Getting WebTV® subscribers connected through Spitfire.

In order to begin registration for the Use an ISP program, a subscriber will need the following information from an ISP:

  1. Company Name Spitfire Communications, Inc.
  2. Primary modem number (local)
  3. Secondary modem number (local)
  4. User name (case sensitive)  username@spitfire.net
  5. Password (case sensitive)

The process below shows step-by-step instructions that a WebTV subscriber would need to follow.

1. From the WebTV Web Homepage, select "Account" from the top bar.

Please note: subscribers must be logged on as the primary user. The primary user is the name the subscriber chose the first time they connected to the WebTV Network service.

2. In Account, select "Use an ISP."

3. Choose "Sign Up Now."

Sign Up Now

4. Enter ISP account information:

5. Following this set up, the WebTV Internet unit will reset and reconnect automatically to complete the change. A confirmation screen will appear to verify that the subscriber is using an ISP to access their WebTV subscription.

 

Diagnosing Common Problems

1. Problem: The subscriber is having difficulty establishing a connection.

Error Message: Your Internet unit is having trouble connecting to the WebTV® service. Please try connecting again.

Diagnosis: Determine if the modem is negotiating successfully. The subscriber will have access to audible modem tones to determine this. Go to "Settings," select "Dialing," then "Advanced". On the Advanced page, checkmark "Audible Dialing", then select "Done". Then the subscriber should try to connect and see if a "handshake" is audible.

2. Problem: The subscriber is having difficulty connecting to the ISP network.

Error Message A: Your Internet Service Provider Password did not match your user name.

Diagnosis A: Check the settings and then try again. (In this case, the user has mis-typed the information.)

Error Message B: Please re-enter your password and password confirmation. They did not match.

Diagnosis B: As with computers, this information will be in the logfiles of the ISP authentication system (e.g., RADIUS, TACACS). If the user has a bad user name or password, it will show up here. Bad user names and passwords are usually caused by case sensitive typing errors.

3. Problem: Subscriber is having connectivity problems after making the initial connection.

Diagnosis: Problems that involve connectivity to sites (both Internet and WebTV service should be diagnosed as standard IP connectivity: ping, traceroute to the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) and the IP address of the site in question. If the FQDN ping or traceroute fails but the IP address test succeeds, consider problems with the DNS. If the traceroute indicates a routing failure across the Internet, call your upstream ISP.

4. Problem: Subscriber is having difficulty using the WebTV system or is having trouble accessing the WebTV service.

Diagnosis: Refer individual to WebTV Networks customer service, 1-800-GO-WEBTV (1.800.469.3288).