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Beginners Guide
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Exploring the Internet
The following "exploring the internet" segment is directed to new users,
especially users of Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser and Microsoft's Outlook Express
email program. However there is information here that will be of use to all users.
The Internet can help you work, learn, shop, communicate, or just have fun. It can broaden your horizons. This document will help get you up and "surfing."
- Exploring Part 2 (Separate Page)
Finding Information on the Internet
Finding people on the internet
Making Your Computer Look and Work like the Web
Information in this document is subject to change without notice. The names of companies, products, people, characters, and/or data mentioned herein are fictitious and are in no way intended to represent any real individual, company, product, or event, unless otherwise noted. Complying with all applicable copyright laws is the responsibility of the user. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without the express written permission of Microsoft Corporation. If, however, your only means of access is electronic, permission to print one copy is hereby granted.
Microsoft may have patents, patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property rights covering subject matter in this document. Except as expressly provided in any written license agreement from Microsoft, the furnishing of this document does not give you any license to these patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property.
Portions of this document are © 1996/1997/2002 Microsoft Corporation.
Microsoft, MS, Windows, Windows NT, NT Server, Visual Basic, ActiveX, Active Desktop, ActiveMovie, and the Windows logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S.A. and/or other countries.
Any third-party trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
This document will help you get started using the Internet and Web, learn more about its history, and give you ideas about how you might use the Web. Once you’re up and "surfing," you’ll undoubtedly encounter some challenges. We hope you’ll find that communicating with people around the world is worth dealing with the challenges. And, remember that Internet technology is constantly growing and improving.
Depending on how much you know or where you are in the process of using the Internet, you may find the beginning sections of this document helpful:
- Introducing the Internet (Web)
- System Requirements
- Getting Connected
- Troubleshooting
If you already know what the Internet is and have gotten connected, but want to know more about using Internet Explorer, you can skip ahead to "Using the Internet Explorer Web Browser."
Introducing the Internet (Web)
These days, you see Web addresses (such as www.microsoft.com) everywhere: on T-shirts, billboards, and television advertisements. You may wonder what it’s all about: where is the Web, why does it exist, or who owns it?
Simply put, the Web, which is a part of a larger group of connected computers called the Internet, is a system that enables you to see documents in richly formatted text and graphics. Perhaps you’ve heard a wide range of opinions about the Web. Some people consider it to be the best place to spend time and energy. Other people regard it as "hype" and a waste of time. What can the Web, also known as the World Wide Web or WWW, do for you?
In some ways, the Web is like a huge, disorganized encyclopedia with text and pictures about subjects ranging from aardvarks to zygotes. The Web differs from a volume of printed books, because Web content is constantly being added to and changed. It isn’t created by a single publishing company, and it comes in a variety of forms: text, video, graphics, and even pages you can interact with.
The Web has its challenges. It’s not always easy to find what you want. You might encounter broken links (text or pictures you click to move to another page). One reason the Web is imperfect is that no one person or company owns all the hardware, the software, or the content. Some view this as a handicap; for example, the Internet doesn’t have a customer service department you can complain to. Some view this as a strength, however, because it fosters a sense of freedom and diversity.
The Web brings with it a lot of new terms and concepts. The "Understanding Internet terms" section at the end of this document explains many of the more common ones.
You may wonder how the Internet was created, and what makes the Internet work. In the late 1960s, the United States Department of Defense sought ways to buffer its network from problems, ranging from power outages to military disasters. Its network had been centralized, and officials believed a decentralized network was more resistant to disasters. The point was to create a network that could still function, even if a portion was damaged or inoperable.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency launched its own decentralized network, called ARPANET. The network relied on a protocol – or a common set of communications rules—called Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, or TCP/IP.
The network was used by the government and occasionally by universities. Over time, more and more educational institutions sought ARPANET connections, so ARPANET was split into two sections: NSFNET, for civilians, and MILNET, for the military.
