CHAPTER 3: Using the Internet and Faxing
18
Learning about the Internet
The
Internet
is a worldwide network of computers linked together to provide information to
people everywhere. The two most popular services on the Internet are e-mail and the World Wide
Web. You can access this network by connecting your computer to a telephone, DSL (Digital
Subscriber Line), or cable television line and signing up with an Internet service provider (ISP).
If you want to access the Internet you need:
•
A
modem—
a device that connects your computer to other computers or servers using a
telephone, DSL, or cable television line. Your computer may have a built-in dial-up
telephone modem. Cable and DSL modems connect to your computer through an Ethernet
jack and provide a faster connection speed than a standard telephone modem.
•
An
Internet service provider—
a company that provides access to the Internet through an
ISP server. When you connect to an ISP, the ISP server lets you access the Internet and your
e-mail messages. Check your telephone book for a list of Internet service providers available
locally.
•
A
Web browser—
a program that displays information from the World Wide Web. Microsoft
Internet Explorer was included with your computer. For more information, see
.
•
An
e-mail program—
a program that lets you create, send, and receive e-mail messages
over the Internet. Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express was included with your computer.
For more information, see
Setting up an Internet account
Before you can view the information on the World Wide Web, you need to set up an Internet
account with an Internet service provider (ISP). To set up an ISP service or to transfer an existing
account to this computer, contact the ISP directly.
Dial-up Internet connections are those using a telephone system to connect to the Internet. This
may include ordinary analog telephone lines, ISDN connections, and in some cases ADSL over
PPP, or other technologies. Because dial-up connections are designed to be temporary
connections to the Internet, dial-up charges (with both your telephone company and Internet
service provider) often increase the longer you connect to the Internet. To minimize the cost for
dial-up Internet users, we suggest that you only connect to the Internet during your e-mail and
Web browsing session, then disconnect when you are finished. Your Internet service provider
can provide instructions on how to connect to and disconnect from the Internet.
Important
To determine if you have an Ethernet jack on your computer, see your computer’s
hardware reference.
Your computer
connects to the Internet
through an ISP.
ISP Servers
let you connect to the
Internet and access your
e-mail messages.
Internet Servers
store information so other computers can
access it from the Internet.
8512242.book Page 18 Monday, February 12, 2007 5:07 PM
Summary of Contents for GT5062b
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