Not that long ago, the only way to connect to the Internet was using a personal modem. These days, people access the internet in many different ways: through their cable company, over cell phones, using a wireless hot spot, just to name a few. But no matter how you connect to the Internet, the same basic concepts are still at play. In this short video, we’ll show you how connecting to the Internet works.
This is only a simplified look at how connecting to the Internet works. If you would like to learn more, visit our Making Connections page. Now that you’re comfortable with getting online, it’s time to learn more about using the Internet. Click “back” to view more animated instructional videos, or go to our Getting Started tutorial for a more in-depth lesson.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’m always connected. How does this affect me?
Even if you have an always-on Internet connection, you’re still communicating with an Internet service provider (ISP). In your home, that’s probably your telephone or cable provider. Your home modem is in constant communication with your ISP. If for some reason your connection is separated, it automatically calls back and attempts to reestablish the connection. If you’re using a wireless data plan, your phone reestablishes your connection anytime you get too far from one cell tower and closer to another. Learn more in our All About Broadband article.
I’m connected, now what?
Connecting to the Internet is just the first step in experiencing all the World Wide Web has to offer. Now the you’re connected to an Internet service provider, you can browse the Internet, send and receive e-mail, launch a social media app, download music, and so much more. Once your connected, the next step is to choose the program you want to run. The best place to start is with your web browser. From there, you can find most anything else you can imagine.
Isn’t it dangerous to connect to the Internet?
The Internet can be dangerous, but it doesn’t have to be. If you already have anti-virus software installed, make sure it updates automatically. If not, once you get online, you can download antivirus protection. It’s also important to keep your computer and web browsers up-to-date. Thankfully, both of those can be set to update on their own too. To learn more about keeping your computer safe while connected to the Internet, visit our Stay Safe page.