Internet, where would we be without it? It's become an increasingly important part of our lives and without it, we could not have access to information, social media, movies, music, games, porn and so much more.
The internet for many is their only way of accessing information from the outside world. For some technology is a challenge and they just hop on the internet and that's as much as they know or care about it.
If you could care less, then this article is not for you. Now if you are the person who wants to know a little more about the internet, its inner workings, and has control over their internet, then this article was written for you!
Do you have control over your internet?
If you just use the web to surf it, chances are you probably don't. If you're a bit more advanced such as developer, designer, or programmer chances are you do.
You do not have to be in the latter group to have some sort of control over your internet. Control comes from having knowledge and we suggest it's a great idea to learn about your internet connection how it operates.
This article was created for the less-than-tech savvy that is intimidated or challenged. In many households it's common for children to know the computer and internet better than their parents. So if you don't have a great deal of time to learn such things this article will help you come up to speed real quick. After this you won't be intimidated and you'll be able to control your internet connection and your computer.
You don't have to be tech-savvy plus there are software programs and different things you can do that can help you squeeze the most potential out of your internet.
Does the browser make a difference?
Yes, they do. Most new computer users use the default browser that is prepackaged with the computer. If its windows its Internet Explorer, if it's Mac it's Safari.
Both browsers have come a long way from their beginnings offering users more advanced features than their users could hope to use. Does this make them better? This is a tricky question and our answer is no. Other's may differ in opinion but we right this not to add to the confusion but to help you gain control over your internet connection.
There are better browser options for you to choose from.
- Mozilla Firefox
- Google Chrome
- Opera
- Ubuntu
Before we go any further and get ahead of ourselves, watch this short video which will explain how the internet works when you type an address in the search bar.
Here we will focus on Mozilla's Firefox® because it has a wealth of features and is comparable to Google Chrome in many ways. We won't bore you with technical specs or other details because they're irrelevant to what we're about to show you.
We like Firefox® because it works. It's fast, flexible, and pretty secure. One of the best features of Firefox is it's expandability through helpful extensions called add-ons. And they have plenty to chose from!
Download Mozilla Firefox for free and get started today.
We'll focus more specifically on add-ons that give parents control over the home internet connection. We feel that parents should know what their children know or be slightly more advanced when it comes to your internet connection.
Once you get Mozilla Firefox, click in the upper left hand corner to begin finding extensions that will add functionality to the browser.
Don't worry if the upper right-hand corner of your Firefox browser looks different. It's supposed to be blank until you start installing add-ons.
- Click Add-ons in the Firefox menu
- Or hit Ctrl+Shift+A
This will take you to Get Add-ons Tab. Now, this is where all the fun begins.
In the search bar in the upper right hand corner of the screen type in what you're looking for.
Don't know what to look for?
Just to get you started, Firefox has Add-ons that can block out pornography (this is useful for parents who have a computer in the home that children have access to), save your passwords, block annoying ads and adverts, even quick notes. Have a look around and get more out of your internet now.
There will be more articles on this topic. Do you use Firefox® or another browser? What Add-ons do you find useful that you think others would like?
