
In September of 1999, ACORN introduced PPP services to its users, which meant that ACORN users could access the Internet with a web-based browser.
The ACORN Homepage (http://www.acorn.net) is a great resource for local Internet links and also offers links to groups that are unique to ACORN. The number of community organizations contributing information to the system continues to grow.
ACORN offers three basic services to its users:
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Q: What is the difference between ACORN and an Internet service provider, like America Online?
A: ACORN is a community network, providing not just access to the Internet, but also local community
information. As a community network, there are no charges for our services. There is a time limit of one hour per day per account holder.
| Important ACORN Numbers |
| ACORN Office 9-5:00, M-F | 330-643-9145 216-861-4587 ext. 9145 | For questions about applications, accounts, passwords, and general information. |
| Modem Access | 330-434-2736 | To connect to ACORN using your home computer. |
| Northern Summit County Modem Access | 800-883-1348 | To connect to ACORN using your home computer. |
| Web Site Hosting | 330-643-9142 | For assistance with free web site hosting for non-profit groups in Summit County |
| esdiv@akronlibrary.org | For help via e-mail. |
Top of Page
| Registering |
Q: How do I get an ACORN account?
A: You can fill out an application at any Akron-Summit County Public Library.
The form must be signed, dated and returned to any Akron-Summit County Public Library with proof of age and residence.
Q: Can I get an application online?
A: Yes! You can select the appropriate application below (adult or juvenile) for printing. The application can then be mailed to us with proof of age and residence (e.g. a copy of your driver's license or if you are 17 or under, a parent's driver's license) or returned to any branch of the Akron-Summit County Public Library. Note: to view/print the application you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer.
 Adult ACORN ApplicationAges 18 and over | Juvenile ACORN Application Ages 17 and under |
A: ACORN offers free dial-up Internet access and local community information to residents of Summit County. ACORN also offers web site hosting for community groups. Call Ann Hutchison at 330-643-9142 if you belong to an organization desiring a web site.
Q: I don't have a computer at home, but I want to use the Internet. Where do I go?
A: You may use the Internet at any Akron-Summit County Public Library.
The only requirement is that you have a valid library card.
| Time Limits |
Q: What are the time limits for ACORN?
A: Each registered account holder receives one hour of connect time per day.
Q: What happens when my time is up?
A: When your hour is up, you will be disconnected. You can watch your online time in the connection window that pops up when you connected to ACORN.
Q: Can I log on again once my time is up?
A: No. Once your one hour is used for the day, you cannot log in again. (You will get a message: "Error 691...").
If you consistently run out of time using one hour on ACORN, you may with to
look into other ISP services.
| Having Trouble Connecting? |
To
use ACORN you must have a correctly installed and configured modem.
Follow your modem manufacturer's installation instructions or contact the
modem manufacturer for assistance.
Verify the number you are dialing
Check to be sure your "Connect to" window is displaying the
correct phone number (including the area code and any additional dialing
prefixes (required to get an outside line). Edit the phone number in
"ACORN Properties" as needed.
Someone
else on the line
If someone else in the house picks up a phone sharing the same line with
your computer while you are on the
internet the connections will be disrupted. Fax machines and other
computer modems and also pick up the line and disrupt the connection.
There is usually no way for the other person to know that you are using the line
for an internet connection until they pick up the receiver and listen. At
which point the modem connection has usually been interrupted.
"Noise" on the phone line
Static type noises on the phone line (even mild static) will disrupt
your internet connection. Contact your phone company to report line
static.
Older phones also can create line noise. Check to see if connection problems persist when a particular phone is removed from the line to isolate this problem
Call Waiting
If you
subscribe to "Call Waiting" service from your telephone company, you
need to disable it when you're dialing ACORN.
Here are instructions for Windows 98. The process is similar for other operating systems.
- Click on Start>Settings>Control Panel from the lower left of your desktop.
- Double-click Modems, the Modem Properties dialog box will open.
- Click the Dialing Properties button to open a window of those settings.
- Click in the box before "To disable call waiting dial", a check mark will appear there.
- In the field to the right of "To disable call waiting dial," type the appropriate code to diable call waiting (usually *70 for touch tone phones.)
- Click the OK button at the bottom of the Dialing Properties dialog box to close it.
- Click the OK button at the bottom of the Modem Properties dialog box to close it.
