High Speed Internet Access

We've had a few inquiries about high-speed Internet access, and all of the different issues. This article will summarize that presentation, and give you some additional information to work with as you consider upgrading your Internet connection.

If you're ready, willing and able to move beyond dial-up Internet access, there's a whole new world out there waiting for you. But with the many new options, issues and choices to make, you might find the decision a bit more daunting than just plugging in your old modem. This list of things to look for, and things to watch out for, will help you make the right decision.

Cable or DSL?

Depending on your location, you may not have a choice. But if you're lucky enough have both in your area, choose carefully. Cable may seem faster, but it is a "shared" service. If you're the only one on your block with a cable modem, you've got it made. But if 30 of your neighbours are also on it, your speed will slow to a trickle. There are also potential security issues with your neighbours possibly being able to tap in to your Mac. DSL may be more expensive, or advertised as not quite as fast, but it is a dedicated line, all yours, with no sharing. And you can get different speeds of DSL (the higher, the more expensive, obviously).

Who Pays For The Modem?

Whether you decide to go with DSL service or a cable modem through your local cable company, you still have to have a new modem to access the service. Do you have to pay for it, or is it included with the service you're purchasing? Who owns it, and when does ownership change, if you're buying it over time? What's the warrant, repair, and / or replacement policy, and who pays for it. These are all hidden costs you'll want to mark down on your sheet for research.

Connect / Disconnect Fees?

Are there any connect or disconnect charges involved in your service. Connect charges are not uncommon, since there is some work involved from the provider's point of view in getting a new connection up and running. Disconnect fees are often used as a disincentive to discourage you from changing providers. Keep these in mind when you consider the long term, and your options.

Static or Dynamic IP address?

You may not feel this is a big issue right now, but Don't overlook it. Either way, you still have fast access to the Internet. But with a static IP address, you can set up your own Web server, since your Mac will essentially have the same "phone number" (see the sidebar) all the time "Not me, " you say? Not so fast there, cowboy. Remember that the current versions of the MacOS have a Web sharing built in. You can designate a folder on your hard drive to share, and if your friends or family know your IP address, they can access that folder and its contents, be they web pages or files. If that IP address is constantly changing (dynamic), then every time you want them to have access to your Mac, you'll have to check to see what address has been assigned to you by your provider, and e-mail or call them with it. If your IP address is the same at all times (static), then they'll always know where to look.

The first application to make your computer into an unintentional server is the much maligned Napster. It essentially takes your computer and turns it in to a server offering MP3 files to others. Whether this is a bad thing or not is a topic for another discussion. The point is that there are reasons, some of which you may not yet know, why a static IP address may be important to you, now or in the future.

What Flavour of DSL: SDSL or ADSL?

Are you purchasing SDSL or ADSL? (See sidebar). If you're just planning on downloading and using your Internet access as you have your modem, then ADSL is a decent choice. Be aware that many users find ADSL services less stable and less reliable than full blown SDSL connection. (Why? Because ADSL is targeted more to the consumer / small business market. SDSL is targeted to the small business or larger market. The resources are always located to the bigger players. . . but then, so are the bigger fees. )

If you're going to run any kind of server or plan to do significant data transfer out of your Mac to somewhere else, you may want to consider the slightly more expensive and more slightly more stable SDSL option.

Number of computers online?

If you're a one-Mac person, no problem. But more and more of us have at least two Macs, and a home network. Perhaps a desktop machine and a PowerBook. Or one business Mac and an iMac for the kids. No matter how many Macs you have, you'll want them all to have access to the Internet. In order to do this you will need to buy an extra piece of hardware, called a router. But first, be sure to check with your provider and see if they charge for more than one machine to be connected. Some of the cable modem providers are especially touchy about this, and will charge you a full connection fee for each computer if they discover you're using a router. Worse, those charges can be retroactive! Consider this issue carefully to be sure you don't end up with a nasty surprise.

Transfer Limitations?

Another clause in the agreement to watch out for is any limitation on data transfer. I've heard of one company which, in fine print, allows a rather low transfer quantity over a short time period. In other words, if you upload or download more than X mugs of information in that period, they reserve the right to start charging you, by the meg, for information which moved over your connection. Frankly, this makes little sense to me. Let's see. . . I'm spending more money buying a faster connection so I can move more information (data, voice, audio, video, etc. ) and move it faster. But if I use the bandwidth I've spent the extra money to get, I might run in to supple-mental charges. . . and BIG supplemental charges, if and when the provider decides to enforce the clause? This kind of thing just reeks of a "gotcha, " and I'd stay away from it if I had any other choices.

Term of Service?

Just as with your old ISP, you need to consider what kind of contract you're signing. Be sure to review the length of the contract and monthly charges. Are there any cancellation penalties? How much notice is required?

