This FAQ v1.0 was last updated on the 31 January 1999.
Connecting your dreamcast to the internet is relatively straight forward.
The main obstacles are
A Japanese dreamcast with a Modem (obviously). A suitable cable to conect the modem to a phone socket. The supplied lead does not work in the UK without an adaptor, don't know about the US. A cable that is used to connect a PC modem to the phone line will do.
In order to use you Dreamcast on the internet outside of Japan you must already have a Internet Service Provider (ISP) that allows connection via a PPP dial-up server. For example, I use Demon in the UK. I believe that it should work with other ISPs such as free-online, but not with AOL or Compuserve as they require special software to connect to the internet.
Before attempting the following procedure you will need the following information from your ISP.
If you already have a Internet connection with your PC then you should already have this information on your PC. Try looking in the Dial-Up Networking folder and selecting Properties of the Dial-Up Connection to your ISP.
Start the Dream Passport software.
On the main screen select the first option.
This takes you to the screen below. This screen is asking for dialling options.
The options are as follows
Basically I left these as the default settings. Move the cursor to the botton of the screen an hit A to move to the next screen, Personal Info.
You must fill in all the fields before you can continue. Not sure what the fields mean exactly. It's probably your name, address, date of birth, sex and telephone number's. I just put in anything and once you have filled in all the field you can move on to the next screen.
The above screen I believe is asking for your first, second and third choices for your username on the Dricas servers. I did enter something meaningful to me here. You don't have to fill-in all the fields. Then select OK to move on to the next screen.
I think that this screen is allowing you to change the number's to dial to connect to the Dricas servers. I didn't change these number's. Selecting OK here will cause the Dreamcast to attempt to connect to the Dricas servers. Don't do it yet. Obviously, if you are outside Japan the number's won't work. You could try editing the number's adding the necessary international dialling codes but I am not sure if you can. I didn't try to.
This is the way that I did it.
I have two phone sockets in my house. One was connected to a normal phone and the dreamcast was connected to the other socket. It helps if the phone and dreamcast are close together.
On the phone I dialled the dricas servers, from the UK, 00-81-3-5953-3012, from the US 011-81-3-5953-3012. I waited to make sure I got through and that the number I dialled was correct. You hear a high pitched tone and then computer noise, like a fax machine or modem. I then hung-up. The phone has a redial button, this will be used in a moment.
I now selected OK on the Dreamcast. The Dreamcast shows a dialog window, basically saying that it is attempting to connect. Count to ten, this gives the Dreamcast time to dial the number, then quickly disconnect the phone cable from the rear of the Dreamcast and pick up the phone and hit the redail button. When you get a ring but before the high pitched tone, reconnect the Dreamcast and hang up the phone. If you have done it in time the Dreamcast will connect and register. You have to be fairly quick otherwise the Dreamcast times out.
It took me a couple of goes to get the timing correct.
Once your dreamcast has been registered a screen like the following appears.
It should have the username that you entered earlier. Select the left option to accept the entries and continue. I think that at this point you are no longer connected to the Dricas servers.
The next screen allows you to select the Sega service provider (no good if you are outside Japan) or your own internet service provider.
Select User's Provider and hit A. You will be taken to a number of screens that allow you to setup your connection to your ISP. The first screen allows you to enter the phone numbers of your ISP. You can enter upto three numbers but only one is required.
Once you have entered the phone numbers of your ISP select the large button at the bottom of the screen. The takes you to the following screens. There are two pages of information that you need to supply about your ISP connection.
This screen allows you to enter information to allow you to logon to your ISP.
The information required is as follows
After entering the above information select the right button to continue. This takes you to the following screen.
This page describes the servers of your ISP. The information required is as follows.
Once the information is correct choose the left most button to save the information to the dreamcast.
When you next start-up the DreamPassport software you should be taken to the Dream Passports main screen (see below) from which you can connect to the Internet and view web pages.
The following is the Dream Passports main screen.
Selecting the DRICAS or Favourite Web Sites will attempt to connect the Dreamcast to the internet. A dialog window should appear with the phone number you entered earlier displayed and after a short pause (about a minute) you'll here a noise and you will be connected to the internet and the web page will start to appear.
If all is not well then the animated dialog window will have a red cross through it and the connection has failed. See the troubleshooting section for further details.
Pressing the Left or Right trigger buttons brings up menus on the left and right hand side of the screen.
The Left Menu options are as follows.
The right menu options are as follows
The following is a brief description of the options page of the Dream Passport software.
The options listed are as follows.
The important one is the Service Provider Setup option. This allows you to view and change the service provider options in case you have made a mistake or need to change your password.
Both Sonic Adventure and Sega Rally are internet aware.
Enabling the Dream Passport software allows you to select an otherwise unselectable option in the game menus. This basically connects you to the internet and shows a web page from which there are four buttons.
I have not had much time to investigate this so you are on your own from here. Have fun!
I don't have a copy yet so no details at present.
Problem :
Answer :
Thanks to Ken Comeforo and Console Domain for details of how to register the Dreamcast with the Sega servers in Japan. The information presented here is not for sale, and must only be distributed in tact complete with copyright notices and acknowledgements.
Any suggestions and corrections are welcome, e-mail me at andy@tebay.demon.co.uk
Scans taken from Dream Passport Manual and Software. All copyrights are acknowledged.