How to Connect to the Internet

To go online and explore the internet, you need an internet connection and a few pieces of hardware and software.

Essentials

Before you can connect to the internet, you need something to connect with—namely, a computer and a modem.

Computer: A computer made in the past few years (whether a PC or a Mac) will be easier to connect to the internet and will give you the best online experience.
Modem: This device translates your computer’s digital signal into a signal that can be transmitted across an analog line, such as your telephone line (see “Connection Options” later in this section). A modem can be internal (built into your computer) or external.

Internet Service Providers

Though much of what you’ll find on the internet is free, the internet connection itself isn’t. When you sign up with an internet service provider (ISP), you pay a monthly fee in exchange for a connection to the internet. Often ISPs are run in conjunction with your local cable or phone company.

Online Services

Subscriber services such as America Online (AOL), Juno, and EarthLink provide additional content and services and require that you install special software on your computer.

Connection Options

Internet connection options exist for almost every budget.

Dial-Up

A dial-up connection is usually the least expensive way to get online. In a dial-up setup, your computer’s modem calls your ISP’s modem over your telephone line. Because dial-up connections use the telephone line, you cannot make or receive calls while you’re online. A dial-up connection is slow, which can mean long wait times for viewing today’s media-rich websites. However, a dial-up connection is perfectly suitable for reading email and occasional web browsing.

Broadband

High-speed broadband connections are the fastest way to get online but usually cost more than dial-up connections.

Cable: Cable internet connections use your cable television line to transmit and receive data.
DSL: Short for digital subscriber line, DSL service runs through your existing telephone line but doesn’t interfere with your phone service while you’re online.

Wireless

Unlike hard-wired connections, which require your computer to be physically hooked up via wire to a modem, wireless connections are internet signals sent wirelessly through the air. Any computer with a wireless receiver, such as the Mac AirPort, can receive a wireless signal.

Wi-Fi Hotspots

Many public spaces, such as coffee shops, airports, parks, and hotels, offer free or low-cost wireless internet signals called Wi-Fi hotspots. If you have a laptop computer, you can easily join a wireless network for a high-speed connection to the internet with virtually no setup.

Wireless at Home

You can also set up a wireless network at home, which is useful if you have more than one computer. Using a device called a wireless router, you can send your home’s internet signal to other wireless-enabled computers in the house.

Acknowledgments & Disclaimer