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Archive for the ‘Broadband’ Category

Speeding Is Actually Desirable On The Internet Highway

01 May.
Posted by teahupoo in Broadband | No Comments

In this day and age of convenience stores, fast food and high tech people no longer have the patience to wait for anything. We have microwaves to cook food in minutes when it used to take hours for the same results. We drive faster, travel farther, and go to the extreme on everything. Now we need all of that from our internet connection too. When the internet first began it was accessed through a phone line. This seemed to be revolutionary technology. And now the same access is like going on a long trip with Grandma driving on four flat tires.

Our Internet surfing needs have increased along with the need for speed. We have to check our email and favorite web pages before going to work or school and we don’t have much time to do it. The best and fastest way to achieve the necessary speed, so we can continue our lives, is with a cable or satellite connection.

Most homes are now fitted with either cable or satellite so getting the computer hooked up is no problem. It usually just takes a junction of some type and a cable stuck in the back of the computer then off you go into the wild blue yonder of cyber space. There are other reasons to go with the high speed connection, besides the time savings issue. There are also movie and television shows that can be downloaded and watched on your monitor. Many web pages are now interactive and you can do many different things, like play games or take quizzes, they are much more fun and interesting when they can go as fast as the player.

There are also the home based workers. A high speed connection is the only way to go if you work from your computer at home. When time is money there is no other comparison. It isn’t just the fast downloads that can be performed but also the uploading of completed work that can be done quickly. This is also true with sharing photos and video clips. Who has the time to try to open an entire photo album when a single picture can take five minutes to download?

Some businesses are based on how fast they can perform certain operations. For example, when it comes to buying and selling stock, you have to be able to not only make quick decisions but you have to be able to get the stock you want when the price is right. Many day traders work from home on their computers and have several of them running at the same time to stay on top of the market and receive up to the date notices of how their stock is doing. When trading with hundreds or thousands of dollars, you don’t want to wait for your computer to catch up.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as fast DSL internet at http://www.fastdslinternetconnection.com

Which is the Safer Alternative, Dial-Up or Broadband?

28 Apr.
Posted by teahupoo in Broadband | No Comments

You’ve finally gone high speed with a cable modem or DSL and you love the speed. However, are you taking the right precautions to keep your computer safe? High speed broadband is a blessing. Remember the days when you could go make yourself a snack and go to the bathroom while you’re computer downloaded one page? That is no longer true when you have broadband service. Dial-up is limited by the bandwidth of phone lines and web content is getting larger and larger. The bandwidth for dial-up is not usually large enough to send large content file pages in a timely manner. There is new technology that allows you to speed up your dial-up connection. Both NetZero and EarthLink offer high-speed dial-up that are said to be five times faster than traditional service.

You will also see advertised on the Internet, special programs to boost speed. As always with any program that you download from the Internet, you need to know the site you are on is secure. You don’t want to add Spyware or adware while adding the program to speed up your connection.

I found as an early user of new cable Internet service that it was so much faster I was amazed at how fast my pages loaded. I was one of the first in the city to receive this new service. As more and more users jumped on the high-speed bandwagon, I noticed a slow down to my Internet service. The cable company has fixed that performance issue by adding new channels and splitting the users. This allows the speed, which we can easily get used to and like.

How secure is broadband service? Broadband does have its advantages but there are also some dangers involved as well. First, when you are using dial-up, you are more than likely shutting your computer down when you are done surfing or working on the Internet. With your computer shut down, it won’t allow hackers or Spyware to get into your system. With broadband, their boast is “you are always connected.” I know this to be true; because when I turn my computer on in the morning, it stays on until I shut it down for the night.

While this is convenient, it also poses a danger by leaving your computer exposed to the work of hackers and Spyware all that time. With your computer “always on”, an important fact to remember is the road to the Internet is a two-way road and Spyware and hackers can be having a field day with your computer.

One such attack is called “denial of service” and has hit prominent sites like Excite at Home, eBay, and Yahoo. The Undernet, which supports the IRC chat network, has also been hit with this attack. Many experts warn that a particular worm can potentially cripple the Internet and could already have the worms seeded into many computers. They are afraid that these worms will be activated all at once and cause a massive failure of many Internet sites.

Hackers can get into computers that are serviced by these high-speed DSL and cable modem connections and are able to get personal information like credit card and bank account details. Many companies provide the first step in stopping these intruders by disabling the file-sharing program that is on the Windows operating system of their customer’s computers. This help prevents other users from seeing inside your computer.

