PCs For Dummies® Windows®, 7 Edition

Chapter 17. The Internet Quick and Dirty

In This Chapter

• Understanding the Internet

• Obtaining an ISP

• Setting up Windows for the Internet

• Visiting Web pages

• Searching the Web

• Enjoying e-mail

The Internet. It's a network, and possibly part of your PC's computer network. It's also everywhere. The Internet is unavoidable. Thankfully, it's also been around a while, so most of the Internet basics are widely known. Still, I feel the need to provide you with an Internet roundup and review, just to ensure that you could run the Internet category in a round of Double Jeopardy.

What Is the Internet?

The Internet is composed of hundreds of thousands of computers all over the world. The computers send information, they receive information, and — most important — they store information. That's the Internet.

• The Internet consists of all the computers connected to the Internet. Whenever your computer is "on" the Internet, it's part of the Internet.

• No one owns the Internet, just as no one owns the oceans. The company you pay for Internet access is merely providing you with the access, not with the Internet's content.

How to Access the Internet

Windows is geared to use the Internet. In fact, Windows prefers that you have a broadband Internet connection and that your PC is always connected to the Internet. But before sating Windows's online lusts, you have a few things to attend to, as covered in this section.

Choosing an ISP

You need five items to access the Internet:

• A computer

• A modem

• Internet software

• Money

• An Internet ...