SECTION 3
Lesson 3.3: Networking And Internet Connections

   

 

 

The Internet Options icon allows you to change your Internet Explorer settings.

 

 

This involves many settings from your default home page to the content advisor. Under the Internet options you will see the following tabs: General, Security, Privacy, Content, Connections, Programs, and Advanced.

 

The General Tab has three sections for Home Page, Temporary Internet files, and History. Additional buttons include Colours, Fonts, Languages, and Accessibility.

 

Home Page

Allows you to change your default home page. (This is the default page you see when you open Internet Explorer.) You may also use the buttons Use Current (makes your default homepage the current page you are visiting), Use Default, and Use Blank.

Temporary Internet Files

Displays three buttons for Delete Cookies, Delete Files, and Settings.

 

Delete Cookies: Prompts you to delete all cookies with an OK or Cancel button.

 

Delete Files: Prompts you to delete all Temporary Internet Files with an OK or Cancel button. (Note: A Delete all Offline Content checkbox is also available to delete your offline content/files.)

Settings

Check for newer versions of stored pages: Stored pages are the pages stored in your temporary Internet files. The available radio buttons are: Every visit to the page, Every time you start Internet Explorer, Automatically, and Never.

 

Temporary Internet files folder: Shows you the location of your temporary Internet files and allows you to change the size by using a slider bar.

 

Move Folder button: Allows you to move your temporary Internet files folder. Displays a hierarchical tree view to select your location from.

 

View Files button: Redirects you to your temporary Internet files folder. (The location for this is C:\Documents and Settings\<user account>\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\.) This allows you to delete or view single files or cookies.

 

View Objects button: Redirects you to your Downloaded Program Files folder (also referred to as IE Objects, 3rd party browser extensions, or downloaded program files). This allows you to delete or view single object files. (The path to this location is C:\Windows\Downloaded Program Files).

History

Your history folder contains links to pages you’ve visited recently to allow for quicker access. A Clear History button is available to clear your history. You can also set the amount of days pages should stay in the history folder.

Colours button

Displays the colours and link colours Internet Explorer will use.

Fonts button

Displays the fonts Internet Explorer will use. Other fonts are available through the drop down menus.

Languages button

Allows you to manage, add, and remove languages. Languages provide support for web pages that offer content in multiple languages.

Accessibility button

Provides accessibility options for Internet Explorer.

 

The Security Tab provides security options for four different zones: Internet, Local Intranet, Trusted sites, and Restricted sites. While the default level for Internet and local intranet settings are just fine, some users may want to select a custom level or use the slider bar for troubleshooting.

 

 

 

 

Internet zone

By selecting Custom Level you are customizing the main security settings for Internet Explorer. These settings are adjusted by radio buttons, and range from ActiveX prompting to Scripting for Java applets. You also have a Reset Custom Settings pull-down menu and a Default Level button.

Local intranet zone

Although the same Custom Level options from the Internet zone are available, you also have the Default Level button and Sites button available. The options for the Sites button are: Include All Local Intranet Sites Not Listed in Other Zones, Include All Sites that Bypass the Proxy Server, and Include All Network Paths (UNCs). An Advanced button is available here to enter an intranet location. The Default Level button is also available.

Trusted Sites zone

Offers the same Custom Level options as previous zones and a Sites button to specify and manage your trusted sites. There is also a Default Level button.

Restricted Sites zone

Offers the same Custom Level options as previous zone and a Sites button to specify and manage your restricted sites. There is also a Default Level button available.

 

Next up is the Privacy tab. Your privacy settings are used to control your cookies’ security level (and Pop-up Blocker settings if you have Service Pack 2 installed). The available options are Settings (containing a slider-bar and the Sites, Import, Advanced, and Default buttons) and Pop-up Blocker. First, let’s look at the Sites section.

 

This section is known as your per site privacy actions. This window allows you to specify which Web sites are always or never allowed to use cookies, regardless of their privacy settings. The available buttons are Block, Allow, Remove, Remove All, and OK. You will also see these options:

 

 

Import

 Allows you to import your Internet Explorer Privacy Preferences.

