Knowing the distinct differences between your Internet Service Provider (ISP), your Web site, and your email system, will enable you to have a clearer understanding of Internet services.

Internet Service Providers

The Internet is a worldwide network of networks. To access the Internet, your computer telephones a computer that is already joined to the Internet. That Internet-connected computer is at your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

There are different types of ISPs:

1. Basic ISPs: Companies like Earthlink, A+NET, Juno, and others, whose main task is providing Internet access, and may also offer additional services.
2. Online Services: Companies like America Online (AOL), CompuServe, Microsoft Network, Prodigy, etc. Besides providing Internet access, they also provide extra services.
3. Phone Companies: AT&T, MCI, Qwest, Sprint and others, provide Internet access.

Web Site Space

This is where your Web site is physically stored, and it doesn't have to be with the same company you get Internet access from. Internet access and Web site space are two different elements. A business that "hosts" your Web site is known as a Web hosting company, or Internet Presence Provider (IPP). To access your Web site, your computer telephones your ISP, then your call is transferred to your Web site, at your IPP—which may reside at your ISP or on a server across the Internet.

The best place to put your business Web site is with a Web hosting company as a virtual domain. A virtual domain means having your own domain name—like http://www.thiscompany.com—without having to install expensive server hardware and software. With a virtual domain, you can rent a servers storage space, with the appearance of having your own Web server.

Many ISPs allow their users to set up their own Web pages. Each account comes with a certain amount of disk space. This is okay for a personal Web page, but can be inadequate for business usage. Many ISPs don't have the services that a business will need—like the ability to take orders online on a secure server, or the ability to add CGI scripts to your Web pages.

A POP Email Account

POP stands for Post Office Protocol, which is the standard email system used on the Internet. Most basic Internet Service Providers, and phone company ISPs, will give you a POP account, yet many online services don't. Several online services have their own mail systems that work in a very different manner—not allowing the relaying necessary to send and receive email with your selected domain name.

AOL, Prodigy, Compuserve, MSN and a few others are restrictive as they themselves do not offer true SMTP with their dial up service. SMTP means Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, and is a server that transmits mail out onto the Internet. If you are already with one of these online services, you may need to change ISPs to operate your domain email provided through NetResult Web Marketing. Your ISP needs to transmit POP accounts through SMTP. If you need help finding an ISP to switch to, use the Support Form for help.

If you are already with one of the above online services, and do not wish to change ISPs, you can access your domain email account by using Webmail—an email program provided with your hosting account with NetResult Web Marketing. With Webmail you can access your email from any computer, anywhere in the world. However, if you remain with one of the above online services which do not provide true SMTP, you will not be able to access your domain POP email through programs like Outlook Express.

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Having a POP account and your own domain name gives you the ability to create email aliases, like: suzann@yourcompany.com, info@yourcompany.com, land@yourcompany.com. It's best to have unlimited email aliases available within your POP account—which NetResult Web Marketing offers in its hosting services.

You can use email software to organize your messages, by automatically sorting them into separate folders. When you send a message, then your email software can place a copy into a certain folder, and when you receive a message it will automatically send it to a designated folder. Organizing your email can enable your business to be more productive, and your use of information more effective.