What does an ISP do to get you connected to the Internet?

Answer 1

An internet service provider (abbr. ISP, also called Internet access provider or IAP) is a business or organization that offers users access to the Internet and related services. In the past, most ISP's were run by the phone company. Now ISP's can be started by just about anyone. They provide services such as Internet transit, domain name registration and hosting, dial-up or DSL access, leased line access and colocation.

Answer 2

Physically? they provide some sort of access (either dialup or cable modem, dsl or high speed T1 E1, ds1 ds3) at your site to Transport your information to the World Wide Web. They can own their own proprietary network (AOL) or aggregate all of their combined subscribers to purchase biger and bigger pipes of access to bring you to the net. They can issue you a domain name, some will offer you web making capabilities, but no matter what speed you access the net with there is a line resembling a telephone line, or in some cases it is a telephone line that connects to your PC directly (if your modem is internal) or through a modem. That line is given an IP Address (much like your telephone number is assigned to you) which identifies you to anyone capable of recognizizng IP addresses, which is pretty much everyone. Here is a high level site that may help: