Friday, August 22

Why Choose Dial Up ISP Services

Dial up ISP service is the cheapest choice of any of the ISPs and may be a good option for that family on a tight budget. The software upgrades have definitely increased the speed of dial up ISPs, but their speed is still slower than some other options. Dial up ISP service can be purchased from several different companies including Earthlink, AOL, Juno, and others.

One of the major issues with dial up ISP service is how long it takes to connect to the internet and disruptions in your connection. Depending upon the time of day and your company, connection can take anywhere from 30 seconds to two to three minutes or longer. Disruptions occur when you lose contact with the provider because of phone line static, storms, or problems at the providers end. This can be very irritating if you are working online or researching and have to keep reconnecting to the internet.

When choosing dial up ISP service, choose a company with a long track record and software upgrades rather than the newest, cheapest service on the market. Cheaper does not necessarily translate into better, especially in an ISP service. Read the fine print of your policies. How long can you stay online before being cut off? How many email addresses are allowed per account? Is there a limit on the number of hours a month you can be online without additional charges?

Access numbers are a necessity for dial up ISP service since you use the phone line to connect to the internet. Ensure that there are local access numbers for your use so you will not have to pay long distance charges. If you travel, do they have access numbers in a wide variety of locations or, even better, a toll free number for connection?

What comes with your dial up ISP account? Do they offer SPAM blocker or virus protection? These are important tools for your internet experience and your computer. SPAM blocker helps to block some of the unsolicited email that you get from sellers and different companies. Although it does not block all of it, it will make a large difference in your email. Virus protection is something that no computer user should be without. It scans incoming email and downloads for viruses that may harm your computer.

Dial-up ISP service is a great choice for budget minded people. Although the connection is slow and websites may be slow to load, the cost difference may be more important to some consumers. Think of it like this, if you have dial up service, then while websites load you have time to clean the house and balance your checkbook!

Learn the essential information for picking the right Internet Service Provider at High Speed Internet Provider

For LightningFast Speed What You Need is Comcast Internet

Just 10 years ago, the Internet was a novelty, a rarity and a luxury that most Americans were aware of but did not participate in. Now, 75 percent of Americans have Internet access at home, and many of them are using Comcast Internet.

With so many choices out there, how do you find what kind of Internet service is right for you? Simple: Choose the fastest, most reliable and most affordable. And that's Comcast Internet.

Until a few years ago, the standard for Internet access was dialup. Today, that method of connecting to the Internet is no longer favored, as many Internet customers have high-speed access, either cable or DSL. Nearly all businesses and offices with Internet access use broadband of some kind. And Comcast cable Internet is leading the way.

Comcast cable Internet offers broadband service that is faster than most DSL services -- about 6 Mbps (6 Megs) of download speed -- so fast you'll barely notice anything is happening. (Most DSL services only go as high as 1.5 Mbps.) When Comcast Internet says high speed Internet, they mean it!

With Comcast Internet access that fast, you have all the speed you need to watch videos, download songs, play online computer games and take advantage of everything else the Internet has to offer.

But look what else comcast high speed internet

gets you: As a Comcast Internet customer, you'll have access to exclusive features like Video Mail, PhotoShow, and a variety of music, entertainment, sports and financial news at Comcast.net. The Comcast Internet home page makes you part of a vast community of fellow Comcast Internet users.

Another advantage of Comcast high speed cable Internet is that you have customer service available to you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If there?s a problem with your cable Internet, there will always be someone on hand to help you solve it. This is important especially to businesses, where a large portion (or sometimes all!) of their business is conducted over the Internet, thus making reliable high speed Internet a necessity.

You can also get Comcast Internet in conjunction with other Comcast services, such as Comcast digital cable. Customers often get a price break if they order a package of services -- cable Internet and cable TV, for example. Comcast digital cable TV has a digital video recorder (DVR) option that allows you to record your favorite programs digitally and watch them later, at your convenience. With high speed Internet and digital cable with DVR, all your news and entertainment needs are taken care of through Comcast.

Comcast Internet is one of many Internet service providers, yes. But none are used as often, or praised as widely, as Comcast is for its high speed broadband Internet services. When you want to use the Internet, you want to use it quickly, efficiently and without it costing an arm and a leg. Comcast Internet gives you all that and more, making it one of the leaders in today?s broadband Internet marketplace.

Christopher M. Luck has an extensive background in working exclusively with Comcast and is now offering his free personal internet tricks to the public. If you are at all interested in Christopher's advice, tips, or secrets, you can visit his comcast blog

Thursday, August 21

Virus Hoaxes

In this day and age we have many reasons to believe that we just might have a virus. In the past we only had to make sure our anti-virus software was up-to-date and if by some fluke chance we contracted a virus that was new and undetectable to virus software we needed to contact our anti-virus software makers to let them know and receive their experience and technical aptitude in solving our virus problem.

Now-a-days there is a new kind of problem cropping up, and it's becoming more and more common. Virus hoaxes are a well-known catch phrase and you might have heard of them in the news or read about them somewhere on-line. A virus hoax is most commonly spread in the form of e-mail and is designed to make the receiver of the email to believe that their computer security has been compromised.

Most commonly the email will tell the recipient that their computer is infected with a virus and they must delete such and such a file. Step-by-step instructions are usually included and if the person reading the email is fooled, a file crucial to their computers operations can be deleted. There are many that will try to play on the fear factor and get you to send them your login information to verify your identity as well.

There are usually very easily spotted warning signs common to all hoax emails that you should know about. The first sign that usually gives the hoax away completely is the request in the email for you to send this email to everyone you know. No credible source will ask you to send the email to all the people you know. Secondly the email will be trying to sound credible and technical. By saying that their email has been provided by a well-known authority on viruses and providing links to that site, a lot of people will be more likely to believe the email. Check the site that is linked to, if you get a generic homepage for say.. Mcafee or Symantec, you more than likely have a hoax. Generally a well-known corporation will have specific information linked in their warning email.

Another way to make sure you are not being hoaxed is to check the major sites of virus and security to see if the email you received has been indexed as being a hoax. McAfee and Symantec both have pages dedicated to hoaxes. As well there are other sites loaded with info to check out for virus hoaxes.

Most of all it's just a good idea to take a sceptical eye when reading anything you receive on the internet. Just because something has been written down/typed out and hailed as truth, does not mean it is so. Keep your eyes open and your computer virus-free.

Josh is the owner of New User Help. A website which offers a free three step solution finder.

Evaluating Bandwidth Choices ADSL vs SDSL

Looking for bandwidth? That can be a daunting and frustrating task even in the best of situations. There's lots to consider in order to make the right decision for your needs. Below you'll find some help when evaluating ADSL vs SDSL. Factors covered include Technology, Speed, Description, Application, Pros, Cons, and Costs.

~~~~~~~~~

Technology: ADSL

Speed: 768Kbps to 6.1 Mbps downstream. Upstream speeds range from 64Kbps-1Mbps.

Description: The most common type of DSL. Deployed over a copper wire pair in conjunction with an analog phone line.

Application: Commercial and consumer Internet service. Popular with consumers because of low-cost, short provisioning times and high download speeds.

Pros: High-speed access at a relatively low-cost. Availability is approaching 70% in most major metropolitan areas. Installation times are often less than 30days.

Cons: Not available in all areas. Slow upload speed. Bandwidth is aggregated at the Central Office and is subject to oversubscription. Not ideal for businesses or heavy users.

Costs: Consumer services starts at around $30-50. But....the pricing for these connections varies widely depending on the carrier and location of service. For example...it's likely to be more costly in rural areas and some local/regional providers may offer better rates than Tier 1 carriers.

~~~~~~~~~~

Technology: SDSL

Speed: Up to 2.3Mbps both ways.

Description: A form of HDSL, provisioned over a single twisted-pair of copper wire at distances up to 12,000 feet.

Application: Ideal for businesses due to symmetrical data transmission speeds and advanced features such as multiple IP addresses.

Pros: High-speed access at a low-cost when compared to T-1. Often provides more features than ADSL.

Cons: Not available in all areas. Bandwidth is aggregated at the Central Office and is subject to oversubscription. More costly and longer install times than ADSL.

Costs: Business service starts at around $50-80 and can be as high as a few $100 monthly. But....the pricing for these connections varies widely depending on the carrier, location of service, and the application for which the connection is being used. For example...it's likely to be much more costly in rural areas. While some local/regional providers may offer better rates than Tier 1 carriers...you'll have to consider possible tradeoffs in stability and reliabilty.

Michael is the owner of FreedomFire Communications....including Business-VoIP-Solution.com. Michael also authors Broadband Nation where you're always welcome to drop in and catch up on the latest BroadBand news, tips, insights, and ramblings for the masses.

Wednesday, August 20

Enjoy Online Faxing With Internet Fax Software

Internet fax software or fax server software is required to perform Internet faxing. Actually it is used to transmit documents or files through PC instead of a fax machine. Internet fax software allows you to get certain Internet fax services like email to fax, fax to email, and PC to fax.

You can easily send or receive faxes on your personal computer by just installing Internet fax software onto it. It enables you to do Internet faxing from anywhere in the world. With your fax account you can easily send any type of file to any fax machine/computer. You?ve to just pay for installing an Internet fax software and some Internet usage charges. Afterwards you receive your own fax number from which you can send/receive faxes online.

Nowadays several companies offer Internet fax software at cheap prices. Online faxing is the cheapest way to send or receive faxes via Internet. Main advantage of Internet fax is that you can get your important fax anywhere and anytime. Sometimes when you?re not able to receive faxes through fax machine you can use Internet. You can even get faxes at your busy times and when you get free just check your email account because all faxes are safe in your inbox.

