Many new and used computers come with built in “Dial-up” modems. If you are unsure if your computer has one then look at the back of the computer for two small holes side by side that a telephone wire could plug into. One will often have a symbol that looks like a telephone by it.
Dial-up service is not always connected to the Internet. You need to use your ISP software to dial each time you use want to connect. This can be viewed as a pro or a con depending on how you look at it. It can be beneficial to people who occasionally connect to the Internet, but not for more than a couple hours a week.
DSL, Cable, and Satellite: Which one do I Choose?
You may hear these referred to as “Broadband” or “High Speed Internet Access”. They are all very fast compared to standard Dial-up. These types of connections are also connected to the Internet all of the time unless you turn the associated hardware device off. Examples of those devices would be a cable modem or a router. The company providing the fast internet service you choose will tell you what additional hardware you need and the associated costs. When searching for a high speed internet provider the best thing to do is educate yourself. Here are some places to find helpful information:
Friends, family, and coworkers who already have high speed Internet. Neighbors, if you know and get along with them, are even better because they are likely to have the same local service offerings available to you. Ask them how they decided on a particular type of fast service. Find out if they are still satisfied with what they have.
Spend some time at your nearby computer stores. The employees at places like Best Buy, Circuit City, OfficeMax, Radio Shack, or any local “ma and pa” computer store should be able to help you determine if your computer has what it needs to sufficiently surf the web. These places will often carry multiple brands of modems, routers, hubs, and antivirus or firewall software.
If at all possible, get on the Internet and research as much as you can. You may currently have a dial-up connection for this, but are thinking of changing to Broadband. Once on the Internet, you can go to any search engine and type in phrases like “Broadband access” and “High Speed Internet Services” to get countless web pages that will provide you will all the information you need to better make a decision.
Call the local service providers in your area. Cable service is, appropriately enough, offered by your local Cable company. DSL, which stands for “Digital Subscriber Line”, is provided by the phone company in your area. Satellite service is currently more expensive than Cable or DSL, but may be the only option for people in highly rural areas. Don’t feel compelled to order any services before you are comfortable with what you will be getting. When you call, talk to the company representative about details such as: the speed of their service in your local area, the complete details of their pricing plan, how their service will, or won’t, protect your computer from online threats, and whether or not you will have a static or changing IP address.