Lesson 2 Connecting to the Internet
You need an Internet access provider, equipment and software to connect to the internet.
Internet Service Providers (ISP) and commercial online services are companies that give you access to the Internet for a fee. Make sure you choose an ISP or online service with a local telephone number to avoid long distance charges.
Many local libraries provide internet usage free.
Most computers come equipped with the software already installed to help you set up the computer to access the Internet. For example computers that come with Windows 98 or higher include the Internet Connection Wizard. You also need software, such as a Web Browser, to access information on the Internet. Most new computers come with this software installed. Internet Explorer is one of the common Web browsers used. Some use Netscape as their Web browser.
You need a modem to connect to the internet. A modem is a device that lets computers communicate through telephone lines. An internal modem is a circuit board inside a computer. An external modem is a small box that uses a cable to connect to the back of a computer. Internal modems are less expensive than external modems but are more difficult to set up.
You use the same phone line for telephone and modem calls. When you use a modem to access the Internet, you will not be able to use the phone line for telephone calls. If you use the same line for your phone and modem be sure you turn off the call waiting feature when using your modem, since this feature could disrupt the modem connection.
When your modem first contacts another modem (ISP) you will hear a series of squeals and signals. This is called a handshake. Modems perform a handshake to establish how they will exchange information.
The quality of the phone line affects the speed at which the information transfers. Poor quality results in low speed.
If you will call the internet service provider and get the tech help they will walk you through the installation of the (IPS).
They will also help you get your email set up or answer questions you may have if you are having trouble getting it established.
You are online when your modem has successfully connected to another modem. When you are not connected to the internet you are said to be working offline.
Internet service and fees vary so ask your friends about their service and satisfaction with their provider. If you choose the internet provider the club uses be sure to give the information provided on the cards so we will get a months usage free for the club.
Instant messages are a very popular feature of commercial online services. You can instantly communicate with other people connected to the service by simply typing back and forth. This is a free service we will look at in class.
The World Wide Web is a part of the Internet. The Web consists of a huge collection of documents stored on computers around the world. It is also referred to as the Web or WWW or W3. A web site is a collection of Web pages maintained by a college, university, government agency company, organization or individual.
URL-Each Web page has a unique address, called a URL (Uniform Resource Locator). You can instantly display any Web page if you know its URL.
A Web [age starts with HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and contains the computer name, directory name and names of the Web page.
Hyperlinks-Web pages contain highlighted test or images, called hyperlinks, that connect other pages to the Web. Hyperlinks allow you to easily move through a vast amount of information by jumping from one Web page to another. You can easily identify text hyperlinks in a Web page because they appear underlined and in color.
Searching the Web -Using search tools. A search tool catalogs Web pages to make them easier to find. You can find search tools at the following sites. Alta Vista- http://www.altavista.com/ Ask Jeeves- http://www.askjeeves.com/ Dogpile- http://www.dogpile.com/
Search methods- Browse through categories such as arts, science or sports to find information that interest you.
Search by Keywords. You can type a word into a search tool to find a Web page. The search tool will display a list of Web pages containing the word you specified.
Some search tools allow you to enter a complete question when searching for Web pages.
Search Tips- When searching by keywords, most search tools allow you to make your search more precise. For example, you may be able to search for a specific group of words by typing quotation marks around the group of words you want to find. Many search tools also allow you to make your search more precise by typing a special command or symbol.
Web Portals-A Web portal is a Web site that provides an excellent starting point for exploring the internet.
Popular Web portals are http://www.yahoo.com/ http://www.go.com/ http://www.lycos.com/
Web portals allow you to browse through categories, such as business or sports to find information that interest you. Web portals also let you type a word or phrase to quickly search for information on the web.
Class demonstrations of information and Question and Answer time follows.