By Michael Lemm

The most common bandwidth solutions business choose today center around DSL, T1, and DS3 bandwidth. But to make the right choice for your business there's a few facts you must get straight.

"T1" is a telephone company term that describes a 1.54 Mbps capacity Internet connection. It also implies that the connection is "business class," and includes a guarantee.

The term "DS3" is also a "business class" guaranteed Internet connection. It should not be put together with "DSL," because in general they are not similar. However. many business customers confuse the 2 leading to some avoidable mistakes during the quote and purchase process.

Years ago, a business class T1 connection was very expensive, in excess of $1000 per month, and was designed to provide reliability to businesses whose use of the Internet was critical (they were willing to pay more for guaranteed reliability). Back in the early days, the alternative was dial-up. T1 prices have come down to the $400 per month range today.

Most other connection "speeds" (more accurately, capacity) offered by the telephone company are a "bundle" of 1.54 Mbps lines. A 3 Mbps link is also referred to as a "bundle" of 2 T1's. Similarly, DS3 is a nickname for a 45 Mbps connection, and is simply a bundle of 30 T1's. Since the cable TV companies began retrofitting their systems to deliver Internet access, these nicknames (T1, DS3, and others) have been borrowed, although the "speeds" originally were derived as a function of the limitations of the telephone company copper wires. Cable company equipment on the other hand can be throttled to any speed for the end user.

Around 2000 companies like TowerStream (beginning in New England, and now nationwide) began deploying business class Internet connections using equipment that, for the first time, was not retrofitted, but designed for the purpose of bidirectional data delivery. These systems also have infinitely variable throttles. TowerStream, for example, delivers a guaranteed T1 speed connection, but they also offer a 2 Mbps, 3 Mbps, 8 Mbps, and other ranges of speeds not offered by the phone companies, and their "DS3," instead of being throttled at 45 Mbps, is rounded off to 50. These connections are also unique because they completely bypass the phone and cable "copper" infrastructure.

It is confusing to many folks why someone would pay $400 per month for a business class link. The answer is in the small print.

I've heard Verizon on the radio offering "up to 8 Mbps" for twenty dollars a month. At the end of the ad, the guy with the really fast voice came on and stated "speed and uptime not guaranteed." That's the small print, radio version.

What this means is, exactly what it says ... "up to 8 Mbps." Maybe, maybe not. Maybe it'll crawl along at a terribly slow speed. Maybe it'll stop working completely. Maybe it'll go 8 Mbps. Maybe. They provide no guarantee. You certainly can not call and complain if it goes slow. They only said it might go 8 Mbps.

Less expensive connections, like DSL and cable modem, usually residential (and often small busines too), are not guaranteed. It's important to know. Usually the more expensive connections do provide an "SLA," or Service Level Agreement, which spells out the minimum speed, latency, uptime, and other measures of performance, which are guaranteed.

In addition, business class links (like T1's) usually allow the customer to host a server inside his location, and he gets public IP addresses, as well as other means of support, which are generally required for Internet intensive and Internet commerce-based businesses, and businesses which have outside users working from remote locations who need to be able to access the office. Residential type services (the less expensive services) will not provide business support, and often will cut off a customer who attempts to circumvent the basics.

It's all in the small print. Is it guaranteed? Are public IP addresses provided? Is there an SLA? Are these things important to you? They may or may not be ... but the business class of service is the lifeblood of businesses of all sizes these days, and should be expected to be for many years to come.

Should you want assistance helping navigate the questions and decisions involved in choosing the right business bandwidth solution for your company....take advantage of the no cost consulting offered at .... DS3 Bandwidth

Michael is the owner of FreedomFire Communications....including DS3-Bandwidth.com and Business-VoIP-Solution.com. Michael also authors Broadband Nation where you're always welcome to drop in and catch up on the latest BroadBand news, tips, insights, and ramblings for the masses.