Though the 1980s, people and institutions from Europe and Asia began to use the Internet. The Internet provided various ways to share data, though electronic mail, Telnet (a service that enables one computer to log onto another), and newsgroups, sometimes known as bulletin boards.
In the middle 1980s, CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics in Geneva, expanded TCP/IP throughout its network, called CERNET. Initially, CERNET didn’t use external connections, but by 1989, it began using the Internet as a means of transmitting data. Tim Berners-Lee, a CERN researcher, proposed the World Wide Web project as a graphical, nonlinear means for physicists to share data and collaborate on projects.
In the early 1990s, the Web was born. Server computers from other institutions—such as the National Center for Super Computing—were added to the Web project. Web browsers—programs that help people view WWW content—started being developed. And other institutions begin to use the Web, although the initial use was primarily among scientists and educational institutions.
In the next few years, the popularity of the Internet exploded. More and more companies offered Internet service. More companies, institutions, and private individuals created Web sites. Now, you can find Web sites for anything from Abyssinian cats to Zanzibari culture.
Perhaps you’re wondering how the Internet might help you. Well, do you have hobbies that you want to know more about? Are you wanting to increase your professional knowledge? Are you planning a trip? Searching for a friend? Here are some ideas.
Imagine that you build radio-controlled boats. You might find companies who sell parts, clubs who share the same hobbies, and tips and tricks about installing motors. Whatever your hobbies are, you might be surprised to find out how many people across the world share similar interests.
You may be able to find information about your profession. Do you belong to a professional association? It may have a Web page. Are you interested in a specific technology or process? Some researchers publish excerpts from their work. Are you looking for a job? Some companies post their own job listings, and some sites are devoted to employment information. Many metropolitan newspapers—and some smaller newspapers—post employment information on the Web.
Suppose you’re planning a trip to Barbados. By searching the Web, you can find out what the climate is like, which official documents (such as proof of citizenship) you’ll need, and what to do for fun. (For information about searching, see "Finding Information on the Internet" later in this document.) You might even find a menu from a restaurant, or a restaurant review. You might find places to call or write for more information. Some services even enable you to purchase an airline ticket or book a hotel. You should be careful about the information you find on the Web, though, especially if you don’t know the company or person who produced it.
Are you an investor? You can find a wide variety of investment information on the Internet. You can even find official 10K reports, which companies provide to the Securities Exchange Commission. Investing is another area where you should be especially careful. Don’t provide personal or financial information to anyone you don’t trust. For more information about security, see "Setting Security Levels" later in this document.
Have you lost touch with a friend? You can search for people by using popular Internet white pages. For information, see "Finding People on the Internet" later in this document.
Now that you have a basic grasp of what the Internet is, why not jump in and start using Internet Explorer?
Where do you start when you want to explore the Internet? This section tells you what you need and how to get connected.
If you haven’t already connected to the Internet, you’ll need a modem and an Internet service provider (sometimes called an ISP) who supplies a "gateway" to the Internet, or access to a local area network (LAN) that supplies Internet services.
If you’re connecting to the Internet from home, you’ll probably connect using a modem. A modem can be inside your computer, or it can attach externally to your computer. If your computer didn’t come with one, you can purchase a modem through mail order, from a computer store, or in the electronics section of some department and discount stores.
Here’s a checklist that will help you get started:
- Microsoft Windows® 95,98 or Microsoft Windows NT®
- 12 megabytes (MB) of memory for Windows 95 or 16 if you install the Windows Desktop Update; 16 MB of memory for Windows NT 4.0 or 24 MB if you install the Windows Desktop Update
- 40 to 73 MB of available hard-disk space to run Internet Explorer components
- A CD-ROM drive (recommended)
- A modem (14.4K baud or higher) or a connection to a local area network (LAN)
- An Internet service provider (ISP)
- A mouse or compatible pointing device
Note If you install from an Internet location, you may need between 56 and 98 MB for the installation process, depending on which additional features and programs you install.
