The Requirements for internet connection
Computer System
A computer with a good CPU speed is the prime requirement to
access the Internet. This can be a normal desktop, or a laptop. This computer
will act as the client or the workstation. Today's websites are a mix of text,
sound and images so the contents of the websites might be heavy. Hence, more
the speed of the CPU better will be the performance of Internet access.
The computer should have at least 1 GB of RAM. The higher
the size of the RAM, the better is the speed of your computer.
The computer should have at least 1 GB of free hard disk
space. But this must not be a problem because most of today's computers come
with at least 500 GB hard disk space. Besides the above, a sound system with a
microphone, speakers and devices like a printer, scanner, etc. are desirable
but not compulsory.
Modem
A modem is a device that converts the analog signals to
digital signals and the digital signals to analog signals. It helps the
computer to communicate with each other. It connects a computer system to the
Internet using telephone or cable lines.
The term Modem stands for Modulator-Demodulator. Modulation
is the process of converting digital signals from a computer to analog signals
(like in telephone) and demodulation is the process of converting analog
signals to digital signals. Modems provide the primary link between an ISP and
your computer.
Modems of different speeds are available in the market.
Cable modems and ADSL modems are used where faster access is required. The
speed of a modem is measured in kilobits per second or kbps or megabits per second
or mbps.
There are two types of modems:
Internal modem External
modem
Internal Modem
The internal modem remains inside the computer and is in the
form of a card. Most computers these days come with such built-in modems. But
internal modems are cheaper and slower than the external modems. Since it is a
part of the circuit board, it remains fixed and is not portable.
External Modem
An external modem is a small, box-shaped device that is
connected to the computer from outside. It is a peripheral and is connected to
the computer using some wires. External modems are slightly more expensive than
internal modems but are definitely faster. Like any other device, it is
portable and can be connected to different computers.
Telephone/Cable Line
The main communication medium between the client and the
server machines is the telephone line. The normal telephone or cable connection
can be used to connect to the Internet. But today, the high speed Broadband
lines or ISDN lines are very popular. Wi-Fi, satellite and 3G technologies on
cell phones are gaining popularity with urban users.
Internet Service Provider (ISP)
An Internet Service Provider or ISP is a company or business
that provides access to the Internet and related services. Internet service
providers provide the Internet connection to you. They are generally companies
or organisations that employ powerful computers called servers for Internet
connections. Servers are special computers connected to the Internet through
satellite or other communication channels. The companies that have such servers
provide Internet connections to different users. They also provide the required
software, user name and passwords. Generally you have to pay a monthly or
yearly charge for Internet services provided by the ISPS.
The major ISPS in India are: Airtel Broadband, BSNL,
Reliance and MTNL.
Internet Access Software
Internet access software is necessary to setup and control
the connection of your computer to the Internet. They have two main components
• Dialer software
• TCP/IP network software
Dialer Software: The Dialer
software directs the modem to dial a telephone number or a connection number,
and to get your computer identified at the ISP's computer. For this you will be
given a username and a password by the ISP for authentication. Authentication
means that the ISP will check whether you are a valid user registered with them
or not. This means that every time you want to connect to the Internet, you
will have to dial the ISP and provide the username and password.
TCPIP Software: The Internet
uses the Internet Protocol Suite. TCP/IP network soft allows programs on your
computer to communicate over the Internet after the connection has been
established. The Internet access software may be different for different ISP Microsoft
Windows has a built in Internet access software for both dial-up networking and
broadband services.
Internet Application Software (Browser)
Browsers are special software that allow you to access and
surf through different websites and web pages on the Internet These are also
known as internet browsing software or web browsers or simply browsers They
facilitate you to access and interact with all the information on the World
Wide Web (WWW). There are many web browsers available according to the operating
systems and the type of content to be browsed. Some popular web browsers are:
1. Microsoft Internet Explorer
2. Google Chrome
3. Mozilla Firefox
4. Apple Safari
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