Tuesday February 10, 2009

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Before we get into this article, I am also going to include a list of local Internet Service Providers.  I can not guarantee they all can provide service for your particular location, but they will be leads for finding out if they can provide you one of the services below.

Check the column on the right for the listing and links of the local internet providers.

- Tony Huizar, Huizar Machines

Understanding Internet Connections Adapted From:  PCs All-in-One Desk Reference

Understanding Internet Connections

If you’re wondering what DSL stands for or how the speed of a cable modem connection stacks up against your old phone modem, here I discuss each of the common connection types as well as their pros and cons.

 

Dialup connections

Still the single most common type of Internet connection, the hoary dialup modem dates back to the days of the early ’80s. Dialup connections use standard telephone lines. In fact, you can consider a dialup connection to be a telephone call between two computers.

Dialup pros

✦ Simple equipment: A dialup connection requires only a standard voice

telephone line and an inexpensive modem.

✦ Easy access: Dialup Internet access is available anywhere that telephone service exists.

✦ Less cost: ISPs charge a minimal amount for dialup access ($10–$25/month, as long as you’re calling a local access number).

 

Dialup cons

✦ Busy signals: A dialup connection might leave your telephone line busy (depending on the feature set offered by your modem).

✦ Slow speed: A dialup connection is much, much slower than all other

forms of Internet access.

✦ Reconnection hassles: Your PC must dial your ISP each time to make a

connection before you have online access.  Dialup access still has its merits, but I wouldn’t recommend a dialup connection unless your Internet needs are limited to e-mail and five minutes’ worth of browsing a day.

ISDN connections

I’ll be brutally honest: Avoid ISDN at all costs. (ISDN stands for Integrated Services Digital Network — or, as witty hardware types call it, It Still Does Nothing.) Heck, I’m not even going to recommend it in place of a dialup connection. ISDN was the first broadband connection method that used regular phone lines, and all the techno-wizard pundits predicted that ISDN would be the cornerstone of civilization as we know it.

 

Unfortunately, ISDN hardware is more expensive and complex than any

other high-speed connection technology, and you still have to dial up. That’s right, it’s not always on like the better broadband technologies that I discuss next. Plus, the least expensive ISDN connection is only a little more than twice as fast as a dialup connection, yet DSL and cable are much faster.

 

For these reasons, ISDN never had a chance and has been completely

obscured by DSL and cable. Don’t touch ISDN with the proverbial ten-foot

pole.

 

DSL connections

DSL, which turns out to be what ISDN was supposed to be, is one of the two most common high-speed connections. As long as you’re within the DSL service area of your telephone provider and your ISP, you can move to DSL.

DSL pros

✦ Always-on connection: No dialing necessary before you surf

✦ Fast: True broadband access speeds

✦ Basic equipment: Uses standard telephone wiring

 

DSL cons

✦ Cost: ISPs usually charge at least double the cost of a dialup Internet account for a DSL account.

✦ More cost: You must either rent or buy a DSL modem, which is more expensive than a familiar dialup modem.

✦ Limited access: DSL access might not be available in your area. I recommend DSL for anyone who spends more than an hour a night online or who specifically needs faster data transfer.

 

Cable modem connections

Cable Internet access just plain rocks; it’s the other popular broadband connection technology on your block.

Cable pros

✦ Always-on: No dialing necessary

✦ Very fast: True broadband access speeds (in some areas, faster than DSL)

✦ Simple equipment: Uses your cable TV coaxial cabling

 

Cable cons

✦ Cost: Cable access is about twice as expensive as a dialup account.

✦ More cost: You must either rent or buy a cable modem.

✦ ISP limitations: A limited number of ISP choices accompany cable access (generally, it’s one ISP or none at all).

Cable access speeds vary according to how many fellow users are connecting to the Internet in your neighborhood: The more people who are connected, the slower your access will be. (Keep that in mind if you’re renting an apartment.) Mind you, the difference might not be significant. I have cable modem access, for example, and because my average connection speed is about one-third faster than the DSL in my area, I still end up with faster surfing and download speeds. Therefore, a bit of checking and speed comparison is in order before you choose between cable and DSL in your area.

 

I recommend cable for folks who spend more than an hour a night online or who specifically need faster transfers.

 

Satellite connections

A satellite Internet connection provides the fastest transfer speeds of all,

but (as you might have guessed) satellite technology is also usually the

most expensive. You usually rent your equipment (an internal adapter card) from your ISP, and the account is typically more expensive as well. Bad weather or heavy cloud cover can also slow your connection. However, if you’re living in the middle of Alaska and can’t get anything else but long distance access to an ISP, the satellite route will likely be the way to go.

 

Here is one possible caveat about satellite service (depending on what type of satellite equipment you install): Don’t throw away your dialup modem quite yet! You see, your Internet data is beamed to your home or office from a satellite overhead — hence the speed — but the data that you send back to your ISP might actually be transferred over a standard dialup modem connection.

Normally, this isn’t a big deal because you’ll probably be sending a very

small amount of data compared with what you receive: Web page addresses, e-mail, and the like. On the other hand, if you must upload large files to an FTP server or you want to host a Web site, the slow crawl of your dialup connection will likely drive you batty.

 

The latest satellite service uses the satellite antenna to both send and

receive data, so a dialup connection is no longer necessary. Check with your satellite ISP for information about what type of connection is offered and how much it will cost before you sign on the dotted line.

 

Wireless connections

(quoted from wikipedia from broadband definition)

This typically employs the current low-cost 802.11 Wi-Fi radio systems to link up remote locations over great distances, but can use other higher-power radio communications systems as well.

Traditional 802.11b was licensed for omnidirectional service spanning only 100-150 meters (300-500 ft). By focusing the signal down to a narrow beam with a Yagi antenna it can instead operate reliably over a distance of many miles.

Rural Wireless-ISP installations are typically not commercial in nature and are instead a patchwork of systems built up by hobbyists mounting antennas on radio masts and towers, agricultural storage silos, very tall trees, or whatever other tall objects are available. There are currently a number of companies that provide this service. A wireless Internet access provider map for USA is publicly available for WISPS.

 

So What Exactly Do I Need?

Here’s the list of minimum requirements to achieve an Internet connection

from your PC:

✦ Your PC: Natch. Windows XP is preferred in my little chunk of the universe.

✦ An Internet account from a local ISP: Most larger ISPs will offer at least dialup and DSL. If you choose cable or satellite access, your ISP is actually the company providing the connection.

✦ A modem of one sort or another: Whether a telephone modem, a DSL or cable modem, or a satellite adapter, you just can’t connect a cable to your PC and expect it to work.

✦ A service call (for cable or DSL access): You can connect a telephone modem by yourself, and most satellite systems are do-it-yourself, but a service technician will have to perform a number of magic tricks if you choose cable or DSL access.