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.

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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.

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To go Broadband or not? That is the question! Internet has become a fad striking each and every household’s computers. It’s a bandwagon where everyone gets the enjoyable ride. It has become a craze diligently patronized by small and large scale businesses with an online set up or even those who have decided to put up with the Internet. Customers compete in terms of connection that they have, proudly speaks of having a fast access and sincerely encourages their friends to make that decision. Why are then, some people, refusing to go broadband? It is but noteworthy to understand the basics of broadband, high speed or fast access.

There are so many terms attached to it. Many people call it different names but they all mean the same thing. According to Merriam-Webster, broadband “relates to or being a high speed communications network and especially one in which a frequency range is divided into multiple independent channels for simultaneous transmission signals.” Imagine an expressway, it has wide roads and numerous vehicles speeding their way on it. That is what broadband is like.

Broadband technology advances like no other. Telephone and cable companies have provided conduits for this connection to pass through. The highway described earlier approaches to one stop, the Internet. It is like a huge door that opens up every household’s computer to access the Internet and no longer prolong the agony of waiting from opening one website to another.

To start up with a broadband connection, it is then imperative to know if whether your telephone or cable providers support these connections. The area must have access to that type of connection in order to land on the faster service. There are several advantages to acquiring this connection. The first is the well obvious speedier connection or access. You can now use the telephone and the fax machine while using the Internet. You can make outgoing and receive incoming messages. The perennial problem of sluggish connection and telephone use interruption is finally put behind you. With broadband access, you can enjoy multitasking doing research for paperwork, listening to your favorite songs and your computer is downloading the attached pictures from an email while you get to enjoy a cup of latte on the other hand. Yes, these can all be done at the comfort of your own room. Some broadband service companies provide free technical support if you need help but the safety and security tools can now run smoothly with software that are auto updating and always online.

There are still several means to define how broadband can greatly affect the market’s use of internet nowadays, the business potential increases at the same time while more and more are switching to broadband. The basic savings however on this is time; doing more in such little time, your precious time. To the first question posted at the beginning of this article, it will rely on your call. But for anyone who values time and believes that time is gold, it should not be a question anymore.

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If you have grown tired of borrowing the home phone line to check your email, then you will appreciate the speed and “always on” aspect of broadband Internet. Even if you already have a dedicated line to an Internet Service Provider, a high speed connection will make a dramatic difference in how you use the Internet. Until recently, choices were very limited. However, there are a number of options now and it is worth considering the following before making the leap to the 21st century:

Speed
Even though the slowest broadband service will be faster than your pokey modem, there are different speeds (and of course prices) with broadband service. The minimum target should be in the 512k BPS, which would make the service approximately ten times faster than the best standard modem for downloads. Uploads are faster than modems but still lag well behind on upload (sending files) speed. Make sure that your provider has an upgrade plan when you want to turbo-charge your connection for movies and other bandwidth-hungry media.

Price
Those who say that money is no object have not opened a phone bill recently! The highest speeds (upwards of 3M BPS) are typically reserved for business users, who can afford the steep monthly charges. But most home and small office customers can find a provider with a 1M BPS plan that should only cost two times the price of their former dial-up ISP. This is a tremendous bargain when you consider the time and productivity advantages you will gain.


Commitment
Often the “same as dial-up” prices will only be valid for a few months, or require a lengthy contract commitment to maintain the bargain. You may have to maintain all products, and at least the same level of service. Check the fine print on the offer, and if it sounds too good to be true, well, you know the rest.

Phone
A consideration is whether you want to get rid of your home phone line when you ditch your old ISP. It is typically less expensive, although make sure all the features you liked from traditional phone service are in place. Since digital phone service is now possible, investigate a combined plan that bundles Internet, phone and perhaps even cable or satellite TV service.

Wireless
If you do not already have a wireless router, many providers will lease (or sell) you one to make your broadband connection truly a charm. Not only will you be surfing and downloading at lightning speed, but you will do it without a cable in sight.

