Tips For First-time Broadband Users

Broadband Internet is becoming more available than it has ever been. This is particularly true in rural areas where satellite broadband services have allowed deeper market penetration of this product. While the small, skyward-pointing dishes have for many years provided rural homes with a connection to the entertainment world, those dishes are more and more being used to provide high-speed Internet access, as well. What follows are a few tips for those who are about to enjoy their first true broadband connection.

A broadband Internet connection, in the vast majority of cases, is an "always-on" connection. Those who have been using dial-up connections will be familiar with an interface which allows them to log-on to their ISP. This is not necessary with broadband. All one needs to do is to open their browser or their email program to get online. It's more akin to the type of connection one sees a at a workplace than to a dial-up connection. The fact that the computer is always on-line means that email alert icons, instant messengers and other communications devices can be left on constantly and that they will alert the user when a message comes through.

Some dial-up ISPs charged by the amount of time that a user spent on line. While this became increasingly rare with the passage of time, some users will be converting from such services. Broadband connections do not charge by the amount of time a user is online. There may, however, be bandwidth restrictions. Bandwidth can simply be thought of as the amount of "stuff" one is allowed to download in a month. Remember that anything viewed on the Internet consumes bandwidth. If one's plan proves to offer too little bandwidth, it can usually be upgraded for very little money.

If one has a satellite connection as their first broadband provider, there may be a combination of technologies in use. Satellites "bounce" communications from Earth back to Earth. This means there is some inherent delay in getting a request to the satellite. This is called "lag" and, though it's quite tiny—the signals travel at light speed—it can be a factor in "twitch" games and other high-speed activities. To eliminate this, many satellite providers will route outgoing requests through a phone line and incoming requests through the satellite. This arrangement offers very smooth operation and, because outgoing requests are tiny, it doesn't slow down the system.

While your Internet provider will include most of the needed equipment, constructing the in-home network is the responsibility of the user. This usually means purchasing a router. The router hooks up to the satellite modem and distributes information to the various computers in the home. If one desires wireless networking, this is where it starts. Most electronic stores will help consumers choose the right wireless router for them. Be sure to ask the provider if there are any technical requirements of routers used with their service before committing to buy one type or another.

By: A. Mahallati

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