There are 2 main way to connect to the net: you can have the physical connection to the net or you can connect by means of an ISP (Internet Service Provider). In the first case, first of all you have to lease a dedicated phone line by the local telecom company. Well, this way isn't widespread, as it costs too much. Only companies or Universities can spend so much money. So, if you haven't really so much money, you can ask to an ISP. ISPs are companies who lease phone lines (big ISPs have their lines), and then let customers use them. They just ask to customers to pay a fee for this service. This second way is called commuted line connection. You must have a modem to connect your computer to your phone line. Besides you have to configure your computer in order to connect to your ISP. To choose an ISP, you have to think about a few of issues:

1. Your ISP must be located in your city
2. Your ISP must offers you an e-mail account
3. You have to consider the relation between number of ISP's modems and connected users. I think 1 modem for 10-20 users is good. So ask your ISP how many modems for users he can offers.
4. You have to know how your ISP is connected to the Internet. You have to know what access providers he uses. In fact, if his connection to he Internet is let's say just a 64Kbps connection, and he let 1000 users use that line, well, I think...you should change ISP!
5. You have to know what services are offered by your ISP. He should offer you Telnet connection, a Newsgroups server, FTP access.
6. If your ISP offers disk space to put your web pages on the net, well, that's better.
7. If your ISP offers an ISDN connection or he uses the 'X2' technology, well, that's better.
8. Your ISP *must* offers you at least a 28.8Kbps connection. You have to consider that modems can 'travel' up to 33.6Kbps by now. Besides USRobotics and Rockwell have developed their 56Kbps technology. In other words if your ISP use 'K56' Rockwell or 'X2' USRobotics technologies, and you have a 'K56' or 'X2' modem, you can 'surf' up to 56Kbps (now thanks to V.90 standard there aren't incompatibility problems between 'X2' and 'K56' anymore).

How you can connect to your ISP

You can connect to your ISP using a SLIP protocol, a CSLIP protocol, a PPP protocol, via ISDN or via 'terminal emulation'. SLIP and CSLIP protocols are pretty old, so the most used protocol is PPP. ISDN let you connect to your ISP up to 128Kbps. There are two 64kbps channels in a standard ISDN connection. However, if you are using PPP or SLIP protocols, you have a 'dynamic' IP address. In other words, each permanently connected computer to the net, has a 'static' IP address to let every others computers to recognize it; well, you AREN'T permanently connected to the net, so your ISP gives you a 'temporarily' IP address, just the time you are 'on-line'. Ok, if you are using PPP or SLIP, you can surf on the net by means of your favourite web browser (Netscape or Internet Explorer), you can send/receive e-mail, you can send/receive files by FTP and so on. But if you use a 'terminal emulation' connection, it's like if you were connected to a BBS. In other words your computer is a 'terminal' of your ISP's computer. In this way you can use your ISP's computer! For example, if ISP uses UNIX as an operating system, you can use UNIX commands like 'ls' or 'pwd'. Or you could use TELNET to connect to another computer or you could effect an HYTELNET session.

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