Disappearing are the days of busy phone lines and creaky dial-up speeds. Consider these simple points before launching your speed skyward and putting your old modem out to pasture.

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After a long wait, the broadband service bundle has emerged into a welcoming, but hotly contested marketplace, with different solutions vying for the immediate attention of consumers and their money. These services are grouped into a package that includes both phone services and a high speed Internet connection, all for one low price. Offerings include the packaging of all TV, telephone and other services in a single bill. Usually this consumer service bundle is sold for a single price based on the customer’s selected bandwidth capacity and number of access lines.

If you choose to go with a service bundle offered by Time Warner Cable or AT & T, be sure to compare the VoIP (or Voice Over Internet Protocol) portion to that provided by the several major companies in the market. There are a few chosen ones that specifically stand out and are worth a look; one being Vonage. This company is well-known for being a market force and leading provider of telephone services in the world, and are particularly now known for their involvement with VoIP technology.

The award winning technology utilized by Vonage enables the general consumer around the world to be able to make and receive calls from almost anywhere that a high speed Internet connection is available. Vonage is known for offering feature-rich and cost-effective communication services that provide users an experience that highly rivals landline telephone services.
Another company offering VoIP is Verizon, a stiff competitor on the communications industry. Verizon offers the VoiceWing option which gives you the power to track your calls, check voicemail online and many more features.

VoIP providers can offer amazing international rates, unlimited nationwide calling packages, choice of area codes, various calling features, voicemail access via the Internet, and the ability to control just about any feature with the Personal Account Manager.

There are some disadvantages to the consumer of having broadband services being sold together. You cannot choose the digital TV service separately: the television, landline phone, and broadband bundle is compulsory and subject to a 12 month minimum term with stiff cancellation penalties.

These are some interesting notes on service providers:

Point Topic projects that in the medium term an IP telephony service will be expected by consumers from their broadband operators in the same way a TV and broadband bundle is expected from cable operators.

Roadrunner is growing well while the AOL bundle is no longer actively marketed, and is losing customers.

Covad, TalkSwitch Team on SMB Communications Package companies say the voice and high speed access bundle is affordable and easy for SMBs (Small to Medium Businesses) to install. Just the same way a TV and broadband bundle is expected from cable operators.

The No Limits-Broadband bundle is marketed to residential customers at a price that varies slightly by location.

Carphone’s cheap voice bundle is certainly a major step forward, comparable to the way in which Freeserve introduced the Internet to the masses.

A Toucan broadband bundle is one of the may be an excellent deal for you if you want to switch both Internet and home phone suppliers.

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What is broadband high speed Internet? First, let us find the basis for comparison for in-home broadband services, often called consumer class, which is basic dial-up. Dial-up access streams at 56 Kbps (Kilobits per second), and it requires the use of a phone line. One cannot surf and talk at the same time. The cost for dial-up is $10-$25 per month. Reading further, one finds that with broadband high speed Internet, there is no comparison to dial-up Internet.

Satellite broadband has a 400 Kbps speed downstream and upstream speed. A satellite connection can be used when DSL and Cable are not available. Unlike dial-up, satellite is an instant connection; multiple PC’s can share the connection, and there is no need for a second phone line. Home satellite broadband high speed connections run approximately $60-100/month.

In comparison, DSL has a speed of 128Kbps to 1.5 Mbps downstream speed. 64 Kbps to 1.5 Mbps upstream speed which is up to 50 times faster than dial up, but one still has to have a landline for DSL. Downloading and streaming music, videos, movies, and playing online gaming just became faster and easier. Home-based DSL costs about $40-$50 per month.

Cable modems have 200Kbps to 2 Mbps downstream & upstream speed. Cable modems are always on with instant access, and there is no hassle with having a second phone line. Cable modems have comparable cost to DSL.