- Click the Close button to close the Control Panel dialog box.
Pre-existing AOL or other ISP connection
Many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) provide a disk to "install" their own version of Web Browser software. In many cases this install changes settings within your computer which prevent you from connecting to other systems (like ACORN). If you have, or have ever had AOL which requires you "install" software on your machine, you may have trouble connecting to ACORN.
If this is the case, you must contact AOL for assistance. Here are the most commonly needed numbers from http://www.aol.com/support/index.adp :
1-800-827-3338 General Technical Support
1-888-265-8003 Billing
1-888-346-3704 Windows Tech Support Queue
1-888-265-8007 Macintosh Tech Support Queue
1-888-265-8008 Cancellation
Other possible connection problems
Incorrectly installed/configured modem.
To use ACORN you must have a correctly installed and configured modem.
Follow your modem manufacturer's installation instructions or contact the modem
manufacturer for assistance.
Limited System Resources
Modems are often very dependant on system resources. It is possible that a
recently installed or upgraded program or software application has reduced the
amount system resources available to other applications or hardware.
Memory resident applications, especially those such as memory managers, device
drivers, can cause modem connections to fail. You may not be able to run
these applications while using the modem to connect to the internet.
What happened to my working connection?
Service
Timed Out
ACORN (and almost all other) internet connections will "time out"
after extended periods of inactivity. If you've walked away from the
computer, and the service timed out before your hour expired, try to
re-connect. Be aware that "inactive" time has counted as part of
your hour up to the point where the system was disconnected. If your hour
has expired try again tomorrow
Modem Drivers Outdated
If your modem driver is not upgraded as needed it may be affecting your
ability to access our service. Check your modem manufacterer's we site for
details or visit http://www.windrivers.com
to find modem driver updates.
Installed new software
(especially firewall software).
Sometimes a newly installed software program conflicts with existing
connection settings. If you have installed new software since you last
connected to ACORN you will need to contact the technical support provided by
the product you've installed.
Below is a list of common error codes and some suggestions for resolving them:
Error 676: The line is busy. Try again later.
Most systems will inform you of this and suggest you try again in a few
minutes or do this for you. You can also simply click "OK" when
you receive this error message and then click "Connect" to attempt to
dial again.
Error 678: The Computer you are dialing is not answering.
This is particularly a problem in Windows 95 and 98. You will be
trying different variations of the phone number settings. As a result of the
recent change to 10-digit dialing, computers respond differently when you are
trying to use a dial-up Internet service.
- From the desktop, double-click on the "My Computer" icon.
- Double-click "Dial-up Networking".
- RIGHT click once (right mouse button) on the icon that represents your ACORN connection. 4. Select "Properties" (with the left mouse button) from the resulting menu.
| Variation 1
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| Variation 2
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| Variation 1
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Error 680: There is no dial tone.
First, be sure there is a normal dial tone at the telephone outlet to which
your modem is connected. To do so connect a telephone to this outlet
using a different cable, and check for a dial tone. If you cannot hear a
dial tone, try using a different outlet to connect your modem. You may
also want to contact your telephone company tfor information about how to obtain
a dial tone at the outlet. Be aware that some voice mail and other
advanced telephone features that create a broken dial tone will interfere with
some modems. Make sure that the dial tone you are hearing is a norma,
continuous tone. You can cause your modem to pause before it dials by
typing several commas before the dial-up number.
Second, check the modem cable you are using to connect your modem. Check both ends to be sure they are completely seated into their outlets. Be sure the cable is connected to the modem "line" jack (not the phone jack). Try a different cable to connect your modem... if this solves the problem then replace the damaged cable. Use the modem cable to connect a telephone... if the phone does not work then the cable is damaged and must be replaced.
Third, check your modem. Remove the phone line from the phone jack on you modem and then reconnect the phone line to the same jack. IF this solves the problem, you may have a damaged modem and need a replacement. Connect a telephone to the "phone jack" on the modem to be sure tha the modem is passing a dial tone. Check that any modem lights indicate the modem is functioning correctly. If this doesn't work you may have a damaged modem and need a replacement.
Finally, check the modem driver and version. Make sure you are using the correct driver for your modem:
- Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Printers and Other Hardware.
- Click Phone and Modem Options, and then click the Modems tab.
- On the list of installed modems, click your modem, and then click Properties.
