Common questions:

Will it cost me anything to listen to radio stations over the internet?

The only cost you should incur will be the telephone companies' call charge or any charge your ISP makes for using its service. None of the stations listed on our site require you to pay to listen. Few sites charge a subscription.

What software do I need?

You'll need to be connected to the internet to listen to radio stations through your computer. You'll also need the correct software - download and install the latest versions of RealPlayer 8 Basic or RealOne (you'll have to hunt for these free versions on the Real site), Windows Media Player 7 and WinAmp, if necessary. The BBC site expects you to have at least Realplayer 8, so you might consider upgrading now.

You might find it easier to buy a computer magazine with the software on; the cover CDs of internet-related magazines often contain the necessary software. Both versions of these programs are free, although Real.com will try and persuade you to purchase their full version; our advice is to stick with RealPlayer Basic as this is all you need. The software basically decodes and decompresses the data coming in to your computer from the internet (using a 'codec') and sends the results to your sound card, which converts the data into an audio signal that is played through your speakers.

How do I know which stations use which type of software?

Look for the icons to determine this:
The station uses RealPlayer for its live streaming
The station uses Window Media Player for its live streaming
The station uses WinAmp for its live streaming

I get a message saying 'Your security settings do not allow this file to be downloaded' or the player in a web page does not start, when I click on a link

Sometimes our live audio links will point to web pages in which a cut-down (or 'embedded') version of the player sits. If your internet security settings are set to 'high', then Internet Explorer will not download or stream audio files. To remedy this, in Internet Explorer, choose Tools » Internet Options » Security and move the slider to the 'medium' setting. (If you are at work, you should check with your I.T. administrator to find out if it is okay to change this setting.)

I get a message asking me if I want to open or save the file

If the station uses WinAmp or Realplayer you might need to click 'open this file from its current location' to open the .pls (WinAmp), .ram (RealPlayer file) or .rpm (RealPlayer Media) file when prompted, which are two types of streaming file. Sometimes a bug in Internet Explorer means that the option to open the file is greyed out. You should select the button to open the file and not download it. If nothing happens, you need to install WinAmp or Realplayer.

I'm connected but I can't hear anything

You'll need a sound card and speakers in order to listen to stations while you're connected to the internet. Most new computers now have both of these, although if you are at work your computer may not have either of these. Make sure that your speakers are connected properly and that they are switched on!

Sometimes the station's audio link breaks down for a short while - the player doesn't appear to buffer and no sound appears. This indicates a problem at the radio station end. You should try again later.

Realplayer starts as normal, then locks up when trying to connect

Sometimes, when using 'firewall' software such as ZoneAlarm, the computer has only one way of connecting to the audio source over the internet. If this single connection is in use by another program (e.g. if Windows Media Player is also running), Realplayer can 'hang' or 'lock up'. Before clicking on a link, close both Windows Media Player and Realplayer to make sure a connection can be made to the audio source when required.

Windows Media Player and Realplayer behave oddly with several 'listen live' pages open

Some stations use an 'embedded' player; that is, the player and its controls sit within the live audio page. Sometimes, if several embedded players are opened, this can cause problems. Close all pages like these when you have finished listening to the station, so that you only ever have one 'listen live' page open.

I try to click on a loudspeaker icon or listen live link within a web page, but nothing happens

Some stations are finalising their live stream and therefore the streaming may not be available for a couple of weeks, or months. Their web page may contain an icon or 'link' which appears to be clickable, but actually is not. You should visiting the page again soon, when streaming may be up and running.

If you still don't hear anything, it could be for these reasons...

• If you are trying to listen at work, you may find that your computer is behind a firewall. This security feature prevents access to your computer by RealPlayer during the audio connection, but can also prevent the audio links from working correctly. Check the RealPlayer site for more advice and how you can configure RealPlayer to listen over the net. The easiest way is to start RealPlayer and click View (menu) | Preferences (menu option) | Transport (tab) | Auto-configure (button), which will set-up RealPlayer to look for the best way to connect to the internet. You have to be connected to allow this to happen. RealPlayer then selects the best way of streaming sound to your computer, running through a number of different ways to do so.

• Stations sometimes run out of capacity of 'streams', which stops further visitors from listening over the web. If this happens, you should try again later.

• Occasionally, stations have technical problems with their live streaming and remove the service temporarily.

• You should be aware that not all stations broadcast 24 hours a day and that not all services are available all of the time. If a station is silent, it may simply be because it is not currently broadcasting!

• closed on the listen live now page means that the service or station is not available at present, or has ceased its online streaming. We do not need to know about broken links when the service is noted as being closed.