It comes up as www.dellnet.com because that is the Default Homepage that Dell sets it as. If you want, just change your homepage to something that you would want to have.

And try this program too:
Spybot Search and Destroy

THANK YOU,  you were most helpful! I don't know if this is the right board James but maybe you can advise me please?

In regards to settings:
1)Under Internet Options I go to Connections, there are two choices:
  America Online
  Broadband Connection
  America Online is always highlighted
               AND:

   Choose settings if you need to configure a proxy server for connection:
o Never Dial a Connection
o Dial whenever a network connection is not present
o Always dial a network connection      "and here is where you are suppose to click one"

Now although I always click "Broadband Connection"  AND "Never Dial a Connection"  I can check it every other week and it is changed to have aol and dial whenever a network connection is not present. How is this possible that my settings are changed?   If it is possible for someone from aol to get into my pc and use it someone please tell me.  Is it possible for anyone to get into my pc without me knowing it?

2) Also, what is a LAN connection?

Thank you in advance,
Jeanne

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeanne:

LAN = Local Area Network. If you are on a broadband connection, this is usually what your computer calls it. As someone in the other forum mentioned, you might want to get a router if you are using a broadband connection. Routers provide you with another level of protection when on the internet by giving you a hardware firewall (Note: A hardware firewall is not a replacement for a software firewall).

AOL was originally designed as a dial-up service, and I guess the settings change is a remnant of that. Also, the changes are what AOL thinks it should be. So, if your broadband connection went out for whatever reason, AOL would try to dial-up for a connection using your 56k modem.

On my Dimension 4400, AOL is installed for my mom to use, (and I just checked the internet settings) there is only one option under the Internet Options, which happens to be AOL, but it is also set to never dial a connection.

I don't think someone from AOL could access your computer through AOL, though it is possible for people to access your computer if you don't have the proper protection. As I stated earlier, you should buy a router (so you gain the hardware firewall), make sure you are running a software firewall(example: Norton Personal Firewall) and keep that software up-to-date. Also, make sure you are running an antivirus and keep the virus software up-to-date.

If I had the choice on my Dimension 4400 (but I don't have that choice, being only 17), I would cancel my mom's AOL subscription, uninstall AOL, and burn the install disks. Though, I know that on my 4400, there is only one option under the Internet Options, which happens to be AOL, but it is also set to never dial a connection.

Thanks again James,

You are very helpful,  and very thorough in your instructions and I appreciate that.  I will be busy at hand doing all the things you best advised about checking and reading the links you sent me.  Again, thank you!

Jeanne

It was no problem.

I'm having a similar problem and think my computer was sent to me with it defaulted to the www.dell.com homepage. It has been that way since the first time I went online - and the computer is less than two weeks old. I spoke with Tech support and they tell me that it must be a virus and that "for a fee" they will fix it for me. . .
I've search Microsoft's database and followed their advise (step by step editing in regedit) updated to Internet explorer 7, ran virus scan (Norton) Windows Defender, uninstalled most of the dell software that came installed on my system, tried deleting, changing, and using BLANK as a homepage and it still defaults back to www.dell.com.
so, does anyone have any suggestions?