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Sunday, February 22
CNN Partner Hotel Specials
Broadband Internet Access What is in It for You?
The Internet is the vogue of the day and the wave of the future. So much has been seen and heard about the Internet. It has revolutionized almost every part of our existence, from the way we think to how we buy and sell things. But even with all the technology that has gone into the making of the Internet, there seems to be more to be expected than has been seen.
The Internet is like a cyber library. It is a huge international network of computers with tons and tons of information. The means of accessing the information contained in the Internet varies. The earliest Internet access was the Dial up method.
The Dial-up Internet connection involves an Internet access over a public switch telephone network. With the dial-up connection, users in a neighborhood share the available bandwidth provided by single cable line. The connection speed usually varies depending on how many people are using the service at any particular time.
More advancement in technology gave birth to the Broadband Internet connection option. Broadband is a high-speed transmission. It is used to refer to Internet access, which uses cable modems or DSL (Digital Subscriber Line). Broadband DSL connections are faster and more effective compared to dial-up connections.
The Broadband technology can support a wide range of frequencies. Broadband in general refers to data transmission where multiple pieces of data are sent simultaneously to increase the effective rate of transmission.
The medium through which the broadband technology is based has the ability to transmit multiple pieces of data simultaneously and to carry signals from different network carriers. This is done through fiber-optic cables. The fiber-optic cables are made of thin glass strands and have the capacity of transmitting trillions of bits per second.
The broadband, therefore makes access to the internet faster and more efficient. Because of the high-speed transmission, retrieving information from the internet has become really fast and efficient.
The speed of data transmission over the DSL is measured in Megabytes per second (Mbps). With broadband connection, the threshold frequency varies from one provider to the other. It ranges from 1.5Mbps or as high as 45Mbps with some providers. Although the broadband Internet access option costs more than the conventional Dial-up connection, you will enjoy what you are paying for. The speed and efficiency of connection is something you won't want to miss. Besides this, most cable companies operating broadband connections would normally allow you the luxury of being online 24/7 and on the phone for a flat monthly rate. You can always plan your budget to accommodate the few extra bucks for this luxury.
The other part of the story is how do you choose a reputable operator out of the multitude out there. When it comes to this, there are several things to consider and compare before making your choice. Of course, you will need to compare prices, that comes up first, but do not forget other factors like, speed of connection, abilities and credibility of the operator, additional features that comes with your purchase and the ease of use of their service. There are Internet companies that will offer additional features like Spam blockers, virus scan and even firewalls. All these should be considered before you make a purchase. Whatever you choice remember that you are spending your hard earned bucks, you deserve the best service, take your time to get the best and enjoy the new era of internet connection via the broadband technology.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Broadband
Friday, February 20
Broadband Booster Can Improve VoIP Quality
Although cable broadband internet is a whole lot faster than dialup, I usually experience a slight delay when opening a webpage. Perhaps most people don't notice the latency associated with cable internet, but as a former DSL user it got my attention right away. I noticed a distinct difference in speed between cable and DSL, but I realized I had to live with it in order to use internet phone service in the most economical way. DSL requires a phone line, which requires telephone service - so if you want to replace your land line phone with low cost internet phone service, the only option is to use cable or T-1 for internet. With my internet phone up and running over cable broadband, the voice quality was better than expected. I noticed no big difference between VoIP and my land line phone, but did experience dropped calls and incomplete calls periodically. This is due to the latency in my broadband connection, but since VoIP saves me over $500 a year (unlimited calling for less than $20 a month) an occasional dropped call is fine with me!
While flipping through a computer magazine, I spotted an ad for the Hawking Broadband Booster. This device is designed to eliminate the lag in your internet connection by monitoring the data that is coming and going and re-prioritizing the packets. It installs between your cable modem and router, and acts like a traffic cop, eliminating congestion by ensuring that both router and modem get nice even streams of data. In an attempt to decrease the latency with my cable modem, I decided to try out this device. Although it is a bit pricy ($70 - $100), I figured I could always return it if it didn't work as claimed.
The broadband booster was really easy to install (just connect two cables and restart your cable modem) and required no configuration whatsoever. The device is tiny (2 X 4) and weighs only an ounce or so. I noticed an immediate improvement in my internet connection, although there is still a very slight lag. In the past several weeks I have logged nearly 3000 minutes on my VoIP service and have not experienced any dropped or incomplete calls. I am very satisfied with the Hawking Broadband Booster (HBB1), and recommend it to anyone using broadband and/or internet phone service. Although I am not a gamer, the company claims it really helps with online playing as well. Many people with satellite internet cannot use VoIP due to the inconsistent satellite signal. If satellite internet is your only choice for broadband, it may be worth your while to give this little device a try.
? 2005 Debbie Jacobsen, all rights reserved
To learn more about Packet8 VoIP service , visit http://www.savewith8.com. For more information on VoIP internet phone service, visit my blog: http://www.djvoip.blogspot.com. Internet Phone Service - The Future is Here.
