Connecting to the Internet

 

If you want to connect your i5/OS^® operating system to an Internet service provider (ISP), or configure your operating system as a Web data server or application server, you can use the Internet Setup wizard to connect to the network.

Before you use the wizard, have TCP/IP configured on your i5/OS operating system. See TCP/IP setup for instructions on configuring TCP/IP.

To start the Internet Setup Wizard, follow these steps:

1. In iSeries™ Navigator, expand your system > Network.

2. Right-click Internet and click Internet Setup Wizard.

To take full advantage of your Internet connection, you might first consider the following tasks:

• Determining which Internet services to use

  Before you connect your company or organization to the Internet, have a good understanding of what you want from the Internet. Do you want local users to access the Web to perform research? Do you want local users to send e-mail across the Internet? Do you want to operate a Web server to advertise your company's products?

  The Internet services that you intend to use and provide are important for determining your best method for connecting to the Internet to promote your business goals. Some popular Internet services include the Web, e-mail services, such as Post Office Protocol (POP) and Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Gopher, File Transfer Protocol (FTP), and Telnet. See Chapter 4, "Selecting an Internet Service Provider," in the IBM^® redbook AS/400^® Internet Security Scenarios: A Practical Approach

  for more information about Internet services that might be right for you.

• Selecting an Internet service provider (ISP)

  After you determine the services you need from the Internet, you can shop for an appropriate ISP. Compare the range of services, costs, security features, technical support, and network and connection topology of several ISPs to find a good match for your needs. For detailed information about choosing an ISP, see Chapter 4, "Selecting an Internet Service Provider," in the IBM redbook AS/400 Internet Security Scenarios: A Practical Approach

  .

• Creating a security policy

  Each Internet service that you use or provide poses risks to your system and the network to which it is connected. You need to create and institute a security policy that minimizes these risks. The inherent security features of the i5/OS operating system, when properly configured, provide you with the ability to minimize many risks. When you connect your system to the Internet, however, provide additional security measures to ensure the safety of your network. See System i™ and Internet security to research security risks and help you implement a security policy that meets your needs.