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Internet Sign-up Options

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If you are an Internet service provider (ISP), you can use the Internet Explorer 7 Customization Wizard to create a custom package that automates Internet sign-up for your customers. Depending on the method you choose, you can create an Internet sign-up server that collects information from each new customer, adds the information to your customer database, and then passes a configuration packet back to your customer's computer. The configuration packet contains information that is used to configure your customer's Internet browser for subsequent connection to your services.

Important

The Internet sign-up option is not available for the Windows Vista operating system.

When using Internet Explorer Administration Kit (IEAK), you have the following options for Internet sign-up:

  • Server-based sign-up package using kiosk mode. This method requires a sign-up server. You create server solutions that exchange information with the browser in kiosk (full-screen) mode, without toolbar buttons showing. For more information, see Internet Sign-up Using Kiosk Mode.

  • Server-based sign-up package using the Internet Connection Wizard. This method requires a sign-up server. You create server solutions that exchange information with the screens of the wizard. For more information, see Internet Sign-up Using the Internet Connection Wizard.

    Note

    This method does not apply to the Windows Vista operating system.

  • Serverless sign-up package. This method does not require a sign-up server. Instead, the Internet Explorer 7 Customization Wizard prompts you to provide dialing, gateway, and password information to control the sign-up process. You can also test your sign-up page from this wizard. For more information, see Implement Serverless (Client-Based) Sign-up.

  • No sign-up. You should use this method if you do not want users to go through a sign-up procedure when they install their custom browser. This option may be helpful for your customers who are using cable modems.

We recommend that, if possible, you use one of the server-based sign-up methods because settings are easier to change on the server than on the client computer. Of the two server-based options, we recommend the Internet Connection Wizard method because it uses a standard wizard interface that can be customized to fit your needs.

Note

If you are creating multiple customized versions of Internet Explorer and have many settings that stay the same across several or all versions, you can simplify the process. For more information, see Create Multiple Versions of the Browser.

Sample code in the IEAK Toolkit

Customizable solutions for Internet sign-up are located in the IEAK Toolkit in the subfolders at <systemdrive>:\Program Files\Microsoft IEAK 7\toolkit\isp. The code is provided in Active Server Page format (.asp files) as well as in Perl format (.pl files), which enables you to build an Internet Connection Wizard sign-up process for Web servers on different operating systems. If you use the sample code, the only work you need to do is to integrate the sign-up server with your registration and billing systems. If you are participating in the Windows Referral Server Program, the sign-up server code is similar for both IEAK sign-up and Referral Server registrations.

Note

Because the IEAK solution includes multiple Internet sign-up (.isp) files for different customer needs, you must also include the Dynamic HTML Data Binding component in your custom package. For more information about data binding, see https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=68962.

Additional references