Installing a firewall is another simple and inexpensive precaution. A firewall is just what it says. It builds a wall around your computer to keep hackers and Spyware from getting your personal information. Experts say that once your computer is compromised, sometimes the only cure is to reformat the hard drive. This is something that is time-consuming and frustrating and should be done only as a last resort.

Security issues with broadband connection will continue to grow as many more households start connecting with high-speed connectors. According to Nielsen/Net Ratings, broadband users increased by 134 percent in the past year. They report that nearly 29 million users are connected to a broadband connection in the year 2004. It’s mind boggling to think how many more have been added since then.

Enjoy your broadband speed and convenience, but prepare to take the right precautions to keep your computer safe.

Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son. For high-speed broadband check out http://www.highspeedbroadbandservice.com

Choosing Between a DSL Provider and Cable Provider

17 Apr.
Posted by webrepairservice in Broadband | No Comments

Gone are the days where dialling up is the only way of getting online, as these are the days of high speed internet. This gives people not only the speed they need but also the ability to have their internet and their phone ready for use at any time.

This is making more and more people interested in what a DSL provider and a cable internet provider have to offer, and many people are confused about the differences between the two of them. Constant advertisements boasting one company’s superiority over the other are not helping matters either as it just furthers the confusion between the two.

For those in the market for a high speed internet provider, deciding whether or not a DSL provider has anything over a cable internet provider can be difficult, as the difference between them is not always clear. To clear up any confusion, know that there are some minor differences between cable and DSL internet services that may make a difference as to which one is best for your needs.

To help clear up any misconceptions on whether you should go with a DSL provider or a cable internet provider, here are the main specs on the two and a little bit on which type of service may work best for your family.
Cable Internet

For cable internet service you will need:

A cable ready internet modem, usually included with activation of cable internet service
A cable company that is offering cable internet service
An ethernet ready computer or a way to adapt your computer to Ethernet readiness

Most cable internet costs range in price every month and it is said to be up to five times faster than DSL, hence the higher price tag. For those who can’t possibly need internet that fast, DSL internet should do. The signal comes from the same coaxial cable cord that gives your television cable service, and it is run through a modem and into your computer.

It doesn’t matter how far away your home is from the actual cable company hub and cable is available on a lot more of a widespread basis. This makes it a popular and common favourite and even though cable lines can be shared between multiple users speed is normally not affected.

For DSL service you need:

An active phone line
A DSL-ready internet modem, which is normally included with and activated with the internet service
An ethernet ready computer or the ability to adapt your computer to be ethernet ready
A DSL internet provider

DSL stands for digital subscriber line, and it is the word that everybody uses to lump so-called high speed internet together. As a matter of fact, DSL internet is very rare because the signal gets weaker the further away from a central office or hub the actual subscriber is.

This means that unless you are close to an area that is giving off a DSL connection, the chances of you getting a good, fast internet signal is slim to none. There is not nearly as many DSL subscribers out there as there are to other types of internet, but it is pretty well priced. It is not quite as fast as cable internet but again, you get what you pay for.

Link-Connect are a long-established communications provider offering internet and telecoms services for businesses of all sizes. http://www.link-connect.com provide everything relating to connectivity, telephony, websites, networks and security.

How To Choose A DSL Provider

17 Apr.
Posted by webrepairservice in Broadband | No Comments

Finding a DSL provider seems like something that should be easy enough to do. However, if you have ever had to go through the process that it takes to do this properly, then chances are that you are already well aware of the fact that finding a DSL provider is easier said than done. This is because you need to ensure that you find one that you can trust, can work with and be comfortable spending your money on.

There are numerous things to consider when you are choosing the right provider for your needs including the speed, the quality of customer service and of course the amount of money that it is going to cost you every month. When it comes to DSL there are a variety of different companies out there that offer the services that you are looking for. The important part is finding the right company that you can see yourself staying with.

It can seem like companies are offering identical services to one another but that isn’t always the truth. If you want to be on the right path to finding the perfect DSL provider to fit your needs, keep reading for some tips on how to do it the right way.

If you really want to save some money, find a DSL provider that will allow you to bundle your services if necessary. For those who are having services installed in the home, bundling cable services, DSL services, and telephone services is a great way to save some money on all of these services. Consider the amount of money that you spend paying each bill individually, and then consider the savings that you could have if you paid all of those bills to one company every month. You would save on taxes, you would save on fees, you would save on stamps, and you could probably save a bit of money on your services as well.

