To input data directly from your network, what must you first do?

To input data directly from your network, the critical step is to log into the network. This process establishes your identity and grants you the access necessary to browse and retrieve data stored on the network. Logging in typically involves entering credentials that verify your authority to access the network resources, ensuring that you can connect to the database or file where the required data resides.

While accessing network drives may sound relevant, it assumes that you have already secured the necessary access through logging in. Similarly, installing network drivers might be required only in specific situations, such as if a new device must be recognized by the network, but it is not a universal prerequisite for accessing data. Obtaining network permissions is also essential, as it determines what data you can access; however, without initially logging in, you cannot do this. Therefore, logging into the network is the foundational step that allows subsequent actions related to data input.