Wednesday, February 18
How to Get Free Broadband (HighSpeed) Internet Service
Right now, 89% of U.S. households are capable of getting broadband service. That number is only increasing.
Now, there is a way that you can get free high-speed Internet service and come out ahead with extra money in your pocket...
You can take it out of your phone bill.
Are you thinking Huh?
Let me explain...
Most people are paying too much for their phone service. Add to that the cost of dial-up Internet service, and many people pay almost $100 monthly in phone expenses!
You actually can eliminate the phone company, have better phone service, gain high-speed Internet service and have money left over.
They way to do this is simple: Get high-speed Internet from the cable company and then digital phone service from a VoIP provider.
Don't bite on the cable company's offer for inexpensive phone service with their package. Go for the special TV rate or something else.
Your total bill for the broadband plus digital phone should be less than what you now pay. This way you'll gain the broadband Internet service free.
Digital phone service or VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol) is a way of eliminating the old phone company. That's because the phone signal goes through the Internet instead of the old phone wires and switching stations.
You can use the phones you now own and don't have to be at your computer with a headset on.
Most digital phone plans offer every feature imaginable, included long distance at no additional cost. The basic phone rates are low and there are very few taxes.
There is more information including a checklist for selecting a digital phone provider on our web site.
Digital phone service also works over DSL. Since DSL operates through the local phone lines, you won't be able to completely eliminate using the old phone company.
With DSL, you could eliminate the long distance plan now have. In this case, your digital phone number would have to be an additional one to your home. You could still gain the other benefits of digital phone service, and add a phone line this way.
In this scenario, you would have your DSL (with local phone service by default), then use your digital phone line for all you long distance calls. You should still save money while gaining broadband service and an additional phone line. This savings will be less than if you used cable for your Internet.
With DSL for your VoIP broadband, you can easily use several phone handsets through the digital system in your home. This is easy to set up. Just plug a handset base into the small box that you receive when you get the digital phone service. Your computer plugs in there also. Then you can operate several portable handsets from that base.
If you have cable broadband and don't use them for local phone service, then you can easily use the existing phone wiring and phones that are in your home right now for all your digital calls.
You'll have the best savings and greatest simplification by using cable for your broadband and NOT using them for you phone service- use a separate digital phone provider.
In the past, 911 service was an issue with digital phone service. That has been resolved with the E911 database. This growing database links your digital phone number to your address. Only responsible digital phone providers will sell service to customers in the E911 coverage area. Soon, this won't be a problem, as E911 will cover the entire United States.
If you visit our site, we can recommend a responsible VoIP provider.
In addition, a few digital phone networks are capable of using video phones. Imagine being able to see the face of the person you are talking to in real-time across the globe!
There is also information about that on our site.
This is a great strategy to gain services and features and save money.
For more information about saving money, shopping for digital phone or video phone services, be sure to visit our site.
Copyright 2006. All Rights Reserved
Paul Myers is President of Ph.Developments USA, Inc. and webmaster of
http://www.video-phone-home.com/
A site dedicated to helping people discover video phones and save money on telecommunication services.
Monday, February 16
Free Internet Dial Up Access
As the influence and use of the Internet continues to revolutionize the way we live our lives, Internet access has become an important necessity for most people. As Internet connection technologies progress, we can now access the Internet at lightning-fast speeds through a broadband Internet access. However, broadband Internet is still quite expensive. Is there still a free or inexpensive way to connect to the Internet? Yes there is.
Although Internet dialup access is the slowest type of Internet connection, it is also the easiest and most economical way to connect to the Internet. All you need, aside from a computer, is a modem and a telephone line. If you have a limited budget or don?t want to spend too much on Internet access dialup is the best option. And if you are really conscious of you budget, you will be pleased to know that you can also access the Internet using a dialup connection for free.
Some Internet service providers offer free Internet dialup access as part of their services. All you need to do is dial the ISP?s free Internet access numbers, and you can surf the Internet for free. ISPs also offer dialup Internet access with either a per-minute rate or a fixed monthly rate. However, free Internet dialup access is not entirely free since your usage on your phone line will most likely reflect on your next phone bill. Nevertheless, free Internet dialup access is the most cost-effective way to connect to the World Wide Web.
If you wish to save on Internet costs and opt for a free Internet dialup access, you can ask the Internet service providers in your area if they offer such services. You can also look online for the best free Internet access deals. Some sites provide information on free Internet dialup access numbers that you can use.
Internet Dial Up Access provides detailed information on Internet Dial Up Access, Free Internet Dial Up Access, Internet Dial Up Access Providers, Internet Dial Up Access Numbers and more. Internet Dial Up Access is affiliated with Internet Access Providers.