By Russel Clark

Satellite Broadband is another form of wireless broadband that is most useful for remote areas. It is available anywhere even those areas where cable internet and DSL are not available. It is available worldwide which includes ships at sea and always on the go mobile land automobiles. This kind of broadband, offers connectivity to the home, office, business or even government agency. Satellites are not just there orbiting earth for telephone and television service - they also provide links for broadband.

The following factors affect broadband through satellite means: provider and service package purchased, consumer's line of sight to the orbiting satellite and the weather. The speed may be slower than that of a DSL or cable modem, but download speed is much faster about 10 times faster. Of course, this can change depending on the weather conditions.

So the advantages of using satellite broadband are faster surfing, downloads and instant email access All these without tying up the phone line. No need to dial or wait for internet access, satellite broadband give an instant online connection.

At this moment, satellite broadband has already partnered with phone companies to keep it alive since they are no match for the cable companies now. That would mean a troubled future if they can't increase their patrons. However, even if it has limited market for now, investments today could lead to improvements that may keep satellite services existing in the future. Satellite companies will reintroduce broadband services this summer. Their target consumers are rural customers that are being ignored by cable and DSL providers.

Satellite Broadband still has a long way to go to be at par with cable and DSL pioneers. With their plan to start in areas where there are no competitors specifically the rural market, they still have a chance to survive and to be able to succeed in the broadband business.

Russell Clark owns and operates the popular website BroadBandGuru.net

By Liam Gerken

According to statistics released by the BBC during the summer of last year, nine out of ten users connect to the internet using a broadband connection.

The simple reason for this is that over the year's broadband has gotten cheaper and faster. Exactly how fast and how cheap your broadband package will be is influenced by a number of factors.

Availability and how exactly the broadband reaches your home will play a large role, with ADSL and cable being the most established methods of connection within the UK.

ADSL has proven considerably popular for home users and small businesses as it allows for far faster download speeds when compared to traditional dial-up services; ADSL is also "always on", meaning users don't need to dial in.

As its popularity has grown, so has the demand for faster download speeds, in response to this various new technologies are emerging such as ADSL2 and ADSL2+. These technological advancements will allow providers to offer download speeds of up to 24Mbps.

The other gripe users have with ADSL is the slow uploading speed, which is where SDSL comes in; as this allows for much faster upload speeds. This is particularly useful for businesses or those hosting websites; however, it does require a separate line.

The second major broadband technology is cable, with an estimated 45% of broadband users connecting to the internet this way. Its popularity is likely to be linked with its convenience, as providers often bundle broadband, TV and telephone services into one package.

The difference with cable is that it does not make use of your telephone line, but a cable and modem that is provided as part of package. Also, availability depends on whether or not a provider has cabled your street.

For the more remote user requiring broadband access, there is satellite broadband This broadband technology however, often works out considerably more expensive than ADSL and cable.

By Jonathan Popoola

The Internet today is a means of communication through words, images and sounds. Globalization has made Internet one of the most important mediums of communication in the world today. Life has changed since the last century. In today's age of consumerism, images have become more prominent in shaping our psychology and understanding over a matter. The Internet is full of psycho-graphical representations that attract the audience a lot. Nothing works more than images on somebody's psyche. Over the years, such created virtual world has bent into a convention that nobody can afford to avoid in order to be in touch of the whole world. Therefore, the world is getting smaller with less striation.

Since the web is independent, the homogenization of information is another significant event that shapes its importance. Moreover, it creates a virtual community for the users by giving them whatever they are wanting from it. It is this community that gives people the space to communicate with other people without even bothering to know whether that person exists or not. The ease of sending and receiving of information at any given point of time is where the new media differs from the traditional media.

The Internet, today, has shaped up as a tool for exchanging information and getting entertained at the same time. A medium like this was unavailable before, which can work as a carrier of communication as well as be the source of entertainment and communication. No wonder, the other media has lesser chances of competition and survival in the age of race against time. And eventually, without any doubt, the web media will hold the future of the communication business of the planet.

Critics, however, question the existence of such a palpable medium and argue that it can never replace the television, radio or the press; though they are convinced that in the time that we belong, it has and will provide tough competition to the other forms of media.

