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OrbitNet 3.0
Frequently Asked Questions
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General
Can I use OrbitNet with Cable, DSL, and other connections?
Yes, OrbitNet will work with almost any type of connection to the internet.
DIRECPC/DiRECWAY 2 way , Starband 2 Way , T-1, T-3, Cable, DSL, PPPoE, PPPoA, ISDN, and Dial-Up
accounts can all be shared and protected by OrbitNet. With
connections that
require a second Network Interface Card, the modem has to be connected
directly to that card, and not to the hub on your network
Is
OrbitNet compatible with Windows XP?
OrbitNet 4.0 is already compatible with Windows XP. If you are upgrading
your Operating System to XP we recommend uninstalling OrbitNet first. Then
reinstall OrbitNet after you have XP up & running.
When you install OrbitNet on XP you will be warned by
Windows that the Deterministic Network Enhancer driver has not been 'certified'
by Microsoft. You will have to click 'Yes' to approve the installation of these
drivers. You'll be prompted to do this more than once. We have tested OrbitNet
on Windows XP Professional & have not had any problems.
If you need to uninstall OrbitNet & want to save your
settings this can be done quite easily. Use Windows Explorer to find the files
in your Program Files\OrbitNet 4.0 folder. All files with a .dat file extension
should be saved to another location. After installing OrbitNet just paste these
files back into the OrbitNet 4.0 folder.
Is there a way to get OrbitNet to start
automatically?
I keep forgetting to start it when the system is rebooted.)
Sure. Set it to run in the taskbar (in Win95/98) or to run as a service (in
WinNT or 2000). That option is on the General tab (under Settings) in OrbitNet.
Once its set to run in the taskbar, it will start automatically whenever the
system is started or rebooted. OrbitNet will appear as a white mask icon in the
taskbar, and you can open the main window by double-clicking on the icon.
There are some variations in how to run OrbitNet as a service under NT; it can
be run as a hidden service, or run as a visible service similar to the taskbar
icon in Win95/98. There are some descriptions of the various options in the
OrbitNet manual on the Tech Support
section of our website.
Can I play internet-enabled games through OrbitNet
from a client computer?
Yes, in most cases you can. Many games, such as Everquest, Halflife, Quake 3,
Roger Wilco and Unreal Tournament will connect to game servers without any
changes to their default settings as long as Transparent Proxy is enabled and
properly configured. Though there are still some games that wont work, were
proud of our position as a leader in online gaming compatibility.
How do I upgrade?
-- from version 2.1 to 3.0
First, download the newest version of OrbitNet 3.0 from our web site. You may
uninstall version 2.1 if you like; you dont have to, but you might avoid
confusion by doing it. The installer will ask you to reboot, and when you do
youll be running version 3.0. Upgrade pricing is available on our
web site.
-- from version 3.0 to 3.0 with more users
You dont have to reinstall anything! When you purchase an upgrade to a
larger version of OrbitNet, you will be given a new serial number. Just go to
the File menu inside your current version of OrbitNet and choose Set new serial
number and fill in your new number. Thats all there is to it. You keep your
current installation, preferences, settings and all other preferences.
What does 'three users' mean, exactly?
OrbitNet will allow simultaneous connections from three different computers. If
you have several applications running at the same time on a single computer, it
still counts as one connection. The OrbitNet computer itself is a special case.
The applications on this computer will only count against the limit if they are
configured to go through the proxy; if they are left to go straight out they
will not count against the limit. This configuration will allow a total of four
computers to access the internet simultaneously, though you give up the
convenience of having a single program handle the dialing when you do so.
How does the upgrade protection work?
See our Orbit's Software Upgrade Policy
How can I check if my network is secure?
Once you've installed OrbitNet, visit the Gibson Research web site (http://www.grc.com)
to check the security. Shields Up! will test your network connection for
openings in your firewall.
How do I purchase OrbitNet?
The fastest and easiest way is to purchase it online on our website. It's a
secure transaction, and you will receive a serial number by return page and via
a confirmatory email so you can use your new serial number right away. You can
also purchase with a phone call to our sales office, though shipping charges
will apply. If you have a situation that makes these methods inconvenient,
contact our sales office via
email, phone, or fax for details on other payment methods.
Does OrbitNet work
with the new DIRECWAY 2 Way System Release 4.0.1.28?
Yes. Follow these steps:
Close OrbitNet
Close DirecPC Navigator
Install DirecWay 4.0.1.28
After installation DirecWay said there was a problem with my configuration
Close DirecWay satellite diagnostics
Use Windows Explorer to open c:\Program Files\OrbitNet 4.0\
Find DPCfix.exe & double click it
Open DirecWay
Open OrbitNet
You're done!