Author presents a website on Internet Fax Software. Website is a great source of getting all information about Internet fax software, Internet fax, and how to get Internet fax software at cheap rates. To get more information click: online fax software

Applications For DS3 Bandwidth

A typical T1 circuit is only 1.5 megabits per second. A typical digital 3 minute song is 3 megaBYTES or 24 megabits in size. A typical digital photo is about 2 megaBYTES or 16 megabits. The typical Power Point presentation is 10 megaBYTES in size or 80 megabits. If 3 or more people in the office were to email a power point presentation at the same time the office internet connection would slow to a crawl for 3 or more minutes. This does not take into account all the spam email clogging up your Internet connection while attempting to reach your mail server. Nor does it take into account many other new bandwidth hogging applications that others in office are using such as monitoring their nanny cam at home, watching MarketWatch , CNN streaming video channels, or uploading a photo album to a relative. Everyday there are new bandwidth intensive applications being developed for the Internet.

It's obvious that the common T1 connection can't handle this growth. Your best option is to research application of a DS3 bandwidth solution.

A DS3 (sometimes referred to as a T3 or E3) is a leased private dedicated line that goes directly from your office to an Internet Service Provider (ISP). A T3/DS3 connection is equivalent to 28 T1/DS1 connections and uses digital signals on fiber-optic cable at speeds of 45 million bps (bits per second) or 44.736 megabits per second. Generally this type of dedicated line is for 50-100+ users and/or high bandwidth applications. T3/DS3 connections can also be used for point to point access (direct connection between 2 business sites).

As a standard used in the North American and Japanese marketplaces, a DS3 can handle 672, 64Kbps voice conversations or one video data channel. The DS3 line has enough bandwidth to transmit full-motion real-time videos and very large databases over a busy network. Generally a DS3 line would be installed as a major networking channel for a large corporation, research facility, call center, or university with high volume network traffic. But there are multiple smaller scale business uses also....particularly when multiple locations are involved. Bandwidth for a Fractional DS3, up to a full DS3, generally run at speeds between 6 Mbps through 45 Mbps.

DS3 connection (or T3 connection), is great for companies with large bandwidth needs. It is especially useful as the backbone for Disaster Recovery systems. If your company needs computer access for 50 + users, or needs to run high bandwidth applications like video conferencing, you are likely in the market for a T3/DS3 connection. A T3/DS3 line is also a viable solution for companies looking to resell bandwidth to their customers.

The common T1 line can handle 24 simultaneous voice calls or a high speed Internet connection speed of 1.54 Mbps. This is usually the solution of choice for small to mid size businesses. A DS3 line can handle 672 simultaneous voice calls or provide a high speed Internet connection of 45 Mbps. The T3/DS3 is typically used by high end data and voice customers as it is the equivalent of 28 T1 lines or 672 voice lines.

Most DS3 circuits are fractional, meaning a portion of the circuit. A DS3 is capable of 45 megabits per second. Fractional DS3s are usually, 8 megabit per second which is equal to about five (5) T1s. Today this is more than fast enough for most all business needs.

The cost of the DS3 circuit is always mileage based. Generally speaking the farther the distance from your ISPs Central Office (CO) connection the more it will cost. On top of that there is often a bandwidth usage charge.

DS3 service can be deployed for a wide variety of applications. The most common uses are DS3 point-to-point (tying 2 distinct business locations together), DS3 internet (data), DS3 frame relay, DS3 voice, and DS3 VPN. The pricing for these connections varies widely depending on the carrier, location of service and the application for which the connection is being used. Using a free rate quote research service such as DS3-Bandwidth.com will allow you to obtain current pricing for your location.

Michael is the owner of FreedomFire Communications....including Business-VoIP-Solution.com Michael also authors Broadband Nation where you're always welcome to drop in and catch up on the latest BroadBand news, tips, insights, and ramblings for the masses.

Tuesday, August 19

Google Goes Wireless In The Land Of The Free

In the heart of Silicon Valley a revolution is about to take place. It could change the Universe as we know it. Don't laugh, this revolution will grab you by the short wires and turn your world upside down.

It will affect your life and the lives of your children's children. It might just be the spark that changes everything...

It all has to do with the Internet.

Someone wants to give the Internet its wings. Get rid of all those wires and monthly bills. Set it free. Let it fly among the stars. Broadcast it out into the stratosphere. Or in other words, make it free for everyone.

And it's about time.

Are we talking about a free wireless Internet for the masses? Well, not exactly and not yet. But it's the start of such a concept that could quickly become a reality for many people very soon. It has to start somewhere and why not in Silicon Valley. Where else would you want to start a free wireless revolution but a place that really knows how to cash in its chips.

And who else would you expect to lead this Internet Parade than Google; the all knowing, all seeing, omnipotent and undisputed ruler of the mighty cursor.

Google wants to give free broadband Wi-Fi service to the small city of Mountain View, sometimes AKA-ed as the Capital of Silicon Valley. Located between the Santa Cruz Mountains and San Francisco Bay, Mountain View is home to around 72,000 young, vibrant and smart residents. The median age is 32.8 years old. Pure Google fodder.

Google has proposed a system of providing free Wi-Fi via 300 transmitters on light poles which would virtually make the city one big hotspot. City leaders now have to decide if Google should get the go ahead for this free Internet. In its proposal, Google has plainly stated its own self-interest in such a system.

In our self-interest, we believe that giving more people the ability to access the Internet will drive more traffic to Google and hence more revenue to Google and its partner websites.

Obviously, Google has everything to gain. Ad revenue and the Internet is its lifeblood. Why not expand that lifeblood. And why not make the Internet pay for itself. Why shouldn't it be free and ad supported -- cut out all those monthly ISP bills users now have to pay.

Will the majority of Internet users be willing to give up their ISP bills for a few Google ads on webpages? In a heartbeat!

Sure, there will be naysayers, all revolutions have them. Commercialism of the web is a totally bad road to traverse. Capitalism is wrong. But it's a moot argument, the web is already monetized up to the yin-yang. Users should get something back for a change. It might be totally in Google's self-interest to give people a free Internet but there's no denying that such a gesture would also be a way of sharing all that ad revenue.

A free Internet that spans the Globe and beyond -- available to everyone. Such a system is probably a natural evolution. The Internet is already turning into a billion channel universe broadcasting its contents into the stratosphere. Why not give all this content some wings.

Why not make this broadcasting system free and ad supported. There's a subtle democratic gesture in what Google is offering. Will people accept this offer or try to hold back evolution. Will they enable Google to be a good corporate citizen and play a pioneering role in a public-private partnership to bridge the digital divide.

Of course, this is just the start, if Google's Proposal flies, a free Internet will only be a click away.

Today, Mountain View. Tomorrow, the Universe.

Bring it on! I want my Free Internet!

Still looking for that unique corporate gift for the boss or employee -- Click Here: Corporate Business Gifts Get a Free Desktop Calendar & Planner compliments of Titus Hoskins and DATEwise.

Copyright ? 2005. This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.

How to Choose an Internet Service Provider

An Internet Service Provider, ISP, is a company that provides a gateway to the Internet for individuals and companies. In its simplest form, connecting to the Internet requires a telephone line to dial up an ISP using a computer and modem. The ISP then provides the route onto the Internet.

Choosing an Internet Service Provider requires a simple first step. Ask yourself: What do I want to use the Internet for? If you can answer this, you can then start to work out your requirements.

Answers to the question What do I want to use the Internet for? can include:

- How much will I use the Internet each month?
- What time of day will I use it?
- Do I need web space?
- Is customer support important to me?
- How many e-mail addresses will I need?
- Can the ISP support online payments?
- How much does it cost?

Another question to ask is ?How long has the ISP been in business?? This might not seem important but in this industry ISP?s come and go quite regularly. Running an ISP requires extensive computer knowledge, experience and quality hardware, not to mention a reliable line into the Internet, plenty of good modems and adequate customer support.

Different types of Internet service

Dial-up: connects to the ISP using a modem. This is the most basic, slowest and cheapest option.

DSL: popular high speed internet service. It uses a regular telephone line to connect to the Internet, however it is faster that dial-up and allows you to access the Internet and use the phone at the same time.

Cable: high speed Internet service that uses your TV cable.

Satellite: It connects to the Internet using a satellite dish. It is more expensive than other options but allows people leaving in isolated areas to access the Internet.

Wireless: Connect to the Internet while you are away from home. Allows people to travel with their laptops and access the Internet from hot spots worldwide.

The next step should be to start calling the Internet Service Providers in your area or visiting their websites for more information. A good way to find out about a particular ISP in your area is to ask people who use it or try it yourself. On the Internet there are good ISP's directories that you may want to visit as well.

The author is Ronald Vyhmeister, visit his website at High Speed Internet Providers (http://www.allisp.info). Feel free to use this article in your website or newsletter, but keep this author box with live links.

Monday, August 18

The Rise of Wireless Broadband Hotspots

Broadband has promised a lot for many years ? such as endless streaming content from wireless broadband access at the touch of a button from anywhere in the world. Lately it seems as if these promises, made long ago, are finally being fulfilled. So what exactly does wi-fi have to offer?

Wi-fi is short for Wireless Fidelity, and describes a protocol for transmitting data over a wireless network. Assuming the user has the correct hardware, a wi-fi account, and is in range of the transmitters, the service allows the user to connect to the internet at broadband speeds without the use of cables. This obviously allows for a more mobile and convenient service.

