Signing up with an Internet Service Provider
Microsoft's Web browser, Internet Explorer, which is
preinstalled on your system, is automatically configured so
that when you first start it, it guides you through signing up
for a new ISP account, or assists you in setting up your
computer to work with your existing ISP.
Once you have established an ISP account, you can access the
Internet.
Surfing the Internet
Once connected to the Internet, the Web browser displays a
home page, for example, your ISP's home page on the
Internet or your company's Web site home page.
To visit a desired Web site, type in the Web address. The Web
address, or Uniform Resource Locator (URL), is a unique
identifier for that computer system linked to the Internet. Web
addresses can also appear within a Web page's text, and are
known as links. Clicking a link automatically transfers your
Web browser to that site.
You can also use a Search Engine, a Web site specifically
designed to help you look for information.
Internet features
The Internet offers many types of communication tools to
help you perform many tasks.
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Internet email
To send and receive email of your own, you need a
mailbox on the Web, or an email address.
If you have an account with an ISP, you can probably set
up an email address at the same time as you sign up for
the service.
Exploring Your Options
An overview of using the Internet
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