OrbitNet Computer
Do I need to run OrbitNet on all the machines on my network, or only on the
computer connected to the Internet?
You only run OrbitNet on the computer that is connected to the Internet.
Then doesn't the OrbitNet computer have to be a
Server?
OrbitNet will run on just about any computer. OrbitNet is a proxy server, but in
this context 'server' describes OrbitNet's relation to other software on the
network, not the type of computer that it runs on.
What else do I need on my computer to run OrbitNet?
OrbitNet will need two network connections - an external connection (to the
internet) and an internal connection to rest of your local network, usually via
a network card. The external connection can be either a second network card or
the Dial-Up Adapter already on your computer. Both of these connections will
need to be
configured to use the TCP/IP protocol.
When do I need a second Network Card?
If your computer connects to the internet through a network card, then you will
need a second card to connect to your local network. For example, most DSL and
Cable modems connect to your computer through a network card. You would need
one card for the modem and one for the rest of the network. You cannot connect
the modem to a hub; if you do, you lose your firewall and all sorts of other
things break.
Client Computers
What do I need on my client computers?
No special client software is required. Each of the computers on your local
network will need to have the TCP/IP protocol installed so that their Internet
applications can communicate with OrbitNet. This protocol is a part of every
Windows operating system. As long as your local network is configured properly,
most applications will work through the Transparent Proxy with no changes to
their settings. The
client computer network card settings can be found at our Tech Support site.
Do my client computers have to be running Microsoft
Windows?
No, they dont. Any computer that is capable of using the TCP/IP protocol can
be a client. This includes Macs, OS/2, Unix, Linux, and just about any other
you can think of. The rule is: if it can connect to the Internet without
OrbitNet, it can also work as a client.
How do I know what my external IP address is? Don't
I need to configure that somewhere?
If you already have an Internet connection, this address is already configured.
There are two main categories for external addresses, static and dynamic. A
static address is given to you - generally by your ISP - and it never varies. If
you have a static address, you probably already know that you do and you know
what it is. A dynamic address is assigned by a computer at the time of
connection, and is taken from a pool of numbers. This is the type you almost
always have if you dial in with a standard modem. If you have a static IP
address, you'll need to configure your external connection with that number but
you don't need to put it directly into OrbitNet. You cannot set IP addresses
within OrbitNet; you can only set them within the operating system. OrbitNet
will identify all of the IP addresses in the computer, and allow you to assign
them as internal or external addresses.
How do I know what my internal IP address is? Don't
I need to configure that somewhere?
Yes, you do need to configure that. Go in through Control Panel/Network and
assign an
IP address to your network card. We recommend numbers that are not routable
for your internal network - details can be found within the directions on our
Tech Support page. The only hard and
fast rule is that you cannot use the same network group for your internal
address as that assigned to your external address.
OrbitNet wont let me set the IP address.
You cannot set any IP addresses from within OrbitNet. The application
gets its information from the operating system. IP addressing must be changed
from within Windows, not OrbitNet. When OrbitNet starts up, it asks the
operating system for its list of IP addresses.
OrbitNet complains that I only have a single IP
address. What does this mean, and what do I do about it?
It depends on your connection type. OrbitNet wants to find at least two.
1. If you are using a dial-up connection and are not currently connected, then
OrbitNet wont complain. It recognizes that the single IP address is for your
internal network and that it will get a second one when you dial up.
2. If you ARE connected, then the address OrbitNet found is the dynamically
assigned address on your external connection. There should be another IP
address, the internal address, but only one address was found.
3. If you have two or more network cards and are not using a dial-up connection,
then OrbitNet should never find just one IP address.
If your case is like either #2 or #3 above, inspect your network cards and
drivers in the system and make sure they are functioning properly. Details of
some tests (like using ping)
can be found on our Tech Support
page.
After I install OrbitNet, my computer no longer
recognizes one or both of the network cards.
The most common reason for this problem is old network card drivers. Often the
attempt to share an Internet connection and add a firewall is the first time you
push the envelope of your networks capabilities, and it is after you install
OrbitNet that you discover you need newer drivers for your network cards. Most
manufacturers maintain a web site with technical support where you can download
the newest driver for your network card.
Accessing the Internet
I have OrbitNet 4.0 &
it worked fine for months. All of a sudden I can only access a few different
web pages. I get a lot of error 430 or Page Cannot Be Displayed. What
happened?
