Importance

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Abstract

The invention is a technology that provides a computer user with a connection to a communications server when they connect their computer to an access port. The technology automatically configures the computer for communication with the server and then restores the initial computer configuration after the session. In one example of the invention, the user simply connects their laptop computer to an Ethernet port in a hotel room and powers-up the computer. The laptop computer executes a small access software application that directs the laptop computer to process a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that is broadcast over the Ethernet network by an access server. The access software application directs the computer to execute a web browser using the URL. The web browser directs the computer to retrieve and display a web page represented by the URL from a communications server. The web page contains basic service information. After the user responds to the web page, the communications server directs the communications system to provide the user with a high-speed connection to the Internet. The user can browse the World-Wide Web, access e-mail or exchange files with their corporate network over the high-speed Internet connection. The high-speed Internet connection speeds up the data transfer, conserves telephone system capacity, and avoids costly long-distance charges.

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First Claim