Chapter 24: Connecting to the Internet

Once your modem is installed (as described in the previous chapter), you need to configure Windows Vista to work with the account. How you connect depends on the type of account. Windows can have network connections to dial-up, ISDN, DSL, satellite, and cable Internet accounts as well as connections to local area networks (LANs).

If you don't already have an Internet account, you will need to find one in your area before running the Connect To The Internet Wizard. If you have an account, this wizard can create a network connection for the account. Once created, you can configure, copy, or delete the network connection manually. Then you can connect to and disconnect from the Internet manually, or configure Windows to connect automatically when you request information from the Internet.

If your computer is connected to a LAN, you can connect to the Internet over the LAN if another computer serves as an Internet gateway. If you have a small LAN at home or in a small organization, Windows Vista comes with a program called Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) that allows a computer running Windows to act as an Internet gateway for all the computers on the LAN (see Chapter 32).

Tip  

If you dial in to your Internet account, you can tell Windows either to dial direct or use a telephone calling card, and you can specify whether to dial the area code or not (see Chapter 33).

To What Types of Internet Accounts Can Windows Connect?

To connect to the Internet, you can use one of several types of accounts: Internet PPP accounts (using a dial-up, ISDN, or DSL line), cable Internet accounts, or online services. Cable Internet accounts are described in "Connecting to a Cable Modem" in Chapter 23.

Note  

If you use America Online (AOL), you must use the software that AOL provides-you can't use the Windows network connections. AOL connection software may come with your Windows Vista installation (as it has with previous versions of Windows).

Internet (PPP) Accounts

A PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) account is an Internet account that uses the PPP communications protocol. (PPP is not the same as PPPoE, which is PPP over Ethernet for use with DSL or cable modems.) PPP is the most popular type of Internet account because the most popular software-Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Windows Mail, Opera, and other programs-is designed to work with PPP accounts. This book refers to PPP accounts as dial-up Internet accounts.

An Internet service provider (ISP) is a company that provides Internet accounts, usually PPP accounts. All ISPs provide dial-in accounts using regular phone lines, and many also provide ISDN and DSL connections.

Dial-Up Internet Accounts, Including ISDN

To connect to an Internet account over a dial-up phone line, you need a PPP-compatible communications program, such as the built-in Windows Network Connections program (see the upcoming section "What Are Network Connections?"). Windows Network Connections can dial the phone by using your modem, connect to your ISP, log into your account by using your username and password, and then establish a PPP connection, so your computer is connected to the Internet. While connected, you can use a variety of Internet-compatible programs to read your e-mail, browse the Web, and access other information from the Internet. When you are done, you tell Windows to disconnect from your Internet account. You configure your network connection by using the Dial-Up Connection wizard (see "Creating a Dial-up Connection").

ISDN phone lines are a high-speed type of dial-up line; see the section "Connecting to an ISDN Line" in Chapter 23 for instructions on how to configure Windows to connect to an ISDN line. Then see "Creating a Network Connection for an ISDN Line" later in this chapter.

Tip  

You can have several network connections on one computer. For example, your laptop computer might have one network connection for the DSL account you use at home and another for the national ISP you dial into when you are traveling.

DSL Accounts

If you want to use a high-speed Internet account, check with local and national ISPs to find out which ones offer DSL in your area. If your ISP offers ISDN or DSL accounts, they can work with your telephone company to get the high-speed phone line installed and tell you the type of ISDN or DSL modem you need. See the section "Connecting to a DSL Line" in Chapter 23 for how to configure Windows to work with a high-speed account.

Cable Internet Accounts

With a cable Internet account, your cable television company is your ISP, and you connect to the Internet over your cable. Contact your cable company to find out whether it offers

What Is TCP/IP?

TCP/IP is the acronym for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, which is the protocol computers use to communicate with each other on the Internet. All Internet accounts use TCP/IP. Windows Vista also uses TCP/IP for communication over LANs.

 

Internet accounts. If it does, sign up to open an account. The monthly fee usually includes the rental of a cable modem. See "Configuring Windows for a Cable Modem" in Chapter 23 for an explanation of how to configure Windows to work with a cable Internet account.

Online Services

An online service is a commercial service that enables you to connect and access its proprietary information system. Most online services also provide an Internet connection, e-mail, access to the Web, and sometimes other Internet services. Some online services usually require special programs to connect to and use your account.

One of the most popular online services in the United States is AOL. AOL is available in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, with other countries being added. The latest version of the AOL software (as of 2006) is 9.0. To sign up for an AOL account, install and run the AOL software. Download the software from the AOL web site, if you haven't already received it on a CD-ROM bound into a magazine, a new computer, or in a direct mail solicitation. Windows Vista may come with the AOL software pre-installed, especially if you buy a computer with Windows Vista preinstalled . The program steps you through connecting to AOL using an existing account, or signing you up for a new one.