Weapons of Mass DistractionHigh Speed Internet

Are you still using dialup Internet access?  If the answer is yes, WHY?  There are only a few reasons that I consider good excuses to use dialup and here they are:

1. You live out in the middle of nowhere and there is no broadband internet access available.
2. You only get online to check email, and not very often.
3. You cannot afford a faster Internet connection.

There are two main types of high speed Internet access out there right now, DSL and Cable.

Cable Modems:
Cable comes through the same wire as your cable TV. The leading provider of this kind of access in the US is Comcast.  They provide you with a box (cable modem) that you plug your cable into and connects to your PC. The speeds vary, but are generally pretty fast.  There used to be stories about it being slow if many of your neighbors had the service too because the line is shared but I haven't heard anything of this in a long time.  Most people I know are using Comcast service, which is great for people that don't want to run servers or anything like that on their machines.  If you can get digital cable where you live, chances are good that you'll be able to get Cable Internet service. Click Here to visit Comcast and find out if it is available in your area. They're almost always offering some kind of special where the first few months of service are cheaper so you can try it out.  Once you try it you'll never be able to go back.

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line):
There are a few different flavors of DSL, such as ADSL (the most common), SDSL (Synchronous, meaning the upload and download speeds are the same), and IDSL (slower, but has a longer range for people too far away to get ADSL).  This service comes through your normal phone line from the telephone company.  You place some in line filters on all the phones in your house and can talk on the phone and be online at the same time.  I have been a happy DSL user since 1999.  There are a few differnet ways to get this service.  The most common is to get it through your phone company. Verizon and Qwest both offer reasonably affordable high speed service, and similar specials to Comcast.

If none of these options are available to you, perhaps you could get a faster dialup connection.  There are only a few companies still advertising their dialup service.  NetZero is one of them, and you've probably seen their ads.   They also feature a wide variety of dialup services that vary in price/speed/features.  They even offer a free service limited to 10 hours per month.  This would be great for use as a backup connection if your broadband goes down. 

No matter which service you choose, you will be much happier than you are with normal dialup access. Give it a try and be amazed at how those pictures on Ebay just pop right up. :)

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