Members Share ... Tips on getting connected faster Welcome to Members Share, a community board where MSN TV users can share stories, tips and Web site recommendations. Here's how it works. Each month we post a topic and you send us your submissions via e-mail. We read your submissions and choose several to post.(Note: Your submission will be governed by the Terms of Service.)

Thanks to all those who submitted your connection tips last month! There were some fun ones ("I type in my password really fast"), and many helpful ones too. Check out the following suggestions from fellow MSN TV users.

> 1. What I do to get connected faster is block my calls. I turn the audible dialing on and keep calls blocked and presto — I'm online fast!
> — Valerie

> 2. I turn off Messenger when I'm answering e-mail and playing games. I also clear out all the e-mail in my Sent and Deleted folders every day. I find that my games are a lot faster and I get connected to sites faster also.
> — Kay Caton

> 3. When my MSN TV is slow in connecting or loading, I simply unplug the power cord in the back of the box and then plug it back in. Then a screen will pop up that says: "Have you moved?" I just press Yes, and this gives me a faster and less used line. Works every time.
> — Ron

> 4. I hit the Option key 3 times and press the numbers 217 with the terminal off. Then I power on and press "Connect". This seems to give me a much stronger connection when the Web is running slow.
> — Itsi

> 5. If you've been to a site, and go to another, and then want to return to the previous site, hit the Recent key and click on the site. Hope this helps!
> — Beckie Bowman

> 6. These are just a few of the ways I can enhance normal connection time:

> 1. Turn off background music if you have it on.
> 2. Turn off Messenger. You can always turn it back on.
> 3. Turn off PIP for those addicted to doing two things at once.
> 4. Use "Hang Up" and do not power off if you expect to resume later.
> 5. Keep e-mail storage folders "tidy" by discarding frequently what you don't need to save.
> — Vivian Andes

> 7. Last month, I read the "Latest News" about Utilities. I went into that page and cleared out "Cookies" after viewing the pages that had piled up. It made a tremendous difference in not only connecting, but also surfing the Web!
> — Joyce Fortin

> 8. I always sign off of the Web by hitting the Option key and then selecting "Hang Up" and then clicking off with the TV remote. When I'm ready to go back online all I need to do is click on the TV remote and click on the "Reconnect" button. This eliminates powering on and going through the entire process to get online. Most important is the fact that when it's necessary for me to get offline at an inconvenient time, I can click off and then return to the exact page I was working on.
> — Eleanor Cashen

> 9. Since I'm an early riser (lots of times 3 am), I turn on my WebTV and have no problem connecting. No one else is up at that time of night. I go to bed early and this has been my routine for about 3 years now.
> — Doris

Next month we're interested in hearing your favorite word processing sites. Choose this link to share your tips.