Connecting to the Internet

In the past, many employers were concerned that giving employees access to the Internet from their work computers would mean a loss of productivity, because people could receive and send personal e-mail messages, indulge in surreptitious Web surfing, or download objectionable content. These days, more and more employers are coming to the conclusion that Internet access can actually enhance the productivity of people in some jobs, and many provide organization-wide access.

In addition, Internet access is fast becoming one of the primary reasons for buying a home computer. Setting up a connection from your computer to the Internet is easier than ever with Windows Vista. The most difficult part of the process will likely be finding out what types of connections are available from Internet service providers (ISPs) in your area and deciding which one you want to use.

To use the Internet, you must connect to a computer or network of computers that acts as a go-between, by using one of the following types of connections:

• Local area network (LAN). If you connect to the Internet through a LAN, you are actually connecting to a computer on your network that has been set up to provide Internet access; connections to upstream providers are handled for you by that computer.

• Cable, ISDN, or DSL. If you are connecting through a dedicated cable, ISDN (integrated services digital network), or DSL (digital subscriber line) connectionone that doesn't require a user account name or passwordyou will connect your computer to a router (usually one leased or purchased from your service provider). After following the service provider's instructions to set up the router for the first time, Windows Vista will automatically handle the connection process.

• Dial-up connection. If you are connecting through a dial-up connection, you are making a connection from your computer to another computer using two modems and an ordinary telephone line. The remote computer usually belongs to the Internet service provider (ISP) with whom you have set up your user account.

Whichever type of connection you use, the Windows Vista Network And Sharing Center can help you with the necessary setup work.

To create an Internet connection through an ISP, you need to first set up a user account. The ISP will then provide the information you will need to provide to complete the connection process in the Network And Sharing Center, such as:

• The specific IP address or the address of the DHCP server

• DNS addresses and domain names

• POP3 or IMAP settings for incoming e-mail

• SMTP settings for outgoing e-mail

In this exercise, you will use the Network And Sharing Center to connect to the Internet through a broadband or dial-up connection. There are no practice files for this exercise.

1.	Click the Start button, click Control Panel, and then in the Control Panel window, click Network and Internet. Start
2.	Under Network and Sharing Center, click the Connect to a network task. The Connect To A Network wizard starts, displaying all available network connections. If you have several connections available, you can filter the list by clicking the Show arrow and then clicking Dial-up And VPN or Wireless. [View full size image]
3.	At the bottom of the page, click the Set up a connection or network link. [View full size image]
4.	On the Choose a connection option page, click Connect to the Internet, and then click Next. Tip You can return to a previous page of the wizard at any time by clicking the Back button in the upper-left corner of the window
5.	On the How do you want to connect page, click either Broadband or Dial-up, and then click Next. [View full size image]
6.	Enter the requested connection information, and then click Connect to close the window and create the connection.