Connecting to the Internet—Hardware

The Internet is a global network of computers. In order for you to be able to interact with this network, you must be connected to it.

Options for connecting to the Internet include:

• Dial-up—Dial-up connections are the most common, but they are also the slowest. If you have a dial-up connection, you are connecting to the Internet through existing phone lines.
• ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network)—ISDN also runs over a telephone line but it requires a special connector that must be installed by the telephone company.
• Satellite—If you live in an area without DSL or cable, you can use a satellite connection. A small satellite dish at your home sends the signal to a satellite that bounces the signal to another satellite dish at your service provider's network center.
• DSL (Digital Subscriber Lines)—DSL also uses existing telephone lines, but the signal is split at the entry point to the home or office building, so the DSL coming in to your computer doesn't share the regular phone line connection. To use DSL, you must be located within 20,000 feet of the telephone switching station, so DSL is most common in urban areas.
• Cable—Instead of connecting through a telephone line, this service uses an existing television cable system.
• T1—T1 lines and their faster cousins T3 lines use high-speed dedicated phone trunk lines that would normally carry multiple telephone lines. They are generally used by government agencies, corporations, and educational institutions that have many users connecting at one time.

If you have a dial-up connection, you cannot connect to the Internet and talk on the phone at the same time. In fact, you'll need to disable your call waiting service while you're on the Internet, because an incoming call will disrupt your connection.

How much does it cost?

Generally, the slowest connections are the least expensive. At the low end, a dial-up connection averages $19.95 per month. At the high end, a dedicated T-3 connection can cost $10,000 or more per month. Most home users who want a fast connection opt for a DSL or cable connection ranging from $40 to $60 per month. In addition, every service except dial-up also incurs a one-time setup or installation fee (which can sometimes be waived).