Follow the instructions from your Internet Service provider for installing Internet Explorer.
After Internet Explorer is installed on your computer, double-click the Internet Explorer icon on your computer desktop. If you are connecting to the Internet for the first time, the Internet Connection Wizard appears. Follow the instructions in the wizard to set up your connection.
If you encounter problems, consult the materials that your ISP or network administrator supplied you. If you have a modem, you should double-check the settings. To do this, in Control Panel, double-click the Modems icon, and make sure the settings are correct for your type of modem.
Are you having problems getting started? If you received written materials from your ISP, you should check to see if they contain troubleshooting instructions, and then follow them. If you’re already up and surfing, then you can skip to the "Using the Internet Explorer Web Browser" section of this document.
The first step in troubleshooting a problem is to write down any error message that appears when you try to complete a task. You should also try to remember exactly what you were doing when the message appeared. That way, if you call for assistance, you can give technical support personnel as much information as possible.
Trouble setting up the connection
If you’re having trouble setting up an Internet connection, the troubleshooting steps you need to take vary depending on what option you chose when you ran the Internet Connection Wizard. The wizard offers three options to set up your computer to connect to the Internet: Automatic, Manual, and Current.
Automatic
This option is best if you don’t have an account with an ISP. The wizard sets up your computer and gives you a choice of service providers.
If you chose this option and can’t connect, the Internet Connection Wizard displays a Could Not Connect screen with a Help button. Click Help to open the Internet Connection Wizard Troubleshooter. This is the best way to solve problems setting up your Internet connection.
If you still encounter problems after running the troubleshooter, you can find product support phone numbers in online Help. Look up "support" in the Internet Explorer Help Index. If you are trying to connect to the sign-up page for an ISP, contact the ISP’s customer support.
Manual/Current
The Manual setup option is best if you want to connect to the Internet by using a local area network or if you already have an account with an ISP and need to set up your computer to use that account.
The Current setup option is best if your computer is already set up to connect to the Internet or you already have an account with an ISP. Choosing this option bypasses the Internet Connection Wizard and starts Internet Explorer the next time you double-click the Internet Explorer icon on your desktop.
If you chose either of these options and can’t connect, the Internet Connection Wizard does not provide additional help. In this case, you should investigate two broad areas to find the source of your problem:
- Check to see whether your modem is set up and working properly. For more information, see the next section, "Trouble with Your Modem."
- Check to see whether you correctly entered the following account information when you set up your connection software to your ISP. If you’re using Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows NT, you’ll type this information into Dial-Up Networking. To start the Dial-Up Networking setup wizard, double-click the My Computer icon, and then double-click Dial-Up Networking.
If you connect through an ISP, type:
- The name of your service provider
- Your user name
- Your password
- The phone number you dial to connect to the Internet
- Your POP3 and SMTP mail server addresses
- Your Domain Name System (DNS) server address
- Your IP address and subnet mask, if any
- Authentication procedure (whether or not your provider requires a terminal window to log on)
- If you don’t know any of these, contact your ISP.
- If you connect through a local area network (LAN), type the address of the Internet gateway computer (or proxy server) on your network from your network administrator.
If you are still experiencing problems, consult the materials you received from your ISP, or contact your ISP.
Trouble with your modem
To determine whether you can’t connect because your modem is not working or set up properly, ask yourself the following questions:
- Is the modem attempting to dial? If it is dialing properly, you should hear a dial tone, followed by a sequence of tones, just as when you place a phone call.
- If you can’t hear a dial tone, check to see whether the modem is properly installed:
- If it is an external modem, make sure it is turned on.
- Make sure that the wire between the modem and the phone jack is firmly connected to both outlets.
- If the modem is an external modem, make sure it is attached to the correct COM port and that the power is on. For more information, see the modem topic in the online Help for your operating system.
- Check to see whether the correct modem is installed in the modem setup dialog box. For more information, see the modem topic in the online Help for your operating system.
