There are many useful resources on the Net. It is a new way of communicating, interacting and getting information.

The following guides explore general aspects of the Internet in order to help the beginner and intermediate surfer with the different opportunities it offers. Some of the tips you might be using already (if not you couldn't be reading this) but they can also help others if you print the guides or help you if you have been 'sat' in front of this guide not knowing very well what to do.

In this guide we will learn the basic concepts of the Internet, the services it offers and how to connect to it.

¿WHAT IS INTERNET?

Internet is a world-wide computer network. In turn, it is built up of smaller networks. This network connects millions users. It allows users to communicate with others and tranfer data files from one machine to any other on the net.

Through the Internet you can:

• send electronic mail (e-mail)
• play games
• read the news
• share ideas
• shop
• listen to the radio
• watch videos
• get software
• and many other things with other people connected to the Internet all over the world.

Internet works a bit like the telephone system, via conventional cables, digital cables, optic fibre, cellular telephones, micro waves, satellites etc... through which data is sent.

Internet was created over twenty years ago for military use and it gradually grew, incorporating education and investigation institutions. Nowadays, industries, shops, corporations and private users communicate via the Internet, sharing software, making transactions, sending messages and information.

¿WHAT DO YOU NEED TO GET CONNECTED?

		1 - Computer
2 - Modem
		3 - An Internet connection (Through an Internet Service Provider or ISP)
4 - Internet Software (programmes)

 

1 - Computer: it has to be relatively new. It can be any brand as long as it can work with Internet software and hardware.
The minimum requirements are:

PC
PC: IBM compatible
Processor: 486
Platform: Windows 3.x, Windows 95/98, Windows NT/2000/XP, OS2, Unix Linux
Ram: 4Mb for Windows 3.x, 16Mb for Windows 95/98, 32Mb for NT/2000/XP

Mac
Processor: 68020
Platform: 68K, Power PC
Ram:12Mb

These are the minimum requirements.

A better performance will be achieved with a latest models computer with a fast processor, lots of space in the hard drive and in the Ram memory.

(Example: Pentium IV 3.Ghz _ 120Gb hard drive_ 1Gb Ram.)

2 - Modem: It can be any brand . The modem converts the digital signals of the computer into analogue ones which can be sent by telephone lines and viceversa (MOdulate/DEModulate). There are internal modems which are installed inside the CPU case, and external ones that come in a separate box and connect to the CPU with a cable.
There are different speed modems. The minimum speed of a modem should be 28.800 bps (bits per second). New modems can work at speeds of 56 Kbps (kilobits per second), or in other words 56.000 bps.

Nowadays we also get connection to the internet via Cablemodem, Microwave transmitters, ADSL, etc, some connect via a Network adapter, replacing the modem or using another type of modem.

3 - An Internet Conexion: This is a user account with an Internet Service Provider. The user communicates over the telephone with the provider paying only the cost of the local call and the server acts as a link between the user and any other machine on the net. The providers is called ISP - (Internet Service Provider)

There are different types of accounts that users can have with their ISP. These enable the user access to different services offered on the Internet. We pay the ISP monthly according to the service we get.

4 - Internet Software: There are different applications that allow us to use different services or components that Internet has to offer. There are applications for sending and receiving electronic mail, reading newsgroups, listening to the radio, surfing on the World Wide Web etc... Some are used for various services. It is recommended to have the latest versions of the software you are using.

¿WHAT SERVICES DOES INTERNET PROVIDE?

1 - World Wide Web (WWW)

2 - E-mail (Electronic mail)

3 - UseNet Groups or Internet News Groups

4 - 'IRC Chat' (text, audio and/or video)

1 - World Wide Web: It is the most popular thing on the Internet. It is made up of Web pages that present information in a graphic format, integrating text, graphics, ilustrations, animations, sounds and video. It is relatively easy to use for it works with hypertext.

2 - E-mail: This service allows creating messages in a computer and sending them to another machine connected to the Internet. It also allows sending attached files that can contain text, graphics, sound, video, etc.

3 - News groups: This service allows sending public messages that are read by thousands of people. There are thousands of different subjects on the News Groups on the internet and you can participate in whichever one you like.

4 - 'IRC Chat': Conferencing is a service that allows us to send messages written or in other mediums in real time. Everyone who participates in the 'chat' has to be sitting at the same time at their computers. Everything one writes appears on the screens of the others. It also allows users to see or hear each other with the appropriate hardware and software.

HOW TO CONNECT

There are many ways of connecting to the Internet. Most people still connect via Dial-Up. This means that their modems call their ISP server where a modem answers and provides them with a signal to make the connection. There are also conections via cablemodem, dedicated 'point to point', RAS (remote access server) etc... We will study the Dial-Up connection.

You can also connect directly to one of the services, we will conect to the World Wide Web.

1 - Connect to the Internet by double clicking on your browser icon. This should open a programme, the Dialer, to connect to our provider.

Note: If the dialer doesn't open when we open the browser you need to open the connection manually. Usually it shows the Connect to dialog box, but it could be that an application shows a different dialer. The following example is from the Connect To dialog box from Windows 95/98.

User name: Is the name of the account we received from the provider.
The Password never shows on- screen while you type it. An asterisk is shown for every character instead.

• This programme connects us to our provider and keeps track of the call. Once connected, it minimizes and resides in the toolbar were we can restore it with a double click.

• It tells us which account (telephone number) we are going to communicate with.

• It 'protects' us from others connecting without permission to the Internet with our machine by using a password.

• It keeps track of our connection time.

• Indicates the speed at which the modem is working.

• Shows graphically when the modem is processing data

• If the connection is not succesful it tells us why.

2 - In the dialog box, write your User name and the Password if necessary and then click on Connect (sometimes the dialer does it by itself). Do use the right caps for your details. If you aren't sure, type everything in small caps.

The computer will use the dial tone from the phone line dial your ISP number. If the provider answers with the right signal (similar to the fax tone) the connection will be established and the browser will open.

The browser will open a Web page.