Jonathan Popoola specializes in web design in gloucestershire and web design in cheltenham. Visit my site for information on webdesign.

By Karl Bantleman

With programmes such as the BBC iPlayer, many people are being given the opportunity to download programmes that they have missed. This means that people are downloading up to and over their limits and unfortunately this means heavy fines for some people.

People take the broadband speed test when choosing their provider and as well as this they choose what their download limit is, this varies from provider to provider but it is something that customers need to be careful about because the fines for overuse are sometimes excessive. These downloading services are being blamed for a 66% increase in internet traffic.

Many broadband users are allowed about 1 GB per month and with each programme being around 300Mb in size; it is easy to see how people are exceeding their download limit. As people download TV programmes and music regularly, limits are being reached very quickly and it is something all customers need to be wary of.

The result is that providers are advising their customers to choose a more expensive package to accommodate for downloading. This will change the way people look for cheap broadband and will mean that customers have to pay more than they want for a broadband deal. Many providers are set to "unbundle" the old BT exchanges and replace them with their own equipment which will allow them to place their own restrictions on downloading.

Whatever happens in the market, the best way for customers to find the best deals are to shop online where you can compare the best deals with limited hassle and saves you time and money.

New programs are making broadband users spend more a month on fines for exceeding downloads. The broadband speed test enables you to see what you are entitled to and for the best cheap broadband deals, shop online and compare them all at the click of a button.

By Michael Lemm

When would YOU choose DSL, T1, or DS3 Bandwidth as the network solution for your business .... and why/why not? What are the pros and cons for and against each bandwidth type in a business setting?

In general .....

The answer to these questions is truly related to your application requirements. If you run applications that are latency or Jitter impacted, then DSL may not provide you with the service levels you need.

An additional extension of that would be your requirements for uptime. MTTR (Mean Time to Repair) is typically greatly improved with DS1 and DS3 circuits.

The size of the business is not nearly as important as your application requirements. Many large organizations can survive with DSL or in some cases dial-up, but a small organization that has streaming application traffic, mission critical traffic, or small latency or jitter requirements then DS1 or greater connectivity would be required.

Lastly, though often primarily, cost helps determine your choices.

To be more specific ....

T1s and DS-3s give the same offering except for capacity. T1s give 1.5Mbps upload and download speeds per line. DS3s give 32-45mbps upload and download speeds.

ADSL typically give asymmetric upload and download speeds (ADSL) typically 1.5, 3.0 and 6.0 Mbps download speeds and somewhere between 128 -768Mbps upload speeds.

Symmetrical DSL (SDSL) gives the same upload and download speeds, typically 384, 512 or 786Mbps upload and download.

Cable offerings vary with providers and location. Doing a comparison with cable would be impossible without knowing your provider and market. Not who your provider is and your location .... but knowing how your provider is in that particular market. Ask a local expert for that detail.

T1 and DS3 are very reliable with high MTBF (mean time between failure) and low MTTR (mean time to repair). Cable and DSL on the other side.

T1 and DS3 expensive, Cable and DSL more affordable.

If you do not have a need for high upload speeds, (VPN, VoIP, high Data transfer for backup/co-location, ftp streaming media or other high bandwidth services hosted in-house, etc) then an asymmetric connection is not evil. DSL/Cable may be a good choice in that case.

If you need high speed upload then T1/DS3 is needed.

Fro growing needs, T1 or fractional T3 is a good choice. After some point in growth, a full T3/DS3 becomes more economical.

For mission critical networks, two providers from two different physical points-of-entry may be necessary depending on the natural disasters you are likely to face.

Case study one: a company had a fractional T3 coming in from the East and another fractional T3 coming in from the West. Flooding and a sinkhole cut one T3. The network slowed down but stayed up.

Case study two: a company in South Florida lost its T1s and failed over to a Satellite link. Certain services were crippled by the latency of the system but their mission-critical applications kept running.

