A few questions about the internet

[Wing0]

So the internet is just all computers connected to eachother, right? So where do isp's come in? Do they just allow us to use the internet for a price? So if isp's didn't exist would our speed be only limited by our own hardware and the distance from where we're trying to connect to? Isp's give you that modem that your ethernet plugs into, and I'm assuming some kind of ethernet cord goes under ground to a box where all computers with this isp connect to, and this box is connected to other isp's boxes? I don't really know that's why I'm asking. If it works like this, then could anyone just connect their cord directly to one of these boxes?

And how do we connect to computers overseas?

 

[kanewolf]

The ISPs put the "last mile" of network to the homes and businesses. They have network hardware and servers that provide services (DNS, DHCP, etc). They buy network network connectivity from "long haul fiber providers" to connect to remote locations. They aggregate your payment for network services (including bandwidth) with 1000s of other users to get "economies of scale" so that they pay for their raw materials (bandwidth, hardware, people) and make a profit.

 

[hang-the-9]

Do you really want everyone connecting to each other directly? Who will make sure that all the computers have a unique address? Do you want your computer to be just tossed into a pool with everyone else so your system can be seen by anyone that knows how to browse the network? What happens when you have 10,000 people dowloading non-stop on the same network and taking up 100% of the bandwidth so the other 90,000 are running at 50k speeds?

There is quite a bit that your ISP connection involves than simply plugging into a box somewhere.