The word Internet literally means 'network of networks.' The first network was created in 1969 and consisted of just four computers connected together. As computers became, smaller and other networks were formed, the Internet became the sum of all these smaller networks. A gateway is a combination of hardware and software that connects these various networks together. Multiple connections are common. There could be one for Web pages, another for E-mail, and still others for file transfer, newsgroups or Internet chat. Like most of the technology that makes surfing the Web enjoyable, gateways are invisible to the user.
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