1.
World Wide Mail Service (Electronic mail)
2.
Getting information (Using Website address)
3.
Getting information (Using Search Engine) – if you
don’t have proper website address.
4.
Online discussion (Chatting)
5.
Online shopping (E-Business)
6.
Communication
7.
Entertainment (Audio, Video, Games etc.)
Internet Connection:
Depending
on your location you might have several different choice for Internet access.
Starting with the most attractive technologies for home Internet access, common
Internet connection types:
1.
Dial-up:
Connection to your ISP goes
through a standard modem and traditional telephone line. (Your phone line is busy
if anyone tries to call while you’re online, provided you just have one phone
line.) The maximum speed of a dial-up account is usually in the 48 to 50 Kbps
range. Even though your modem may be rated at 56 k, the phone lines can’t move
traffic quite that quickly.
Dial-up is convenient because it is
available to any location with a phone. However, slow performance makes using
the Internet frustrating.
2.
Broadband:
Connection to your ISP is through
cable or special Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL) that can carry more data at
faster than 50kbps. You connect to a
broadband account using a modem or router. You can get just about any
connection speed you want.
·
Cable modems. The best performing and most
affordable option available to customers, most cable TV providers offer broadband
Internet access.
·
DSL. An excellent choice for businesses, DSL
typically offers better reliability that cable modems. However, DSL tends to be
more expensive than cable modems for similar levels of service.
·
Satellite. Satellite broadband services provide
high-speed Internet access to any location with a clear view of the sky
(currently available in North America and
certain other location). Satellite services may be the only broadband option
for people living in rural areas. The cost of satellite services is
significantly higher than other services. While you can transfer large files
quickly with satellite, browsing the Web or playing online games can seem
slower that with dial-up because of the delay caused by sending signals to and
from satellites.
Additionally, ISPs are beginning
to offer wireless or fiber broadband Internet access in limited areas.
To
find an ISP, you should contact your cable televising provider for cable modem
service or your telephone company for DSL. Almost all cable and telephone
companies offer broadband Internet access, and they typically offer a discount
if you purchase multiple services from them.
Bandwidth
Internet
bandwidth (the speed at which you computer can send and receive information) is
measured in either kbps (kilobits per second) or Mbps (megabits per second). If
you are lucky enough to have multiple broadband options in your area, compare
these factors:
·
Downstream bandwidth. This is the speed width
which your computer can receive information from the Internet. The higher the
downstream bandwidth, the faster your computer can display Web pages, transfer
music, and download files. For most people, downstream bandwidth is more
important than upstream bandwidth, so the speeds tend to be much higher. For
example, a cable modem service might offer 6,000 kbps downstream and only 786
Kbps upstream.
·
Upstream bandwidth. This is the amount of data
your computer can send to the Internet. This isn’t important if you just plan
to read e-mail and surf the Web, because your computer only needs to send a
small request in order to receive a large Web page or e-mail. However, if
you’re into online gaming or you want to send large files to people, then higher
upstream bandwidth is important, and you should choose the highest upstream
bandwidth available.
·
Reliability and customer service. ISP
reliability has increased significantly in recent years; however, it is still
not as reliable as your phone or television service. There is no objective way
to measure reliability and customer service, so you should talk to your
neighbors about their experiences and search the Web for reviews of ISP’s in
your area.