- If the modem is connecting, are you able to log on? What do you see when you attempt to log on? If you can’t log on, there is most likely a problem with the way your software is set up to connect with your ISP. For more information, contact your ISP.
Browsing the Internet
Once you’re connected, you might wonder how to start browsing or "surfing" the Web. The first page that appears when you start your browser will most likely have links on it. You can click those links to see other pages, or you can search for pages that interest you. There are also links on the Links bar near the top of the browser window.
A link, sometimes known as a hyperlink, is an electronic path to another page or address on the Internet. Sometimes it appears as colored and/or underlined text, sometimes as a picture. If you’re not sure where the links are, move the mouse pointer around the screen until the pointer turns into a hand.
Every Web page has an address, known as the Uniform Resource Locator, or URL. You’ll see it in the Address bar, near the top of the browser window, every time you open a new Web page. An address usually appears as a string of letters, punctuation, and slashes, such as http://home.microsoft.com/, but it may contain numbers as well.
If you’ve already spent a lot of time browsing the Internet, then you may want to skip to "Having the Internet Delivered to You" later in this document, to learn ways to explore the Internet that are new to Internet Explorer.
You can extend the Internet and Web technology beyond your Web browser. You can display Web content—such as a stock ticker—directly on your desktop, and have the content updated automatically.
Tips You never know what you might find on the Internet, and in some cases, you may want to limit access to inappropriate sites. For more information, see "Using Ratings to Limit Internet access" later in this document.
Some Web pages take longer to download than others. If a page takes too long, you can click the Stop button on the toolbar and try again later.
You can go directly to a Web page by typing its address in the Address bar near the top of the browser window. The Address bar also displays the address for the Web page you’re currently viewing.
Tip If the Address bar does not appear, click the View menu, point to Toolbar, and then click Address.
Sometimes it’s not so easy to remember the exact address of the page you want to go to. With Internet Explorer, you don’t need to type the entire address. Just start typing, and the AutoComplete feature suggests a match based on Web sites you visited previously.
„ To automatically complete Internet addresses
- In the Address bar, start typing the address you want to go to.
- If you’ve visited the site before, the AutoComplete feature suggests a match as you type.
- For example, if you type microso, Internet Explorer guesses that you want to open the Microsoft Web site at http://www.microsoft.com.
- After AutoComplete finds a match or you’ve finished typing the Web address, press ENTER.
- If you press CTRL+ENTER, Internet Explorer completes the exact address that you typed. For example, if you typed microso it would try to open http://www.microso.com/.
Note You can turn off the AutoComplete feature if you want. For information, look up "Turning off AutoComplete" in the Internet Explorer Help Index.
You can move back and forth through the pages you’ve just browsed. You can usually move backward through all the pages you’ve visited in the current session. After you move backward through one or more pages, you can move forward again to the pages you passed.
„ To move back or forward through pages you’ve already visited
- On the toolbar, click the Back or Forward button.
Tips You can also move through recently viewed Web pages by pressing and holding down the alt key and pressing the left or right arrow key.
To see a list of the last several pages you’ve typed into the Address bar, click the down arrow on the Address bar.
The Back and Forward buttons also store a list of recent pages. Click the small down arrow next to the button to see the list.
When you open a Web page for the first time, Internet Explorer temporarily saves the pictures and text in a folder on your hard disk called Temporary Internet Files. When you return to a page you’ve already visited, Internet Explorer can either show you what’s in this folder or return to the page to see if anything has changed.
By doing this, Internet Explorer saves the time it takes to connect and re-download the same Web page. But if you suspect something might have changed since your last visit, you might want to refresh the page.
„ To refresh a page
- On the toolbar, click the Refresh button. Internet Explorer downloads the page again.
Tip You can also refresh a page by pressing the F5 key.
For more information, see "Managing Your Temporary Internet Files" later in this document.
Saving shortcuts to your favorite pages
Sooner or later, you’ll find a Web site you know you’ll want to visit again and again. You can save an address as a shortcut in your Favorites list, on the Links bar, or on the desktop.
