Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Microsoft® Windows Vista™

5. Getting Wired for Communication

In This Chapter

• Getting the Right Equipment

• Getting Connected

Getting the Right Equipment

To gain basic Internet access your computer needs certain hardware and software components. These are already installed on most contemporary computers. You also need a connection to the Internet via an Internet Services Provider, (often abbreviated to ISP). At a minimum, here’s what’s required:

• A modem

• An Internet service provider

• A connection to that provider (phone line, cable, and so on)

• A program for browsing the Internet (such as Internet Explorer)

• A program for handling mail (such as Windows Mail)

This section describes each of these items.

What’s an Internet Service Provider?

An Internet service provider ...