If you know someone who has had a bad experience with a DSL provider that you are looking into you might want to take that into consideration. There is no better guarantee than getting in touch with a company that you can trust because somebody you know referred you to their great service. At the same time, there is nothing worse than having a horrible experience with a company that somebody told you that you shouldn’t have dealt with in the first place. It is never easy to get out of a contract with a DSL provider, so make sure that you read the fine print in your contract and go over all of the terms with a fine toothed comb.

Finding a DSL provider that you can trust is an important part of your productivity. Whether you are working at home or just an avid internet surfer it is important to find one that works for you and one that you can afford.

Link-Connect are a long-established communications provider offering internet and telecoms services for businesses of all sizes. http://www.link-connect.com provide everything relating to connectivity, telephony, websites, networks and security.

The Benefits Of Finding A DSL Provider

17 Apr.
Posted by webrepairservice in Broadband | No Comments

If you have been anywhere near a computer in the past five years, there is hardly any way that you could have gone without having at least heard something of DSL internet. There are many DSL internet providers out there, and there are many types of other internet providers as well. People have a tendency to lump all of the various types of high speed internet into the category of DSL and with good reason. Although they do not work the same, to the untrained eye cable internet and DSL internet appear to be just the same type of thing and they get the same benefits from using them.

DSL internet and dial up internet do have one thing in common; information is transmitted through the use of a copper telephone wire, just like the ones that allow you to make and receive calls from your landline phone every day. This is just about where the similarities between the two types of internet end, because DSL internet is multiple times faster than even the most hyped up dial up internet access could ever claim to be.

The only thing about DSL when it comes to its dominance over other internet types is that it is not available everywhere. The further away from the central office or internet hub a person goes, the weaker the internet signal is going to be. This means that any residences that are not in the vicinity of a DSL providers’ office are probably not going to be eligible for DSL service through that company.

As the information is transmitted through the telephone wire, it is also transmitted into the computer through the use of a DSL internet modem. Many times a DSL provider will give their customers the software and modem that they need to be able to use DSL internet, but some may charge leasing fees for use of the modem or require the customer to actually purchase the unit.

Many people choose to go with cable internet over DSL internet, but the fact is that DSL internet is just much harder to find. Cable internet is substantially more expensive than DSL internet, sometimes twice the price but it is also faster. Depending on what your internet needs are, it may be more affordable time wise to go with cable internet and easier to get such service as well.

Finding a DSL provider in your area is not the hard part, although finding one that actually has service at your home may be tougher. It is important to be able to tell whether or not a DSL provider will give you the type of internet you required for your needs. If so, take out the phone book and find a DSL provider in your area today.

Link-Connect are a long-established communications provider offering internet and telecoms services for businesses of all sizes. http://www.link-connect.com provide everything relating to connectivity, telephony, websites, networks and security.

The Basics Of DSL And How To Make It Work

17 Apr.
Posted by webrepairservice in Broadband | No Comments

DSL is a term that is used so broadly these days. There are so many different types of internet out there yet DSL seems to top them all. In essence, society views a DSL provider as any type of internet provider that doesn’t grant dial-up access. While it is very close to this, that is not entirely what DSL is. For a closer look at what exactly qualifies as DSL internet service and what does not, read on for the basics.

A DSL provider is not a cable internet provider and they are certainly not a dial-up internet access provider. While the companies may offer more than one type of service, DSL internet, cable internet, and dial-up internet are completely independent of each other and it is important to realise that DSL internet is a type of internet service all its own.

For DSL internet access, you have to have access to a phone line. While cable internet makes use of a cable coaxial line, a DSL provider runs their internet through the phone line which is connected into a modem and works through the computer. This does not mean that your internet access interrupts your phone service, but if you have more than one device in the room that takes up the phone jack, you may need to get a splitter to be able to use each simultaneously.

Not every computer is DSL internet ready, but most computers that one would think to get DSL internet for are already equipped with the necessary software and hardware to support this type of internet. Outside of about 50 pounds per month or less for some companies, this is all you need to be able to get DSL internet access, that and a willing provider of such a service in your area.

There are many reasons why a person would look into a DSL provider. One of the main benefits is that it is ‘always on,’ eliminating the need for dialling up and saving the user plenty of time actually getting to the internet. At the same time, DSL is much faster than regular 56K dial up internet access; as a matter of fact, it is about 13 times faster than the average dial up internet access provider, making it a hot commodity in areas where it is available. At the same time, DSL is not nearly as fast as some cable internet providers tend to be.