The way wi-fi works is not dissimilar to the now familiar mobile phone. The setup is basically the same, but the equipment is different. At some point in the future it is expected that these technologies will merge.

In the UK, there are already thousands of small, localised wi-fi hotspots in public places such as hotels, cafes, and libraries. Chances are you have already used one. Users can log on to the internet at these hotspots provided they have an account with the broadband supplier and the necessary wireless equipment, such as a wireless laptop or broadband-enabled mobile phone.

Wi-fi account usage is usually paid for with a credit card at a special log-in page on which opens automatically in a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Firefox. Frequent users may even have permanent accounts with the service providers.

In the future, wireless broadband will not be restricted to cafes and libraries. UK Internet service providers will also offer wi-fi through giant ?zones? which will cover large urban areas.

One such wi-fi zone was recently launched at Canary Wharf, the central business district of London, and is currently Europe's largest wi-fi enabled financial area.

There are also plans to roll out such ?hotzones? in other major urban centres throughout the UK, including Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, and the London boroughs of Kensington and Chelsea, Camden and Islington.

So it seems the broadband revolution has gone wireless. Just as we are becoming accustomed to walking amongst city-workers lost for sound within their own iPods, we may soon have to contend with these same folk being lost for sight as they check there email during the daily march to work.

Broadband-is-cheap contains up-to-date Wireless Broadband news, information, and deals from the UK.

T1 Basics General Overview

The cost of T1 service has dropped considerably since its inception in the early 1960?s. No longer is this service for large corporations only. Mid sized and even small businesses can now benefit from dedicated T1 service. For the home business/home office, this service might still be a bit expensive. It?s best to run your own quotes for service and cost it out. Business grade DSL is a viable and cost effective solution for the smaller business owner and the topic of a future article.

Given the cost effectiveness of T1 service, the aim of this short article is to provide a general overview of what this service is and how you can leverage this type of communications infrastructure in your own business.

To start with, T1 service provides 24 channels coming into your office. Each of these 24 channels can be configured for voice, data or integrated voice/data service. Today, with the wide spread popularity of VoIP, you can also configure a full T1 for data and run VoIP for your office phone needs.

T1?s can be used for 24 digitized voice channels or 1.544 megabits per second of data. If you?re using (or considering) a dedicated T1 for voice, the circuit would plug into your existing phone system. (Check with your communications broker to determine if additional equipment is required) If you?re using (or considering) a dedicated data T1, then your circuit would plug into your network router.

If your business currently has 4 or more phone lines, it may be more cost effective to use T1 voice service. Depending on your data (internet) requirements, it may also be cost effective to use a dedicated T1 data service. For normal surfing, you can have hundreds of users all sharing this dedicated T1 data service. To take this a step further you may consider using VoIP over a dedicated T1 data service. Be sure to ask your communications broker about the best setup to meet your specific requirements.

Configuration can run from DSO?s (64 kilobits per second) to OC192 (9.6 gigabits per second). This range certainly makes it a perfect fit for the small business owner as well as the large corporation. If you?re looking to begin building an infrastructure that can grow with your business, consider T1 service. You can get a free quote as well as a free consultation by visiting our site.

Whether you visit our site or someone else?s, be sure to get a no obligation and risk free quote and consultation with a communications expert. It?s best to use a communications broker because as such, we/they are not tied into a specific vendor. Call a specific vendor and that?s the quote you?ll get. A specific vendors quote. Use a communications broker and you?ll be able (or should be able) to get several quotes from several vendors.

T1 service IS much more affordable today and can provide your business with a very cost effective communications infrastructure.

FullService Broadband provider. Our free service is possible through Try Right Technology, Inc. We provide unbiased and informative information on broadband and communication products and services.

Copyright 2006

Sunday, August 17

How to Choose Best ISP for Your Needs

Well, the Internet access industry is starting to shake its way out. The much-anticipated consolidation of access providers is nearing its end. In broadband, this means that most users have little or no choice of providers. Though many of the changes have been hard on user choice, this is not necessarily a bad thing. In some cases, it's better to have one stable and pricey provider than 100 unstable, cheap providers. The shakeout was painful for scores of users who often were left with no connection when they needed it most. And some providers left standing don't exactly have good track records, either.

Still, there is reason for users to be optimistic about the future. The following is an outline of the way the Internet access business should go in the coming year. I provide it to give you a better understanding of where you should go now, assuming you want to stick with the same internet access provider for at least a year.

Don't ditch dial-up

A lot of users were glad they hung on to their dial-up accounts in the midst of uncertainty with their broadband connections. When things go bad with broadband (as they often do), you at least can get e-mail, if not a quick scan of the headlines in text-heavy Web sites.

If you have a dial-up account, and you're paying less than $20 for it, consider it a blessing to have a back-up system. At the very least, when you need to reach tech support for your broadband account and you can't get through due to heavy call volume, you can e-mail them from your dial-up account. Things to look out for in dial-up:

Go with a provider that has been around long enough to quickly respond to such issues as software upgrades and peak calling volumes.

Read the fine print before signing. Some ISPs will disconnect you after a relatively short amount of time of idleness. Others let you stay online as long as you're actively engaged. Still others never disconnect users. The last is preferable; the middle option usually offers the best value.

Check out Boardwatch magazine's ISP Directory to see how much infrastructure you will be paying for. Make sure your chosen ISP has an acceptable ratio of modems to users. Three users for every modem is acceptable, considering that it is unlikely that all their customers will dial up at once. o Match prices with the ratio of modem pools to users.

Check out options such as personal Web site services and multiple addresses. These are nice to have and can add value to your experience as long as you use them--provided they're bundled in.

DSL doldrums

Of all the access methods, DSL has received the most scorn since I've been at this job. My own experiences were horrendous, and I'm not alone. It works great for about 20 percent of the population who are geographically blessed. It works OK for another 30 percent or so of the population, who may have to endure some line noise in order to get DSL. And it doesn't work at all for the other half. Couple its inherent technical limitations with DSL providers falling off the wires like shocked birds, and the situation has not been pretty.

Still, those providers that have made it through the shock test should be able to offer a good experience (with the exception of Qwest). Consider DSL carefully and you will avoid a lot of pain.

Some DSL issues you should consider:

Talk to a neighbor about their DSL experience. Do they have a lot of line noise on the phone even with the filters? Did they have any equipment or network problems with their provider? If so, did they get put on hold and shuffled around through tech support when they called in? Was their DSL provider able to support a variety of platforms, or was it basically Windows-only?

Consider an ISP for DSL service.

The Baby Bells, such as Qwest and Verizon, are not well equipped to deliver DSL service. Even though smaller ISPs may only resell DSL service from Baby Bell providers, they at least provide a live human being when things go wrong. Because the Baby Bells know the cost of supporting DSL users, they can offer DSL to ISPs much more cheaply than they can offer it directly to users. So you can often get a price break from ISPs, especially if you're willing to accept a slightly slower connection.

Mary works in US for a media company, occasionally writing for the biggest cheap internet access news portal, and drinking too much coffee.

DialUp Service and Its Impact on Sales

Dial-up service is not the ideal internet service for an internet based business because it is generally very slow and make taking care of business transactions a burdensome process. There are also some convenience and cost issues associated with dial-up service that may be hindering to an internet business operator as well as some undesirable limitations.

Choosing an internet service provider and internet service is obviously one of the first steps to launching and running an internet based business. For your internet business to be productive as well as time and cost efficient, making the decision about your internet services deserves some thought and consideration.

There are several types of internet services. The very basic internet service is dial-up service. Other types of internet services include broadband or high-speed internet services. Sometimes choices are limited due to geographic locations and the availability of various types of internet service in your area.

If you are faced with a choice between dial-up service and high- speed internet service, the high-speed service is your best bet because it will improve the efficiency of your internet business, make processing of sales transactions easier and quicker, and it will be more convenient. Though high-speed internet services may be more expensive than dial-up service, they are certainly a more cost-effective solution for your internet business.

The most common internet connections included dial-up service and variations of dial-up service, digital subscriber line (DSL) service, cable modem service, wireless internet service, and satellite internet service.

There are also dedicated line services like T1 fiber and T3 lines that provide a higher level of internet service increasing speed, scalability, networking capabilities, and reliability. Dedicated fiber line options are generally pretty expensive and are usually recommended for large companies with vast computer networks or website hosting companies.

Dial-up service is available just about anywhere that there is phone service. Dial-up service uses a standard phone line and a computer modem to access the internet. Speed, functionality and service limitations are generally a problem with dial-up service making it an undesirable option for internet businesses.

Dial-up service usually has a maximum speed of 56k - very slow for an internet connection. Dial-up service is usually pretty inexpensive, but most internet service providers limit the number of hours that you can be consistently online with a dial-up service.

So, when you are in the midst of something, you may just lose your internet connection and be booted off. This can be very inconvenient, especially if you are in the process of communicating with a customer online.

Since dial-up service uses a phone line, it can be a burden if you only have one phone line because you won't be able to make or accept phone calls during the time that you are online.

This can be a very burdensome issue for an internet business if you need to access things online while talking on the phone with customers or with technical support representatives - it simply can't be done.

If you have no option but to use dial-up service, having a phone line for the dial-up service that is separate from your voice line is crucial.

Also, if you are limited to the use of dial-up service, check to see what dial-up service options are available to improve the speed and reliability of your dial-up service internet connection. Dial-up service modems come in different speeds with 56k being top of the line.

Lower level dial-up service modems will be even more inefficient. Accelerated dial-up service is an option to standard dial-up service if high-speed service is not a possibility.