Units of Measurement - Broadband Internet Access Speed

bit= smallest unit of digital information, i.e. ones & zeros
byte= a set of bits
bps= bits per second
Kbps= kilobits per second =1000 bits per second
Mbps = Million bits per second =1,000,000 bits per second
Gbps = Gigabits per second = 1,000,000,000 (one billion) bits per second
Tbps = Terabits per second = 1,000,000,000,000 (one trillion) bits per second

Consumer class broadband differs in costs and services offered from high speed Internet for businesses. For instance, DSL for business runs at 128Kbps to 1.5 Mbps downstream, and 64Kbps to 1.5 Mbps upstream for a cost of $90-$400 per month, depending upon the bandwith speed required.

Another variation of business broad band is Fractional T1. Provided at the speed of 128 Kbps to 1.0 Mbps, Fractional T1 speed has some of the 24-64 Kbps channels turned off. Prices are approximately $220-$500 per month depending on fractional bandwidth speed required, which includes local loop. Hardware and installation costs vary.

DSL and Fractional T1 can be combined for a broadband speed of 1.544 Mbps using a digital circuit. T1/DS1 is dedicated Internet access, point-to-point or integrated (voice & data). Prices are approximately $500-1000 per month which includes local loop. Hardware and installation costs vary.

Fractional T3, which is 3 Mbps to 44.736 Mbps basic T3 with some of the 67-264 Kbps channels turned off, comes at a hefty price of approximately $3000-$5000/month, depending on fractional bandwidth speed required.

T3/DS3 has a broadband speed of 44.736 Mbps digital circuit. It can be dedicated Internet access, point-to-point or integrated. Prices are approx. $5000-15,000 per month plus local loop. Set up costs will be additional.

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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. dsl provider provide everything relating to connectivity, telephony, websites, networks and security.

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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. dsl provider provide everything relating to connectivity, telephony, websites, networks and security.

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Whether it’s for business use or personal use, the benefits of high speed internet access are many. Making the decision to go broad band can be tough though, especially when monthly package prices are considered. Once the initial sticker shock wears off, the benefits of high speed should be examined along with the actual costs.

The reliability of the connection is what appeals to businesses the most, but there are other business advantages to high speed. They include:

* Ability to be online all the time. By not requiring a telephone connection to go online, computers that are hooked up on high speed can stay online the entire time they’re on. This gives employees instant access to incoming e-mail and enables a lot of other functions quickly.

* Doesn’t require dedicated phone lines or use of the main phone line. This is a big one for business and comes into play when looking at actual costs. There’s no need to buy a second or third phone line when high speed access is used. For those who use their main telephone line for their Internet access as well, this expense can be justified simply by thinking of all the business calls that might be missed while the phone is in use.

* The speed factor. It’s a simple fact valuable time is wasted when dial up services are used. High speed connections can enable employees to download files, programs and more in a fraction of the time it takes with dial up. This means they’ll be working on something else quicker and more efficiently.

* Online meeting usage. While online meetings are possible on dial up, the connection might not always be great. If telecommuting to meetings at different company locations or with clients is a desired Internet use, high speed is the only way to go. Dropped connections can cost you business, which absolutely doesn’t compute for the bottom line.

And while businesses are going more and more with high speed access, private users are doing so for a number of reasons as well. The package may cost more in one lump sum, but if the factors are broken out, high speed is generally cheaper or at the least the same price. Think of it this way, high speed enables a private computer user to get rid of a second phone line and an access account. The access and the account are included in the price.

For home users, high speed offers the following benefits:

* Ability to download photographs and files faster. This is great for those who use the Internet to keep in contact with friends and family.

* More reliable connection for online chats. This also comes in handy for using the Internet to stay in touch with friends and family. The fear of dropped connections almost disappears with high speed.

* Doesn’t tie up the main phone line.

* Online gaming. There simply isn’t a connection better for those who like to game. Everything moves faster with high speed access.

Broad band Internet access isn’t a “fad,” it’s the way business gets done and it can help private computer owners better enjoy their online experiences as well. By speeding up the process and freeing up phone lines, broad band has proven itself more than useful.

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