Recently one of the default DNS servers in OrbitNet
has failed. To solve this open OrbitNet & click File -> Settings -> Protocols
Tab -> DNS Setup. Highlight the DNS servers listed on the right & click
Remove. Do this for all of them one by one. In the field on the left type in
198.77.116.8 & click Add. This is a DirecPC 2 way DNS server. Click OK & OK.
Version 2.1 worked great, but 3.0 doesnt.
If you have an existing installation of OrbitNet 2.1, all of your current
configurations will continue to work, but in order to take advantage of the new
features in version 3.0, you will have to make a few changes to your network.
Please refer to our FAQ for upgrades.
Gateway:
Each client computer must have a Gateway set up in the operating systems
TCP/IP configuration. When accessing the Transparent Proxy, the client computer
will ask its gateway whenever it needs something from the Internet. Make sure
the clients gateway is the IP address of the computer running OrbitNet.
Modem hooked into a hub:
If you plug your modem into a hub, you will have no firewall. Each client
computer (also connected to the hub) will have a direct route through the
modem. If they can access the Internet at all, they can bypass OrbitNets
security settings.
OrbitNet does not hang up when I exit my browser,
even when I check the option 'disconnect on exit'.
That option is there to force OrbitNet to hang up the modem connection when you
exit from OrbitNet, not when you exit from a browser. OrbitNet cannot know when
your browser is running, and in any case that scenario would break down with
more than one user behind OrbitNet. The only way that OrbitNet can know when to
hang up is to wait for a designated period of no network activity.
OrbitNet doesnt establish a connection for a
browser on the main machine.
When configured to go directly to the internet, a browser on the main machine
will bypass OrbitNets application level and go straight out to the Internet,
and it will not trigger the dialing command (nor will it pass through the
anti-virus filter or site filter). The connection still passes through
OrbitNets driver level firewall, so the computer is secure. If you wish to
have OrbitNet dial for the browser on the main machine, you must configure the
browser to use a proxy. Specific
settings can be found at our Tech
Support site.
OrbitNet hangs up even when actively browsing from
the main machine.
The answer here is pretty much the same as for the issue above. Since a browser
set to use a direct connection, OrbitNet does not see the activity and it
times out. Setting the browser to
use a proxy will fix the problem.<
I cant ping from the client machines.
There are two factors that commonly disable
pinging: Gateway and DNS
settings. When
you ping www.yahoo.com, the first step is to use DNS to look up the IP address
associated with yahoo. The second step is to try to contact that IP address.
If your DNS settings are incorrect, you will get a message like unknown host.
If your gateway is misconfigured, you will see that the name is translated into
an IP address, but you get either destination unreachable or timed out.
Instructions for setting both DNS and gateways are available at our
Technical Support web site.
I cant seem to get e-mail to work.
There are too many ifs to address e-mail here. Please see our comprehensive
E-mail Troubleshooting Guide.
My web browser keeps reporting that the page cannot
be displayed.
Page can not be displayed from a client computer usually means one of five
things
1. OrbitNet is closed, i.e. is not running on the system it was installed on.
2. If using a dial-up connection, it failed to connect.
3. The browser is not
configured correctly.
4. A gateway address was assigned to the internal network card of the OrbitNet
computer. The default gateway should be left blank on the internal network card
of the OrbitNet computer.
5. The internal network is not configured properly. The client computer cant
ping the OrbitNet computer.
Can I use chat programs through OrbitNet (ICQ, AIM,
Yahoo Messenger, etc.)?
Yes. Most of these programs will work through the Transparent Proxy with no
changes to their default settings. Please refer to our
Technical Support web site for help configuring Transparent Proxy.
Can I use AOL with OrbitNet?
Yes, mostly. If you connect to the Internet through an ISP other than AOL, you
will be able to log on to AOL using the LAN connection option from any computer
on your network and have full functionality. If you use AOL as your Internet
service provider, there are several qualifications. OrbitNet cannot initiate a
dial-up connection if you are using AOL version 5.0 or higher. We can dial for
you if you are using version 3 or 4. Client computers will be able to browse
the Internet, but they will not be able to access AOL specific content. Please
see discussions of AOL in our
Support
Database.
Can a client computer connect to a Virtual Private
Network (VPN) or NetMeeting through OrbitNet?
Yes. Outgoing VPN and NetMeeting connections can be established by any client
computer through the Transparent Proxy. Client computers can create multiple
outgoing connections, as long as they are connecting to different servers.
Connections initiated by external computers are not supported at this time.
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