Accelerated dial-up service also uses a telephone line and a modem, but through the use of compression software, it can increase the speed of dial-up service lessening the speed related burdens by making web pages load faster and enabling you to upload and download files more efficiently.

Copyright Christopher J. Enders. Are you at the end of your rope, fed up and confused by all the scrambled internet marketing advice you're getting? Whether you are new to internet marketing, or a website owner who wants to make more money from your website, learn the proven strategies that will sky-rocket your internet business at http://BiznessTips.com

Saturday, August 16

MSN Messenger Is it just a Toy?

MSN - Learn to use its full capacity

MSN Messenger (or Microsoft Networks Messenger to give its full title) is one of the most popular Instant Communication Applications on the Internet. The rise from birth in 1995 has been as rocky as it has been dramatic. After initially failing to capture the attention of the Internet Users, the addition of MSN Messenger to the Windows 1995 package was a major turning point. This and the viral marketing effect of users introducing fellow users to widen their contacts (and the overall user base of MSN Messenger).

The application has come a long long way from the early days of basic written communication in real time. Users now have the option to use Video Conferencing (with good quality sound), Sound only communication, Webcam Connections and File Exchange.

It now seems that MSN is adding new content and facilities on a regular basis, which is helping to cement their position in the ever more competitive Instant Messenging industry. This market is also heavily influenced by AOL (AOL Instant Messenger) and Yahoo (Yahoo Messenger), although none seem to have the same impact as MSN Messenger.

What can MSN Messenger do for you?

MSN Messenger is now used by many businesses the world over, as you will see when you visit online business sites. The system is stable, reliable and offers a unique way to communicate with actual and potential customers. What is better than to see and hear your own personal assistant?

As well as live interaction via MSN Messenger, MSN also offers a free and easily accessible email address.

What else does MSN Messenger offer?

MSN Messenger is also very very popular with children and adults around the world, enabling groups of friends to interact on a regular basis, even if they are countries apart.

There are also many new add on gimmicks available free to MSN Messenger users, including online games, customised winks, emotion graphics which speak more than words, recorded speech used to welcome friends, and much much more.

The use of MSN Messenger also offers added security, as users have the chance to block unwanted attention. In todays climate, this is a very very useful tool.

By Mark Benson
http://www.smileymonkey.com for your Free MSN Smilies and much more

How To Speed Up Your Dial up Connection

Do you remember the days? Firing up your 200Mhz turbo PowerPC, dialling up using your 56k modem, waiting an age for your hotmail page to show up, waiting some more to check your e-mails only to have your connection die just as you hit the send button! How times change.

It's funny, once you've used broadband you quickly forget how painful the dial up connection was. I used to run my business on dial up and looking back I managed rather well. But these days there's no way I could do without my broadband connection.

There's no doubt about it, broadband is well and truly here to stay. It is of course a logical progression - streaming audio and video demand much higher bandwidth and broadband connections are the only way to achieve anything which is at all usable.

A recent survey revealed that 53% of Americans who use the Internet now use a broadband connection. What they failed to point out is that obviously this means 47% still use a dial up connection. This actually equates to around 60 million people. These kind of statistics are mirrored in other developed countries. When you consider a large chunk of the developing world still uses dial up then you realize that's an awful lot of people still using a slow Internet connection.

So is it possible to speed up your dial up connection?

Well actually yes it is. There are quite a few services online these days allowing you to accelerate your dial up connection. These Internet accelerators claim to be able to boost the speed of your dial up connection by as much as six or seven times.

Before you scream with delight at this prospect I feel I should point out right now that these accelerator services are not high speed broadband Internet services. They use a different kind of technology based on the same idea as things like zip files and mp3 files. These files use a compression algorithm to dramatically reduce the file size.

Internet accelerators work in the same way and most providers have also implemented a caching technology whereby they store local copies of popular web sites. These local copies are pre compressed and can be sent to the user very quickly. The user has a piece of software sitting on their PC which decompresses the data as it comes in. This is how the dramatic speed increases are achieved.

Many people report excellent success with these systems. Some people are even comparing the accelerators with broadband services

So while this is a really good thing for basic web pages, the technology falls down as soon as you start working with large video or audio files etc. Since an mp3 file is already compressed there's not much more compression that can be done and so the Internet accelerator has little effect. Plus many services have a file size limit meaning they will not even attempt to compress anything as big as a regular pop music mp3 file.

But if you're just loading up normal web pages without too much flash animation and all the other bells and whistles, then I highly recommend you get yourself an accelerated service. If your ISP doesn't offer it there are plenty that do so vote with your feet and check out some of these excellent services.

For more information simply search Google or Yahoo! for the term dial up accelerator or something like speed up my dial up connection. You'll find lots of providers ready to supply you with service.

Some popular services in the USA are NetZero and Earthlink. In the UK you want to be taking a look at someone like Mistral or Onspeed.com

Fabio writes for many niches and is an experienced researcher. He has written articles covering a wide range of subjects and enjoys plying his trade especially on the Internet. He is currently sponsoring Ambient Modem News and Blogs and can be reached on fabio@linkz-and.info

Friday, August 15

Broadband Internet Why Purchase Service Online?

You've made the decision to purchase broadband internet access for your home or office. What's your next step? Do you contact your local provider directly and sign up? This is certainly and option, but one that may not be in your best interest.

Contacting one local provider may not be your best option because it limits your choices. It limits the specials available to you. You see, the competition for your business is fierce. There can be a number of vendor choices each offering the same or different access methods and specials. There's cable access, DSL access, satellite access. Each comes with it's own pro's and con's.

You might live in an area where all three-access methods (not counting dial-up) are available. You may live in an area where only 2 or even 1 vendor is available. How do you know? Which do you choose?

The simple way is to contact the one vendor you know of, but there is another way. Use an online-brokered service.

These services should be FREE to you and provide information as well as quotes from multiple vendors within your area. There are many services available on the internet for you to access this information. Of course we'd like you to use our service, free of charge, but any service you find should provide you with the following.

Information - It's critical that you be provided with the information you need to make informed decisions.

Quotes for service - You should be allowed free access to quoting software that will search out and report back all the available vendors within your area. This quote should be free to you as well as identify who the vendor is, what type of service it is, detailed technical information about the service, price, contract length and what specials are available to you.

Lastly, there should be something in it for you as well. When searching for these types of services, don't forget to see what's in it for you! For one, our service offers rebates in addition to the vendor specials. Ok, we're biased here because we believe our service is the best, but other sites probably offer the same incentives. Also look for another level of support. You can go directly to the vendor of your choice with questions about modems, routers, email accounts, etc. and then wait until someone from their support group gets back to you. If you've purchased your broadband service using a brokered service on the internet, you should be able to contact them as well. An additional level of service is another incentive to purchasing your service online.

If you contact a single vendor chances are you're not going to receive unbiased information. A broker does provide unbiased information because they are not tied to a single provider. Having access to multiple providers with multiple access types allows the flexibility to search out and find the 'appropriate' service and the best price and provides value for using the service.

In closing, find a service that is FREE for you to use and provides the information, quotes for service and provides value to you in the way of cash rebates, information and another level of support.

Enjoy your broadband internet experience.

FullService Broadband Provider offers unbiased and informative information on broadband technology. Business, residential, VoIP and more. Our free service is made possible through Try Right Technology, Inc.

Free ISP Do You Know How to Get Yours?

Back in the dotcom days, when dialup Internet connections were everywhere, free ISP offers were inescapable. The deal was that you viewed advertising while your computer was connected to the Internet, and in return you got your Internet connection for free.

The rise of more expensive and technically-complex broadband connections, however, has almost entirely killed this business model. Some free ISPs remain, but they are struggling. Only demographics that are undesirable to advertisers use dialup nowadays, making it almost impossible for them to sell their advertising inventory for as much as they would like.

However, this varies widely from country to country. In America, for example, free ISPs like Juno and NetZero are still holding on to a significant market share, thanks mainly to very large geographical distances between towns making broadband impractical in some places. AOL dialup, although not free and not even very good, is also surprisingly dominant in the American market.

Many European countries, on the other hand, are in the middle of broadband price wars, with some telecoms providers such as the UK?s TalkTalk offering free broadband service as part of their telephone strategy. This broadband can often be of dubious quality and requires the customer to sign up for phone service with the provider, but on the other hand it doesn?t feature any advertising or deliberate crippling of the services in the way that many dialup ISPs did.

However, in the future, we could be heading for a return to the free ISP, thanks to the rise of wireless networks. Sending wireless signals around is essentially free, apart form the initial cost of the equipment, and as wireless technology improves it will become cheaper and cheaper to cover whole towns and cities with access to wireless broadband. It is possible, in the future, that subscription-based ISPs could die entirely, to be replaced by local governments and authorities handling Internet access, in the same way as water or rubbish disposal.

John Gibb is the owner of free ISP information For more information on free Internet Service Providers please check out http://www.Free-ISP-Information.Info

Thursday, August 14

International Dial Up

Sometimes, your business takes you on different trips to various states around the United States. You may be based in New York ? however, your business could also take you to Miami, or anywhere in the world for that matter. The great thing is that even if you are far away, you can still access your files, information and basically your entire office ? through the Internet. Instantly access any information that you might need for your overseas business trip by using any computer, a modem and a telephone line through international dial up access.

There are different companies that offer international dial up. With this type of access to the Internet, you can easily access any information in your home office computer wherever you are. You have access to all your important files from your office to you wherever you may be.

International dial up usually comes as part of standard dial up packages. You can ?dial in? from wherever you are using your ISP?s international access numbers. Now, you can keep tabs on your work, even when you?re on business trips abroad, check you email as often as you want, and update your website.

