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HOME NETWORKING

Step 2 - Choose your internet service

Home broadband guide

High-speed Internet access can help create a more productive workplace.

This guide is your starting place for basic information about broadband Internet services for your home.

The major types of broadband service

"Broadband" refers to any high-speed (200kbps or faster) Internet access service. This access can be delivered into your home via several types of technology, detailed below. Learn about each one and determine which works best for your needs. Contact your local service providers to learn more.

DSL

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) provides digital Internet connectivity through normal telephone lines. DSL service is offered by both the telephone companies that own these lines and by other companies that pay to use them. Special software and a "DSL modem" are required to use DSL service

One of DSL's advantages is that it provides you with an exclusive link to the phone company's central office. You will therefore not be competing for bandwidth with your neighbors, at least as far as the central office. (Other factors do ultimately influence network performance, however, so don't assume DSL will always guarantee you the best service.)

DSL comes in a number of forms, with ADSL (Asymmetric DSL) being the most common one for residential service. ADSL provides faster download speeds than upload speeds, which matches most people's needsPrices for DSL vary, and availability is often dependant on how close you are to a phone company central office.

Cable

Cable television companies can provide broadband services over their coaxial cable networks. The normal TV cable is split (using a splitter) and your PC uses a "cable modem" to connect to it.

One of the advantages of cable is that, unlike some broadband technologies, you do not require any special software to connect to the service.

Satellite

Satellite services can be a boon to places where DSL and cable are not available, such as many rural areas. Some users have found great success with Satellite. However, success is not guarranteed. In some cases, satellite services may not work well with remote accesses services.

Satellite service can also be impacted by severe weather conditions.

Contact information and install instructions can be found in the list below for the Direcway satellite service from DirecTV.

Fixed Wireless

Fixed wireless service uses a wireless box mounted on the outside of your home that has a "line of sight" to an antenna or tower in some nearby area. The short distance between your home and this broadband "transmission" site makes for a fast and reliable Internet connection.

Still in early deployment and test marketing, fixed wireless technology is not yet widely available.

ISDN

Though technically not broadband, ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) is similar to DSL in that it's a high-speed digital connection via telephone lines. DSL is generally considered superior to ISDN for several reasons, however in some places ISDN is the only service available that is faster than analog dialup. ISDN can be more expensive than DSL as well, and some telco providers charge for ISDN by the minute instead of using a monthly flat rate charge.

If you use order and install ISDN, you should try to find an ISP to connect to, via ISDN, that charges a monthly flat rate for the Internet Access.

Broadband speeds

When evaluating broadband services, it is natural to try to compare speeds. However, there can be wide variations between a vendor's stated speed and the connection speeds you'll actually observe as a user.
Furthermore, there are many factors involved in end-to-end network computing that can influence the ultimate connection speed you'll experience with a service.

Therefore, while speed is important, when assessing broadband options, it is best to focus on other factors, such as price, vendor quality, and other users' experiences.

Ethernet support

Broadband services usually come with various ways to connect the service to your PC. When possible, use an Ethernet-based option.
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