Athens-Clarke County Library Page 1 What is the Internet? Introduction to the Internet The Internet is basically a global network of computers. Computers are connected via wires, cables and satellite connections so that they can communicate no matter where you may reside in the world. People from the most remote areas have the ability to communicate and gather information from virtually anywhere in the world all within seconds. You can send files, photos, email, letters, programs, music and much more. It allows you to have access to current news, reference material, chat with other users, shop, and basically have fun. The Internet is always open and available on any day of the year and at any time. How do computers communicate with each other? The modem is a peripheral device that allows computers to communicate with one another by way of telephone lines or cables. The speed of a modem is measured in bits per second (bps). Cable, digital subscriber lines (DSL) and wireless modems are always connected to the Internet and can transfer information 10-40 times faster than a much older dial-up modem (56Kbps) connection. What are Internet Service Providers? In order to have Internet access, you will need to have an Internet Service Provider (ISP) such as AT&T, Charter Communications, or AOL (to name a few). You simply install their Internet software on your computer and follow the directions for setting up your account. After the installation is complete, continue to follow their directions to connect to the Internet. In addition to access to the Internet and software, ISPs will give you an email account and most will give you a little storage space to create a Web page.
Athens-Clarke County Library Page 2 Introduction to the Internet What is the difference between Dial Up, Broadband and Wireless? To connect to the Internet, you will need a computer with a modem, a physical connection such as a cable or phone jack near your computer, an Internet Service Provider and a browser. There are three basic options for connecting your computer to the Internet which are dial-up, broadband and wireless. Dial-up basically utilizes a typical phone jack and telephone lines. It is relatively less expensive than broadband or wireless, however, it does transmit information much slower. Also, you cannot use your telephone and Internet connection at the same time. Broadband connections can be up to 100 times faster than regular dialup. You may need to purchase different hardware for your computer to run broadband and your monthly service will be more expensive than regular dial-up service. The following are the three different types of broadband connections: DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) which uses your telephone lines for connection, cable services which use fiber-optic cables, and satellite dish service which uses your satellite dish connection. Wireless connections allow you to be more mobile. If your laptop did not come with a wireless network card, you may want to consider purchasing one. Next, find a location that provides wireless access. Examples of some public buildings with wireless access are airports, coffee shops, hotels and libraries. Currently, 9 libraries in the Athens Regional Library System provide free wireless Internet access: the Athens-Clarke County Library, Oconee County Library, Madison County Library, Pinewoods Library, Oglethorpe County Library, Lavonia- Carnegie Library, Bogart Library, Royston Library and Winterville Library. At the Athens-Clarke County Library, our wireless service is available in all meeting rooms and throughout the building. Some cell phone companies offer a service that allows you to have a wireless connection via your laptop. This usually require a small device to plug into your laptop port when Internet is needed. As long as you have a cell phone signal, you would have a wireless connection for your laptop. Please note that this service is an extra monthly charge on your phone bill. Check with your cell phone service provider for your options. What are Web Browsers? A Web browser is a special software designed to display Web pages and links. A few examples of popular browsers today are Microsoft s Internet Explorer, Mozilla s Firefox, Chrome and Safari. Any of those applications will allow you to search the Internet for particular sites. A home page is typically the first page of any Web site. You can also set your own home page in your Web browser. The library has selected our website as the home page for all browsers here on all our public computers. If you select a particular Web site to appear every time you open your Web browser software on your personal computer, then you are setting that page to be your browser s home page.
