MachLink^® Help Center

Customizing Your Browser

• Customize Your Web Browsing Layout

• Change Your Home Page

• How and Why to Clear Your Cache

• Change Text Size:
1. Click on TEXT SIZE from the VIEW menu in your browser.
2. Choose from LARGEST to SMALLEST size setting.

• Change Encoding to Display Correct Language:
1. Click on ENCODING from the VIEW menu on your browser.
2. Choose language from the list provided (Western European is the default)

• Adding Favorites:
1. Click on ADD TO FAVORITES from the FAVORITES menu.

• Choosing Internet Programs:
1. Under the INTERNET OPTIONS menu, click on PROGRAMS
2. Select which program to use for each category (i.e. html editor, email etc.)

• Add Your Own Background Image to Internet Explorer Toolbar

• Change What Internet Explorer Calls Itself in the Title Bar

• Change the Explorer Toolbar Background



Passwords

• How do I Change my Password?

Security and Privacy

• Internet Explorer 6 Security and Privacy Essentials

• Browse the Web with Content Advisor

• Prevent Pop-up Windows when Browsing with Internet Explorer

In addition to these suggestions, there are various free programs that can be downloaded and installed to alleviate problems with pop-ups. (e.g. Spybot, Ad-aware® and Google™ Toolbar)

Credit Card Safety - Pay It Safe!

Use a Secure Browser - Use software that encrypts or scrambles the purchase information you send over the Internet. This will help guard the security of your information as it is transmitted to a website. Be sure your browser has the most up-to-date encryption capabilities by using the latest version available from the manufacturer.

When submitting your purchase information, look for the "lock" icon on the browser's status bar, and the phrase "https" in the URL address for a website, to be sure your information is secure during transmission.

Check the Site's Privacy Policy - Before you provide any personal financial information to a website, check the site's statements about the security. Some websites' disclosures are easier to find than others - look at the bottom of the home page, on order forms or in the "About" or "FAQs" section of a site. If you're not comfortable with the policy, consider doing business elsewhere.

Read and understand the refund and shipping policies of a website you visit, before you make your purchase. Look closely at disclosures about the website's refund and shipping policies. Again, search through the website for these disclosures.

Keep Your Personal Information Private - Don't disclose your personal information such as your address, telephone number, Social Security number, bank account number or e-mail address - unless you know who's collecting the information, why they're collecting it, and how they'll use it.

Give Payment Information Only to Businesses You Know and Trust - Only give out information when and where it is appropriate - like an order form. Never give your password to anyone online, even your Internet service provider.

DO NOT Download Files Sent to You by Strangers or Click on Hyperlinks from People You do not Know. Opening a file could expose your system to a computer virus or a program that could hijack your computer.

Keep Records of Your Online Transactions - Check your e-mail for contacts by merchants with whom you're doing business. Merchants may send you important information about your purchases.

Review Your Monthly Credit Card and Bank Statements - Check for any errors or unauthorized purchases promptly and thoroughly. Notify your credit or debit card issuer immediately if your credit, debit card or checkbook is lost or stolen - or if you suspect someone is using your accounts without your permission.

NOTE: The above information was obtained from the website below (click on the link for more information.)

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/online/payments.htm



Keeping Your Kids Safe

Keeping children safe from the hazards of the Internet is important. Please click here to download a very helpful article on this topic.

Common Browser Errors

401 - Unauthorized
Problem: You can't access a website because you're not on the guest list, your password is invalid or you have entered your password incorrectly.
Solution: If you think you have authorization, try typing your password again. Remember that passwords are case sensitive.

403 - Forbidden
Problem: Essentially the same as a 401.
Solution: Try entering your password again or move on to another site.

404 - Not Found
Problem: Either the web page no longer exists on the server or it is nowhere to be found.
Solution: Check the address carefully and try entering it again. You might also see if the site has a search engine. If so, use it to hunt for the document. (It's not uncommon for pages to change their addresses when a website is redesigned.) To get to the home page of the site, delete everything after the domain name and hit the Enter or Return key. For example, if the address is:
http://www.learnthenet.com/english/html/email.htm remove "English/html/email.htm from the URL.

503 - Service Unavailable
Problem: Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or your Internet connection may be down.
Solution: Take a stretch, wait a few minutes and try again. If you still have no luck, phone your ISP or system administrator.

Bad File Request
Problem: Your web browser may not be able to decipher the online form you want to access. There may also be a technical error in the form.
Solution: Consider sending a message to the site's webmaster, providing any technical information you can, such as the browser and version you are using.

Connection Refused by Host
Problem: You don't have permission to access the page or your password is incorrect.
Solution: Try retyping your password if you think you should have access.

Failed DNS Lookup
Problem: DNS stands for the Domain Name System, which is the system that looks up the name of a website, finds a corresponding number (similar to a phone number), then directs your request to the appropriate web server on the Internet. When the lookup fails, the host server can't be l