Web TV Users

WebTV is not compatible with most site features. Most likely, you will only be able to view photo content. The Wetlandz Theater is also not WebTV compatible for viewing pay per view streaming video.

Windows and Mac Web Browsers

The latest versions of Internet Explorer, Netscape, Safari, Firefox, and Mozilla are supported.

-Internet Explorer*:
http://update.microsoft.com (Perform all Windows Critical Updates also)
-Netscape:
http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/download.jsp
-Firefox and Mozilla:
http://www.mozilla.com
-Mac PC: 
http://www.apple.com

*Mac users may encounter Wetlandz site problems if using Internet Explorer for Mac. Please use a different browser that is made for Mac PC's.

Web Browser Settings

1. Your browser must have javascript enabled for the site to function correctly. If you do not have javascript enabled you will not be able to navigate the site. Javascript menus are used for site navigation in some areas. There is no text only version of this site!

2. You must allow popup windows for wetlandz.net in any installed popup blocker software  or in your browser settings. Popup windows may be used for some site content. We do not use popup windows for any form of advertising.

3. This site was designed for 1024 x 768 screen resolution using 32 bit High Color (or better). Pages may not load correctly using any other screen resolution, at least 800 x 600 is recommended. Pages may not appear correctly using higher resolutions but this is untested.

4. Cookies must be enabled in your browser settings. Please visit the appropriate web site for the browser you are using for information about cookie settings. You do not need to enable "accept third party cookies" because we do not use any form of tracking on our web sites from third parties. Links to instructions for browser cookie settings:

Cookie settings for Internet Explorer 5.0+
Cookie settings for Internet Explorer 6.0+
Cookie settings for Netscape Navigator 6.0+

5. Do not use a proxy server to access this site. Using a proxy server may cause your login to fail. If you don't know what a proxy server is then you are probably not using one.

MPEG Video Files

We suggest using Windows Media Player 9 or 10 to play video files available for download on the site. You must also have the latest codec packages for Windows Media Player installed.

Click here for the latest codec packages from Microsoft for Windows Operating Systems

Click Here if you are using a Mac to manually select the necessary files.

1. Click the link above to go to the Microsoft Windows Media Codec download page.

2. Download the file for  "Codec Installation Package for Windows Media Player 7.1 or Later" for your operating system. Also download the "Codec Installation Package for Windows Media Player 6.4" and "Codec Installation Package for Windows Media Video 9 VCM".

3. Install the files in this order:
-Codec Installation Package for Windows Media Player 7.1 or Later
-Codec Installation Package for Windows Media Player 6.4 (choose to update current components only)
-Codec Installation Package for Windows Media Video 9 VCM

This should fix any video file playback errors in Windows Media Player 9 and 10. We only support playback of video files in Windows Media Player because we know it works.

Digital Download Files

Digital Download Files should only be purchased by broadband users because of the large file sizes. The file download link is available in your Member Control Panel in the "Your Subscribed Links" section for five days after purchase and may be downloaded one time. Be sure you download the entire file, you can not resume the download. All Digital Download Files are high quality Windows Media Files that are zipped to prevent corruption of the video file while downloading and to prevent Windows Media Player from attempting to play the file while it is downloading. You will need an unzipping tool to unzip the Digital Download File after it is downloaded to your computer (Windows XP and ME can unzip files). Do not use download managers to get the file or any software related downloading tool, the download will fail. The License Granted is only for the Wetlandz Member who purchased the file and only for one computer. Sharing copyright protected content may result in a huge expense out of YOUR pocket.

The Digital Download file will fail to download when using Internet Explorer 6+ on Windows XP with Service Pack 2. You must use Firefox when fetching your Digital Download purchase. Firefox is faster and more secure than Internet Explorer. Firefox is a small download at only 5.5mb.

GET FIREFOX

Site Login Problems

1. The Site Requirements section above will solve most login errors or problems. Cookie blocking software and/or incorrect cookie settings is the number one cause of login failures.

2. If you are using a Mac PC and Internet Explorer you must be running the latest version of Internet Explorer for Mac. The latest version of IE for Mac contains a fix for accessing a secure web site, otherwise your login will fail. It is suggested that you use the new Safari web browser or Firefox because they are the most compatible with Mac PC's.