Which brings us to Satellite: usually asymmetric with extremely fast downloads (depending on service level) but typically slow uploads (but varies depending on service level). Has an intrinsic latency due to the speed of light and the distance of satellites. Advantage: natural disaster resistant, reliable, available everywhere and no last-mile issues.

In short...here's the 3 most important factors to consider.....

1- Link Speed and Committed Rate

T1 or DS3 can be purchased as dedicated point to point bandwidth. You will get the advertised speed guaranteed from point a to point b. KEY POINT if you are purchasing access to the internet and using the Internet to provide connectivity (VPN etc) then you are buying an on-ramp, the traffic on the "highway" after you get on could slow you down. Just because you bought a DS3 to the Internet doesn't mean that you will have DS3 access to everything onthe Internet.

2- Link Symmetry

T1 and DS3 give the same bandwidth in both directions when configured as point to point. Different flavors of DSL provide different up and downlink speeds.

3- QOS

T1 and DS3 are configurable to support TDM voice (straight out of your PBX). They can also support VoIP. If you are doing everything with VoIP it may not matter. If you are keeping some TDM voice it matters a lot.

For more help to find EXACTLY the right solution for your business network .... take advantage of the free services provided through DS3-Bandwidth.com. This comes in pretty handy considering how complicated evaluating your options could be. Plus using a free service such as this maximizes your resources .... time, effort, and manpower.

Michael is the owner of FreedomFire Communications....including DS3-Bandwidth.com and Business-VoIP-Solution.com. Michael also authors Broadband Nation where you're always welcome to drop in and catch up on the latest BroadBand news, tips, insights, and ramblings for the masses.

By Liam Gerken

Considering the wealth of methods that malicious users employ to gain access to other people's machines, you would expect the general public to be better protected while online.

However, a survey conducted in 2004 found that even though 63% of respondents thought they had a firewall protecting their system, only 33% actually had a live firewall. Moreover, 77% of respondents had the general thought that their computers were safe.

It would seem that the general public are aware of the threats of the internet, but not as clued up as they should be on how to prevent any malicious attacks. For instance, 67% of the respondents either, did not have a virus checker or had not updated it recently.

The first and most commonly overlooked step when securing ones PC is the physical aspect. For instance, at work, you should always lock your workstation so that no one else can gain access to your information.

At home, younger members of the family are often prone to installing generally useless pieces of software which may be "piggybacked" with malicious spyware or malware. It is therefore, important to educate your family on what to look out for when downloading.

Most users are now aware that having both firewall and antivirus software is vital if they are going to be using the internet. What is often overlooked though is the requirement to keep both of these applications up-to-date, as new viruses are being released daily.

There is a myriad of internet security packages available, some free, some not, and each have their pro's and con's. Consumer reviews are probably the best way to determine which company has the right package for you.

Lastly, a great deal of broadband safety does lie within the users' hands. So a certain degree of "common sense" is required when using your broadband.

So, in conclusion, when using your broadband, always be on the look out for any suspicious activity.

By Karl Bantleman

During this article, I will attempt to answer some FAQ's that many people ask about wireless broadband;

Why should I be interested in wireless broadband?

If you only use one computer and the computer is right next to a phone socket then you don't need to be interested but for everyone else wireless broadband is extremely important. A typical household has more than one computer, maybe a laptop or 2 and the only way each one can receive the internet is by having wireless broadband.

Is it secure?

When you set up your cheap broadband service, you will be asked to set up a password for your network. Once this is set up then nobody can access your network without the network key. There are two types of security, WiFi Protected Access (WPA) and Wired Equipment Privacy (WEP), WPA is the one most people are recommended to have as it adds another level of protection to your computer.

Do I need any special equipment?

A wireless ADSL modem router will be needed; this is the device that fits into the phone line. Some providers will issue them as standard but always check because you may have to buy your own. To be able to connect to the wireless you will need a network card for each computer/laptop needing to be connected. Network cards are relatively cheap to buy and easy to get hold of.

What are the disadvantages?

