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Beginners start here...You want to get onto the net, right? You've seen all those TV ads with weird addresses in them and you're tired of listening to your younger relatives rave about their all night chat sessions on-line. It's all very confusing, though - what's the difference between the net and the Web, for example? Well, while the World Wide Web is a major component of the net, it's just a fraction of the possibilities the net offers for communication.
How does it work?
The Internet is a global network of computers linked via telephone cables and optic fibres. Some of these computers are constantly connected to the Internet while others just drop in for a visit. Every computer permanently connected to the net stores (or hosts) a bunch of information which can be accessed by other net users.
To get to that information, you need to link your computer to another one which is already "online" or a part of the Internet. You can link two computers together with a cable, which is common in an office, or through a telephone line, which is what happens when you connect to an Internet Service Provider from home. While you are connected to that other computer, you become one of the millions of computers that make up the Internet.
What's an Internet Service Provider?
An Internet Service Provider is a company with a fast computer which is permanently connected to the Internet through a 'big pipe' (fast connection). This company then sells you the right to connect to its computer and use a part of its pipeline to the rest of the world. Once you have an Internet connection you can access any of the information on any one of the million computers connected to the net. You can also provide your own information for other people to access.
To get your computer to talk to your ISP's computer, you need a modem, which helps to translate your computer's digital signals into the telephone line's analogue signals, and you need software which will help your computer speak to other computers. You can buy a modem from any good computer store. Try and get one of the latest models for better speed and support. Some of the software you need may have come with your computer. Other pieces of software should be given to you by your ISP. Still others you can download (transfer to your computer) once you are connected.
Simple steps to finding the best Internet Service Provider for youYour Internet Service Provider is going to be your permanent road-buddy for the entire length of your Internet journey, so it's kind of important that the company you choose is going to be a help to you and not a hindrance.
Cost
Most ISPs charge an hourly rate of between 60 cents and $10. A few simply charge a monthly fee with no time charge. There are also on- and off-peak rates and discounts for high usage. Some also have per megabyte charges. This refers to how much data you access. This can get quite expensive if you are downloading large files and accessing multitudes of Web pages. Other charges will be registration and setup fees and there may be a charge for any extra storage space if you create a Web page. Some ISPs also charge for technical support.
If you mainly wish to use e-mail and newsgroups, you can do most of this off-line and you may find an hourly rate quite acceptable. If you think you are likely to have midnight till dawn games fests, gab on about the X-Files for hours or spend ten hours researching the mating habits of clams, which require you to stay on-line, a flat rate may be preferable.
Performance
Some computers on the Internet have bigger pipes (faster connections) than others (isn't it always the way?). The faster the transfer rate the better, and the closer to the 'core' or 'backbone' of the network the better. For example, an ISP with a direct route to America is going to achieve better transfer rates with American sites. When a large number of people are all trying to access and download information at once this also slows the transfer rate down. For example, 100 people accessing a 64Kbps line is going to work better than 500 people accessing a 128Kbps line.
Getting on
When you dial your ISP there needs to be an available modem at the other end for you to connect to. If the ISP has too many users and not enough modems, you will often get an engaged signal and have to redial. This game of musical chairs can be extremely annoying, so ask your potential ISP about its modem to user ratio. An acceptable rate is 1:15 but below 1:10 is preferable.
An ISP also needs to keep the machinery churning at all times. This is harder than it sounds: an ISP may be out of action for a few hours or experience equipment faults which will affect your ability to log on and access parts of the net. It is very difficult to know how an ISP rates in regard to this until you have used them for a while. If you can, ask people who have used a particular ISP about their experience.
Type of account
Most Internet accounts that you can get today are called PPP accounts. This stands for Point-to-Point Protocol. They are the preferred accounts for new users and the most user friendly. This type of account should allow you to do most of the things you wish to do on the net.
Customer support
Most ISPs offer initial customer support as part of the setup or registration fee. However some ISPs are for experienced users only so if you need support make sure the ISP can give it to you. Also check the hours of support and whether support is free or charged out.
Location, location
Most importantly, to avoid STD charges, choose an ISP that is in your local area. There are also a few Australian ISPs that offer a toll free number. For a list of ISPs in your area, see the back of the magazine. Choose an ISP that suits your needs and offers the best value for money. Your ISP should provide you with a starter package containing pre-configured software and be able to take you through the setup step by step. If they can't, or if you are having problems, you can order a copy of the internet.au Net Starter Guide.
Make sure you can join the ISP for one month at a time to start with. That way, if you have problems, you can change services. Remember, your experience of the Internet is dependent on them.
How to transfer files using the net.Looking for a new screensaver for your computer? Get it from the Internet! Want to hear a snippet of a new song? Get it from the Internet! How about a sneak preview of a movie that isn't coming out till next year? Or new levels for Quake? There are lots of files on the Internet that you can transfer to your computer. This sort of transfer is called downloading. FTP, or File Transfer Protocol, is used to transfer files across the Internet from one computer to another.
To download files, you need software called an FTP client. The two most popular FTP clients for PC are WS- FTP and CuteFTP. The two most popular FTP clients for Macintosh are Fetch and Anarchie. You can also use your Web browser if you wish to, although it has fewer features than a full FTP client. If your ISP has provided you with an older FTP client or hasn't given you one at all, you can download the latest versions from the Internet.
How to transfer files
Some of the computers connected to the net have large archives of files. These computers are called FTP sites. To download a file from one of these sites, you need to start up the FTP client software on your computer and enter the address of the FTP site.
An FTP address can look like: ftp://ftp.fake.com.au/pub/directory/file.zip, although sometimes it will look like a Web address: http://www.fake.com.au/directory/file.zip.
The first part of the address is the host FTP computer. The rest of the address specifies the path to the file you are going to download. If there is no file name at the end, it refers to a directory which contains files.
Files at many FTP sites are freely available to the public. To download a file from one of these sites, you FTP anonymously which means you do not need a specified User ID and password to login. Other sites are accessible only if you have the correct authorisation.
When you connect to the FTP site, you will be asked for a user name and a password. If the site accepts anonymous logins, you simply enter "anonymous" as your User ID and your e-mail address (such as johnd@fake.com.au) as your password. You will then see a list of files available or your file will begin downloading.
When your file gets onto your computer, you should always use a virus checker to scan your file to make sure it is safe to use it. The last thing you want is to grab a spanking new toy to organise all your files only to have all those files wiped completely by a virus hidden inside. You can buy virus checkers for all types of computers at your computer store.
Decoding your file
Once your file is declared free of infection, you should try to open it. Don't panic if it doesn't work or looks like complete gobbledygook. The file could be "compressed" (to make it smaller for transfer) or "encoded" (to make it safer for transfer). You can uncompress and decode it with a number of programs.
Once you've expanded the file and installed it, you may be told that it is "shareware". This means it isn't really free; shareware programs usually cost around $20, but payment is on trust. This means you can keep using the program even if you don't pay, most of the time. Some programs will keep showing you a reminder until you pay, and some will only let you use them for 30 days and then stop working unless you pay. Many shareware fees are in American dollars, but you can pay for many programs in Australian dollars through the Kagi system (http://www.kagi.com), so you have no excuse, really.
