open hotmail account on emac

I am trying to transition to an eMac from desktop PC. I have them side by side and can handle Non-Internet function with the User manual on the PC and then trying it on the eMac.. My problem is getting to my email on the eMac. I have an old version of Internet xplorer so thats not working at all and I am not going to bother with it. I want to access my hotmail email account and try to use the eMac for my email and some browsing but when I enter www.hotmail.com or www.live.com nothing is happening. I go to my isp and they are no help. I try to start to establish the connection over again to see if i can force it but I cant find out the DHCP Client number. Basically I am wandering aroung the wilderness blind and could use a piece of direction. Anybody have an idea?

joe punk