Athens-Clarke County Library Page 3 Introduction to The Internet What are Web pages? Any document on the Internet is considered a Web page. A Web site is a collection of Web pages which is owned by an individual, company or organization. It is similar to a magazine in that it has a cover (the home page) and different pages with graphics. When you click on links found on each Web page, you instantly visit new pages which are electronically connected. Markup Language) can create a Web page. This is an example of the Library s website. Anyone who knows HTML (Hypertext Menu Bar Address Bar Title Bar - shows the name of the page Tab Refresh Web search Links Links What are the parts of a Web Address (URL)? Universal Resource Locator (URL) is the exact address for a particular Web page. The parts of the URL can give you clues about where a page is located and what type of company or person owns it. The last section, called the top-level domain, (or sometimes the last two sections) of the URL address tells you what type of organization owns that address. Domain Name (usually the owner s name) Host name or Web server Top-Level Domain last section -(informs you of what type of organization owns the address)
Athens-Clarke County Library Page 4 Introduction to The Internet How do I access a Web page? There are three main ways to access a desired Web page. 1. Universal Resource Locator (URL) is the exact address for a particular Web page. An example of a URL address is: http://www.athenslibrary.org You will need to type this in the Address bar at the top of your browser. Next, press enter and you should be directed to the Athens Clarke County Web page. Most browsers know that you are looking for a Web page, so you do not have to type the http:// at the beginning of each address. 2. Search Engines allow you to look for Web pages when you do not know their URL address. You can enter words or phrases and click on the search button. It will post many (sometime thousands) of various Web sites. You will need to click on the ones that interest you the most. Usually the Web sites that are visited more often appear on the first page. The most popular search engines are: http://www.google.com http://www.bing.com http://www.yahoo.com 3. Links allow you to move from one Web page or section to the next by clicking on text or images. These are called hyperlinks or links for short. Usually a link will appear as underlined text or sometimes the text will be in a different color. Also, if your pointer turns into a white hand, this indicates that you are hovering over a link. Clicking on a link will either take you to new Web page with different information or take you to another place on the same Web page. Give it a try!
Athens-Clarke County Library Page 5 Introduction to The Internet How can I protect myself while shopping online? There is no 100% foolproof solution for protecting yourself while shopping online, however, there are a couple of good guidelines to follow. Make sure you are shopping on a secure site that begins with https. The s indicates that you are on a secure site. You should also notice a padlock on the lower right hand portion of your screen. Never enter your credit card or personal information in an email message. Only complete forms on secure sites from reputable companies, always print your receipt, and check your credit card statement after an online purchase. Verify the terms, shipping dates and return policies of all purchases. When ready to check out, make sure you have an address that starts with https. The s stands for secure. What are viruses and what is a firewall? A computer virus is a small manmade piece of code or a program that is loaded and runs on your computer without your knowledge. A program file usually has certain extensions such as.exe,.bat,.com,.shs,.vbs or.scr. Be careful accepting an attachment or downloading a file with one of these extensions. Most viruses are spread through email. Make sure you have a good antivirus program to check all the files you download. Your antivirus software must be running to detect a virus and must be up to date and current. Instead of opening a program file from Internet Explorer or your email account, save your suspected files to your hard disk so that your virus checker can detect any new virus. A firewall may be either software or hardware that is designed to prevent unauthorized entry into your personal computer via the Internet. All messages entering and leaving your computer will pass through this firewall for additional protection. If your computer is connected to the Internet by way of a cable modem or DSL, your computer is online twenty four seven. This creates a definite need for a firewall to protect your computer from hackers or other online threats. A firewall will prevent a hacker from taking control of your computer and will prevent programs on your computer from contacting outside sources.
Athens-Clarke County Library Page 6 Introduction to the Internet What are some other things I could find on the Internet? If you are interested in finding driving directions try using: www.mapquest.com www.expedia.com www.maps.google.com If you are interested in searching for friends or family online, try using: www.whowhere.com www.people.yahoo.com www.facebook.com If you are interested in locating a business address and phone number try using: www.yellowpages.com www.whitepages.com If you are interested in sharing photos with family and friends try using: www.flickr.com www.snapfish.com If you are interested in finding a music web site, try using: www.rhapsody.com www.amazon.com www.pandora.com If you are interest in watching online videos or tv shows try using: www.youtube.com www.hulu.com Are you ready to surf the Web? Open a browser such as Internet Explorer or Firefox. Let s explore the Athens Clarke County Web page by entering the following URL in the address field at the top: www.athensclarkecounty.com Now go to a search engine such as www.google.com or www.alltheweb.com. Type in the search area a topic. Now either press enter or click on search. Now select a Web page to explore from the list you have been supplied. Your search engine should inform you of exactly how many results for that topic that it was able to locate for you. It may be in the millions. Try visiting the Athens Regional Library webpage by entering: http://www.athenslibrary.org For your convenience, take advantage of all the different categories and links we have listed on our Web site. Don t forget you can always use search engines to find any particular phrase or product you need when searching for certain websites. Good luck and enjoy learning!