Saturday, February 14
More On Meeting Your Bandwidth Requirements For Supply Chain Management Applications
As I pointed out in a previous article, Supply Chain Management (SCM) is a complex animal. The key to a successful SCM implementation is a clear understanding of the business objectives and business requirements of the company the SCM primarily supports. This often includes a number of legacy systems which need to be integrated into the solution. From this will come the technical objectives to be met and the technical requirements that frame the solution. Only then will the commmunication requirements for bandwidth capacity, reliability, resiliancy, latency, security, and expandability be meaningful.
Here's just 2 such technical aspects.....
Frame Relay
Frame relay initially had several advantages over the alternative solutions for SCM and other multi site and multi company communications networks.
The first advantage was with circuit costs. For a multi site network, the traditional approach was a large number of point to point circuits. Each circuit required a router port, a CSU, and often a circuit monitoring module. With milage based pricing, each circuit represented a significant recurring cost on top of the initial hardware costs. Router sizing was often a factor of ports supported rather than performance capability.
Frame relay exchanged the point to point circuit costs with an access circuit, typically at less than 1/10th of the cost. With port speeds from DS0 to DS3, multiple sites could be connected with a single port at each site. A partial or full mesh, even with full redundancy, could be accomplished with very few router ports and CSU at each site. This represented significant capital savings.
Using fractional T1 and T3 on the access circuits, frame relay made expanding capacity between sites relatively painless. Port changes within the frame relay provider's network was often a configuration change. Expanding the actual circuits was typically a configuration change on the CSU and DACS.
Adding new sites was often accomplished with physical changes at the new site only. The new PVC across the frame relay network and at the existing site(s) was a configuration change. Depending on the routers used and the routing protocol implemented, this might be accomplished without a maintenance window.
The PVC approach allowed for additional security. A given location could be directed to a specific port within the DMZ, limiting the exposure of one's own network to other vendors within the SCM network. Firewalls at each end allowed each company to control its own security. The frame relay network was vulnerable to external monitoring at very few points, and the relationship of PVC traffic to specific customer required specific network design information.
Frame relay offered the ability to have a disaster recovery site support multiple locations. PVC between the disaster location and other locations could be defined in the configuration, allowing dynamic implementation of the disaster recovery network.
As a circuit protocol, frame relay functions independent of other protocols. This segmentation allowed IPX, IP, SNA, and other system communications protocols to be implemented over the same paths. If desired, each of these could have its own PVC and bandwidth, or they could all operate over a common path. Finally, the bandwidth and performance could be established specifically to site pairs on a PVC basis.
For a vendor that participated in multiple SCM networks, frame relay represented real cost savings. Instead of a new circuit for each network, a PVC could be established. Instead of 6 week circuit installation delays, service could be established in hours.
----
So why the past tense? The advantages of frame relay are now achieved via the Internet. The timeframes for implementation have been reduced from hours to minutes. Encryption has advanced beyond the security offered by isolated paths. Advances in application based routing can achieve availablity assurances. Legacy protocols have been largely replaced by IP.
There are still times when frame relay is the best choice based on business requirements or technical constraints. But a robust bandwidth network (e.g. OC3 or OC12 bandwidth....perhaps with GigE connectivity) applying IP protocols will enable a seemless flow of information without risking security concerns.
Emerging Technologies
The most notable is Radio Frequency Identification, or RFID. RFID tags are essentially barcodes on steroids. Whereas barcodes only identify the product, RFID tags can tell what the product is, where it has been, when it expires, whatever information someone wishes to program it with. RFID technology is going to generate mountains of data about the location of pallets, cases, cartons, totes and individual products in the supply chain. It's going to produce oceans of information about when and where merchandise is manufactured, picked, packed and shipped. It's going to create rivers of numbers telling retailers about the expiration dates of their perishable items?numbers that will have to be stored, transmitted in real-time and shared with warehouse management, inventory management, financial and other enterprise systems. In other words, it is going to have a really big impact.
Another benefit of RFIDs is that, unlike barcodes, RFID tags can be read automatically by electronic readers. Imagine a truck carrying a container full of widgets entering a shipping terminal in China. If the container is equipped with an RFID tag, and the terminal has an RFID sensor network, that container?s whereabouts can be automatically sent to Widget Co. without the truck ever slowing down. It has the potential to add a substantial amount of visibility into the extended supply chain.
Right now the two biggest hurdles to widespread RFID adoption are the cost of building the infrastructure and the lack of agreed-upon industry standards. But regardless...RFID implementation will be bandwidth intensive to retrieve and disseminate the mountain of information such a tool will provide.
Summary
The answer to how to meet bandwidth requirements for SCM applications is as complex as ever. The addition of emerging technologies like RFID into the mix of legacy point-to-point approaches, the frame relay darling, and the simplification afforded by OCx backed IP protocols....means your IT staff will be pegging their stress meter trying to make a decision. To navigate the aspect involving researching and acquiring the right bandwidth solution....do yourself a favor. Use the services of an independent unbiased consultant such as DS3-Bandwidth.com to navigate the minefield for you. Your IT staff will love you for it.
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.
