The first step in connecting to the Internet is to find an Internet service provider (ISP). The most important services an ISP offers are:
- Internet access to any website, send instant message to your friends, play games online Web site, send instant messages to your friends, play games online, do research, pay bills… frankly, the list is nearly endless!
- E-mail You can send emails to friends, family, business associates. There are a variety of ways to send and receive emails. Most ISP’s offer the means to access email and permit multiple e-mail accounts.
Now, depending on your location you could have several choices on how to gain access to the Internet. Meaning, most ISP have different ways (technologies) to connect you to the Internet. The most common types are:
- Cable modems are (typically) the best performing and most affordable option for your typical Internet user. This type of access is offered by most cable TV providers.
- DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) is a better choice for businesses as it offers better reliability than cable modems. There is a price for reliability and DSL tends to be more expensive than cable modems for equal service.
- Dial-up is the slowest method of connecting to the Internet but it’s convenient because it is available to any location with a phone.
- Satellite services provide high-speed Internet access to any location with a clear view of the sky Satellite is often the only source of Internet access for those living in rural areas. The cost of satellite higher than other services and while you can transfer large files quickly with satellite, browsing or game play can be slower than dial-up! This is because of the delay in sending the signal to and from satellites.
- Wi-Fi is short for wireless fidelity and is a generic term for (in this case a ) wireless network and products approved as “WiFi Certified” by the “WiFi Alliance.” The quality of your internet connection will depend (in part) on the quality of the hardware (network card) you must purchase. The plus of WiFi is that you can get FREE internet through “hotspots” (access point for wireless networks) at places like restaurants, cafés, hotels, airports and libraries.
- FiOS (Fiber Optic Service) is a method of transmitting information from one place to another by sending light through an optical fiber. The light forms an electromagnetic carrier wave that is modulated to carry information. FiOS can be significantly faster than most types previously mentioned but it depends on a variety of factors. The plus side is that FiOS is just a few dollars more than Cable or DSL.
There are a few other means by which you can access the Internet but these are the most common.
Is there one you'd like to see added to this list?
Lyte
Linear Mode
