Grade 10 Lecture

Computer Basics

Connecting to the Internet

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How do I connect to the Internet?

Once you've set up your computer, you'll probably want to get Internet access so you can send and receive email, browse the Web, watch movies, and more. Before you can access the Internet, there are three things you need: an Internet service, a modem, and a web browser.

Watch the video to learn about connecting to the Internet.

Choosing an Internet service

Which service is best for me?

It all depends on where you live and how much speed you need. Internet service providers (ISPs) usually offer different levels of speed based on your needs. If you're mainly using the Internet for email and social networking, a slower connection might be all you need. However, if you want to download a lot of music or watch streaming movies, you'll want a faster connection. You'll need to do some research to find out what the options are in your area. Here are some common types of Internet service.

• Dial-up: Dial-up is generally the slowest type of Internet connection, and you should probably avoid it unless it is the only service available in your area. Like a phone call, a dial-up modem will connect you to the Internet by dialing a number, and it will disconnect when you are done surfing the Web. Unless you have multiple phone lines, you will not be able to use your land line and the Internet at the same time with a dial-up connection.
• DSL: DSL service uses a broadband connection, which makes it much faster than dial-up. However, it is unavailable in many locations, so you'll need to contact your local ISP for information about your area. DSL connects to the Internet via phone line but does not require you to have a land line at home. Unlike dial-up, it will always be on once it's set up, and you'll be able to use the Internet and your phone line simultaneously.
• Cable: Cable service connects to the Internet via cable TV, although you do not necessarily need to have cable TV in order to get it. It uses a broadband connection and can be faster than both dial-up and DSL service; however, it is only available in places where cable TV is available.
• Satellite: A satellite connection uses broadband but does not require cable or phone lines; it connects to the Internet through satellites orbiting the Earth. As a result, it can be used almost anywhere in the world, but the connection may be affected by weather patterns. A satellite connection also relays data on a delay, so it is not the best option for people who use real-time applications, like gaming or video conferencing.
• 3G and 4G: 3G and 4G service is most commonly used with mobile phones and tablet computers, and it connects wirelessly through your ISP's network. If you have a device that's 3G or 4G enabled, you'll be able to use it to access the Internet away from home, even when there is no Wi-Fi connection. However, you may have to pay per device to use a 3G or 4G connection, and it may not be as fast as DSL or cable.

Choosing an Internet service provider

Once you have decided which type of Internet access you're interested in, you can determine which ISPs are available in your area that offer the type of Internet access you want. Then you'll need to purchase Internet service from one of the available ISPs. Talk to friends, family members, and neighbors to see which ISPs they use. Below are some things to consider as you research ISPs:

• Speed
• Price
• Ease of installation
• Service record
• Technical support
• Contract terms

Although dial-up has traditionally been the least expensive option, many ISPs have raised dial-up prices to be the same as broadband. This is intended to encourage people to switch to broadband. Generally, you should only use dial-up if it's the only option available.

Hardware needed

Modem

Once you have your computer, you really don't need much additional hardware to connect to the Internet. The primary piece of hardware you need is a modem.

The type of Internet access you choose will determine the type of modem you need. Dial-up access uses a telephone modem, DSL service uses a DSL modem, cable access uses a cable modem, and satellite service uses a satellite adapter. Your ISP may give you a modem—often for a fee—when you sign a contract, which helps ensure that you have the right kind of modem. However, if you would prefer to shop for a better or less expensive modem, you can choose to buy one separately.

Router

A router is a hardware device that allows you to connect several computers and other devices to a single Internet connection, which is known as a home network. Many routers are wireless, allowing you to easily create a wireless network.

You don't necessarily need to buy a router to connect to the Internet. It's possible to connect your computer directly to your modem using an Ethernet cable. Also, many modems now include a built-in router, so you have the option of creating a network without having to buy more hardware.

Most routers also act as a hardware firewall, which helps prevent others from gaining access to your computer through the Internet.

Network card

A network card is a piece of hardware that allows computers to communicate over a computer network. Most newer computers have a network card built into the motherboard, so it probably isn't something you'll need to purchase. The network card will have an Ethernet port, a wireless connection, or both.