There are some differences between DSL internet and cable internet that set them apart, but the main thing about them that makes a difference is the way that information is transmitted. DSL internet is transmitted through a standard copper telephone wire whereas cable internet runs through a coaxial cable, similar to the one that is probably plugged into the back of your home television set right now. While DSL internet is not always as fast as cable, it is not always as widely available either and that may have something to do with that.

Link-Connect are a long-established communications provider offering internet and telecoms services for businesses of all sizes. http://www.link-connect.com provide everything relating to connectivity, telephony, websites, networks and security.

What You Need to Know About Switching DSL Providers

17 Apr.
Posted by webrepairservice in Broadband | No Comments

Having DSL can be such a joy, especially for those who have experienced the misery that can be dial up internet. There does come a time, however when it is time to go from one DSL provider to another so that it works better for you.

Whether you are dissatisfied with the service that the DSL provider you are working with now is providing or you have just found someone who can offer better service and a better rate, switching service providers can be a great thing to do. At the same time it can be rather frustrating, and there is nothing worse than switching your internet provider just to find out that you should have stuck with the one you had in the first place.

If this sounds like you, make sure that you keep these things in mind when looking for a new provider to switch your service to. Whether you want to believe it or not, it may be better for you to stick with the provider you are currently working with.

If you are switching from one provider to another and getting a better rate for a lower speed, you might want to rethink that. Sure, you are probably thinking that you aren’t really in a hurry as it is and that you want to save a bit of money in the process. For casual internet users who depend on their connection for email and instant messaging that may all be well and fine but for anyone else, you might want to consider going another route.

If you work at home or you download music, pictures, or video you are going to need a higher internet connection speed to work with or you may find yourself frustrated with your internet connection more often than not.

Whatever you do, do not switch your internet to a DSL provider that promises to give you six months of internet service for a ridiculously low price. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Read the fine print before you sign up for anything like this and make sure that the price you are paying is the price you are always going to be paying. For example, if you are paying a lower rate for six months and then every month of service thereafter is considerably more and you are obligated to a 12 month contract, that is not a good deal.

If your current service provider is charging you a bit more than what your introductory rate would be with another company but that is going to be your rate for however long you have service with them, you may want to consider staying with them.

Switching internet companies may be the best or worst decision that you have ever made for your budget. While it is extremely important to make sure that you find a DSL provider that you can afford, those who are thinking about switching should do all of their research before doing so.

Link-Connect are a long-established communications provider offering internet and telecoms services for businesses of all sizes. http://www.link-connect.com provide everything relating to connectivity, telephony, websites, networks and security.

What to Look for in a DSL Provider

17 Apr.
Posted by webrepairservice in Broadband | No Comments

So you are looking for a DSL provider but have previously been stuck with one that you didn’t like, then you know just how important it is to make a good, sound decision about the company you choose to supply your DSL service for you and get it right. If not, you could end up paying a whole load of extra money in fees for terminating a contract or paying for a service that you are not satisfied with.

If you want to avoid either or both of these happening to you, read on for more information on what you should be looking for the next time you are in the market for a DSL provider.

These days there are a lot of small phone and internet companies that seem to be popping out of virtually nowhere. This is not always a problem, but these companies are not always the most skilled in what it is they are doing and they don’t always offer the best service, at least not at the very beginning. Sometimes these companies take a bit of coaxing and complaining on the behalf of the customer in order to get things right, and many times they end up getting bought out by a larger conglomerate of a company in the end anyhow.

If you want to avoid this happening to you, look for a company with a reputation that you have heard of before. This doesn’t mean go with the monopoly, but if that is what it takes to get a DSL provider that you can trust, you might just have to do that.

Many a DSL provider out there gets their customers by promising them that all they will have to pay is a really low rate every month, while the small print reads that that is just for six months and that service will be some other outrageous price for every month thereafter. Many people think that they can just get out of the service when that point comes, without really stopping to realise that they are bound by contract to that company and may have to pay to get out.

It is important to look out for good prices, not prices that are too good to be true.

Another important thing to look for in a DSL provider is good service, preferably great or even outstanding customer service. It may not matter much to you now whether or not the salespeople have any tact, but when your service is down and it has been down for several hours and you can’t get your work done chances are that you are going to wish you had taken the time to find a company that actually pretended to care about how you felt about things and took the time to train their associates accordingly. It may not seem like a big deal now, but there will come a time when you will care.

Link-Connect are a long-established communications provider offering internet and telecoms services for businesses of all sizes. http://www.link-connect.com provide everything relating to connectivity, telephony, websites, networks and security.

Slow Broadband Connection? It’s Time You Found Out Why!

