Connecting Acorn Computers to the Internet
Connecting Acorn Computers to the Internet
Acorn computers can be used to access the Internet and World Wide Web. This information sheet tells you how. Please copy this sheet to anyone who wants to know how to connect their Acorn Computer to the Internet.
What you need
There are five essential things that you need to connect to the Internet; these are:
Computer
Your computer will need at least 2MB of RAM (4MB is preferable). RISC OS 3.1 or later is also required. Remember if you intend to use the A3000 then you must fit a serial upgrade.
Not all Acorn computers will benefit from being attached to high speed modems. The Risc PC and A7000 best suit this purpose, achieving speeds of up to 115200 bits per second (115Kbaud) from the Desktop. The A5000 and previous computers will support speeds up to 9600 bits per second (9.6Kbaud) reliably.
Modem
On-line costs are obviously very important. We suggest that you purchase a fast modem to get the benefit of lower call charges. You can choose any modem but a good basic guide is to go for a Hayes compatible modem, supporting either a V.32bis (14.4Kbaud maximum) or V.34 (28.8Kbaud maximum) modem. Currently one of the most popular modems on the market is the Sportster series from US Robotics, but your local Acorn agency will be able to show you a range and advise you.
Modem Cable
Having purchased a modem you will need a cable to connect it to your computer. Your local Acorn agency will be able to provide you with a suitable cable if one is not supplied with the modem. In the case of the A3010, A3020, A4000, A5000, A7000 and the Risc PC a standard cable designed for IBM PC compatible computers will work. For earlier models A300, 440, 400/1, 540 and A3000 you will need to purchase a special cable to ensure that serial data handling between the computer and modem is performed correctly. This cable should have connections as shown below.
© 1995 Acorn Computer Group plc.