There was a sense of... Anticipation? When we first got internet in my family.
The dial up tone was an announcement that you were going on the internet. It was a mindful choice you made, and you had to wait a bit for it. Not just pick up your phone and look at it. You had something in mind that you wanted to do.
It did always have a slight sense of occasion and I remember having butterflies just waiting for the connection. I'm very nostalgic for it.