Saving shortcuts in the Favorites list
You can save favorite Web pages (and other documents) and then select from an organized list in Internet Explorer and go directly to them, a real convenience if you expect to have lots of favorite pages or sites.
„ To save a shortcut in the Favorites list
- View the Web page or document you want to add to the list.
- On the Favorites menu, click Add to Favorites.
Tips You can also right-click (click using the right mouse button) an empty space on the Web page and then click Add to Favorites.
To view your favorite items, just click the Favorites menu or the Favorites button on the toolbar.
To help organize your favorites, you can add the link to a specific folder by clicking Create In.
The Links bar, located near the Address bar, contains preselected links to a few Microsoft Web pages. To open the Links bar, double-click the word Links or drag the left edge of the bar. As you’re browsing, you can easily add links to your Links bar.
„ To add a link to the Links bar
- Drag the icon for the page from the Address bar to the Links bar.
- Drag a link from a Web page to the Links bar.
- Drag a link to the Links folder in your Favorites list: You can either drag it directly to the Favorites menu and then into the Links folder or you can drag it to the Links folder when displaying your Favorites list..
- Go to the Web page you want to add to your Links bar. Click the Favorites menu, click Add to Favorites, click Create In, and then click Links.
Note You can delete a link from the Links bar by right-clicking it and then clicking Delete.
Tip If the Links bar does not appear, click the View menu, point to Toolbar, and then click Links.
Creating desktop shortcuts to Web pages
It’s easy to place a shortcut to a page on your desktop. Then you can just double-click the shortcut icon to start Internet Explorer and go to the page.
„ To place a shortcut on your desktop
- Go to the Web page you want to add as a desktop shortcut.
- On the File menu, click Create Shortcut.
- Or right-click in the Web page, and then click Create as Shortcut.
Tip If the Internet Explorer window is not maximized, you can crate a shortcut by dragging a link from within a Web page to your desktop.
Finding Information on the Internet
The Search feature in Internet Explorer makes it easy to find what you want on the Web. And the History and Favorites features, in addition to the Back and Forward buttons, make it easy to see where you’ve been and where you’re going.
The Explorer bar in the Internet Explorer browser lets you work with helpful links on the left side of the browser window while viewing Web pages on the right side.
In the Explorer bar, you can search the Internet, manage links to your favorite sites, see a list of the sites you’ve recently visited, and view the choice of Web channels. You display the Explorer bar by clicking the Search, Favorites, History, or Channels buttons on the toolbar.
Note When you’ve found the information you’re looking for, just click the toolbar button again to hide the Explorer bar.
Searching the Internet
Searching the Internet can be difficult, especially if there are many pages that contain information about the subject you’re looking for. It’s possible to receive hundreds of responses to a single query. It can be quite time-consuming to keep switching from the list of responses to the pages they link to.
The Explorer bar solves this problem by simultaneously displaying the list of pages that match your search and the contents of the pages. You can even start a new search in the Explorer bar without closing your current Web page.
When you click the Search button on the toolbar, the Explorer bar opens and you’ll see links to several search services that offer different searching capabilities. Some offer tips for advanced searches which can help you when information is hard to find or when you get too many responses to your queries.
„ To search for Web pages
- On the Internet Explorer toolbar, click the Search button.
- In the Explorer bar, type the word or phrase you’re looking for, and then click Search.
- In the list of search results, click a link to display the Web page in the right side of the browser window.
Tips If you want to find information even more quickly, you can use the AutoSearch feature by typing go, find, or ? followed by a word or phrase right in the Address bar. In newer versions of Internet Explorer, just type what you want in the address bar!
You can get additional information about a Web page whose link appears in the Explorer bar. Just point to the link to display notes about the page.
If you get stuck while searching—you don’t get any search results or you get too many search results—add new terms to your search, use fewer terms, or try different terms. You may also want to try different search services, since they use different ways to locate information on the Web.
