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A Little History Of The Internet
The
Internet was started
in the 1960s by the
Department Of Defense. The original intend was to allow
computers made by different vendors to communicate with each
other. In order to accomplish the task, the TCP/IP
protocol was developed. Soon, other organizations such as the
National Science Foundation as well as colleges and
universities began using TCP/IP to allow their computers to
communicate with each other. They called the networks
connected by TCP/IP internets. The collection of all of
the little internets is now known as the Internet.
About Bandwidth Measurements Of The Internet Connection
Connection speeds are measured by the number of bits of data
that can be transmitted in a second. Dial-up connections
are typically measured in kilobits per second, or Kbps.
Each character of data is made up of eight bits, and one
kilobit equals one thousand bits. So, a 56Kbps modem is
capable of transmitting 56 thousand bits of information.
Broadband connections such as DSL and cable, can reach speed
in megabits (Mbps), or millions of bits per second.
Like to find
out how fast is your Internet connection? take a
 .
Type of Internet Connections:
Dial-up Connections
In the early days of the
Internet, the only way most home users could connect to the
Internet was with modems. If you want to download music
files and photos or play Internet games, the dial-up
connection is considered quite slow and unreliable. However, the dial-up connection is still an inexpensive and
viable option to get on the Internet to get news, research and
job hunting. It's still the most accessible option to connect
to the Internet when you are traveling.
There are
many ISPs (Internet Service Provider) out there, but,
personally I like to recommend
NetZero for
dial-up connection, because you shouldn't pay more than $15
for dialup connections. I used NetZero for several years and I
found its service very reliable. The only down side of
NetZero is that they will put a menu bar on your browser, even
though it is quite small. The other good ISP I heard about and was mentioned by friends is peoplepc.com . For global small business access, give
TollFree ISP
a try.
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Even though a 56K modem is
capable of transmitting 56Kpbs of information, but as you
might noticed, you are not able to get connected at the
maximum speed. This is due to in part of the phone line
condition, but most importantly, it's the result of FCC's
regulation to keep the maximum dial-up speed under 56Kpbs. There are software programs which can speed up your dial-up
connection. "Propel Accelerator" is one such program which
they claim can Speed Up Your Dial-Up
connection up to 5 times of the original
dial-up speed. When combine with Netzero or JOI dial-up
service, the total cost is still under $20, which I believe is
a pretty good deal.
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One of the
drawbacks of using dialup is the tying up of the phone line. The good news is the latest modem standard v.92 supports the
Modem on Hold function:
Modem on Hold allows you to put your internet connection
on hold while you take or make a telephone call.
Modem on Hold enables "broadband-like" voice and data services
over the same telephone lines, at a much more reasonable
dial-up price. However, your ISP has to support this standard,
so before you sign up for the service, and you modem is v.92
compatible, ask the ISP if they support this standard.
The
other way of sharing the phone line is to use a switchboard
device. One of such device is the
 Command Communications ComSwitch.
If you plan on sharing your Internet connection among the
computers on your home network, you should definitely get a
broadband connection. There are currently two type of
high-speed broadband connections available to most home users:
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) and cable modems. Another
option is the satellite connection which is too expensive for
most home users.
DSL-A Fast Alternative To
Dial-up Connection
DSL offers several
advantages over other connection methods. It uses your
existing telephone lines and a DSL modem to connect your
computer to the Internet at high speeds. The connection
is "always on," which means you no longer need to dial up to
the ISP to make the connection. All you need to do is
just launch your web browser and you are on the way to surf
the Internet. In addition, you can use your telephone to talk
at the same time, no more tying up the line while surfing.
Broadband
connections are measured in two speeds: the download speed for
data being sent to your computer and the upload speed for data
being sent from your computer. Depending on your
subscription plan, you can typically expect DSL download speed
to reach 1.5Mbps and the upload speed of at least 128Kpbs. As
you might expect, the increase in speed will cost you more as
oppose using dial-up connection. Currently you can get a
DSL connection for as low as $14.99 from AT&T High Speed Internet.
You might need to pay an installation
fee for a technician to install DSL service in your house. This fee varies with vendors.
Will You Be Protected Against the Next Big Computer Virus???
Security is a major concern with any broadband connection
because your network is always connected to the internet. It's a big temptation for hackers. You should purchase a
software called firewall to protect others from accessing your
home network through the Internet. One of such program is ZoneAlarm Pro . Also, to protect your computer from viruses transmitted
through the Internet, you need to install anti-virus programs
such as McAfee anti-virus program from
McAfee.com , Norton Anti-virus
software as well as Antivirus & security software from
Panda
software.
One of the drawbacks to DSL is its limited geography
availability. You should contact a service provider, such as
your local telephone company, to see if DSL is available for
the area you live in.
Cable Modem Internet Access
Another option for home high speed Internet
access is the cable modem, which uses the same cable line that
is hooked up to your television. Cable modem connections are
more readily available than DSL connections, and the
installation is much easier.
Cable modems offer potentially higher speed
than DSL. The only catch is that your cable modem connection
is share with other subscribers in the neighborhood, so the
speed might fluctuate when the connection is being used
heavily. Providers usually limit the number of homes that
share a connection to ease this burden.
Just as with DSL connections, cable modems are
a good choice for sharing Internet access. Because the
connection is always on, so you need to address the security
issue just like DSL connections to prevent unauthorized
access. AT&T, now Comcast is one of the major providers of cable modem
Internet access.
High-Speed Satellite
Internet Access
Often times Internet access is
not available in some areas.
That's where the high-speed satellite Internet access comes
in. Currently it's more expensive than other Internet access
services. It is the new
high-speed Internet solution that's available to everyone in
the continental United States with a clear view of the
southern sky. One such Ineternet service provider is HughesNet Satellite High Speed Internet.
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Putting It All
Together
So, which Internet access method is the right
choice for you? It all depends on availability, your usage and
how much you want to spend. You can tap into the vast
resources of the Internet with any of the connection method. Another
great Internet resource many users might not know about is the
USENET. It has huge numbers of news groups. Some ISP may or may
not include them as a part of their services. But you can
subscribe to the unlimited and uncensored news groups through
Titannews.com. Get on-line today.
What to learn more?
Learn The Net Here.
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