If you have a laptop with a wireless connection, you can access the Internet at any place that offers a Wi-Fi connection. Many restaurants, coffee shops, bookstores, hotels, and other businesses offer free Wi-Fi. In addition, many cities provide free Wi-Fi in public areas such as parks and downtown areas.

Web browsers

A web browser is the tool you use to access the Web. The browser's main job is to display webpages. It also lets you create bookmarks—sometimes called Favorites—for sites you like so you can easily find them again later.

The World Wide Web is a virtual network of websites connected by hyperlinks (or links). Websites are stored on servers on the Internet, so the World Wide Web is a part of the Internet.

Your computer probably came with a browser pre-installed. PCs come with Internet Explorer, while Macs come with Safari. If you prefer to use a different browser, you can download Firefox, Google Chrome, or Opera. All of these browsers are free.

Setting up your Internet connection

Once you have chosen an ISP and purchased the appropriate modem, you can use the instructions provided by your ISP—or included with the modem—to set up your Internet connection. Depending on the type of service you have, your ISP may need to send a technician to your house to turn on the connection.

After you have everything set up, you can open your web browser and begin using the Internet. If you have any problems with your Internet connection, you can call your ISP's technical support number.

For more information on using the Internet, check out our Internet 101 tutorial.

Home networking

If you have multiple computers at home and want to use all of them to access the Internet, you'll probably want to create a home network. In a home network, all of your devices connect to your router, which is connected to the modem. This means everyone in your family can use the Internet at the same time, and you don't have to purchase a separate Internet service for each computer.

How is a home network used?

Each computer on a network doesn't just connect to the Internet—it also connects to the other computers and devices on the network. This means you can easily share files with other computers. Some programs even let you stream music and movies from one computer to another. One example of this is the Home Sharing feature in iTunes. These types of features are easy to set up, but it's up to you whether you want to use them.

Home networks aren't just for families! Even if you live alone, you may have multiple devices that can connect to a network. Many phones, printers, MP3 players, video game consoles, and digital video recorders (DVRs) are equipped with wireless cards and often require very little setup to connect them to your home network.

Wireless security

A home network can be wired (using Ethernet cables) or wireless (using Wi-Fi). It may also be a mixture of the two, with some devices connecting with Ethernet and others connecting wirelessly. Wireless is generally more convenient; however, you'll need to think about wireless security. Below are some important security terms you'll need to know.

• SSID: A service set identifier, commonly called the SSID, is the name of a wireless network. You should change the default SSID to something unique that you'll remember. You may not want to use your actual name, but you can use a hobby or other interest (like rockclimbing1).
• Encryption password: An encryption password is a series of characters that is used to control access to the network. For even greater security, some people use a passphrase, which is longer—and therefore more secure—than a password. You should choose a password or passphrase that's easy for you to remember but difficult for others to guess.
• Encryption: Encryption prevents unauthorized users from reading data that is transmitted over your wireless network. The data is coded into an unreadable form, and it can only be decoded by a computer that has the correct password or passphrase. The most common types of encryption for wireless networks are WPA (Wi-Fi protected access) and WPA2.

Although it's possible to create a wireless network that doesn't have a password, it is very risky. You should always create a password or passphrase to protect it from unauthorized access.

Setting up a home network

Before you set up your home network, you'll need to have a working Internet connection. The exact process of creating a network will vary depending on the type of computer you have, as well as what type of Internet service you have. You should use the instructions provided by your ISP (or the ones included with your router) when setting up your network. The following steps will give you an idea of what to expect.

1. If you have a separate router, connect it to the modem, and make sure it has power through the power adapter. If you have a combined router and modem, you won't have to do this.
2. Connect all nonwireless devices to your router using Ethernet cables. You may also need to connect your computer to the router until setup is complete, even if your computer has a wireless card.
3. From your computer, you will need to create the SSID and password or passphrase for your router. You now have a wireless network that you can begin connecting wireless devices to.
4. On each wireless device, you will need to go to your network settings and select the name (SSID) of the network you just created. You will then be prompted to type your password.