With international dial up access, you can confidently travel to any place in the world. You will always have instant and easy access to your files. The drawback is, like any dial up Internet connection, you may have to wait a while to log on, because this method of connecting is usually very slow.

Dial Up provides detailed information on Dial Up, Free Dial Up, Dial Up ISP, International Dial Up and more. Dial Up is affiliated with Dial Up Access Numbers.

Broadband Internet: Save Your Time and Money

In today?s world, people have become so dependent on the Internet that to find any useful information, they tend to go online. It is a huge network of computers with tons of information.

If your area offers a broadband connection, then there is nothing like it. People are now increasingly switching over to broadband, which is offering higher speed and cost effective solution over dialups. With broadband, you have an always-on connection with no need to dial to connect to the Internet.

It also saves you an incredible amount of time with the loading of web pages taking not more than just a few seconds. If you are still wondering if it is worth switching to broadband or not, compare both the services and you?ll definitely not give a second thought to opting for a broadband connection. If you are looking for speed, then broadband is significantly faster that dial-ups, taking half the time that dialups take. Broadband is a huge help for people downloading movies, songs, and games to their computer.

Another advantage of broadband is that your phone lines will not remain engaged anymore. These days, many vendors are offering incentives such as reduced cost for service, free equipment, rebates on installation charges and other perks for a high-speed broadband service.

Once you switch to broadband, you will yourself realise the truly astounding service of broadband. You?ll never want to go back to a dialup service. Even if you opt for the minimum broadband speed, it will offer you much more speed than dialup. The remarkable speed of broadband has made Internet usage more convenient and has also improved the quality of online activities like shopping, gaming, etc. saving money as well as your valuable time.

With broadband offering more bandwidth, you can do more with the connection. Different computers can share it at home or in a small office network, wherein two people can surf at a time. With a broadband connection, Internet has become a much more valuable tool. When comparing broadband service, be sure to check the amount of upload and download bandwidth that each service is providing. Cost of equipment and installation may also vary. Most of the companies charge for the rent of the modem, which is included in the monthly fee.

So, if you can afford that extra cost, and want your work done easily and quickly, broadband is sure to make you smile. It is truly the solution for businesses and consumers who want a reliable internet connection.

webmaster
http://www.xpert4u.co.uk

Wednesday, August 13

Compare Cable vs. DSL

Okay, so you are finally tired of those slow dial-up internet connections, and you want to go broadband. Good deal. But first, you may be wondering which type of broadband connection is best- DSL or Cable? Or, at least, which of the two gives you more speed for the price? Here we take a look at these two popular broadband connections and try to determine which one is better: DSL vs. Cable.

Cable Speed vs. DSL

The most common question that comes up is which type of connection is faster, DSL or Cable? To answer this, it is important to compare both upload and download speeds. Now, so you have something to compare these speeds to, your average dial-up connection is about 28 - 56 Kbps. Most often, however, you won't be able to get 56k through dial up, as most services can not handle this speed.

The average speed of a DSL download is 1.0 - 1.5Mbps. That's megabytes per second - about 20 times as fast as the fastest dial-up connection. This is fast, but consider Cable, which can give you up to 2 - 3Mbps. Thus, at least for downloading, cable can give you almost twice the speed of DSL - that's impressive. On the upload side, however, cable and DSL are pretty evenly matched. They both provide about 100Kbps - 400Kbps. It seems that cable has won this battle.

What about Price and Quality of Service?

There is more to discuss here besides the speed of the connections. Take price for one. Cable and DSL connections are both going to be more expensive than dial-up. But, DSL seems to be the cheaper of the two at the moment. You can get a good DSL internet connection for about $35 - $45 per month. Cable modem will cost you about $45 or $50 (this price may be included in a cable TV package). These prices, however, are really close and they change almost from month to month.

DSL is nice because you can talk on the phone and be online at the same time. In addition, business-level DSL service provides guaranteed data rates, so your connection speed is never a surprise. On the other hand, DSL speed tends to decrease the further you are away from the data center, and it is typically not as widely available as Cable. Cable speeds are not dependent on distance from the data center, and is occasionally cheaper than DSL when included in a cable TV rate. A cable modem, however, may require costly professional installation, and there may exists some limitations on downloads and uploads. All of these factors should be taken into consideration when choosing either broadband service.

Bradley James is a senior editor at SciNet.cc, a website containing many helpful consumer electronics review articles. For more information on DSL and Cable technology, please visit our DSL vs Cable webpage.

How to Start Up an Online Streaming Radio Station

Quite often either due to a lack of FM frequencies available, cost constraints, or as a way of testing the waters before committing to a FM radio station installation, it is possible to start up an online streaming radio station rather than a traditional broadcasting station. An online streaming radio station can be as basic as a completely computer based system, where music is simply played back along with occasional station IDs. Alternatively you can opt for a more in-depth setup, which could include other equipment such as a mixing desk, microphones, music, audio equipment, compression gear, audio cables, cd player, phone in system, headphones, microphone stands, etc. As a minimum, the equipment you will require is computer with a high speed internet connection.

When it comes to how to start up a online streaming radio station you have available a wide range of options to choose from. You need to consider what format you want to broadcast, as well as the sound quality you want. The higher the audio quality, the more data you will use. Bear in mind that a stream radio station is in operation for 24 hours a day, every day of the month, so even on a rate of 24 kbps, this adds up to be quite a considerable amount of data being used. Note also, that if you are going to use your existing internet connection for downloading files whilst you are also streaming, to ensure that you have sufficient bandwidth available. If you run out of bandwidth, your streaming station may be affected.

When it comes to the equipment for your online streaming radio station, it is possible to get it set up with very basic equipment, which is not possible when setting up a station broadcasting on an FM frequency. For a somewhat more advanced, professional sounding streaming radio station, the equipment you may have in your studio could include: computer, automation software, mixing desk, microphones, device to take phone calls on air, CD player and compression equipment.

The monthly cost for keeping your online streaming radio station on the internet is also fairly low. Bear in mind that in most countries there are fees payable to the music licensing organisations to cover royalties for the music you play on air. Aside from this, your only other likely costs are going to be electricity, internet connection, stream hosting and website hosting costs.

The way streaming works is you run the station, play music, talk into the microphones, etc. This audio is then relayed into your computer and then sent from your computer to the stream hosting company server. When people listen to your station online, they are actually receiving the audio not directly from your computer, but rather from the streaming server. This approach substantially improves your performance and means your connection speed will not slow down when you have multiple listeners. When people want to listen to your station they simply go to your website and click on a link to activate the stream.

For further information on how to start up an online streaming radio station please visit http://www.themulcher.com or email radio@themulcher.com

Tuesday, August 12

Cheapskate No Stress ISP's

I would love to be able to use DSL or Cable internet service, but being way out here in the boon docks, it isn?t possible. I could easily sign up for satellite internet if I wanted to pay one hundred dollars a month for it. No thank you! I?m cheap and I like it that way! But, that leaves me with dial-up, and everyone knows dial-up is sad. Sad and slow, especially if the phone company haven?t updated the outside wires since 1950. So I add static noise to sad and slow.

Dial-up isn?t all that bad anymore, though. They?ve added accelerators, boosters, turbos, speedband and all sorts of stuff to make your surfing better, faster, and more enjoyable. And, it works most of the time. Even the cheapest ISP?s include these accelerators for under ten dollars a month. I chose one without a ?My Home? page; that alone makes it a winner for me. It?s neat, clean and fast for less money and no stress. They get me online quickly and that?s all I ask of them.

I?ve used other services that force a home page on you. I?ve even used the ?Big One? a time or two. You know, the one that sends out the free cd?s so crafters can make those neat wind chimes? By the way, I wonder if their subscribers realize they?re paying for all those wind chimes?

I don?t mind trying new isp?s, but I avoid those that insist on including a ?Home Page?. I don?t like their intrusive way of doing business. The home page is so ?busy? I can?t find what I?m looking for. I looked for five minutes one time for my account link. The window was full of news, movie stars and sales ads; none of which I?m interested in. It?s so crowded with ?stuff? along its borders, it reminds me of my attic.

They usually aren?t user friendly either, at least not to this user. When I feel the stress begin to build, I minimize their window and open a new IE window. A couple I?ve tried won?t allow me to use a Blank home page (which is what I do with IE). To get online with the service, I must open their slow-loading, image-filled page. Being forced to do anything causes stress and who needs it? Not me!

I don?t want an intrusive update downloaded every time I log on and off, either, and I don?t want to be ignored when I say no thanks. Paying thirty dollars a month for services that are certainly no better than ISP?s charging ten dollars or less is incomprehensible to me. Why would anyone waste their hard-earned cash like that? Especially those paying with their Social Security allowance. Not this cheapskate!

There are many, many good, cheap ISP?s worth checking out. Support is always good on those I?ve used, and when they?re new businesses you know they try harder. Give them a chance.

Search ?cheap isps? and save some money; you might even save yourself some stress, and that?s what it?s all about. I?m running a wonderful one I began this month. I was charged only .99 cents for the first month, and that includes the accelerator! I won?t tell you the name though, unless they give me a year?s free service.

esprit is a reviewer of new writers and has written newsletters and articles on the subject of novice writing and reviewing with common sense and encouragement. Her portfolio may be found at http://www.Writing.Com/authors/storytime She is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers.

Satellite Internet

The Internet is one of the powerful communication medium to share and to exchange ideas and information through the use of computers and other infrastructure such as routers and servers. The integration of different technologies has resulted in the convergence of textual data, graphics, video, and voice for transmission.

