The Internet

The Internet

1. the internet is a huge network that links networks of computers all over the world.

   • all of the computers use the same protocol - TCP/IP - so they can communicate and send data to eachother

2. selecting an ISP - things to consider

   • cost - ISP's charge a monthly fee and there may be a set up cost
   • bandwidth - this varies widely. usually the higher the bandwidth, the higher the fee. The figure ISP's advertise is a maximum usually never reached because of the other network traffic.
   • download limits - some ISP's impose a limit on what you can download in a month. they charge extra if you're over the limit
   • email and web space - most ISP's will give you email addresses and provide space on their servers for you to create your own website.