Chapter 9: Networking Notables and Internet Illuminations

Overview

(Or: Connect and surf faster, easier, friendlier.)

If you're a typical Mac user, you spend a good amount of time each day using the Internet: sending and receiving e-mail, surfing the Web, downloading files, and/or chatting with friends. In addition, you may be connected to a local network, through which you access printers and other computers.

Although networking and the Internet are incredibly broad topics that could each fill volumes, in this chapter I'm going to touch on some of the things you're most likely to do on your Mac. For example, I'll cover some tips for Internet and Network preferences, as well as some ways to get more out of the Web. I'll also mention some great sources of information on setting up your own Internet services on your Mac. (If you're interested, I talk about Mail, Apple's e-mail app; some other e-mail solutions; the Address Book applications; and Internet chat applications in the online supplement covering the iApps and Mail.)

I'll also talk about how to share files and information with other people over a network or the Internet in Chapter 10.

Note 

Because this isn't a introductory-level book, one of the assumptions I make is that you're already connected to the Internet, and you've already got your Internet/network settings from your ISP (or your network administrator if you're on a LAN). If you've got an Internet router, including an AirPort Base Station or other wireless router, I'm also assuming that you've already got it set up and working.