===================================================== 8 Mar 94 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS HOW DO I CONNECT TO THE INTERNET? Many alternatives exist for connecting to the Internet depending on who you are and what you want to do. It is important first to understand that the Internet consists of many networks of computers con- nected together. Each country typically has one or more national public internet backbones which are connected to each other through a variety of global arrangements. At regional and local levels, there are tens of thousands of organizations of every conceivable kind that have built their own enterprise internets and connect them to the national backbones via a network access service. Most of these second tier networks are operated by organizations that provide Internet access to their internal staff or specialize in providing widespread public access to end-users. There are basically two kinds of Internet end-user access provided: o host access where end-users connect their computers to become part of the Internet, or o terminal access where end users connect to a host computer which is directly connected to the Internet. The computer terminal itself is not directly connected. Lastly, many kinds of Email and on-line services provide gateway access for messages to their customers. WHAT ARE MY BASIC OPTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS? 1. Network access assumes you have a LAN or WAN that support TCP/IP protocols. Such networks are generally owned and maintained by organizations to tie together their information resources and support host and terminal access. The chief option is usually the bandwidth of the access (e.g., from 14.4 to 1500 kbit/s). The cus- tomer must also acquire the circuit to the Internet access provider’s point of presence. Some provid- ers allow resale of the access service to third parties or the public. 2. Host access assumes you have a computer and software that can support TCP/IP protocols and potentially provides the full range and power of Internet services limited only by the capability of your computer. Although very good, easy to use software has recently become available even for PCs and Macs, host access Internet connection generally presume a modicum of computer liter- acy. The primary options are generally the method of access (such as attachment to a Local Area Network, local dialup, 800 dialup, ISDN, or CATV data service), protocol supported (e.g., SLIP, CSLIP, or PPP), and POP server services. 3. Terminal access assumes only that you have a computer with a modem and simple "asyn- chronous" communications software that allows operation as a terminal. The primary option is generally the kinds of services provided (e.g., generally primarily Email, and may include FTP, Telnet, or text-based Gopher services to the pro- vider’s host computer). Binary files can only be moved to your computer through additional file transfer steps or encoding schemes. 4. Gateway access assumes only that you have the ability to use the services of a particular Email or on-line services provider - however it is done. HOW DO I GET CONNECTED? o Choose the type of access that best meets your capabilities and needs as described above. o Find the access providers that serve your area and determine services, costs, and sup- port that meet your requirements. A pro- vider list is available upon request from the Internet Society. o Obtain the necessary software for your com- puter system and your selected access serv- ice. Network and host access require TCP/IP software. Terminal or gateway ac- cess generally require only common asyn- chronous communications software. Some gateway access providers may have their own proprietary software. A software list is available upon request from the Internet So- ciety. HOW DO I GET MORE INFORMATION? Many excellent reference and guide books on the Internet, its technologies and applications have become available in bookstores and libraries. Some also include basic software. Periodicals are also available by subscription. The Internet Soci- ety’s membership publications and conferences provide current comprehensive information and notices about a broad range of worldwide Internet developments. Courtesy of the Internet Society, Reston VA, US Copyright © 1994 Internet Society FAQ 94-005 v.1.0 =================================================== Internet Host and Terminal Access Providers Country Local Area Provider Area Codes Phone Nos. Australia Melbourne, Sydney connect.com.au pty ltd +61 3, +61 2 +61 3 5282239 Canada Montreal Communications Accessibles Montreal 514 514-931-0749 Canada Ontario, Canada HookUp Communication Corporation 800, PDN, 416, 519 519-747-4110 Canada Edmonton PUCnet Computer Connections 403 403-448-1901 Canada Toronto UUnorth 416, 519, 613 416-225-8649 Germany Germany Individual Network e.V. (IN) +49 +49 21 31 64190 Germany Frankfurt, Offenbach Individual Network - Rhein-Main +49 069 +49 69 39 048413 Germany Ruhr INS - Inter Networking Systems +49 23 +49 2305 356505 Germany Munich muc.de e.V. +49 089 Greece Athens Ariadne - Greek Academic and Research Network +301 +301 65-13-392 UK London Demon Internet Systems (DIS) +44 (0)81 +44 (0)81 349 0063 UK London UK PC User Group +44 (0)81 +44 (0)81 863 6646 UK London The Direct Connection +44 (0)81 +44 (0)81 317 0100 USA San Francisco a2i communications 408, 415 408-293-8078 USA Portland RainDrop Laboratories 503 n/a USA Alaska University Of Alaska Southeast, Tundra Services 907 907-465-6453 USA Providence Anomaly - Rhode Island's Gateway To The Internet 401, 508 401-273-4669 USA Montana Big Sky Telegraph 406 406-683-7338, 800-982- 6668 USA Houston The Black Box 713 (713) 480-2684 USA Washington DC CAPCON Library Network 202, 301, 410, 703 202-331-5771 USA Washington DC Clark Internet Services, Inc. (ClarkNet) 202, 301, 410, 703 800-735-2258 then 410- 730-9764 USA California-USA Cooperative Library Agency for Systems and Services 310, 415, 510, 619, 714, 818, 800 USA Denver Community News Service 303, 719, 800 719-592-1240 USA North Carolina CONCERT-CONNECT 704, 919 919-248-1999 USA San Diego CTS Network Services (CTSNET) 619 USA Calif., Arizona, Georgia, USA CR Laboratories Dialup Internet Access 213, 310, 404, 415, 510, 602, 707, 800 USA Denver Colorado SuperNet, Inc. 303, 719, 800 USA San Diego The Cyberspace Station 619 n/a USA Boston, KS City DELPHI 617, PDN 800-544-4005 USA California DIAL n' CERF or DIAL n' CERF AYC 213, 310, 415, 510, 619, 714, 818 800-876-2373 or 619- 455-3900 USA USA DIAL n' CERF USA 800 800-876-2373 or 619- 455-3900 USA New York Echo Communications 212 212-255-3839 USA Seattle Eskimo North 206 206-367-7457 USA Arizona Evergreen Communications 602 602-955-8315 USA Washington DC Express Access - Digital Express 202, 301, 410, 703, 714, 908 USA Dayton Freelance Systems Programming 513 (513) 258-7246 USA Seattle GLAIDS NET 206 206-323-7483 USA Seattle Halcyon 206 206-955-1050 USA Berkeley HoloNet 510, PDN 510-704-0160 USA Rhode Island (northern) The IDS World Network 401 401-884-7856 USA San Francisco Institute for Global Communications/IGC 415, 800, PDN 415-442-0220 USA Phoenix, Tucson Internet Direct, Inc. 602 602-274-0200, 602-324- 0200 USA USA The John von Neumann Computer Network - Tiger Mail & Dialin’ Terminal 800 800-35-TIGER, 609- 897-7300 USA Northeast USA The John von Neumann Computer Network - Dialin' Tiger 201, 203, 215, 401, 516, 609, 908 800-35-TIGER, 609- 897-7300 USA Los Angeles KAIWAN Public Access Internet Online Services 213, 310, 714 714-638-2139 USA New York Maestro 212, 718 212-240-9600 USA Chicago MCSNet 312, 708, 815 312-248-UNIX USA Dallas Texas Metronet 214 214-401-2800 USA Michigan, Washington DC, Boston, USA Merit Network, Inc. 313, 517, 616, 906, PDN 313-764-9430 USA Millennium Online PDN 800-736-0122 USA New York MindVOX 212, 718 212-989-2418 USA MI (southeast) MSen 313 313-998-4562 USA New Hampshire MV Communications, Inc. 603 603-429-2223 USA Boston NEARnet 508, 603, 617 617-873-8730 USA major metro areas Netcom Online Communication Services 206, 213, 214, 303, 310, 312, 404, 408, 415, 503, 510, 617, 619, 703, 714, 718, 818, 916 408-554-8649, 800-501- 8649 USA Boston North Shore Access 617, 508 617-593-3110 USA Boston NovaLink 508, 617, PDN 800-274-2814 USA Huntsville Nuance Network Services 205 205-533-4296 USA Houston South Coast Computing Services, Inc. 713 713-661-3301 USA Seattle Northwest Nexus Inc. 206 206-455-3505 USA Denver, Boulder Nyx 303 N/A USA Ohio areas OARnet 614, 513, 419, 216, 800 614-292-8100 USA Colorado Springs Old Colorado City Communications 719 719-632-4848, 719-593- 7575 or 719-636-2040 USA Seattle Olympus 206 206-385-0464 USA New York PANIX Public Access Unix 212, 718 212-877-4854 USA New York The Pipeline 212, 718 212-267-3636 USA San Jose The Portal System 408, 415, PDN 408-973-9111 USA Champaign-Urbana Prairienet Freenet 217 217-244-1962 USA Philadelphia, Pitts- burgh, Harrisburg PREPnet 215, 412, 717, 814 412-268-7870 USA Major metro areas PSI - PSILink - Personal Internet Access [many], PDN 703-620-6651 USA Major metro areas PSI - World-Dial Service PDN 703-620-6651 USA Austin RealTime Communications (wixer) 512 512-451-0046 USA Houston, New Orleans NeoSoft's Sugar Land Unix 504, 713 713-438-4964 USA Portland, Beaverton Teleport 503 503-223-4245 USA Pittsburgh Telerama Public Access Internet 412 412-481-3505 USA San Jose TelLink Networking 408, 415 408-247-8445 USA Washington DC The Meta Network 703, 202, 301, PDN 703-243-6622 USA most metro areas UUNET Technologies Inc {many} 703-204-8000, 800-488- 6384 USA Charlotte, Raleigh- Durham Vnet Internet Access, Inc. 704 704-374-0779 USA Sausalito The Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link (WELL) 415, PDN 415-332-4335 USA Cleveland APK- Public Access UNI* Site 216 216-481-9428 USA Boston The World 617, PDN 617-739-0202 USA Norfolk, Williamsburg VA Wyvern Technologies, Inc. 804 804-622-4289 PDN = X.25 Public Data Network Service (provides global access with traffic charges) Ref: Peter Kaminsky (Pdial), Aldea Communications, SRI International. The Internet Society is not responsible for errors or omissions. =====================================================================