At this point, your home network setup is complete. If your network isn't working, the instructions from your ISP should include some troubleshooting tips. You can also call your ISP's technical support number if you're still having trouble.

To learn how to safely use a wireless network, check out Wireless and Mobile Device Safety in our Internet Safety tutorial.

Challenge!

• Research two or more Internet service providers (ISPs), and compare their service packages. What are the different connection speeds offered by each provider?
• Try using a few different web browsers. Do they work differently? Which one was easier to use?
• Do you have any devices (computers, mobile phones, etc.) that can connect wirelessly? Would it make sense to create a wireless network in your home?

http://www.gcflearnfree.org/computerbasics

Bringing your files with you

When you're working on a document or other computer file, you can always save it to your computer's hard drive. But sometimes you may want to bring your file with you and open it on a different computer. In this lesson, we'll talk about two ways to save your files so you can access them from almost anywhere.

• Flash drive: Flash drives are small removable hard drives that plug into the USB ports on your computer. They are relatively inexpensive (usually less than $20) and can be purchased at any store with an electronics section.
• Cloud storage: Cloud storage means you save your files on servers on the Internet using an account with a cloud service. With cloud storage, you can access your files from any computer with Internet access without having to keep track of a physical device.

Flash drives and the cloud can also be used to back up your files. To learn more, check out our lesson on Backing Up Your Files.

Using a flash drive

Flash drives make it easy to carry your important files and documents with you in a portable form. You should always back up the files on your flash drive elsewhere, however, just in case it gets lost or breaks.

To connect a flash drive:

1. Insert the flash drive into a USB port on your computer. You should find a USB port on the front, back, or side of your computer (the location may vary depending on whether you have a desktop or laptop).
2. If you're using Windows, a dialog box may appear. If it does, select Open folder to view files. On a Mac, a flash drive icon will usually appear on the desktop.

3. If a dialog box does not appear, open Windows Explorer—or Finder if you're using a Mac—and select the flash drive on the left side of the window. Note that the name of the flash drive may vary.

To work with a flash drive:

Once you've connected a flash drive, you can work with it just like any other folder on your computer, including moving and deleting files.

1. If you want to copy a file from your computer to the flash drive, click and drag the file from your computer to this window.

2. The file will be duplicated, and this new version will be saved to the flash drive. The original version of the file will still be saved to your computer.

3. If you want to copy a file from your flash drive to your computer, click and drag the file from this window to your computer.

4. If you want to remove a file from your flash drive, click and drag the file to the Recycle Bin on a PC or the Trash can on a Mac. A dialog box will appear. Click Yes to confirm that you want to permanently delete the file.

To safely remove a flash drive:

When you're done using a flash drive, don't remove it from the USB port just yet. You'll need to make sure to disconnect it properly to avoid damaging files on the drive.

1. Right-click the flash drive and select Disconnect (or Eject).

2. You can now safely remove the flash drive from the USB port.

If you're using a Mac, you can also click the Eject button next to the flash drive in Finder to eject it.

Saving files to the cloud

There are many services that allow you to create a free account and save documents, images, and other files to the cloud. Some of the most popular are Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox. The free storage space that comes with these accounts (usually around 15GB) should be plenty if you're using your account for regular personal, work, or school purposes. If you own a business and want to keep all of your documents in the cloud, you may want to pay your cloud service for more storage.

Unlike physical media, the cloud can't break or get lost, so you don't necessarily need to back up the files you keep on it. Files in the cloud are also easier to share so you can collaborate with friends and coworkers. However, when you save something online, there's always a risk that unauthorized users will try to gain access to your personal information. To protect your files, create a strong password and pay attention to the privacy settings and policies of the cloud service you're using.

To learn more about services that allow you to store your files in the cloud, check out our tutorials on Google Drive and OneDrive and Office Online.

Inside a computer

Have you ever looked inside a computer case before, or seen pictures of the inside of one? The small parts may look complicated, but the inside of a computer case really isn't all that mysterious. This lesson will help you master some of the basic terminology and understand a bit more about what goes on inside a computer casing.

Watch the video to learn about what's inside a desktop computer.

A look inside a computer

Let's explore the inside of a computer tower.

