July 2000   

But it doesn't have to be that way. A high-speed Internet connection will put you online with one click of the mouse. You can download a file or load a page in just a couple of seconds. No time will be wasted.

Traditionally, most computer users have connected to the Internet using a dial-up modem. But the top modem speed today is 56 Kbps, that is, slow. So, although the majority of Internet users still access the Web via dial-up modem, a growing number are turning to other options. You can obtain a high-speed connection in several ways, but your choices may be limited by availability in your area.

Today's Methods of High-speed Internet Access:

• Cable modems, which utilize the lines installed for your cable TV hook-up and maintain a constant connection to the Internet. Other users share your bandwidth, so security problems could arise; and as the number of users increases, your share of the bandwidth will decrease, meaning a slower connection.

Cable connections seem more readily available in residential areas rather than in business zones. Although your business may have cable access, many cable companies are marketing the Internet connection service for Web browsing, not for hosting a Web site. Make sure the contract allows you to have a network.

• DSL (Digital Subscriber Line), which also runs on the telephone company's copper wires and uses the higher bandwidths not utilized for voice transmission. This allows you to make calls and surf the Web at the same time.

DSL is always on, eliminating busy signals and disconnects. The fact that your modem calls a modem at the telephone company means the connection is not as secure as ISDN. Another drawback of DSL is that your computer must be within a certain distance, usually 21/2 - 31/2 miles, of the telephone company's transmitter.

DSL technology comes in several forms; the most popular among consumers is ADSL (asymmetrical digital subscriber line), which uploads faster than it downloads.

• Fixed wireless services, which rely on microwave, radio, or infrared transmissions between a base station antenna and a remote unit at the home or workplace. They usually download more quickly than they upload. Radio waves travel only in straight lines, so the antenna at your site must be in line with your provider's antenna, and within a certain range, anywhere from 1 to 35 miles, depending on the service. Trees, buildings, or rain could interfere with transmissions.

• ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network), which operates over copper telephone lines and is available from telephone companies for users within 31/2 miles of the telephone company's central office.

ISDN transmits both voice and data along the same line at the same time. Because you are charged according to time used, it is not cost-efficient to leave the line open all the time for instant Internet access.

• Satellite dish, a major selling point of which is that it brings the Internet to remote areas that might have no other connection available. Satellite requires you to install a small dish facing south, but you can even mount the dish on your RV or your boat.

Until recently, you could only receive data via satellite and still had to use your telephone line to send data. In February, however, Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. and Microsoft announced plans to offer MSN Internet Access using a two-way satellite. The service is expected to be operational at the end of this year.

Another satellite company, iSky, also has announced plans to offer two-way service. Other companies plan to offer two-way service, but it is not available now.

Voices of Experience

Jim Thomas, owner of Thomas Plumbing & Heating in Galesburg, IL., ordered a DSL connection for his business about four months ago. "We have 20+ work stations," he says. "We were at the point where we had to decide to pay for more phone lines for modem connections or do something that could access all 20 stations to the Internet. DSL was the most affordable over-all."

Although cable service is being offered to consumers in Galesburg, it is not available for businesses, Thomas said.

When he ordered the service, Thomas mistakenly thought his telephone company would hook up all his computers." They bring in a phone line and a little black box, and they're done," he says. He hired an independent contractor to install the service and configure it.

Although his company enjoys faster access to the Internet, the service has not been without problems, Thomas says. About every three weeks, the service goes down for about a day.

Jim McNabb, co-owner of Mobile Techs a computer servicing firm in Galesburg, says residential users of cable service have had some problems, too. In fact, he's sometimes had to repair computers to correct errors made by technicians who installed the cable service. The cable company, however, has worked with customers to solve problems, he says.

"They jumped in before they had all the structure, all the backbone in place," McNabb says. "They're trying to build the backbone around it."

Businesses with networks often have leased T-1 lines, which transmit at 1.5 Mbps, not fast enough to transmit a full-motion video, or even faster T-3 lines, which transmit at 44.7 Mbps. But this speed came at a cost, sometimes several thousand dollars a month.

According to an online census recently compiled by Telecommunications Reports International, access via cable modems increased 44 percent in the first quarter of this year, while use of DSL increased 183 percent. The actual number of users is low, however, with 2.3 million now using cable modems, and 189,500 using DSL, compared to 46.7 million using dial-up modems.

A report recently released by research firm Forward Concepts predicts that by 2005, 35 million persons will be using either DSL or cable. Cable connections are expected to dominate the consumer market while business users are expected to prefer DSL.

Which Method Is for You?

When evaluating the types of service, use the following charts as guidelines only. As you do your own research, notice that Internet connection providers frequently use the phrase "up to" to describe their connection speeds. In other words, maximum speeds are given, but actual download and upload speeds often are slower.

Thoroughly investigate all costs, also. Many companies offer incentives by discounting or waiving installation fees, or by offering a month or two of free service. For cable service, you may have the option of buying or renting a cable modem. For DSL, companies may offer several options; the faster they transmit, the more they cost.

Winfire, Inc., offers free DSL but you must provide demographic information which allows the company to customize the advertising that will appear on a toolbar on your screen.

Sample of companies offering cable service:

@Home
Road Runner

Sample of companies offering DSL:

GTE
Pacific Bell
Ameritech
NorthPoint

Companies offering fixed wireless service:

Clearwire
Teligent
WinStar Communications

Sample of companies offering ISDN:

GTE
USWest
Pacific Bell
Ameritech
Bell Atlantic

Sample of companies offering or planning to offer satellite service:

Gilat-to-Home
Teledesic
DirecPC
SkyBridge

If you choose an "always-on" connection such as DSL or cable, this makes your computers more vulnerable to hackers and viruses. Install a hardware or software firewall to increase your protection. There is VPN (Virtual Private Network) security software available to protect your system. Some companies, such as BellSouth, offer a managed security service that offers detection of intruders, a firewall, and antivirus protection.

No matter which connection method you choose, you still will encounter slow service at times. High-traffic sites sometimes will respond slowly, and some sites just have slow connections, even though you have a high-speed connection.

Good Sites for Learning:

Cable--CATV Cyberlab
DSL--DSLReports.com
ISDN

Full Speed Ahead

Once you've used high-speed Internet access, you'll find that cruising the information superhighway is a lot like roaring down the Autobahn. You'll never want to return to slow speeds.