Getting Broadband Service

October 4, 3:29 PMLA Home Technology ExaminerMarshal Rosenthal

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Broadband Internet service was once a costly and difficult thing for a consumer to get . T1 and special lines were required to hook up a computer so that it could access the Internet at speeds many times that of a modem working through a telephone line - which was what the average person was limited to using if he/she didn’t want to pay exorbitant fees. Time has changed, however, so that pretty much anyone who wants high-speed access to the Internet can get it at a reasonable cost. And expect it to work without any problems or complications.
 

Types of Service

he two most-common types of broadband Internet service are cable and DSL. A cable modem is attached to a coaxial cable that runs into the house from outside and is usually installed by a cable company providing Internet service. DSL, on the other hand, uses the existing telephone line to provide service and the DSL modem can be hooked up by the owner (although the line must be turned "on" for DSL by the phone company providing the DSL service).
 

Cable internet is easily gotten wherever there are existing cable lines for television service. DSL service, however requires that the person's telephone location be close enough to a local telephone hub. If it is too far away (more than 18,000 feet), DSL service can not be available.
 

Hooking Up Multiple Computers or Devices

An Internet modem, whether it is for cable Internet or DSL Internet, is designed to attach to a single computer or device in order to provide that computer or device with broadband Internet access. ??Attaching the modem to a Router instead will enable multiple computers/devices to "share" the Internet connection as the Router then connects to these devices instead of the modem going to just one. Using a Router does not add any additional costs to the charge for broadband Internet service.
 

Getting the Best Use of the Broadband Connection

The processing speed of the computer or device that is accessing the broadband Internet service does not determine how fast data will be received from the Internet. This is actually determined by the physical considerations such as the type of modem being used, the distance between the cable or telephone line and the modem and the technical proficiency of the Internet service provider that is providing the broadband Internet service.
 

he speed of broadband Internet service can vary for both how fast data comes into the computer or device (downlink) and how fast the data goes from the computer or device to the Internet (uplink). Prices for faster speeds cost more than that of lesser speed. Deliberating on just how fast the broadband Internet service needs to be to meet your needs should be done before obligating yourself to a particular pricing package.