The main one is that all modems have a range and if your computer/laptop is out of that range, it won't pick up any signal and you will lose connection to the internet. Some modems have different speeds, the best way to see what you are entitled to is to take the broadband speed test which will tell you what speed you can expect for your postcode.

The broadband speed test gives you an indication of how fast your broadband service is likely to be. Shop online for the best deals on cheap broadband and start experiencing a faster and higher quality internet.

By Van Theodorou

What is a T1?

A T1 is a high-speed digital circuit that can be used for voice, data or both. The T1 transmits at a high speed, up to 1.544 Mbps, which is faster than many modems. The T1 consists of 24 channels and is typically used for businesses. The circuit is delivered on fiber but can sometimes come to the premise on copper wires. It is engineered to provide the proper speed and performance based on your location and proximity to the nearest telephone central office.

How does a T1 work?

A T1 is an engineered circuit that is connected specifically for your company location. It uses 3 pair of fiber for connection. The circuit comes into your premise and is terminated onto a smart jack. From there it can be extended into your telephone system.

A T1 has 24 channels that are flexible for use by everyone. When a channel is idle it is available. This makes the T1 able to be used by many people. A typical T1 can support between 50 and 100 users. The T1 is accessed by your telephone system through specific programming instructions that are written into your system. When a long distance number is dialed the telephone system will route the call over the T1.

A T1 can be used for both incoming and outgoing calls. Your main number can be routed over the T1 to allow for more simultaneous calls. DIDs (direct inward dial) numbers can be used on a T1. DIDs are direct numbers that can be associated with specific phone users on your system and act as private lines.

Who can use a T1?

T1 circuits are typically engineered for business applications only since they provide such a large amount of channels that can be used for both voice and data. While DSL connections were considered the standard connection in the 1990's, the T1 is a more reliable and faster connection, which is becoming the modern standard for businesses in the 21st century.

A T1 is an affordable solution for most small to mid-sized businesses. There are one-time installation costs to consider, however, these costs are easily made up in the substantial cost savings that you will get during the first year in service. There are many T1 providers to choose from. Some areas require the use of a CSU (customer service unit) with the T1. This provides a test point, which can be used to fix any problems if they occur.

Is a T1 reliable?

A T1 is one of the most reliable circuits you can get. The T1 is an engineered circuit, which is tested fully from point to point at installation. Problems are rare but often can be corrected remotely. T1 circuits are constantly monitored at the central office so any issues can be corrected quickly. When choosing a T1 for long distance be sure to include a service contract that will properly take care of your possible service needs.

Article written by Van Theodorou, he will help you slash your Voice T1 prices expenses by over 43%, and receive more T1 education at his T1 Learning Center

By Liam Gerken

Since the advent and wide-spread acceptance of "always on" broadband internet connections, online criminals are finding it easier than ever to gain access to sensitive and personal information.

In 2007, 61% of Britain was connected to the internet, that's around 15m homes. For the majority of those with broadband connections, their computer becomes connected to the internet as soon as it is turned on.

This has essentially made us very vulnerable to online hackers and fraudsters. Such people use a wide range of motives, methods and techniques to obtain our personal information (namely bank details, and other "secure" information)

It's important to note that the purpose of this article is not to make you fearful of the internet, but educate you on the methods that hackers use, so you can be more aware on how to protect your information.

Put simply, there are two ways in which hackers can attack your computer; these are discussed in more detail below.

Externally

This involves the attacker "probing" your computer, in the hopes of exposing any weaknesses in which they can gain access to your information.

Typical methods include; subnet scanning, port scanning, packet sniffing, e-mail eaves dropping, DOS attacks and "Phishing".

Internally

This method often involves users' unknowingly downloading malicious programs, sometimes referred to as "malware" to their computer systems. Malware often appears harmless software, and is usually transferred via email or downloaded from what appear legitimate sites.

Typical methods and malicious applications include; Trojan's, viruses, rouge diallers, key loggers, spyware and "pharming" sites.