- In the Modem Properties box, click the Driver tab, and then note the driver information.
- Contact the manufacturer of your modem to find out if an updated driver for your modem is available.
- Contact the manufacturer of your modem to make sure that your modem and driver are compatible with Windows XP.
- Download and install the latest driver for your modem. For information about how to download and install drivers for your modem, contact the manufacturer of your modem.
Error 691: The computer you are dialing in to cannot establish a
Dial-Up Networking connection. Check your password, and then try again.
This is by far the most frequent error reported to our offices. If you get Error 691, it means one of three things: The password you are using is incorrect
The password was typed incorrectly (e.g. all caps) You have used your 60 minutes for the day and your time is up.
First, check your password and try again. We recommed that you reenter both your username and password (making sure the
Error
720: No PPP Control Protocols Configured If these also appear correct you will need to
check the Network configuration in the Control Panel. Open the Control
Panel and double click the Network icon. You should have the following
components installed:
Client for Microsoft Network If any of these are missing you will need to add them.
Q: I set up my computer according to the connection instructions. My computer dials out to ACORN, and tries to verify my username and password, but I keep getting Error 691. How do I fix this?
First, check your password and try again. We recommed that you reenter both your username and password (making sure the
For a full list of error codes and their meanings visit the Microsoft support
site at:
Computer Manufacturers Support Phone
Numbers
In some cases you will need to contact you computer's
manufacturer for help troubleshooting the system. Here are many of
the top manufacturer's phone numbers and links to their web sites: (800) 445-6495
The ACORN e-mail service has been phased out as of September 30, 2003. We recommend that users apply for one of the many free e-mail services that are available on the Internet. For more information click here. Microsoft
Outlook and Outlook Express Recalling Messges In Microsoft Outlook:
Unable to Open Attachments Outlook blocked access to the following potentially unsafe
attachments:
Q: I don't understand what a web browser is.
Q: There are certain pages I like to go back to frequently. Is there a way to "bookmark" or add these sites to my "favorites?"
If you are using the Internet in the library, for privacy reasons you
cannot bookmark.
Q: I have a web page I want to look at. How do I put in my web address? Internet Explorer is running slowly, or many pages will not load until the
second try. Internet Explorer automatically saves a copy of the web pages you visit to a
file called "Temporary Internet Files" so that it can refresh them
quickly if you return to them. However, sometimes this file becomes full
and can effect the way Explorer functions. Try deleting all of Internet
Explorer's temporary files (Tools > Internet Options > Delete Files) and
then refresh the page view. "A Runtime Error has occurred. Do you wish to Debug?" What the error means: Internet Explorer is displaying this message because it
has encountered this error when trying to run a JavaScript on the web
page. The problem may be related to errors on the site but also to the
contents of your Internet Explorer’s cache. Internet Explorer may be using some old files from its cache instead of
retrieving newer versions from the site. Try deleting all of Internet Explorers
temporary files (Tools > Internet Options ... > Delete Files) and then
refresh the page view. If the error persists then it is a fault is probably with
the page. You can ignore the error (select ‘No’ to debug) and see if you can carry
on. However, you are likely to encounter this error again on this or other
pages. To disable this error message:
An Internet Explorer
Filter?
Suggestions for improving your computer's performance and safeguarding your
system:
Keep a copy of all the information you have stored on your computer:
documents, photos, accounting files, etc. You can copy files easily onto
floppy discs, CDs or other formats. Back up your files weekly (daily if
you store business related files on your computer). Choose, install and regularly update your anti-virus software. As new virus and worm programs are written, you need to keep up to date
with the newest versions of your anti-virus software. Update your virus
protection software montly. Check for updates to your operating system as well. Windows
frequently detects and fixes security problems with it's many versions.
Keeping your system updated will help protect it's integrity. Never open email attachments unless you've checked with the person who's
sending it to verify it's contents. The majority of virus and worm files
are transmitted through email attachments. Hackers can even send emails
which look like they are comming from people you regularly correspond
with. Be sure the email and attachement are genuine before opening the
attachment. Avoid opening unsolicited emails. As mentioned above, email is the
prime mechanism used to transmit virus and worm files. Also, opening and
responding to unsolicited emails. Doing so only confirms that your email
address is active and tends to increase the amount of junk mail you'll receive
there. Spyware is software installed on your system, often without your knowledge,
which tracks and transmits information about your computer use (possibly
including your usernames and passwords for various systems). Malware is
a general term for malicious software similarly installed without your
knowledge. Here are some websites to help you detect and remove viruses
spyware, and other malware. www.symantec.com/securitycheck
This online tool, found on the Web runs a quick scan of computer to http://www.freeanswers.com
When you pose a query to the database, it essentially points you to documents
on the vendors' support sites (Microsoft, Adobe, Intuit).
