# how can i have my adsl connection connect on startup? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 19, 2002, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-have-my-adsl-connection-connect-on-startup/119763 "2002-07-19T05:43:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![curwin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@curwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curwin)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2002, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-have-my-adsl-connection-connect-on-startup/119763/1 "2002-07-19T05:43:54Z")
I have an ADSL connection on Windows XP. At one point when I turned on the computer, it would dial the ADSL connection directly. Now I need to do it myself. I put a shortcut to the ADSL connection in the Startup group, but all it does is present a window on startup, requiring me to press connect. The password is saved, so it isn’t waiting for that. I have a feeling if I put Outlook Express in my Startup group as well it will connect for me, but I would prefer not to start any other programs right away. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2002, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-have-my-adsl-connection-connect-on-startup/119763/2 "2002-07-19T11:46:20Z")
Get a linksys cable/dsl router. Set it to maintain the connection. It also gives you a pretty good hardware firewall and the abilty to network multiple computers to the net and each other. ---
**Author:** ![curwin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@curwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curwin)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2002, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-have-my-adsl-connection-connect-on-startup/119763/3 "2002-07-19T12:18:21Z")
I’m not interested in buying anything, let alone a router (for my house!), and I have a hard time believing I have to. A few more notes: a) Internet Explorer is set to “Always dial my default connection”. And indeed, after I start the computer, if I open IE it does dial the ADSL connection. But as I mentioned, I’m not really interested in having IE start every time I start the computer. b) In Network Connections | Advanced | Dialup Preferences, Enable Autodial is marked. c) In HKEY\_CURRENT\_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings , the key EnableAutodial is set to 1. d) In HKEY\_LOCAL\_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Ole, the key EnableRemoteConnect is set to Y. e) The service “Remote Access Auto Connection Manager” is set to Automatic, and is running. f) Automatic Updates are also running. Anything left to check? ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2002, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-have-my-adsl-connection-connect-on-startup/119763/4 "2002-07-19T12:29:03Z")
it’s rather simple. there’s a setting somewhere for “do not show connect screen” or something to that effect. look either in dial-up networking settings or on the screen where you have to click connect; look on the bottom i think there’s a check mark for “don’t show this screen” or something. i don’t have a machine i can check on right now, but i know it’s there somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![EmbarrassingDad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/embarrassingdad/32/5441_2.png) [@EmbarrassingDad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmbarrassingDad)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2002, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-have-my-adsl-connection-connect-on-startup/119763/5 "2002-07-19T12:34:18Z")
Yes it’s Properties–\>Options–\>Prompt for username and password 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![EmbarrassingDad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/embarrassingdad/32/5441_2.png) [@EmbarrassingDad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmbarrassingDad)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2002, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-have-my-adsl-connection-connect-on-startup/119763/6 "2002-07-19T12:37:47Z")
In case I wasn’t clear, open network connections, right click the internet connection and select properties, there’s a checkbox on the ‘options’ tab. ---
**Author:** ![Armilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@Armilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Armilla)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2002, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-have-my-adsl-connection-connect-on-startup/119763/7 "2002-07-19T15:14:28Z")
I’m running Windows 2000, but this solution should work for XP just as well. I used notepad to create a short file called “connect.cmd”: ```auto @echo off rasdial ``` The connection name is the name of the connection icon you normally run to connect to the internet as seen in _Start/Settings/Network and Dial-up connections_ Then I used the windows scheduler to run this file at system startup. My PC now connects to the internet whenever it’s booted up, even if I don’t log in to the console. Hope this helps.