Benefits From Using The Internet

What is the Internet? The Internet is the mechanism or matrix that connects networks around the world to each other and is generally referred to as the World Wide Web.

Since the conception of the Internet, those who are not afraid to learn or try something new have benefited greatly in many ways. Businesses as well as individuals reap the benefits from using the Internet on a daily basis.

Since the invention of IP, or in other words, Internet Protocol (Microsoft), it has become just as easy as calling someone via telephone to connect to a network or database and obtain the information desired. To make it easier to understand, the IP number is referred to sometimes as the telephone number since this is how computers recognize who is who. Something else is called TCP, or in other words, Transmission Control Protocol (Microsoft). Basically, TCP breaks the information up into packets in order to send and receive information more easily through the Internet connection.

First, in order to be able to use the Internet, one must meet certain requirements. Although different systems and/or operating systems can connect to the Internet, we will focus on the IBM personal computer that needs at least Windows 95 running. A modem or router device is needed to actually make the connection to your service provider. There are different types of connections depending on how much one wishes to spend and the speed of the connection desired. A service provider is also needed who is someone that provides a server foundation for one to connect to and then from there connect to other servers, computers, or databases.

Next, the service provider also assigns an e-mail address that is used to send pictures, files, or just text back and forth. E-mail stands for electronic mail and is essentially that. This e-mail address consists of a user name designed by the user and once determined that there is not already one existing in the service provider’s customer base, @ or what is referred to as at, and the service provider’s server domain. I will use as an example of this AOL.com since most people have heard of American Online as a service provider. One’s service provider uses the user name and a password for security reasons to identify his or her customers.