WHAT
IS BROADBAND OR HIGH-SPEED INTERNET ACCESS? All
Internet connections have a top speed at which they will operate. This speed is
usually measured in bits per second. A bit is a digital pulse, which are coded
by the computers on the Internet to allow numbers, letters, and pictures to be
transmitted over the Internet connection. The
faster the bits per second the quicker pages appear on your computer screen and
files can be downloaded. Telephone
modems operate in the range of 28,000 to 128,000 bits per second. The slowest is
a standard phone line using a modem that is a few years old. Many of the newer
conventional phone line modems operate at speeds of 48,000 to 56,000 which are
called 56K modems. ISDN modems operate as high as 128,000 bits per second. The
broadband speeds vary widely and also vary by the direction in which the data is
moving and the number of people using the circuit at that time.
Some vendors claim to have speed in the millions of bits per second and
others claim speeds in the 256,000 to 500,000 range.
All of these speed claims can be inaccurate since many broadband
connections are shared by many users and suffer from the number of users on the
circuit. If there are several users on the connection that passes through town,
and everyone wants a large download or big web site at about the same time, the
connection will be very slow as compared to less busier times. DO
I NEED A BROADBAND/HI-SPEED INTERNET CONNECTION? This
depends on your use of the Internet and what your budget can stand. If you use
the Internet primarily for email and occasional web browsing, then a broadband
connection would probably be a waste of your money. Most email with the
exception of large file attachments do not contain enough data to show you much
difference in download time when compared between standard modems and good
broadband connections. If the broadband connection was oversold and overcrowded
the regular modem connection might seem just as fast on average Internet pages
and email. If
you download large files frequently or download large areas in Newgroups,
broadband connections would help your situation, if the broadband isn’t too
crowded and operates at a good speed. Most broadband suppliers sell a certain
speed that they expect your connection to achieve. This is normally not a
guaranteed speed because the amount of traffic on the link and the speed of the
Internet determine the delivered speed. SECURITY
ON HI-SPEED AND STANDARD CONNECTIONS: Almost
anyone that uses the Internet on a regular basis is concerned about security.
Unfortunately hackers use the Internet to break into people’s computers to
look at their information and to even destroy private information. Most
broadband connections keep the computer online constantly. This creates some
security problems because any computer that stays online with a constant address
is more open to hacking than an occasional user. When someone calls on a phone
line to get on the Internet his or her computer is automatically assigned an IP
address. This address or number is unique to that computer and no other computer
on the Internet has that same address. This address is used to direct
information to your computer when you ask for a web page or other data on the
Internet. Since you are assigned this number each time you dial up, the IP
address will change each time you call. With a constant high-speed connection
your IP address does not change. If a hacker wants to target your machine, they
have a fixed target on a hi-speed connection rather than a moving target since
dial up connections change the IP address each time you log on. With
a fixed IP address you should
always use a firewall or some type of security system. This will help keep
hackers from entering into your computer. Be sure to consult with a trained
technician that is familiar with the latest hacker techniques and the methods
used to stop them when considering a constant connection to the Internet. CONSTANT
CONNECTION: One
of the advantages afforded by most high-speed connections is the constant
connection that you always have as long as your computer is on. Since a
high-speed connection does not require a dial up and connect process, your
computer is always connected to the Internet.
ISDN lines offer high-speed access but require a dial-up and login, but
it is very fast as compared to standard phone line. Constant connection services
do not normally offer the ability to use the service from more than one location
on in a mobile situation. HIGH-SPEED
CONNECTIONS DO NOT REQUIRE AN EXTRA PHONE LINE: Isdn
requires a special phone line as does DSL but cable modems and wireless do not require any
phone line if it is a two-way cable or wireless service.
Dial-up connections do not require an extra phone line unless you want to
have your telephone work while you are online. Many people purchase an extra
phone line for their computer but also use it for their fax and as an extra
voice phone line to allow two people to talk on the phone at the same time. Many
people now have cell phones since they are getting less expensive and offer many
free minutes of talk time. If you install a call forward busy service on your
regular phone line, it will forward any calls you receive while you are on the
computer using the Internet to your cell phone. This can get a good alternative
to buying a second phone line. SUMMARY:
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