Abstract: A system provides automatic modem dialing for a dial-up connection to a computer network with an automatic dialer when a network application attempts to communicate with the network. The automatic dialer is installable in a network programming interface to monitor the network application's requests to communicate on the computer network through the network programming interface. Dialing user interfaces and dialogs are installable in the automatic dialer on a per dial-up connection basis. Their installability allows the automatic dialer to be implemented separately from the network programming interface, and the dialing user interface and dialogs to be implemented separately from the automatic dialer. The network application has an offline browsing mode which allows viewing of information recently accessed from the computer network while being disconnected from the computer network.

Abstract: Networking software is configured for connecting to the Internet with a set-up automation software without disturbing the networking software's configuration for connecting to another computer network, such as a corporate local area network. Where installing the TCP/IP network protocol for communicating on the Internet also causes binding to a device configured for connecting to the other computer network, the set-up automation software records whether the TCP/IP network protocol was previously bound to that device and unbinds the TCP/IP network protocol from the device after installing the TCP/IP network protocol if not previously bound to the device. The set-up automation software also unbinds file and printer sharing services from a device used for connecting to the Internet. Where a dial-up device is used for connecting to the Internet, a dial-time security check and configuration check software verifies that the network software is correctly and securely configured for connecting to the Internet.