06 Apr.
Posted by gamesmaster in Broadband | No Comments

These days there are a lot of people using a Broadband Internet connection to get online. As a consumer you can get Broadband through use of DSL, which is normally supplied by a phone company, or you can get a connection with a cable Internet Company, providing that there is one in your area. Generally speaking broadband will grant you a relatively fast connection which will be a must if you are thinking of downloading and viewing/listening to videos and music.

But as we all know technology isn’t perfect and sometimes you may experience a painfully slow connection even with Broadband. If you are or have experienced this you should know that there could be lots of reasons to why it is happening to you; your internet provider may be having some problems or your computer may have become victim to viruses and spyware. Your fist step towards sorting the problem should be to run a broadband speed test on your connection. Why, because this will help you determine whether the problem is on your end or your providers.

If you call your Internet provider, they will most likely be able to run a broadband speed test on your computer while you wait. It shouldn’t take a moment, and they can tell you rather quickly if the problem is on their end or yours. They may also have a website that you can go to, that is of cause if you can still get online, and it will run the broadband speed test for you. You will see your results displayed right there on your computer screen. If your internet provider doesn’t provide this service, then don’t worry there are plenty of web sites out there that will. Just do a google search for “speed test” and you’re find plenty of sites.

If you have run the speed test and found nothing wrong on their end, your connection might be off at your end. It may just be a simple case of you having to reset your modem or router; I have found this to work most of the time. The last time I found my service to be very slow; it was because the memory on my modem had been full. To be honest I don’t really know for sure what kind of data this collects or uses, but as soon as the memory had been emptied, my connection was back to normal.

If there is no problem what so ever on your end, no trouble on your providers end, and the broadband speed test came back fine, there is most likely something else wrong with your computer. In this case often one of the main culprits are spyware, malware or of cause viruses. Sometimes very bad spyware can make it easier for viruses to get in to your system and then they will use up so much of your computer memory that it will make your broadband Internet run like a dial-up or even worse.

If you have done all of this and still have no idea what is causing the problem, your last step would be to have your computer looked over by a professional for any hardware problems. Most of the problems you will encounter with your computer will be no doubt software related; hardware problems take up a very small proportion of computer problems.

Once your computer is up and running again, it’s always a good idea to run a broadband speed test every now and then so you can be certain that everything is running fine, and keep your computer protected from viruses, spyware and alike.

If you’d like to find out more about spyware, malware and viruses and most importantly how you can go about protecting your self from them and avoiding them while on the net, visit http://www.spywarefreezone.com/

BT Calls For Action And Honesty About Internet Speeds

31 Mar.
Posted by marshc01 in Broadband | No Comments

The BBC is reporting that BT have called for action about Internet speeds and what ISP’s offer users. Over the last few years service providers have been offering great speeds and super fast Internet and BT wants companies to offer more honesty about what users can expect to receive.

BT supplies over eight million people and have come out and said that many customers are disappointed with the speeds they get compared to what was advertised. In a survey it found that only 15% of people paying for eight megabit per second broadband actually receive those speeds.

BT have said that regulators need to agree a set of rules about how broadband speeds are sold to potential customers stating -

“The reality is we are all trying to push the technology,”

“The industry needs to join together with Ofcom to agree a set of principles as to how these messages should be communicated and advertised so that the understanding with the consumer is as accurate as it can be.”

Whilst BT offers DSL max products with a variety of different speeds up to eight megabites per second, it does tell customers (the isps) that actual speeds will vary from user to user.

Cameron Rejali, Managing Director of Products at BT Wholesale, said it is up to the ISPs how they market broadband, “but if they are marketing it badly, the market will punish them.”

BT said users need to know about the process and that there is a difference between the line speed - what the line between their home and the exchange can support - and what it describes as “throughput”, a measure of the data coming down the line during an activity such as the downloading of a video.

Only 35% of BT’s DSL Max customers are achieving an eight mbps line speed - the rest will see their speed cut by factors such as distance from the exchange, poor equipment, and interference from electrical appliances.

But none of these five million users will achieve eight mbps “throughput” because of internet congestion and other network issues that can affect the speed of the internet connection.

“The reality is if you are very far from an exchange or there are environmental factors then your speed will come down and there is not much we can do in the short-term to address that problem,” said Mr Bradshaw.

Ofcom is now currently reviewing the way broadband is marketed to consumers.
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Guide 2 Broadband explores the issue of Broadband and the Internet so that you can find out more information about broadband and service providers. For more information please visit http://www.guide2broadband.com/