Broadband Internet: The What, Why, and How.
By Parrish Reinoehl/Pathfinder Networks
June 2004
You’ve heard the phrase everywhere you go, Broadband or High-Speed Internet. You may have asked yourself “What is this Broadband Internet craze?” and even thought about why you need it or how to get it. I’ll try and shed some light on these questions in this article.
Most everyone that has ever used the Internet is familiar with the slow and tedious process of using a dial-up (modem) connection. First you need to dial-up your Internet provider and wait 20-30 seconds for the process to finish and log your PC on to the Internet. Then you have to wait for what seems ages for each page or email to load- all the while your phone line is being tied up by your computer. Then, undoubtedly it seems, you will lose your Internet connection near the end of a long and tedious download only to have to start all over again. This is the life of a dial-up modem user.
Broadband Internet changes all of this. For starters, there is no more waiting for the dial-up process to finish and your phone line is no longer tied up. With Broadband, if your PC is turned on you are on the Internet as well. Secondly, the speed of your Internet connection is many times faster than your old modem connection. Downloads that used to take you 20 minutes or more will now take only a minute or two. Web pages and emails will, almost magically, appear in a snap. And, you won’t get kicked offline in the middle of a large file download.
Why would I need or want a Broadband Internet connection?
If the above paragraph doesn’t answer that question consider, if you will, the possibility of working from your home and joining the telecommuting workforce. A Broadband connection could help to make this happen. If your company supports it, you could use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection to connect your home PC to your company network. An engineer could use their Broadband connection to transfer AutoCAD drawings and other technical files from his home PC to his work PC. A customer service agent could take customer phone calls from home and access the customer information via their VPN connection. Grandparents can quickly send and receive high-quality photos of their grandchildren and even talk to those grandchildren across the country with voice and video- for free! Your teenagers can play online games with their friends and others throughout the world. You can also “share” these Internet connections with all the PC’s in your home. The possibilities are nearly endless.
Now that I’ve piqued your interest you are probably asking yourself “How can I get this type of high-speed connection?” Fortunately there are many options now available to most consumers. Verizon and SBC/Ameritech both offer DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) services in most communities at prices ranging from $30 to $70 per month. Local ISP’s (Internet Service Providers), like Quantum Connections, offer wireless (WiFi) connections in many areas at prices from $50 to $150 per month. Comcast also offers high-speed Internet and digital cable in many areas at prices from $40 to $65 per month. Both Verizon and Comcast are rapidly accelerating the availability of these services. If you do not have access now, you may have it available in the near future. However, there are limits to both DSL and High-Speed cable. For DSL you, generally, need to be within about 2 miles of the phone companies Central Office (CO). The CO is the building where your home phone line connects to the phone company’s network. For example, here in Cassopolis, Verizon’s CO is located next door to the Post Office. High-Speed cable has a further reach but will only be available in areas that are already served by cable TV. If you live in a very rural setting where you are a considerable distance from the phone company’s CO and cable TV is nowhere in site and you are out of the range of a wireless (or WiFi) connection, you may think you are out of luck. Fortunately, there are also options available for you. Like your satellite TV you can also receive high-speed Internet over satellite! The products currently available, DirecWay and Starband, are high-speed Internet products delivered over a satellite dish similar in size and shape to the old Primestar systems. Prices for these two products average about $75 per month. These two products download at high-speeds but upload data at modem speeds. For most users this is not a problem. However, if wish to send or email large files or use a VPN connection, these satellite products may disappoint. A new satellite product still in development may be able to offer rural users with the same Broadband Internet you will find with DSL or Cable connections. This product, WildBlue, is set to be available in the Michiana area near the end of 2004. It will offer high speed downloads and uploads at prices comparable to DSL and Cable.
Obviously there are many choices and options available to most Internet users. The options and packages being marketed by all the different providers may seem overwhelming. The primary thing to remember is that all Broadband and High-speed connections will be many times faster and more reliable than your old dial-up connection. Don’t be afraid to choose the product that best fits your budget. Cable may be advertised as being many times faster than a DSL connection, but you will be very happy with either one.
About the Author:
Parrish Reinoehl is President of Pathfinder Networks; a Cassopolis based Technology consulting firm specializing in providing affordable computer services to small businesses and home users including networks, PC support, sales, and service. Pathfinder Networks can be reached at 269-684-7696 or via email at parrish@pathfindernetworks.us.
Pathfinder Networks website is http://www.pathfindernetworks.us
© Pathfinder Networks, LLC