RyDial FAQ

• Introduction
• Why would your Internet Service Provider (ISP) want to use a dialler?
• Does this mean that your ISP will change you from a free phone number to a premium rate number?
• Is RyDial Spyware?
• Does RyDial check what software is installed?
• Does RyDial monitor which websites you visit?
• Does RyDial monitor e-mail activity?
• Does RyDial report how long I am connected to the Internet?
• What is a DLL?
• Do any of the RyDial files change?
• Why does my firewall software alert me that RyDial is attempting to access the Internet?
• I have read things that worry me about RyDial on certain news groups.
• Have we answered your questions?

Introduction

This FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) has been written to answer a number of questions about RyDial. The views expressed here are the views of Rytec Consultants Limited and do not represent any other company. Clearly Rytec cannot and does not speak for your ISP. This FAQ can only address questions about RyDial and does not comment on any other issue. Please note that this is a general FAQ which applies to most ISPs, although the exact implementation may vary slightly.

Why would your Internet Service Provider (ISP) want to use a dialler?

The ISP market is a very competitive one. Each ISP is trying to provide the most competitive offering to attract the largest number of customers. Clearly the ISP also needs to make a profit. In order to offer the most competitive prices to the customer they need to be able to take advantage of the best deals for accessing their services. There are a number of telecom companies which offer Internet access on behalf of the ISPs. Switching between telecom providers is achieved by changing the access number (that is, the 0845 or 0808 number that you dial). It would be unacceptable to most customers if the ISP sent an e-mail every few months asking its customers to change the number that they dial. This is where RyDial comes in. Every time the dialler connects to the ISP it checks to ensure that it has the latest set of numbers to dial. This allows the ISP to change the access number automatically, thereby realising the most cost effective access. This in turn means that they can offer the most competitive price to the customer whilst remaining a viable business.

Does this mean that your ISP will change you from a free phone number to a premium rate number?

Users who are accessing via a free phone number will remain on a free phone number. Those accessing on a local call rate number (0845) will remain on 0845. You may be able to change your package with your ISP. Remember you have a contract with your ISP to provide a service under agreed terms. Whilst it is true that RyDial does not display the full number it dials, it does tell you that it is dialling either a free access number or a local call chargeable number. The determination of what text to display is from the number prefix (0845 – local call rate, 0808 - free access etc). If RyDial says that it is dialling a free access number then it is dialling a free access number.

Is RyDial Spyware?

Whilst the exact definition of the term "Spyware" is unclear, this section will provide details of the information that RyDial sends and where it sends it to.

RyDial holds:

• Your connection name (required to authenticate).
• Your connection password (required to authenticate).
• Your e-mail name(s) and password(s).
• Your phone number (required to ensure that you get the correct numbers to dial).
• The package you are currently using.

The above information is exchanged with the ISP server to ensure that the information is kept up to date.

In addition to the information above RyDial also talks to a server on a port each time it connects. The data exchanged with this server is as follows:

• Current time (to support packages that have a free access and local call rates dependent on the time of day.
• Username and package to get the current set of dialled numbers.
• Current application (to allow for future bug fixes and enhancements). The data passed also contains a flag to indicate if the application is running on a Windows or Mac based platform.

Does RyDial check what software is installed?

RyDial does not scan the contents of your hard disk or provide any other information about the configuration of your system. Internally, RyDial does determine what version of the operating system you are running. This is necessary because the various operating systems have slightly different ways of achieving a dial up connection. This is also displayed on RyDial's about window.

Does RyDial monitor which websites you visit?

RyDial makes no attempt to decode, monitor or record your Internet activity. The later versions of RyDial display the Internet statistics (bytes sent, bytes received etc). The operating system and not RyDial collates these statistics. All RyDial does is to display the statistics collated by your operating system.

Does RyDial monitor e-mail activity?

RyDial configures your e-mail account for use with your ISP (certain ISPs only). It does not monitor e-mails sent, received, to whom or from whom.

Does RyDial report how long I am connected to the Internet?

Your ISP already knows how long you are connected to the Internet and does not require RyDial to provide this information. Some implementations of RyDial record how long you are connected to the Internet. This counter is for your use only.

What is a DLL?

Windows makes extensive use of Dynamic Link Libraries (DLL). These contain functions that may be common to several applications. If you look in the Windows system directory you will find a large number of DLLs. In fact the standard connection uses a number of DLLs to make a connection (for example rasapi32.dll). RyDial is implemented as a DLL. RyDial only installs files in a single directory and not into the Windows directory.

Do any of the RyDial files change?

As mentioned above, the numbers dialled, the application DLL and the configuration files are updatable and therefore may change.

Why does my firewall software alert me that RyDial is attempting to access the Internet?

As mentioned above, RyDial does exchange data with a number of servers in order to get updates. Your ISP will be able to provide information on the settings for the implementation of the RyDial software.

I have read things that worry me about RyDial on certain news groups.

Much of what is said about RyDial on Internet news groups is conjecture without foundation in fact, hence this FAQ.

Have we answered your questions?

If you have any questions or concerns that have not been resolved please feel free to e-mail Rytec on the Contact us page. Please state which ISP you are using, and if you are reporting a specific problem please let us know what operating system you are using. Please note the following:

• Rytec can only answer technical questions about RyDial. We cannot comment on other aspects of your ISPs service. So if your question is ISP related you will be referred back to your particular ISP.
• Rytec may forward your comments to your ISP to allow them to also comment.
• Any e-mail containing abusive language will not solicit a response.
• Any e-mail from anonymous mail servers will be ignored.
• If you raise an issue that may be useful to other users it may be added to this FAQ. This will be done as a general item and will not refer to the person raising the issue.
• If there is a facility that you feel is missing from RyDial please feel free to e-mail us.