If you want to save online time (and money) you can write your messages, read news, or browse the Web while you are not connected to the Business Internet service. This is called "working offline" or being in "offline mode," and can be useful if you don't want to use your monthly allotment of hours.

While Communicator is in offline mode, you can read any mail and news that you have downloaded, and you can browse Web pages in your Go menu.

Because you usually disconnect from the Business Internet service when you go offline, going offline with Communicator will affect other Internet programs you may be using (Eudora, etc.). To view pages and compose messages offline

1. Click the File menu, then click Go Offline.
2. In the Dowload window, click Download Mail and Download Discussion Groups if you want to retrieve your mail and newsgroups before you go offline. You can click the Select Items for Download button to select which newsgroups you want to download.
3. Click the Send Messages button if you want to send your e-mail before you go offline.
4. Click the Go Offline button. You will not be able to browse the Web while you are offline.
5. Disconnect from the Internet, if you wish.
6. You can view any pages in your Go menu while you are offline. If you click on a link that cannot be viewed offline, you will see a message saying that you cannot view the page.
7. You can also compose and send messages as you would normally. The messages will not actually be sent until you go back online.
8. To go back online, click the File menu, then click Go Online You will see a window similar to the Go Offline window. Click Go Online.

Go Offline

Go Online

If you go offline, then quit Communicator, and then start it again later, Communicator will automatically reset to online mode.

NOTE: If you compose any e-mail messages while you are offline, the messages will not be sent; they will be stored in Messenger's Unsent Messages folder. To actually send the messages, click Send Messages in the Go Online window when you go back online. Or, after you go back online, select Send Unsent Messages from Messenger's File menu.

There are two ways of determining whether you are offline or online.

• When Communicator is offline, the words You are offline. Choose "Go Online..." to connect appear in the status bar at the bottom of the Navigator window.

• Click the Navigator File menu. If you are offline, you will see the option Go Online. If you are online, you will see the option Go Offline.