The above are just a few examples of how hackers can use your broadband connection to gain access to your personal information; new methods are being created daily. It is for this reason that you must ensure your broadband connection is as secure as it can be. There is a wealth of information, as well as cheap broadband deals available on the web.

By Shaun Sullivan

Ethernet is a fairly new type of broadband usually confined to a particular building or dense metro area. Although ethernet technology has been in use since the 1970s within local area networks, it only recently has been in use as a wide area network transmission medium as well.

Ethernet for broadband can be delivered over fiber optic cables installed throughout an entire building (also known as "lit" or "on-net") which can substantially reduce normal provisioning time for clients residing in that building. But the main advantage is that ethernet over fiber can be run at native speeds of 10, 100, or 1000 Mbps (also known as Gig E), which is a major leap forward compared to traditional forms of accessing bandwidth.

In the past, ethernet was just a protocol used to transport the "data", so limitations of the underlying transport mechanism applied. For example Ethernet-over-T1 (via copper) operated at a maximum data rate of 1.544 Mbps, and Ethernet-over-DS3 operated at a max of 45 Mbps. Now because of the fact that new equipment specially made for extending ethernet's range have entered the market, limitations have been significantly reduced or eliminated altogether. It's now possible to augment and lengthen the bandwidth of a fiber lit building by using ordinary copper wires, via a new concept termed as Ethernet-over-Copper (EoC) or Ethernet-over-Serial/DS1 (EoS). This is speculated to revolutionize the industry if/when it becomes widely supported by the fiber carrying telcos. Ethernet provides significant cost savings over SONET, ATM, or Frame Relay circuits, and is the best technology for support of IP applications.

Over time, Metro Ethernet will overwhelm SONET in the MAN/WAN market. Ethernet is cheaper, has better economies of scale and allows for simpler, more unified networks. Ethernet is at the gates, and it's coming in. The market for managed Metro Ethernet services is expected to grow by 30 per cent a year until 2010, when it will top $25 billion worldwide.

Shaun Sullivan
Telecommunications Broker/Consultant
Ph: (512) 342-2173
TF: (877) 993-2804
info@bandwidthseek.net
http://www.bandwidthseek.net

By John Savageau

Accessing information and interactive resources available around the globe via the Internet is a pretty simple task. In a carefree Internet world, the dynamics of connecting to resources are transparent, and we expect resources we want to access are available through our local Internet service provider. Technical details of connecting to Internet resources are an abstract concept for most, and whatever mechanics happen behind the scenes are not relevant to our everyday use of the network.

Because the Internet is made up of a complex matrix of physical, business and international relationships, how these systems interact and collaborate is actually very important to the end user, as well as to those providing Internet services and content. Of the greatest concern impacting online resources from eBay to the Bank of America is the potential financial pressure brought on by the largest Tier 1 networks. As the only networks in the world having global Internet visibility, these few companies, including AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, Level 3, and Cable and Wireless, facilitate access to the global Internet - a function which people and companies worldwide depend on to ensure small networks and content providers are available through their local service providers.

The Tier 1 world was born at the demise of NSFNet (National Science Foundation Network). In the early days of Internet development, the NSF supported development of a large publicaly funded academic and research network throughout the United States, and connecting many foreign academic networks to the US as a hub through the International Connections Manager (ICM Network). As commercial Internet development grew in the early 1990s, the NSF realized it was time to back away from publicaly funding the "Internet" and grant contracts to large US carriers to take over responsibility for the former US Domestic backbone and ICM portions of the NSFNet.

Small Internet exchange points (IXPs) were also funded, allowing the large networks taking over NSFNet assets, as well as their own commercial Internets to connect and share Internet traffic. Those network access points (NAPs) were also contracted to the large US carriers, who managed policies for US and International network exchange. The large US carriers ultimately had control of the networks, and were the original Tier 1 Internet providers.

Roadblocks in the Internet Community

Debates around net neutrality highlight some underlying issues. The goal of net neutrality is to preserve the open and interconnected nature of the public Internet. But whether the largest networks use their control to hinder growth and innovation within the Internet-connect business community or impede free access to Internet-connected content sources, they have the power and control which could present challenges to an open Internet environment.

