Types of Computers on the Internet

     Computers are connected to the internet through phone lines, satellite and fiber optic cable. There are different types of computers that are connected to the internet- namely your home personal computer, a server computers, and host computers.  

     The server and host computers function differently than your home PC for the following reasons.   Servers are computers that serve as switchboards that direct your calls- they send and receive information.  Hosts send, receive, and also store information that is accessible to anyone having access to that computer, modem, and a phone line.  Thousands of host computers make up the internet- the worlds biggest network of computers which share, store, transfer, and receive information from one another.   

     Your home PC, in contrast, is not set up to have others access the information stored on your hard drive.   Your home PC typically has one modem to send and receive information.  Servers and Hosts are computers that are continuously connected to the internet or online- that means their phone lines are always open and they never hang up. This way you can view the contents of that computer on demand.  Servers and Hosts have many phone lines connected to them and use many modems or very powerful modems and software to run them so that they can handle many phone calls at once. 

Connecting to the Internet

      Connecting to the internet is like placing a home phone call, but instead of reaching an operator or switchboard, you reach a "server".  The communication device in your computer, similar to the function of your home phone, is called a modem. A modem is a device in your computer that transfers digital signals over telephone line using sound. These sounds seem like static to us, but are a code that computers interpret.  When you want to see a website, your modem transfers the data to and from your computer.  

Phone Lines

Information and data is sent not only on phone lines, but by satellite and fiber optic cable. Satellite uses microwaves like radio and fiber-optics use laser light to transfer data to a location like a server. Since Electricity, Light, and Microwaves all travel the speed of light, you can send and receive information almost instantly around the world. 

Hardware and Software
What is required to get Connecting to the Internet

      If you are interested in getting connected to the internet, first you have to have a computer with a modem, a phone line, and then you have to contact an Internet Service Provider or ISP for short.  Your internet service provider has a server that allows you to send and retrieve information with a vast networks of computers. Big Timber has 2 main internet service providers;  Triangle Telephone and MCN (Montana Communications Network), although you can go with other companies like AOL (America On Line), Prodigy, or Juno.    It makes sense that the telephone companies handle your connection to the internet, since we mainly access the internet through phone lines!  Your Internet Service Provider will provide you with software or programs that will allow you to send and receive data with their server. This software will set your modem to dial up your local internet service providers server.

Once you are connected to the internet- that is your modem has placed a phone call to the Internet Service Providers server (switchboard), you now start a program called a browser.   A browser is a program that helps you view that information that is on the vast number of computers that share resources- the hosts.  All of these computers have to talk the same language even though they are different computers using different programs.  This common language is a protocol.  So browsers take this common language and display it to you - allowing you to surf!  We will be looking at a browser called Internet Explorer created by MicroSoft.  

Next Surfing the Internet- Browsing and Links

Glossary of Terms