The power of the Internet has been restricted by the speed of the Internet and the availability of the infrastructure. The infrastructure is the local Internet service provider. Conventional Internet transmits data through modem and the telephone. The speed is constrained by the availability of free space in the telephone lines and is very often less than 256 kbps. This meant that uploading and downloading of information took minutes and sometimes hours.

The availability of new technologies has enabled high speed Internet access with a minimum of 256 kbps and sometimes more than 1.5 Mbps. Broadband, as the collection of technologies is called, achieves this through the use of Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL), cable, wireless, ISDN, and satellite.

Satellite Internet connects the computer to the Internet service provider through a satellite orbiting miles above the earth. Satellites provide telephone, television, and also Internet connectivity. Satellite Internet doesn?t require telephone lines. The computer is connected to a dish, and the information is sent to the satellite and from there, to the service provider.

Satellite Internet is useful in remote locations such as rural areas and in mobile areas such as vessels. Because of the long-distance links between dish and the satellite, there is always a delay in sending data, and hence for this reason satellite Internet is not useful in critical applications such as online gaming and real-time share trading. Another limitation is that very bad weather will affect reception.

It is one of the new evolving technologies, and therefore the costs of installation and monthly fees are high. It is the most expensive service among the broadband services. Hence, there are few service providers such as Directway and Starband.

Satellite Internet provides detailed information on Satellite Internet, Satellite Internet Services, Satellite Internet Access, Satellite Internet Providers and more. Satellite Internet is affiliated with High Speed Internet Services.

Monday, August 11

Satellite Internet Services

Internet services enable communication between individuals in the form of sharing information, both text and graphics, and entertainment at a speed. Improved technologies increased the speed by using parallel medium like cable and wireless networks. Satellite Internet technology enabled communication to reach remote locations that were unreachable through other technologies at almost the same speed.

Satellite Internet services are of two types. One-way service uses DVB-IP (Digital Video Broadcast- Internet Protocol), which is only for inbound connectivity. IP multicast protocol enables one-to-many-point communication. This is similar to push technologies like TV and radio where the contents are pushed to the users with little interactivity. Hence, one way service is ideally suited for webpage viewing. The downlink speed is at least 500 kbps.

Two-way services provide complete broadband services to the users. Two-way service enables high-speed access for both download and upload. The upload speed will always be slower than the download speed. This platform is ideal for SOHOs and small and medium enterprises. Satellite Internet technology provides mobile applications that can be mounted on trucks and ships.

Satellite Internet doesn?t allow faster access to Virtual Private Networks, as satellite Internet technology can?t decrypt packet header of data. Besides emails and web surfing, satellite Internet allows for voice over IP, a service very valuable in remote and mobile locations. In large enterprises, failure of standard broadband access such as cable and DSL could mean financial losses. Hence, satellite Internet acts as a business continuity mechanism.

The level of satellite services depend upon the plan provided by the service providers. The scaling up of uploading speed will result in many new services. Latency is a severe constraint in the adoption of this technology.

Satellite Internet provides detailed information on Satellite Internet, Satellite Internet Services, Satellite Internet Access, Satellite Internet Providers and more. Satellite Internet is affiliated with High Speed Internet Services.

Bandwidth Tests

You can easily determine the speed of your internet connection bandwidth by using websites that offer free bandwidth tests. But do these sites really measure the ?real-time? performance of your web connection? Read on to understand how bandwidth tests really work, and bust the misconceptions you have about them.

Understanding bandwidth tests

A bandwidth test is actually a program that measures your internet speed by sending one or more files of predetermined size over a network to your computer. It then measures the time it takes for your computer to download the sent file. The result ? which is the measure of your internet speed ? is a figure expressed in either kilobits per second (kbps) or megabits per second (mbps).

Remember that figures resulting from bandwidth tests are only ?theoretical? ? they may fluctuate greatly because of several factors, the most common of which is change in internet traffic. As more log on to the internet using the same internet service provider as yours, for example, speed decreases. The size of the file sent by the bandwidth tester also has an effect on the result ? try another bandwidth tester that sends smaller files and you might get a higher speed figure. Also, if many people were using the bandwidth test server at the time of your test, your results may be compromised.

How do you get accurate bandwidth test results?

The only way to get a more accurate bandwidth speed result is to repeat the test over and over, using different sites, if you can. Some experts say that you should conduct the test at least six times in four or more different sites. List down all the results of each bandwidth test from the highest to the lowest. Disregard the top and bottom third of the list and concentrate on the middle figures. Average these figures, and you get a pretty accurate figure representing your normal internet speed.

Bandwidth provides detailed information on Bandwidth, Bandwidth Tests, Bandwidth Management, Bandwidth Meters and more. Bandwidth is affiliated with Colocation Hosting.

Sunday, August 10

Wireless Network Hammerin'

The wireless network in my house went haywire. It worked on three PCs, one had a horrible connection, and one can't connect. Between Hubby and me, we spent a lot of time researching and trying to figure out the problem. We narrowed down the possibilities few by doing tests. Hubby is the network king in our house and I learned a bit in working with him. In fact, I solved the problem... temporarily.

I believe the wireless on the router is bad. It works fine when we hook miles of cable to it (I've tripped over them, knocked things down, and chased after a toddler who grabbed one.). I'm tired of looking at the cables, so we're contacting the maker of this router as well as hunting for deals for a new wireless router with g (as in 802.11g).

Here are some of the tricks and troubleshooting tips I've learned in playing with the router:

  • Look at how many computers can connect and how many can't. This tells you a story. If all of them don't work, then the problem is most likely the router itself. Maybe it needs a simple hard reset. Try a soft reset first (turning it off and back on). If that doesn't do it, do a hard reset following the instructions for your router. Mine required holding the reset button while turning it off and back on and not letting go until about a minute after turning it back on.
  • If no computer wirelessly connects to the network, check to see if the router still works by connecting to it with a cable. If it works here, you know the router is still alive. It doesn't necessarily mean the wireless is dead. Obviously, if your router is strictly wireless and not dual like mine (cable and wireless), this won't work. Instead, you can test by bypassing the router and plugging your LAN cable directly into the DSL/Cable modem.
  • Do a little pingin'. It could be the ISP is down and not a router problem. Open a command prompt window (Start > Run > type cmd > hit Enter) and type ipconfig /all and you should get a response back with your IP address, subnet mask, default gateway and other items. What you are looking for is the IP address of the Default Gateway.

At the command line, type ping XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX where XXX = the numbers listed as the Default Gateway. For example, my default gateway address is 192.168.1.1, therefore, I would type ping 192.168.1.1 If you get a response, then your router is working. Next, try to ping a site. You don't need to know the IP address. You can ping by Web address. For example, type ping www.marqui.com and you should get a response with the ping times from an IP address. That IP address is Marqui's. How did your computer know this? Through DNS (Domain Naming Service), but that's another topic. If you can't ping a site on the Internet, the problem is most likely with your ISP.

  • Have a cordless phone? Some cordless phones disconnect wireless connections while you're using it. Stupid, but it happens. I have one that does just that and another that doesn't mess with it. Aggravating. I wanted to return the phone, but it was a no return phone. If I had known it would mess with the wireless, I would have never bought it. So I learned that the next time I buy a phone, to check to see if it will kill the wireless or not.
  • Ensure configuration is correct. Check the router's manual to complete this step.
  • Try changing the channel. If that doesn't work, change the SSID (aka name) and the channel. If your wireless' SSID is Wireless and is on channel 5. First, try changing the channel to 11 or anything other than 5. If that doesn't work, then create a new SSID like Router and pick a channel, any channel. It never hurts to reboot the router after each change, although when making changes to it, it resets itself. This step is what got our network working again.
The process for changing it depends on your router. For mine, all I had to do is enter its IP address (200.200.1.1, for example) in the browser, enter the ID and password, and I am in. It's similar to a software or application screen. Enter info, select drop-down boxes, and click buttons to change / save.

  • Another good thing to know is to point your mouse over the wireless icon in the system tray. It provides basic information about your wireless connection. It provides information on the SSID, speed, and strength. The blacked out part in the image is where the SSID is located. Also, get more information by right-clicking on the icon and selecting View Available Wireless Network or Open Network Connections.
  • You may have WEP turned on. This secures others from using your wireless because it requires a password. If it's on, verify each PC has it enabled and the correct password or passphrase.

This is a handful of what you can do. Other options are more detailed and complex. But this is a good start and will help eliminate a majority of possibilities.

Meryl K. Evans is the Content Maven behind meryl's notes, eNewsletter Journal, and The Remediator Security Digest. She is also a PC Today columnist and a tour guide at InformIT. She is geared to tackle your editing, writing, content, and process needs. The native Texan resides in Plano, Texas, a heartbeat north of Dallas, and doesn't wear a 10-gallon hat or cowboy boots.

High Speed Internet Using A DSL Line

DSL And High Speed Internet

There are many ways you can access High Speed Internet using the Web. One way to do this is through a cable modem. Another way to do this is via a digital subscriber line, otherwise known as a DSL connection. A DSL connection is one of the fastest ways to connect to the Internet, and uses the same technology your phone does to connect to the Web (only it's a lot faster).

Of course not everyone can take advantage of DSL technology. Service is sometimes limited to specific locations so you'll have to see if DSL is available in your area prior to taking advantage of a DSL connection.

How DSL Works

How does DSL work? It carries digital rather than analog data (analog data is carried by phone lines) over a telephone line without interference. Most DSL providers provide asymmetrical DSL service. This means that the available frequencies that data can be transmitted across in a line are divided so that most of the time the end user will have access to much faster connections when downloading and uploading information.