A Tier 1 network, for example, has the power to charge a major content delivery network (CDN) a premium to access its network. This is because the CDN may deliver a very large amount of content traffic into a network, and the Tier 1 network believes they should receive additional compensation to fund additional capacity needed to support content distribution. This premium may be more money than the CDN is willing or able to pay. In turn, if the CDN doesn't comply, the Tier 1 can ultimately refuse the CDN access to its network and cut its consumers access to the CDN's content. This applies whether consumers access the Tier 1 directly or if the Tier 1 is the middle-network between consumers and their Tier 2 or 3 networks.

A voice over Internet Protocol Company underscores another potential conflict of interest. Let's say you're a consumer of a Tier 1 network that's also a telephone company and you want to use a VoIP company, such as Vonage. But the Tier 1 doesn't want the VoIP company to compete with its network and would rather that you use its own telephone product, so the Tier 1 may prevent you from using your VoIP company. In other words, a Tier 1, in developing its own commercial VoIP product, can prevent non-owned VoIP traffic from passing through its network.

While Tier 1 networks hold value for much of the Internet world, they also impose many political and financial barriers on smaller networks, content delivery networks, emerging VoIP companies, online gaming businesses, B2B and online commerce, and entertainment web sites. It is evident that Internet Service Providers (ISPs), CDNs, VoIPs, and many others need an alternative method of communicating with each other - one providing tools to redesign how relationships and interconnections bond the US Internet content and access communities.

Breaking Down Barriers

One objective in building efficiency and the performance needed to deliver content resources to end users is to flatten existing Internet architecture. Whenever possible, you eliminate the Tier 1 Internet networks from participating in the delivery of content resources to end users.

How do we accomplish this task? One option is through development and use of commercial Internet Exchange Points (IXPs), a location where many Internet-enabled networks and content resources meet to interconnect with each other as peers.

According to Wikipedia, an IXP is a physical infrastructure that allows different Internet Service Providers to exchange Internet traffic between their networks (autonomous systems) by means of mutual peering agreements, which allows traffic to be exchanged without cost. An IXP is essentially a physical switch in a carrier hotel or data center with the capacity to connect thousands of networks together, whether content providers or network providers.

Today at the Any2 Exchange, an IXP built within One Wilshire, on a single switch 125 different networks interconnect and are freely able to pass traffic amongst each other without having to go to a Tier 1 for routing. Members pay a small annual fee to the Any2 Exchange for the one-time connection and then benefit from the "peering" relationships among members of the Internet exchange.

Akamai, for example, a large content distribution network company that delivers streaming media and movies on demand, can connect to American Internet Services, a Tier 3 ISP in San Diego, Calif., through a local or regional Internet exchange point such as the Any2 Exchange, the Palo Alto Internet Exchange (PAIX), or other large exchange points operated by data centers and carrier hotels.

When an American Internet Services user wants to watch a movie that's available on Akamai's content delivery network, the data is passed directly from Akamai to American Internet Services - and subsequently to the end user - without transiting any other network. Not only has the goal of being less reliant on a Tier 1 been achieved, but the performance is superior because there are no "hops" between the CSP and ISP. Anytime you're able to cut out the transit network, you increase the end user experience. Plus, it's more economical, as in moist cases the CDN and ISP have no financial settlement for data exchanged.

