Solution #1: This problem has two possible causes. The first cause may be that Windows 95 or 98 is not set up to dial automatically to the internet. To check for this, please read the following steps. It is recommended that these instructions be printed out beforehand, as this makes reading them much easier. If these steps don't resolve the issue, please proceed to Solution #2 below.
 

1. Click on the "Start" Menu, point to "Settings", and click on "Control Panel".
2. When the Control Panel window pops up, double click on the control panel that is marked either "Internet" or "Internet Options".
3. Depending of the version of Windows 95 or 98, the Internet Control Panel will be different from version to version. If the Internet Control Panel looks like the one in Figure 1, please click on the "AutoDial" tab and make sure that the "AutoDial" checkbox has a check in it. If is does not, click in the box to add the check.
4. Click "Apply" and the "OK". Try to connect to the internet again. If this still doesn't resolve the issue, proceed to Solution #2. If Figure 1 does not match your Internet Control Panel, please proceed to the next step.

Figure 1

5. If the Internet Control Panel looks similar to the one shown in Figure 2, click on the "Connection" tab across the top. Please make sure that  "Connect to the Internet As Needed" is checked. If it is not checked, click in the checkbox to add the check.
6. Click on the "Apply" button in the bottom right corner, and then click "OK". Now try to connect to the internet. If the problem still doesn't go away, please proceed to Solution #2. If your Internet Control Panel doesn't match the one shown in Figure 2, proceed to the next step.

Figure 2

7. If the Internet Control Panel looks similar to the one shown in Figure 3, please click on the "Connection" Tab across the top. Make sure that the bullet option "Connect to the Internet using a Modem" is selected. If "Connect to the Internet Using a Local Area Network" is selected, please click in the Connect to the Internet using a modem option. This will ensure that the computer will dial up using the modem settings.
8. Click on "Apply" and then on "OK". Try to connect to the internet. If this does not resolve the problem, please continue to Solution #2. If Figure 2 doesn't resemble your internet control panel, please continue to the next step.

Figure 3

9. If the Internet Control Panel resembles the one shown in Figure 4, please click on the "Connections" tab at the top center of the window. The screen should now resemble Figure 4. Check to make sure that "Always dial my default connection" is selected. If "Never dial a connection" is selected, this is why the internet will not dial up. Make sure the dot is in the "Always dial my default connection".
10. Click "Apply", and then click "OK". If this does not resolve the problem, please continue on to Solution #2 below.

Figure 4

Solution #2: If after having tried the above solution  and the settings seem to be ok, and the problem doesn't go away, then the problem may be due to file corruption in the networking and dialup networking portion or Windows. This problem seems to be caused by improper disconnection from the internet. For example, instead of disconnecting the normal way, the computer is shut completely off while still connected to the internet (most often this will happen during a power failure or a system crash). Also, this problem seems to be more prevalent in Windows 95, and and does not show up very often in Windows 98. In order to solve this problem, the original Windows 95 or Windows 98 CD will be required. Warning: If your computer is on a network, DO NOT attempt to follow this solution until you call our tech support line. Doing so without calling us could adversely affect your network.
 

1. Click on the "Start" Menu, point to "Settings", and click on "Control Panel".
2. Double click on the control panel marked "Network"
3. A list of network components will pop up. Click ONCE on the first item in the list. Click on "Delete". Continue doing this for all components until the list is blank.
4. Close the Network control panel by clicking on "OK". The computer will ask to be restarted. DO NOT restart the computer.
5. Going back to the Control Panels window, double click on "Add/Remove Programs".
6. Click on the "Windows Setup" Tab.
7. A number of options with check boxes in front of them should appear. Remove the check box in front of the "Communications" category.
8. Click "OK". Keep the Control Panels window open.
9. Restart the computer by going to the "Start" Menu, selecting "Shut Down", clicking on "Restart", and finally clicking "OK" or "Yes".
10. After the computer boots back up, place the Windows 95 or Windows 98 CD in the CD-ROM drive.
11. When the computer boots back up, the control panels window should be back. If it doesn't come back, click on "Start", point to "Settings", and click on "Control Panel".
12. Double click "Add/Remove Programs" in the control panels window.
13. Click on the "Windows Setup" tab.
14. When the checkbox options come back up, find the category named "Communications". Click ONCE on the WORD "Communications", and not on the checkbox in front of it. It should now be hi-lighted.
15. Next, click on the "Details" button.
16. More check boxes should pop up. Put a check in the box in front of "Dialup Networking", "HyperTerminal", and "Phone Dialer".
17. Click "OK", and then click "OK" again. The computer will copy files to the hard drive.
18. If any warning messages pop up saying: "A file being copied is older than the file currently on your computer. It is recommended that you keep your existing file. Do you want to keep your existing file?" Click "NO" to this warning. This warning may pop up 3 to 5 times. Click "NO" to all of them.
19. If the system has Windows 98 on it, restart the computer by going to the "Start" Menu and clicking on "Shut Down". Then, click "Restart" and click "OK". This is the last step for Windows 98 customers. If using Windows 95, please read on.
20. Back in the Control Panel window, double click on "Network"
21. Click on "Add"
22. Click once on "Protocol" and then click on "Add".
23. In the left pane, click once on "MicroSoft"
24. In the right pane, click once on  "TCP/IP" and then click "OK".
25. Click "OK" again.
26. If the computer prompts the user to enter an identification for use on a network, click the "Identification" tab and type in a name in the "Computer name" and "Workgroup" fields. This shouldn't adversely affect standard dialup customers who are not on a network.
27. When prompted to restart the computer, click "Yes" or "OK".
28. Remove the CD from the drive.
29. Do these steps, and you're done.