See Also You can also search for text within a Web page. For more information, look up "Finding text on a Web page" in the Internet Explorer Help Index.
Viewing your Favorites list
When you click the Favorites button, the Explorer bar opens displaying your Favorites list, in addition to the Channels, Links, and My Documents folders. If you click My Documents, then you can explore your hard disk right in the browser window.
Tips You can organize your Favorites list by dragging files to and from folders and deleting files and folders.
You can also view and organize your favorite items from the Start menu.
Viewing pages you’ve recently visited
Perhaps you remember a Web site you visited on Tuesday, and you want to view it again. The Explorer bar can display the pages you’ve visited, organized by week and day as well as by the site they belong to, which is helpful if you visited several Web pages at one site.
„ To view the pages you’ve recently visited
- On the toolbar, click the History button, and then click the appropriate folder.
You can change the number of days that Internet Explorer saves Web pages in your History list. Reducing the number of days saves disk space. For more information, look up "history" in the Internet Explorer Help Index.
Viewing channels
Channels are special Web sites that download content to your computer. You can display the list of channels you’re subscribed to, as well as those that are available, in the Explorer bar. You can use the Microsoft Channel Guide to preview information about additional channels. For more information, see "Subscribing to Channels" later in this document.
Making Your Computer Look and Work like the Web
There are many ways that your computer can now look and work like the Web. For example, you can add a background image to your folders. You can open documents and start programs with a single-click instead of a double-click. You can open your favorite Web sites right from the Start menu or add toolbars to the taskbar or desktop.
Changing the way folders look
You can change the way your folders look for fun or to make them more useful¾ it’s easy with the Customize This Folder wizard.
You can display your favorite graphics as the background for your folders, just as you can for your desktop. You’ll also notice that some folders, such as My Computer and Control Panel, have a new look.
You can have your folder appear as a Web page (an HTML document), which can be useful if you share the folder with other people. If you are familiar with HTML (Hypertext Markup Language, the code used to create Web pages), you can modify the page. You can add instructions for using the files in the folder, for example, or insert links to helpful Web sites, such as technical support sites.
„ To change how a folder looks
- In a Windows Explorer or My Computer window, open a folder that you want to customize.
- On the View menu, click Customize this Folder.
- If you want to turn your folder into an HTML document, and you’re familiar with HTML format, click Create or edit an HTML document, and then follow the steps on your screen.
- If you want to add a picture to your folder background, click Choose a background picture, and then follow the steps on your screen.
Using single-clicks or double-clicks
If you chose to install the Windows Desktop Update during installation, your desktop and folder windows (such as My Computer or Windows Explorer) can be set up so that you point to an item to select it, and you single-click an item to open it, just like on the Web.
Tip If you did not originally install the Windows Desktop Update, look up "installing" in the Internet Explorer Help Index.
„ To change the number of clicks needed to open files
- In My Computer or Windows Explorer, click the View menu, and then click Folder Options.
- On the General tab, click Custom, based on settings you choose, and then click Settings.
- Under Click items as follows, click Single-click to open an item if you want to use the Web style.
- If you want Windows to work as usual, click Double-click to open an item.
Note If you change to single-click mode, some of the procedures in Internet Explorer Help will be incorrect; where the Help text reads "double-click" you will only have to click an icon once. Note that your old Windows 95 and Windows NT Help files are written for double-click mode.
Adding toolbars to the taskbar
To make it easier to find files and start programs, you can add toolbars to the taskbar. You can also move these toolbars to the desktop and create a custom toolbar.
„ To add a toolbar to the taskbar
- Right-click the taskbar, click Toolbars, and then click Address, Links, Desktop, or Quick Launch. The selected toolbar appears on the taskbar.
- To create your own toolbar, click New Toolbar, and then click the folder you want to create as a new toolbar.
- If you want to move a toolbar to the desktop, drag it off the taskbar, and then size it to your needs.
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