135
Exploring Your Computer’s Features
An overview of using the Internet
5.375 x 8.375 ver 2.3
Connecting to the Internet
To connect to the Internet, you need:
❖
A modem and telephone line, or a LAN connection
❖
A Web browser
❖
An Internet Service Provider (ISP) account
The Microsoft
®
Web browser Internet Explorer is
automatically configured on your system so that when you
first start it, it guides you through signing up for a new ISP
account, or assists you in setting up your computer to work
with your existing ISP.
Once you have established an ISP account, you can connect
to the Internet.
1
Connect your computer’s modem to a telephone line.
For more information on connecting a modem, see
“Connecting the modem to a telephone line” on
page 130
.
2
Start your Web browser. Have your modem dial the ISP’s
telephone number, and establish a connection with the
ISP’s computer.
If you are using your computer at the office, then you
probably connect to the Internet through your company’s
network. See your network administrator about connecting to
the Internet.
Surfing the Internet
Once connected to the Internet, the Web browser displays a
home page, for example, your ISP’s home page on the
Internet or your company’s Web site home page.
To visit a desired Web site, type in the Web address. The Web
address, or Uniform Resource Locator (URL), is a unique
identifier for that computer system linked to the Internet. Web
addresses can also appear within a Web page’s text, and are
known as links. Clicking a link automatically transfers your
Web browser to that site.