Learning Debian GNU/Linux

Chapter 11. Getting Connected to the Internet

This chapter explains how to use Linux to connect to remote servers. First, it explains how to use wvdial, a program that makes it easy to connect to the Internet via a PPP connection provided by an ISP. Then, the chapter explains basic TCP/IP network concepts that you must know in order to administer a Linux system connected to the Internet or a local area network. So that you can use your knowledge of TCP/IP effectively, the chapter explains how to use pppconfig to configure and administer a system that connects to a local area network and to a remote server via PPP. Next, the chapter describes several popular network client applications available under Linux, including a web browser and an FTP client. The chapter then describes the use of minicom and seyon, which provide dial-out capabilities like those of Window’s hyperterminal. Finally, the chapter shows how to make a PPP connection manually, by using minicom.

Connecting to the Internet

Most Internet service providers (ISPs) offer two primary types of service: shell accounts and PPP (point-to-point protocol) accounts. Shell accounts were more popular before the advent of the Web. A shell account lets you use your computer much as if it were a virtual console associated with a remote computer. You can type commands, which are interpreted by the remote computer, and view the resulting output on your computer. Although a few web browsers, such as Lynx, can operate via a shell ...