Connecting to the internet

[Toomas Aas]

Hi!

> So, when I install FreeBSD I am asked to browse the package
> collection, which I do, and choose the links browser, the lynx
> browser, and the bash shell. When I reboot and run either of the
> browsers I get a message saying "Host not found."

Sounds like DNS is misconfigured on this box. You should have a file 
/etc/resolv.conf on your system, containing at least this line:

nameserver xx.xx.xx.xx

where xx.xx.xx.xx is the IP address of your ISP's DNS server.

> I also called my ISP and asked for the Host and Domain, which they
> told me they don't use, and suggested I leave the space blank, which
> sysinstall won't let me do.  I do have a domain name but it is
> currently hosted on a shared server so I don't believe (?) I should
> be entering it here. 

If you don't have a real registered hostname, you can generally just 
use a bogus name such as mypc.myhome.lan. It probably wouldn't hurt to 
register this name in /etc/hosts.

--
Toomas Aas | toomas.aas at raad.tartu.ee | http://www.raad.tartu.ee/~toomas/
* If all is not lost, where is it?