TCPIP, PPP, Internet Connect

TCP/IP, PPP, & Internet Connect

Your computer accesses the Internet via a TCP/IP connection. TCP/IP is a standard Internet protocol, or set of rules, for exchanging information.

A TCP/IP connection works like a pipeline. Once established, Internet applicationssuch as your Web browser and e-mail programreach through the TCP/IP pipeline to get the information they need. When the information has been sent or received, it stops flowing through the pipeline. But the pipeline is not disconnected.

If you have a direct or network connection to the Internet, the Internet is accessible all the time. But if you connect via modem, you need to use Internet Connect software. This software, which comes with Mac OS, uses PPP to connect to TCP/IP networks via modem. PPP is a standard protocol for connecting to networks.

When you connect via modem using Internet Connect, you set up a temporary TCP/IP pipeline. Internet applications are smart enough to automatically use Internet Connect to connect to the Internet when necessary. When you're finished accessing Internet services you should tell Internet Connect to disconnect.