Most internet service providers (ISPs) supply a CD that is supposed to make it easy to get online. Often, it doesn't. It is usually easier to do the job manually, and it can take less than a minute.

If your PC already has a modem and Microsoft Windows 95, 98 or Me installed, the only things you need to know are the ISP's phone number, your log-on name, and your password.

First, go to the My Computer icon in the top left of your screen and double-click to open it. Then open the folder called Dial-Up Networking, and double-click the icon labelled Make New Connection. This will start the "connection wizard". (In Windows Me, you can get to this folder via Start|Settings|Control Panel.)

Type in a name for your ISP, such as Freeserve, and click the Next button. On the next panel, type in the phone number, and click Next again. Finally, click Finish. That's it.

You now have a new icon named after your new ISP in the Dial-Up Networking folder. Double-click this icon to run it, and check that the correct phone number is shown. If it isn't, you are probably in the wrong country: click the Dial properties button and make sure you have the correct country and area code set.

Now type your details into the boxes marked User name and Password, click on Connect, and your PC will call your ISP. That's all there is to it.

If you want to use half a dozen different ISPs, simply repeat the procedure for each one.

It is useful to have your ISP's icon on the desktop, instead of having to open the Dial-Up Networking folder each time. To do this, right-click your new ISP icon and select Create Shortcut. Windows will ask if you want an icon on your desktop: click Yes. (Windows Me users can simply drag the icon on to the desktop.) If you like, you can select this shortcut and press F2 to give it a better name.

All this assumes that you have subscribed to an ISP and been sent a letter with your log-on name, password and phone number. Usually this will be an 0345 or 0845 or similar number that is the same wherever you live. If you don't have it, you can usually get it from the help line, from a magazine, or from the service's website.

With many services, such as Freeserve, you can sign up while online, perhaps from a friend's computer. (This can be useful if you are a Mac user.) In these cases, you know the user name and password because you chose them yourself. However, you must also look for the right phone number to dial, and write it down.

When signing up online, it's important not to download anything, or you may end up in the same position as if you had used a disc. Just get the user name and password accepted, then drop the line.

An ISP's CD is usually designed to get you online so that you can sign up for their service. However, it is better to do this using BT Click. You can set up BT Click using Dial-up Networking, and use it with any name and password you like. Just make them up. Use the phone number 0845 7576333. (But because this service seems anonymous, don't think you can use it for evil purposes. BT logs your phone number to avoid this service being abused.)

You can therefore use BT Click to sign up for Freeserve or whatever. And if Freeserve is not working very well, you have BT Click as a back-up service.