99CHAPTERGettingOnlineAs just (Web host forum) about everyone knows, the Internet is
99CHAPTERGettingOnlineAs just about everyone knows, the Internet is anenormous collection of computers connected by cables. The two most widely used services that theInternet provides are e-mail and the World Wide Web. Plenty of other lesser-known services are available, however, such as instant messaging and file-sharing, and you ll learn about them in this part of the book. Nobody actually owns the Internet, other than perhapsthe American taxpayers who paid for it during the ColdWar. On the Internet, there is no censorship anythinggoes on the Net. Nobody polices the Internet lookingout for your best interests. You need to protect yourselffrom any threats out there. It s the Wild, Wild West ofthe twenty-first century. And if you re easily shocked, you ll no doubt find some things pretty shocking outthere. What Is the Internet? The Internet consists of millions of computers through- out the world, all connected by cables. In networkingdiagrams, the Internet is always displayed as a cloud, as in Figure 9-1. The cloud is a good symbol for theInternet; just as a cloud is made up of millions of tinywater droplets, the Internet is made up of millions ofcomputers. You connect to the Internet through a device called amodem (or router) and an ISP(Internet Service Provider). A modem or router is a gadget that connects your com- puter to a phone line or cable. An ISP is a company thatprovides the connection between your modem and theInternet. …In This ChapterWhat is the Internet? Getting an Internet accountYour NetworkConnections folderTroubleshooting connection …
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