The Internet works by allowing you a passage in which to link to a provider. This service can be free but most ISP (Internet Service Providers) charge a fee ranging from $9.95 to $19.95. The rate depends on whether it is from a local area or a national area and how much time you spend on the Internet. This service allows you to connect to the many data banks and access their knowledge. It is believed that “ 60 million host computers on the Internet serve about 200 million users in over 200 countries and territories (Cerf, 12/99).” The links you connect through send your request to many different points around the world to obtain the information you have requested in a search. This also allows for communication by e-mail. E-mail is a way to correspond to someone by sending a message by Computer, which appears instantly on the other users Computer. The microphone communication devices even allow you to talk to the other person. This eliminates long distance calling because there is no additional charge for sending these messages. The telephone is still the largest communication device. However the growth rate of the telephone is estimated at 5-10 % per year the Computer growth rate is 80% per year. If this rate continues the Internet will be the largest communication device by the year 2006. The messages can even be photographs or scanned images sent in a link. The latest technology allows web cam to send a photo of your self as you are sitting there typing or talking. This is all made possible by a modem that converts the digital signals into analog signals which travels through the phone lines and makes communication with another database possible. The data is then retrieved and sent back to the origination point. The information travels extremely fast on a cable modem and extremely slow on a phone line. The reason for this is that a cable modem is fiber optic the phone line is analog. The analog system cannot communicate the data fast enough to make the correct communication. The information a Computer sends must be sent in order and transcribed in the same order to make the proper connection. Blanks or partial information will not register and wait for the remaining message. The technology is changing to keep pace with the advancing capabilities of the Internet. The Internet connection is a very important tool for a student or the curious minded because it allows communication to find all sorts of information.