Connecting to the Internet
Following are the most common means of connecting to the Internet:
|
|
Typical Speed* |
Max
Distance |
Setup |
Home
Monthly |
Equipment |
| Home |
Business |
| Dial-up
modem |
56
Kbps max
(.056 Mbps) |
56
Kbps max
(.056 Mbps) |
None |
$50+ |
$10+ |
Voice
telephone lines |
| DSL |
272
Kbps -
4 Mbps |
1.5
Mbps -
4 Mbps |
5
miles from
phone company |
$50+ |
$35+ |
Digital
line |
| Cable |
400
Kbps -
2 Mbps |
2
Mbps -
4 Mbps |
None |
$100+ |
$45+ |
Coaxial
cable |
| Satellite |
500
Kbps max (.5 Mbps) |
500
Kbps max (.5 Mbps) |
None |
$700+ |
$50+ |
Satellite |
| Wireless |
144
Kbps
(.144 Mbps) |
144
Kbps
(.144 Mbps) |
Anywhere
in wireless network |
$750+ |
$25+ |
Radio
waves |
| T1 |
1.544
Mbps |
1.544
Mbps |
None |
$1000+ |
$600-
$1200 |
Digital
line |
* Kbps means Kilobits Per Second, or Thousands of bits per second;
Mbps means Megabits Per Second, or Millions of bits per second
Modems
Modems are the slowest means of accessing the Internet because they rely on the voice telephone lines that already exist in your home. The modem has to translate the computer-generated "digital" information into analog, or audible, format, then, at the other end, the analog signal has to be translated back into a digital format by another modem.
The words to describe a modem's speed are "baud rate". While most modems sold these days are capable of transmitting and receiving at 56 Kbps (56,000 bits per second), there are still providers that are only 28.8 Kbps, in which case that's what you'll get no matter how fast your modem is.
DSL ("Digital Subscriber Line")
DSL is provided by phone companies, but the line is digital, not analog, so no translation has to be made. DSL isn't available in all areas, especially since the quality of the signal degrades more than 5 miles from the telephone company equipment.
Each subscriber gets its own pair of wires; however, cost is kept low by "oversubscribing".
If all the DSL subscribers use the line at the same time, it would be very slow, but typically there is only a small percentage of the total possible users on the line so speeds are fine.
Cable
Cable is provided by the cable television companies, which use the existing coaxial cable networks. Speeds are roughly 384Kbps, 768Kbps, or 1.5Mbps depending on price. A cable modem and network card are required (and a cable connection as well, of course).
Satellite
Satellite access is about 10 times as fast as modem access, and is probably the best choice for rural areas where cable and DSL aren't available. Your computer is connected to a 3-foot satellite dish using coaxial cable (like that used for cable TV).
You also need one modem for uploading and a second modem for downloading.
There has to be a clear view to the south since the satellites orbit around the equator; also, bad weather and trees can interfere with reception.
T1 Line (Trunk Level 1)
This is a purely digital transmission line with a speed of 1.544 Mbps. Unlike DSL, most providers don't "oversubscribe" T1 Lines. In other words, if all their T1 subscribers use their lines at the same time, there won't be any decrease in speed. T1 lines generally have a direct connection to the Internet.
This is absolutely the best connection for a business that relies on the
Internet for any important part of its business; however, it's quite expensive
compared to the alternatives.
Wireless
There are two types:
Local: One attaches a transmitting antenna to an existing Internet connection in a home or business (usually DSL or cable), which then transmits the signal to a laptop or PC that's wireless compatible.
The second type is provided by cell phone companies and uses their radio towers to broadcast/receive signals.
Access is available anywhere in their wireless network (the same area as their
cell phones).
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