What is the Internet?

The Internet is a network of computer networks. Each network being able to "talk" to each other because they all talk the same language, TCP/IP protocols.

One of the general misconceptions about the Internet is that many people believe the Internet is the World Wide Web. Actually the Internet contains many separate systmes all supporting it's own type of communications. The Internet can be seen as a large expressway with multiple lanes. Each lane supporting it's own type of traffic. A few of these systems are labeled below with their protocol identifier

• Http:// World Wide Web
• Mailto:// E-Mail
• FTP:// Sites used to upload and download data directly between computers
• Gopher:// An indexing system for FTP sites
• News:// News services
• Telnet:// A system used for remotely controlling another computer
• Wais:// Wide Area Information Servers

What do you need to get onto the internet?
1. A computer or other digital device
2. Phone Line or cable line or a wireless connection
3. Modem- Is the device that allows your computer to "talk" to other computers over phone lines or cable lines
4. Software to tell your computer how to "talk" over the internet.
5. An account with an ISP (Internet Service Provider) (AOL, Verizon, Earthlink, Optimum Online )