The Internet is nothing more than an online version of our physical world, a large collection of networks which connect together to allow us to communicate with each other and facilitate access to information of all kinds. The Internet, also called ‘the World Wide Web’ connects us to each other via a collection of high-speed networks like the Internets largest broadband provider, Internets largest cable company, and the leading satellite Internet provider. The Internet is simply an overlay of all the different kinds of networks which connect to the Internet. Internet service is provided through a wide range of methods including: leased lines, phone and cable service, wireless broadband connections and satellite Internet. With so many options to choose from, how can anyone decide what Internet service to go with?
Most people think of the Internet as being a global network where users can log on to their computers and access various services from anywhere in the world at any time. This is a relatively oversimplified view of the Internet; however, the major components of the Internet make it susceptible to international competition and, therefore, forces the Internet Service Provider to continually seek ways to differentiate itself from its competitors and remain in business. The Internet also cannot be considered a purely national phenomenon – there are several international conferences which aim to connect the different Internet users and provide them with guidelines on how to use the Internet properly. The most popular method of communicating over the Internet, which was largely developed in the United States, is the so-called IP (Internet Protocol) networking. IP networking is commonly used for local area network (LAN) networks which are used in homes and small businesses for local Internet communication. There are other methods of communicating over the Internet as well; however, the most widely used method is the standard Internet protocol.
It would be incorrect to say that the Internet does not require any human intervention or interaction to function; rather, the Internet works because of interactions between people. People use the Internet for many different kinds of communication, including communicating with each other via email, instant messaging, chat rooms, newsgroups, and even live web conferences. As was previously mentioned, there are many different kinds of interactions that take place on the Internet, with millions of users from around the globe using it every single day. The Internet has changed the way that many people communicate and form relationships and businesses have adapted quickly to this change.