CPU/processor

The central processing unit (CPU), also called a processor, is located inside the computer case on the motherboard. It is sometimes called the brain of the computer, and its job is to carry out commands. Whenever you press a key, click the mouse, or start an application, you're sending instructions to the CPU.

The CPU is generally a two-inch ceramic square with a silicon chip located inside. The chip is usually about the size of a thumbnail. The CPU fits into the motherboard's CPU socket, which is covered by the heat sink, an object that absorbs heat from the CPU.

A processor's speed is measured in megahertz (MHz), or millions of instructions per second; and gigahertz (GHz), or billions of instructions per second. A faster processor can execute instructions more quickly. However, the actual speed of the computer depends on the speed of many different components—not just the processor.

There are many processor manufacturers for personal computers, but the most well-known ones are Intel and AMD.

Motherboard

The motherboard is the computer's main circuit board. It's a thin plate that holds the CPU, memory, connectors for the hard drive and optical drives, expansion cards to control the video and audio, and connections to your computer's ports (such as USB ports). The motherboard connects directly or indirectly to every part of the computer.

Power supply unit

The power supply unit in a computer converts the power from the wall outlet to the type of power needed by the computer. It sends power through cables to the motherboard and other components.

If you decide to open the computer case and take a look, make sure to unplug the computer first. Before touching the inside of the computer, you should touch a grounded metal object—or a metal part of the computer casing—to discharge any static buildup. Static electricity can be transmitted through the computer circuits and ruin them.

RAM (random access memory)

RAM is your system's short-term memory. Whenever your computer performs calculations, it temporarily stores the data in the RAM until it is needed.

This short-term memory disappears when the computer is turned off. If you're working on a document, spreadsheet, or other type of file, you'll need to save it to avoid losing it. When you save a file, the data is written to the hard drive, which acts as long-term storage.

RAM is measured in megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB). The more RAM you have, the more things your computer can do at the same time. If you don't have enough RAM, you may notice that your computer is sluggish when you have several programs open. Because of this, many people add extra RAM to their computers to improve performance.

Hard drive

The hard drive on your computer is where the software is installed, and it's also where your documents and other files are stored. The hard drive is long-term storage, which means the data is still saved even if you turn the computer off or unplug it.

When you run a program or open a file, the computer copies some of the data from the hard drive onto the RAM. When you save a file, the data is copied back to the hard drive. The faster the hard drive is, the faster your computer can start up and load programs.

Expansion cards

Most computers have expansion slots on the motherboard that allow you to add various types of expansion cards. These are sometimes called PCI (peripheral component interconnect) cards. You may never have to add any PCI cards because most motherboards have built-in video, sound, network, and other capabilities. However, if you want to boost the performance of your computer or update the capabilities of an older computer, you can always add one or more cards. Below are some of the most common types of expansion cards.

Video card

The video card is responsible for what you see on the monitor. Most computers have a GPU (graphics processing unit) built into the motherboard instead of having a separate video card. If you like playing graphics-intensive games, you can add a faster video card to one of the expansion slots to get better performance.

Sound card

The sound card, also called an audio card, is responsible for what you hear in the speakers or headphones. Most motherboards have integrated sound, but you can upgrade to a dedicated sound card for higher-quality sound.

Network card

The network card allows your computer to communicate over a network and access the Internet. It can either connect with an Ethernet cable or through a wireless connection (often called Wi-Fi). Many motherboards have built-in network connections, and a network card can also be added to an expansion slot.

Bluetooth card

Bluetooth is a technology for wireless communication over short distances. It's often used in computers to communicate with wireless keyboards, mice, and printers. It's often built into the motherboard or included in a wireless network card. For computers that don't have Bluetooth, a USB adapter, called a dongle, can be purchased.

Challenge!

• Review the parts of the computer identified in this lesson. Make sure you know the function of each part.
• Think creatively! In the videos, we compared the CPU to a brain, the hard drive to a closet, and the motherboard to a blueprint. Do any of the computer parts listed remind you of anything else?
• Find out your computer's processor speed. Is it measured in gigahertz or megahertz? How much RAM does your computer have?

Source :

http://www.gcflearnfree.org/internetsafety