Advanced

Allows you to override automatic cookie handling. The available options are for First-Party Cookies and Third-Party Cookies.

Default

Sets your privacy settings to default.

 

The Pop-up Blocker section has a checkbox to enable or disable pop-ups and also a Settings button. The settings button allows you to add, remove, or remove all web sites from the list. Additional options are Notification and Filter Level.

 

Next you will see the Content tab. It contains three sections: Content Advisor, Certificates, and Personal Information.

 

The  Content Advisor area is to protect content within Internet Explorer. Clicking the Content Advisor button will open a dialog with four tabs: Ratings, Approved Sites, General, and Advanced.

 

Ratings

This tab includes options for Language, Nudity, Sex, and Violence while browsing with Internet Explorer. For each option a slider-bar is available. A More Info button is also available to re-direct you to a web page with more information.

Approved Sites

 Allows you to add and remove sites you approve of.

General

 Provides User options, Supervisor password, and Rating systems.

 

User Options provides checkbox options for: User can see sites that have no rating and Supervisor can type a password to allow users to view restricted content.

 

Supervisor Password allows you to set a password to the settings of the content advisor cannot be modified or the content advisor turned off.

 

Rating Systems Provides button options for Find Rating Systems and Rating Systems. These are the rating rules and definitions in use. You can find, add, and manage your rating systems from these two buttons.

 

The Advanced button allows options for Ratings bureau and PICS-Rules. This area is used to manage content rules with specified agencies.

 

Back in the main Content dialog, you will find two more sections.

 

Certificates

This section is used to manage security certificates. A certificate is a secure document that is commonly used for authentication and secure exchange of information on the Internet, or any other open network. They provide a secure transmission of information across the network. The available option buttons are: Clear SSL State, Certificates, and Publishers.

Personal Information

Your Personal Information contains AutoComplete options and My Profile options.

 

 

The Connections tab contains your Internet Explorer settings for your dial-up and your LAN (local area network/high-speed) connections. A Setup button is also available which will launch the New Connection Wizard.

 

The white window contains settings for the two possible types of connections.

 

Dial-up and Virtual Private Network settings

Allows you to add, remove, and individually configure the settings for your dial-up or virtual private network connections. The available radio button options are: Never dial a connection, Dial whenever a network connection is not present, and Always dial my default connection.

Local Area Network (LAN) settings

Provides you with options to change your LAN settings. This is usually your home or office network or cable/DSL high speed modem and does not apply to your dial-up connections or settings. The LAN Settings area includes options for Automatic configuration and Proxy Server.

 

Other options in this dialog include:

 

Automatic configuration

Provides you with the options for: Automatically detect settings and Use automatic configuration script. Automatically Detect Settings will try to establish your connection for you. The use Automatic Configuration Script is mainly used in conjunction with ISP software, which will use a script for its configuration settings.

Proxy Server

Allows you to specify a proxy server address and port.

 

Next up is the Programs tab. This area provides you with settings for your Internet programs with additional buttons for resetting web settings, and managing your Internet Explorer Add-ons. An additional checkbox is available near the bottom to check if Internet Explorer should be the default web browser or not.

 

Internet Programs

Provides you with a pull-down menu to set your desired program for each service.

Reset Web Settings

Allows you to reset Internet Explorer to the default home and search pages.

Manage Add-ons

Managed add-ons are programs that extend the capabilities of Internet Explorer. Like downloaded program files they add functionality to your browsing abilities. This window allows you to disable, enable, or update manage add-ons for troubleshooting. (Unlike downloaded program files, these add-ons are installed by a program which should be listed in the Add/Remove Programs window.)

 

 

The last tab is Advanced. It provides advanced settings for Internet Explore, such as Accessibility, Browsing, HTTP 1.1 settings, Multimedia, Printing, Searching from the Address Bar, and Security. A Restore Defaults button is also available.