There are of course other forms of DSL services including VDSL, which works over short distances, SDSL, which won't allow you to use your phone at the same time but is often faster for sending information and RADSL where the modem automatically adjusts the speed of your connection based on the quality and length of the line it is using to connect with.

Article by Frank Owen, visit his web site on high speed internet for more information on cable, dsl and other high speed internet services http://www.highspeedinternetchoice.com

Saturday, August 9

Understanding DSL Internet Service

DSL or Digital Subscriber Line is a type of broadband Internet connection. This type of broadband Internet requires you to have a phone line. Unlike dial up, you can actually use the phone while you are connected to the internet.

What are the benefits of a DSL Internet connection? DSL allows you to have faster internet connection than a dial up. It can offer faster access to information, faster downloads and much more.

Here are some of the benefits you can get from a broadband DSL Internet service.

Unlike dial ups, DSL allows a subscriber to make and receive phone calls while having an active internet connection. Dial up internet does not allow this, if someone calls you, your phone line will be busy. A DSL line also keeps your computer online as long as your computer is turned on.

With DSL you can talk to your friends, family or business associates with a web cam in real time. You can easily connect a microphone, web cam on your computer, and start using these accessories right away. This may be possible in some dial up, but since it has low speed, the data sent and received will usually be delayed or choppy.

Since you can actually use your voice in the internet in real time, you no longer need to call families and friends using expensive long distance calls from your traditional phone.

DSL also enables you to use VoIP technology. This technology virtually replaces your traditional phone with the internet. VoIP has free features your traditional phone company consider as additional features and chargeable.

Video Conferencing
Caller ID
Call Forwarding
Call Transfer
Call Waiting
Ringtones
Voice Mails
Free Long Distance Calls

These are just examples that VoIP offers and a lot more features are available.

Since you can conduct video conferencing, you no longer have to travel to meet with your business associates, therefore, saving you from travel expenses.

Another benefit from DSL internet is that you can play audio and video streams in the internet smoothly and without interruptions. You can now play your favorite internet radio stations while you surf the web or play your favorite music videos in the internet.

Playing online games that requires high-speed internet is now possible with the DSL internet. You can use your own PC or gaming consoles such as the PS2 or Xbox to play with other people from around the world and create an online community with adventure games.

Students can also improve their studies by using the DSL connection. Since DSL provides high-speed internet connection, students can now research more webpage that are required for their studies.

In dial ups, low speed internet connection restricts a student?s research to just a few webpage. This is because in dial up, loading webpage is too slow that a student will just stick to one or two websites to save time and money to do their research.

Online businesses can update their websites much faster in DSL than in dial up. Updating website for online businesses is crucial to inform their customers about the products they are selling.

Today, there are many DSL service providers in the market; choosing one is up to you. Research about the companies that provides this service before you buy their service and you can be sure about the quality of the DSL connection.

Ask your friends and family first who have this technology in their homes or businesses can also help you choose which DSL provider you want to work with.

Bob Hett has extensively covered the Internet Service Provider industry as an analyst and has researched the various companies for factors based on price, reliability, support and overall quality. Learn more at DSL Internet Service

Cable or DSL Broadband?

I've been asked this question so many times I thought I'd put my thoughts down here for you to read. Let's start by pointing out a couple things first. First off, depending on where you live, you may not have a choice of access. Satellite may be your only choice, which makes this null and void. Don't fret, satellite is better than any dial-up and the contract lengths are generally 12-14 months in length. It will cost a bit more, given the extra equipment involved, but it certainly beats dial-up (if you can afford it).

Ok, on to the two major broadband access methods, cable and DSL. When I'm asked this question, I usually follow it with questions of my own.

1st. What type of internet surfing do you do? Are you a gamer, shopper, email user, web developer, music downloader, online video watcher, video editor or casual surfer?

2nd. How many computers will you have connected to the internet at one time?

3rd. Do you plan on 'leveraging' your broadband investment for home security or VoIP? (Voice over Internet Protocol is a method of making and receiving your phone calls using your broadband connection.)

When making your decision keep in mind that cable access, generally, cost more. The higher cost comes with the benefits of more speed. Up to 6 meg download, or the amount of information you can receive 'down' from the internet.

Loading web pages, listening to music online or watching video online are all impacted by your download speed. DSL is about 1.5 meg down in comparison. Not only does this impact 'your' surfing behavior, but if you plan to have more than 1 computer access the internet at the same time, keep in mind you're 'sharing' this connection. Sharing the connection means sharing that download 'pipe'. (your internet connection) Uploading to the internet (file attachments in email, uploading web pages, etc. impact your upload speed. Cable upload speeds are around 384K while DSL is around 128K.

If you wish to leverage your investment in broadband by using VoIP, keep in mind that DSL is provided through the copper wires of your phone line. Having VoIP as a primary phone line without local phone service is very, very rare. This type of access is called 'naked DSL' and is not very common. We hope this will change in time, but for now, check with your local phone company. If you plan on leveraging your investment, check first.

So the answer to the question Cable or DSL is really all about your usage and what you're willing to pay. Yes, cable is more expensive but it also comes with the additional benefits of faster speed and the ability to leverage your investment using VoIP as a primary phone service.

Lastly, when I'm asked what I personally use at home? I use cable broadband access and VoIP phone service. I'm very pleased with both and don't plan on changing any time soon.

If you're still unsure which is right for you, there are many web sites out there to provide you with additional information. Our site can help you as well so we hope to see you there!

Happy surfing.

Provided by the FullService Broadband provider. Our free service is possible through Try Right Technology, Inc. We provide unbiased and informative information on broadband and communication products and services.

Friday, August 8

Linux for the Corporate Users

In last couple of years Linux has established itself very well in the server market.However, when it comes to desktops most people still prefer other operating systems over linux. This article talks about the various advantages of linux as a desktop and specifically talks about Linux as a desktop for developers and system administrators. Unlike other advocacy articles, no stress would be given to the fact that linux is free. Neither does this article try to bash other operating systems such as M$ Windoze. All operating systems have their benefits and we must appreciate the developers who have developed an entire OS. It is not a very easy task to develop an OS. All developers have the right to ask for money for the work they do. They also have the right to keep the code with them.

Lesser resource usage. With the costs of hardware going cheaper by the day this is one feature not many individuals are bothered about. It common practice to change a computer every 10-12 months. In corporates where the number of boxes are large, this can become a considerable overhead. Each extra month with the same box means more savings. In our organization for example we were able to increase the average life of a computer from 9-10 months to 14-18 months.

How does linux help in increasing the life of a computer? Most operating systems bring out a major update every 2 years. And linux is no exception. And with each new update comes in a lot of new features and unfortunately a higher bloat value. This bloat makes the new Operating system slower on the present hardware, leading to a hardware upgrade. With Linux too, all major distros update regularly and make the operating system more bloated. However, this is where one of the biggest benefits of open source comes in. We have access to the code. For a desktop, recompiling the kernel, X-windows and the desktop environment (KDE, Gnome) can do wonders. One can recompile the code for the specific processor, video card etc. This optimizes the OS to run on the specific hardware. This also, allows us to remove support for all hardware which we do not have. It reduces the bloat to a large extent. If Windows was free code it would have had the same advantage. Unfortunately it does not have that benefit so we would have to continue to run Windows which supports hardware that we do not have. Most operating systems work from 80386 onwards. This means that they do not take the specific advantages of the newer processors because they have to make the system backward compatible. Thus a newer hardware just means 386 instructions executed at a faster speed. When we compile a program specifically for a processor it uses most of the instructions of the processor which make it faster. For example, the newer processors come with instructions for multimedia apps etc. (MMX). This considerably increases the processing speeds of multimedia apps.

Linux has also proven to be a robust, stable, reliable and secure operating system. This means that linux is not affected by worms, spy ware, virus etc. which has turned out to be a major problem for most Windoze users in the corporate world these days. The worst a person can do is spend most of his time in the office reinstalling the OS after his computer is effected by a virus or a worm. Many useful man hours and money is lost in just reinstalling.Linux too has it share of virus and worms but it can effect only the users files not the entire system. Given below is an portion of wonderful blog on this subject.

Any program on a Linux box, viruses included, can only do what the user who ran it can do. Real users aren't allowed to hurt the system (only the root user can), so neither can programs they run. Because of the distinction between privileged (root-run) processes and user-owned processes, a hostile executable that a non-root user receives (or creates) and then executes (runs) cannot infect or otherwise manipulate the system as a whole. Just as you can delete only your own files (i.e., those you have write permission to), executables you run cannot affect other users' (or root's) files. Therefore, although you can create (or retrieve), and then run, a virus, worm, trojan horse, etc., it can't do much. Unless you do so as root. Which it's simple to avoid doing.

One of the most talked about advantage of Linux is that LINUX IS FREE. That still the number one reason to migrate to Linux for many. Being free means that there is no per user licence for all the software as well. For example, with windows you get a terminal server. But that has a 5 user licence limit. This means that the cost is not of the OS alone. But along with it every application costs. And each time the work environment is duplicated on another machine you spend the same amount of money. With time the software is upgraded and the files from the new applications would not work on the older versions. The users are forced to upgrade. This process can always increase the overall costs the organization has to absorb in. Hence, with most commerical operating systems the cost is never a one time cost.

