What are your Internet options at home?
If you’re looking for an internet connection at home, you have four basic options: cable, DSL, satellite, or wireless. Each of these categories has their own advantages, as well as their own disadvantages. Before choosing an internet service, it’s important to consider the location of your home, how many people you need to provide internet access to, the main purpose of your internet (pleasure, business, downloading, uploading, etc), and how much you want to pay for your internet. Once you’ve determined the previous factors, you can start looking into the internet option that’s best for you.Cable internet is a form of broadband internet access. Advantages of such technology are no dial-up fees and a ready connection, a fast speed connection capable of data transfer and online gaming in addition to your typical internet needs, and lower costs than other internet technologies. Disadvantages are that cable speeds depend on how many people in your area are connected at the same time, not all areas can access cable, and it is not a good option for those who don’t use the internet regularly.DSL, or Digital Subscriber Line, provides digital data transmission through telephone network wires. It is very popular among residential and commercial consumers because of its fast internet connection and reliability. Additionally, DSL installation requires no new infrastructure since it runs through your phone lines, simply a modem so you can use the phone and internet at the same time. Furthermore, the security provided by DSL is optimal because the lines are not shared by other internet subscribers. The cons of DSL are the limited availability (only available in populated areas, not rural areas), and the connection weakens the further from the base transmission you are.Satellite internet is the best option for rural areas. While the installation and latency (slow connectivity due to signal transfer from your home to the satellite in outer space) are typical disadvantages of satellite internet, the pros are many. Latency issues aside, satellites still provide high speed internet connection. Companies such as DISH Network and Wildblue provide great deals for satellite installation and maintenance. Though satellites may be less than reliable in storms and for online gamers, they provide a great internet option for remote areas.Wireless Internet is the most up and coming internet technology today. Already, there have been vast improvements in the wireless spectrum. The main benefit of wireless internet is in its namethere are no wires to deal with. A single modem sends wireless internet signals to a designated area providing any computer in the vicinity with high speed internet access. The disadvantage is that it tends to be a tad bit slower than other networks and the protection issues are greater because the wireless transmission is shared. The newest wireless technology is used by Clear’s 4G network and other WiMax or WiFi providers.