3. If you are using Norton Internet Security v2003+ you must do the following*:
    a. Double-click the globe icon in your system try.
    b. Go to Privacy Controls.
    c. Click on Custom Level.
    d. Uncheck the option Enable Browser Privacy.

*This may also apply to other internet security software with cookie blocking features or other filters. Firewall software should NOT cause login problems and you should always have your firewall software running when surfing the net!

4. If you are an AOL user or if you are using a modified browser supplied by your ISP then try using the actual version of Internet Explorer or Netscape on your system instead of the AOL or ISP supplied browser. Get the latest versions as described in the Site Requirements section above. We can not provide any assistance if you are using AOL software or any software provided by your ISP because of the multitude of versions available. Simply log into AOL as usual and then click on the "-" in the upper right corner of the AOL software interface. Double-click on the Internet Explorer icon on your desktop and you will be using the actual Internet Explorer software instead of the AOL browser. Again, we highly suggest that you visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com and perform ALL Critical Updates available for your computer.

Internet Safety and Security

Wetlandz Gay Watersports Network is a safe and secure site. You will never encounter spam or advertising popup windows on this web site. We may use popup windows for site content but you will always be able to close any window at will. All third party links or links that cause you to leave wetlandz.net will open a new browser window for your convenience and so you'll know that you are leaving wetlandz.net. We also make every effort to verify that all links that cause you to leave this safe and secure site will not cause any problems for you. If you encounter any web site, by clicking on a link from wetlandz.net, that creates a popup trap or installs any spyware on your computer please report it to us immediately so we can remove the link. If your internet security software includes any content blocking software (ie, animated gif's, cookies, javascript, etc.) you can safely add the domain wetlandz.net to your list of trusted sites to save yourself from trying to figure out why some features on this site are not working for you.

Spyware, Adware, Malware, and Trojans

Has your default home page ever been changed and you can't figure out why or change it back? Have you ever clicked on a link and ended up on some obscure search page instead? Have you ever encountered a popup ad even if you are blocking popups? Has your browser ever refused to go to a URL you are trying to reach? If this has ever happened to you then you have spyware, adware, malware, or trojan virus's on your computer! The best defense against this type of attack is two free software products: Spybot Search and Destroy and SpywareBlaster. These two free applications work in harmony to rid your PC of most pests and keep them from being installed in the first place! Be careful what links you click on in search engines unless you know it's a trusted site. All search engines are full of fake links that will deceive you about what their real content is. Without question or hesitation, everyone should use these software programs:

Spybot Search And Destroy
SpywareBlaster

Also, if you are using Windows Vista or Windows XP you can get Windows Defender. One program does what the two above accomplish together:

Microsoft Windows Defender

Virus Protection

Nobody is immune! Unfortunately, virus protection is not free, nor is it foolproof. We are not going to recommend any specific virus protection software because they all work pretty much the same way. Prices vary on these products and we can't specifically determine which one works the best. We do, however, recommend using virus protection software in conjunction with a Personal Firewall. A firewall will assist you in determining if your PC has been infected even if your virus protection software fails to report an infection. It is apparently a simple maneuver for a hacker to disable or enslave your virus protection software but firewalls will still report back to you that specific programs and applications are attempting to access the internet. See the Personal Firewall section for more information. Some of the virus protection software available is Norton Anti-Virus, McAfee Anti-Virus, Panda Anti-Virus, F-Prot, and others. We suggest doing a search on Google and checking the specifics for each one to determine which one is best for you:

Search Google for Anti-Virus Software

Personal Firewall Software

A personal firewall is just as important as virus protection and protection against spyware and adware, and in fact may be the best protection of all. Firewall software reports when any program attempts to access the internet. Most trojans and other virii almost always disguise themselves as real programs, including your virus protection software itself. If your virus protection software continually attempts to access the internet you may have a problem. The most common files replaced by a trojan or other virus are explorer.exe, iexplore.exe, servicehost.exe (Windows XP), and files associated with your virus protection and possibly your firewall software. Virus protection software is not foolproof, unfortunately, so you also need a personal firewall as a backup for blo0cking port scan, Denial of Service attacks, and much more. There is a multitude of choices for the right firewall depending on how you use your computer. Some are simple to configure and some are extremely complex, some are application based and others can filter packets, block ports, block IP's and more. Most firewall and anti-virus software providers have all-in-one security software suites.

Search Google for Firewall Software