With the price of Internet access at all speed levels changing, you also will want to find out what your provider's policy is in revising your price if they change their service offering price. Are you locked in at your contract price for the duration of the contract, or is there a provision for adjustment down to the then-current offer price?

And be sure to read all of the contract, including that pesky fine print, for those interesting little clauses regarding supple-mental charges, limits on connections, transfer volume, etc. , just to be sure.

Support? 24/7?

Once your connection is up and running, hopefully tech. support isn't a big issue. Then again, you probably thought the same thing with your dial-up ISP, wouldn't you?

If you're using your new connection for casual browsing, then any problems are going to be an inconvenience. But if you are running a web server, or hosting files or pages on your Mac and want them available at all times, be sure to consider the support services and times. Does your new provider have banker's hours, or are they available 24/7? And is it real support, or just an answering service? Are there any guarantees or rebate options in our contract if they fail to deliver?

Firewall?

One last consideration is security. Whether you go cable or DSL, your connection is pretty much constantly "on, " and subject to the probing fingers of hackers around the corner or around the globe. While hacking is always a potential problem, your vulnerability increases with a high-speed connection, both because of the nature of the connection, and because a hacker can do so much more so much faster, since the improved speed goes both ways. Your provider won't provide you with an option, but might give you some suggestions.

You can select either dedicated software-based (such as Net Barrier) or hardware-based firewalls. Or, while shopping for a router, be sure to get one with the firewall built in.

Think of protecting your computer from outside threats the same way you think about protecting your credit card. The likelihood of someone stealing your credit card is not very great, and can be substantially reduced with just a few precautions. If you have a low limit on your card, your exposure isn't very high. And your risk of having your card stolen can be greatly reduced with a few relatively simple precautions. But you still wouldn't want it stolen, if only to avoid the inconvenience.

The same goes for your Mac. If you don't have any sensitive financial or business information on your computer, then there isn't much to be damaged or lose. But you still wouldn't want it to happen.

And what you're doing also has some bearing on your exposure. A home machine is much less of a target than a business machine or high-profile web server. If you were a thief and were going to steal a credit card, would you rather have Joe Smith's from down the street, or Donald Trump's? In either example, the more you have a risk, either from a financial or data aspect, the more important protection becomes.

The Bottom Line

As the possibilities of high-speed Internet access beckon, be sure to take a little time and consider all the details. By doing a little homework, you might save yourself some money, get better speed, and reliability, expand the possible use of your connection, and protect yourself from the potential dangers of both hackers and the fine print.

High Speed Internet Access Definitions And Phrases

DSL &endash;Digital Subscriber Line. A relatively inexpensive high-speed Internet access line.

ISDN &endash; One kind of high-speed internet access line. Extremely expensive.

T1 line &endash; Another kind of high-speed internet access line. Extremely expensive.

Symmetrical / Asymmetrical &endash; The former means that your speed uploading to the Internet is the same as the speed downloading from the Internet. Same up, same down, hence the "symmetrical. " Asymmetrical is when one speed is slower than the other, in the case of consumer access, it is slower upload speed and faster download speed. Slow up, fast down, hence the "asymmetrical. "

"Low risk of ownership due to minimal hardware requirements. " &endash; Refers to the fact that you don't have to buy the modem (like you do with dial-up), nor do you have to put in special hardware or telephone lines (like you do with T1 or ISDN).

WAN's &endash; Wide Area Networks -instead of just a small LAN (local area network) in your home or office like many of us have, a WAN can span a city or a continent.

Static IP Address / Dynamic IP Address &endash; Each account, each computer on the internet has a specific address, or number, like your telephone. IP means "Internet Protocol " and refers to the fact that it is an "internet address". Some providers give you a "static IP " address, one assigned to you, and only you, for your use. Other providers "dynamically " or automatically assign you a number each and every time you connect. Why is this important? Think of it like a telephone number. If you are making calls out, and only out, then you can call from your home, your car, a friend's house, or any pay phone you come across. It doesn't matter to you, as long as the phone works. And the person you're calling doesn't care what kind of phone you're calling from either. But if you are going to receive a call, the caller needs to know where to find you. You would never get they call if they had to start guessing at what number you might be close to at any given moment. So a "static" number becomes very important. The same goes for your Internet access. If you're going to surf, e-mail or download all the time, then it doesn't matter. But if you intend to set up a Web server, share information from your hard drive, or anything of that nature, then having a static IP address becomes essential.

SDSL &endash; The acronym for symmetrical DSL.

ADSL &endash; The acronym for asymmetrical DSL.

Firewall Protection &endash; Just like in a commercial building or a car. . . the firewall is a type of software or hardware protection from bad things getting in to your computer through your connection to the Internet. Router &endash; A device that lets you share your Internet connection with a network of computers.

24/7 &endash; 24 hours per day, 7 days per week

This article was presented by the London Macintosh Users Group and is reproduced with their kind permission.