How do I use a Browser?

Once you are connected to the Internet (either a direct connection like Alverno or a dial in connection) you use your browser to access web sites using a URL - Uniform Resource Locator - which is a unique address for the web site. A URL can be made up of several portions - a server name, a path (or set of folders or directories) and a file name.

An example of a URL would be:

To access the web page listed in the above URL, you would type that URL into the box next to the word Location (Netscape) or Address (Internet Explorer) and press the Enter (Microsoft Windows Machines) or Return (Macintosh Machines). You will need to wait a few seconds for the Internet to find the web page and then display it in the browser.

Try this: Type in the following address in your browser's Location or Address box

depts.alverno.edu/CIL/mod1/urlcheck.html

and press the Enter or Return Keys. To get back to this page, click the button Return to Web Tutorial.

You can also return to a previously viewed page by clicking the Back Button located on top of the browser.

Continue to the next section of the What is the web? - What are some useful browser buttons?