Here are the steps for setting up a n ACORN PPP connection on a Macintosh: NOTE: If ACORN is not your only ISP, you will want to copy, rename settings
(for both PPP & TCP/IP) before you change and save them. This can be done by
choosing configurations from the file menu in both TCP/IP and PPP. Here are some additional resources for Mac Users wishing to connect to the
internet:
If you consistently run out of time using one hour on ACORN, you may with to
look into other ISP services. Two options you may wish to consider are
JUNO and NetZero each of which offer a limited number of hours per month for
free. For other ISP services consult your local phone book to locate local
service providers.
http://www.pctechguide.com/
OR
Error 720: Dial-Up networking could not negotiate a compatible set of network
protocols you specified in Server Type settings. Check your network
configuration in network control panel and try the connection again.
This is generally caused by incorrectly configured, missing, or corrupt Dialup
Networking protocols, and can often by resolved by just restarting your
computer. If this does not resolve the problem, check your Dialup
Networking settings.
Dialup Adapter
TCP/IP or TCP/IP->Dialup Adapter
A: If you get Error 691, it means one of three things: The password you are using is incorrect
The password was typed incorrectly (e.g. all caps) You have used your 60 minutes for the day and your time is up
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;163111
(Click the name to go to their support site):
IBM
(800) 426-7378
Compaq
(800) 652-6672
Legend
(408) 262-6861
Dell
(800) 624-9896
NEC
(800) 632-4525
Emachines
(801) 401-1419
Packard
Bell
(800) 733-5858
Fujitsu
(800) 838-5487
Samsung
(800) 726-7864
Fujitsu
Siemens
(870) 535-3325
Sony
(888) 476-6972
Gateway
(800) 846-2301
Toshiba
(800) 457-7777
Hewlet
Packard
(800) 474-6836
E-Mail
Microsoft Outlook is an e-mail client which resides on your computer and
uses the internet to connect to email servers where you have an account.
In some cases using these or other email clients can allow you to maximize your
"connect time" by staying connected to the Internet only when
downloading or sending email messages. You do not need to be connected
during the time you spend reading and composing replies. However, not all
email services allow you to access your mail with these programs. Check
with your e-mail provider to see if they support these programs and for
assistance setting them up.
One danger of using e-mail is that it is so easy to send that e-mail message
is that is that it is so easy to send that message! E-mail regret can
occur seconds, even hours aver you hit the "Send" button.
Sometimes, however, all is not lost... Sometimes, you can recall a message
before the person reads it.
Outlook 2002 includes a new security feature that blocks attachments which
it considers unsafe. If you receive an e-mail message containing one of
the blocked file types, you may receive the following warning message:
Although Outlook has blocked access to the attachment, the attachment still
exists in the message. Consult with your computer manufactuer for
assistance or examine the Microsoft
Knowledge Base.
Web Browsers
A: According to TheTech Webopedia , a web browser is a "software application used to locate and display web pages. The two most popular browsers are Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer. Both of these are graphical browsers, which means that they can display graphics as well as text. In addition, most modern browsers can present multimedia information, including sound and video, though they require plug-ins for some formats."
You must have a web browser such as Netscape or Internet Explorer installed on your home computer to use ACORN. Windows 95/98 and above typically come with Internet Explorer.
A: From home, it is easy to keep your favorite sites handy. If you are using Netscape Navigator, simply click on "Bookmarks" and then "Add Bookmark" to add the current web page to the end of the list. For Internet Explorer, click on "Favorites," then "Add to Favorites."
A: In the Address or Location bar, type in the address. You do not have to type in http:// .
Improve
Computer Performance
A free option is available at http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php
search for any security holes. Once completed, you're presented with any
problems and suggestions on how to fix them. Even if you're a user of other
security products, the Symantec Security Check is a good way to make sure
you're protected.Mac
Issues
Other
ISPs