Linux allows users to create an easy to manage network. Consider this with NFS (network file system), NIS (Network Information system) and DHCP (dynamic host configuration protocol) one can setup a lovely roaming profile system, where all the user information is stored on the server including his desktop. So the user can technically sit on any computer in the office and get his entire data and desktop. This makes it convinient for the users. And from the administrators point of view they need to manage just the servers to control the entire data backup, maintainance etc. Linux also has a wonderful system to allow remote access. One can use SSH to access the entire system via a text based secure shell or even use X-Windows for those who prefer a GUI to access a system remotely.

Amarjyoti Krishnan heads bobcares.com, a tech support company for webhosts and ISPs. He is the co-founder of Poornam Info Vision Ltd., a software and IT services company which specializes in Linux based solutions for Webhosts and ISPs. Poornam Info Vision is an ISO 9001:2000 certified company with a team of over 100 engineers.

Amarjyoti is a Computer Engineer based in India and has over 7 years of experience in the hosting industry. He has spoken and written extensively on the subject. His articles have been published both online as well as in print in magazines.

http://poornam.com
http://bobcares.com
http://amarjyoti.com

How Cable Modems Work

Basic explanation of DOCSIS

So you have a broadband connection at home/work and are wondering how it all works. Well I hope to explain to you how it works on a low-tech level so you will have a better understanding of how your connection works. Broadband services from cable companies or Multiple Service Operator?s (MSO?s) are normally provided via cable modems and 90% of the cable modems are using DOCSIS (Data over Cable Service Interface Specification). So let?s now look at what DOCSIS is and what is means. DOCSIS defines interface requirements for cable modems involved in high-speed data distribution over cable television system networks (definition from cablelabs.com). With DOCSIS comes the different versions (1.0, 1.1, 2.0, & soon 3.0) and the limits for each version. We are not too worried with the versions and limits between the versions as consumers since we just want speed and security. But the important thing about DOCSIS is that it?s a standard that protects the consumer and vendors by forcing interoperability and keep the cost of equipment down. If the modems where proprietary then the consumers would have to pay a very high price for the modem or would be force to lease them from the MSO?s. Most MSO?s will allow you to use just about any cable modem that is DOCSIS certified. Now not all MSO?s will do this since they have to support all the modems on the plant with firmware upgrades and other issue with support but most of your well known modems should be supported.

Now for the CMTS & Node

Cable modems communicate with a device called a cable modem termination system (CMTS). The CMTS is a router that talks to all the cable modems and routes there traffic to the internet or the MOS?s backbone. There are a few different vendors in the CMTS market but the most recognized is Cisco Systems. Cable modes are typically grouped into regional nodes. A node is most likely your subdivision but could but a smaller or lager area the MSO uses to support all you services. The node is a fiber to RF converter which allows the MOS to send services to you area via fiber up to the point of you local service area and them the services are sent over coax. The size of the node and number of modem customers in that node can make some difference in the speeds of you modem. With cable modems the node is you local access point and the more users the less bandwidth available for all. Most MSO?s over subscribe nodes but try to make sure there is always 50% available bandwidth at peak hours. What this means is that if you are in a heavily loaded node and everyone is downloading files you service can slow some. With how competitive the ISP business is most MSO?s will try to not over subscribe nodes to much with out adding more nodes or splitting then.

Security on the Network

Other things to watch out for is the security of the node. Make sure other subscribers in your node are not able to see you computer and its traffic. This security issue is normally handled by encryption on the modems traffic to the CMTS. Most ISP?s use BPI+ encryption to protect you traffic but you should always use a hardware firewall/router off of any broadband connection. To test the security of the node you can open your windows network places and look to see if any unknown shares are listed. If there is no encryption in the node and you?re on the same subnet you might be able to see other user?s network shares. This is bad if you have pictures or other sensitive data you do not want others to see. Other things to know are that most MSO?s will block ports to your computer network. This is for both there business goals and your protection. MSO?s typically block NetBIOS, SMTP, port 80, and a lot of other virus ports (business accounts may not have port filters). The port blocking is done mostly to protect the customers from viruses and worms that travel quickly over broadband connections.

Signal Levels and Splitters

Let?s now look at the signal level needed to keep your cable modem online and surfing. Most cable modems have a signal range that they need to communicate to the CMTS. The signal levels can differ from vendor to vendor but as a rule of thumb most modems work well from RX -10dbv to +10dbv and TX 40dbv to 56dbv. A lot of modem vendors provide an informational webpage or diagnostic page you can connect too on the modem to see the messages from the modem and it?s levels. The diagnostic page?s IP is different from modem to modem but if you lookup your vendors modem specifications you will be able to see if you modem has this diagnostic page available. Other things to keep in mind is that your cable modem should be on its own coax line from the cable audit box outside or from the main feed you get from the MSO. It?s not a good idea to have your modem on a coax line with a lot of splitters due to each splitter has at least 3.5dbv or loss. And if you have to use a splitter make sure you read the throughput ratings on the splitter it should be at least 5-1000 MHz pass though. I hope this basic look at cable modems has helped you better understand how it al works and if you would like to find out more information about DOCSIS, CMTS?s, or cable modems try to use Google.

Brian Wilson
CCNA, CSE, CCAI, MCP, Network+
Slimjim100@gmail.com http://www.middlegeorgia.org http://www.middlegeorgia.info

Thursday, August 7

Free Broadband Internet Access? It's out There

Most people don't know anyone who is currently getting HiSpeed internet access for nothing. In fact, most of us don't think free broadband internet access exists. So does it?

The answer is yes. Internet service providers (ISPs) don't want it to be known, and for good reason. They know that folks don't pay for anything they can get for free.

People need to know all their options before they decide to pay for Hi-Speed internet access, says Allan Christopher, Public Affairs Director for BB Communications. They need to know what their choices are before they decide to buy it and most people don't know that free broadband internet access is widely available today.

In fact, according to a recent report from the U.S. Department of Commerce, About 32% of United States households have never had an internet connection of any kind. When asked, a large number of people in these households indicated that the key reason they've never been online is that it is too expensive.

Many people that are already online believe that the only way to get fast internet access for free is to illegally hack into a cable modem, DSL modem, or other piece of electronic equipment to somehow defeat its security measures. That couldn't be further from the truth, Allan explains, acknowledging that this is a common misconception.

it's about time the truth gets out there. Everyone should know about the availability of fast free internet access so they can make an informed decision about it.

For additional information on the availability of free broadband internet access visit http://www.freebroadbandkit.com/eza

Allan Christopher is Director of Public Affairs for BB Communications, based in Wenatchee, WA USA

An Introduction to Internet TV

You use the Internet and, of course, you watch television, but have you ever tried Internet television?

Most people are unaware of one of the more recent developments in interactive Internet use. This new technology brings all the benefits of the Internet and television together to create your own personalised viewing experience. In simple terms Internet television means that you can watch TV straight from your laptop or desktop PC.

Internet TV allows you to you maximize the use of your computer and your Internet connection. I expect you have probably thought that there must be more you could do with your personal computer or laptop. You know that typing the occasional letter, transferring your MP3 collection to your iPod or playing the odd game or two online is hardly making use of its full potential. Now you can explore a trusted method of entertainment with access to unlimited viewing and you don't even have to stop your usual computer activities.

If you are someone who can?t get enough of watching programs on television, think about how Internet television will open up new options for free viewing. You can catch up with current news stories, watch real time sports action, keep up to date with stock market movements or enjoy a little light comedy. You are provided with a wide variety of entertainment possibilities that continues to grow, gaining in popularity every day.

At the time of writing, FIFA World Cup 2006 is just around the corner and, for many, Internet TV will provide access to free live football streams. Viewers will be able to keep up with the latest action from all the international football games involving teams including Brazil, Argentina, France, England and many more. Japan's third largest TV broadcaster, Tokyo Broadcasting System, has recently announced plans to air World Cup programmes over the Internet and on mobile phones.

If you use the Internet for any kind of research (even if it's only helping the kids with their homework), you no longer have to view what you find in the usual format of text and pictures. Now you can see this information through streams of live or pre-recorded video enabling you to see details that simply wouldn't be visible in a series of pictures.

5 Features of Internet Television:

1. Stations are available internationally. Currently over 150 countries have Internet access so you can rest assured that your country has at least one Internet TV station you can watch.

2. No additional hardware is required. In the past, watching television on your computer would require the fitting of a PC TV card but this is no longer necessary. Improvements in the telecommunications industry have made broadband connections more widely available and cheaper than ever before allowing more and more people to view high quality streaming media on their computer.

3. Anyone with an Internet connection can watch. A minimum connection speed of 56K is recommended and watching at this speed should give you a reasonable picture. Higher connection speeds will improve the picture quality (dependant on the server capabilities) and the fastest connections can enable you to view programmes in DVD quality.

4. New channels are added all the time. Major players in the Internet industry have recently started showing significant interest in this rapidly expanding market. Google is developing Google TV and has signed up American channel UPN and is in talks with the BBC in the UK to provide content. AOL is launching IN2TV which will show thousands of hours of programmes from Warner Brothers across 6 different channels and Yahoo has plans to show Internet TV in Japan which could lead to a worldwide service if successful.

5. Personalize your experience. Normal televisions have fixed channels which depend on the local stations or the cable operators. Internet television gives you the opportunity to bookmark your favorite stations so you can get back to them quickly without having to flick through everything else available. There is usually the option of viewing in either full screen mode or in a smaller window enabling you to get on with other things on your computer while watching.

You too can enjoy all the benefits of Internet television. The world really is at your fingertips now you have discovered this new, hassle-free way of watching TV.

Rodney Garrett runs a website about Internet TV and maintains a regularly updated ebook that lists many of the channels you can watch free of charge. Visit http://www.free-tv-on-your-pc.co.uk for further information or to download your free copy of the ebook, click here.