The European IXP model, which is more mature and robust than the US model, highlights the important function of IXPs and how an exchange point alone can help influence the net neutrality debate. In Europe, Internet service providers and content delivery networks look to the IXP as their first connection point and if the IXP doesn't have what they're looking for, only then will they go to a Tier 1 or large Tier 2. Americans on the other hand, partially due to geographic size

Overall European IXP traffic grew at a rate of 11.05%, compared to America's rate of 7.44%, according to the European Internet Exchange Association in August 2007. This can be attributed in part to greater member density in Europe - the London Internet Exchange/LINX has more than 275 members - where the larger the addressable community, the larger the traffic exchanged and the more the members want to get involved. After all, network effect (exponential growth of a community) and the "Law of Plentitude" (the idea that once an addressable or social community reaches participation by 15% or greater of a total community, it becomes a risk to not participate in the emerging community) motivate European companies to use IXPs. Additionally, Europeans generally have lower entry costs for participation, giving companies every reason why to participate in the IXP-enabled peering community. If one were to buy access to 275 networks through a Tier 1, the cost would be astronomical, but through a single connection to LINX, one can access 275 networks for a nominal fee. This is why European companies rely on IXPs 60% of the time, and only look to Tier 1 or 2 networks 40% of the time.

In contrast, American ISPs normally look to larger wholesale and Internet transit providers first and then consider reducing their operational expenses via an IXP as a second priority. American ISPs companies use IXPs at a more meager 15% rate, looking to larger wholesale and transit Tier 1 or Tier 2 networks 85% of the time. Still, recent American IXP traffic growth does exceed other regions, such as Japan (+5.85% in August) and the rest of Asia (+4.3% in August), which we believe is a result of increased price pressure on the American IXP industry. Newer IXPs, such as the Any2 Exchange, have lowered entry costs significantly, forcing others to follow suit and encouraging more networks to participate. As the cost of entry to IXPs continues to fall, participation in IXPs will become more common and attractive to all access and CDN networks.

What can we learn from the European model? Participation in an IXP can increase performance, lower operational costs and expenses, as well as bring an additional layer of redundancy and disaster recovery capacity to even the smallest networks. But most important, companies' independence from Tier 1s through the collective bargaining of the exchange points puts them in a stronger position to deal with large networks than our position allows for in the US, where the vast majority of people have their primary Internet connections through a large Tier 2 or Tier 1 network provider.

Adding to the Cause

Today's content-rich Internet is just a prelude to the future content, media, applications and services soon to be developed and deployed. It's no wonder that in large IXPs, such as the Amsterdam Internet Exchange (AMS-IX), there are already several content delivery networks using bundled 10Gbps ports, clearly showing end users' insatiable demand for high bandwidth applications and services. High Definition Internet TV (IPTV), massive online interactive gaming, video on demand (VOD), and feature-rich communications (video conferencing) are just a few examples of Internet-enabled applications contributing to the heightened demand.

For American ISPs that pay anywhere from $20-to-$40/Mbps when connecting to Tier 1 and Tier 2 networks, the cost of delivering applications and services to end users who require much larger network and bandwidth resources is one of the obstacles that needs to be overcome. But without broad participation in IXPs, access networks have a difficult future, as do content providers who will find that the cost of delivery to end users becomes much more expensive if Tier 1 and Tier 2 networks increase the cost of delivering both wholesale and end user Internet traffic.

What Can the American Internet-Connected Community Do?

Whether through price increases or monopolistic practices, the largest networks are currently writing the rules for a global Internet product. They are gradually merging and acquiring competition, reinforcing their influence in wholesale and transit network share and presence. Opportunities for network peering decrease with each merger.

Carrier hotels and large data centers in the US can support positive change in the Internet peering community by creating or supporting open and low cost Internet Exchange points promoting network peering and content delivery to all networks.

Reducing barriers to entry and the cost of wholesale or transit networks will allow Internet network and content companies to focus on delivering network access and services, with the ultimate winner being end users who will enjoy a lower cost, higher performance Internet experience.

==============

Sidebar

Networking professionals describe Internet tiers as:

Tier 1 - A network with visibility of every other network and route on the Internet. Tier 1 networks have a unique position within the Internet, as the custodians of global routing. Tier 1 networks attempt to maintain their status by setting high barriers to entry for other large networks attempting to gain similar status. Tier 1 networks rarely peer with other networks, keeping their settlement-free interconnection community restricted to other Tier 1 networks.

Tier 2 - A regional network peering with other regional networks, but still relies on Tier 1 networks to reach at least routes and networks. Tier 2 Internet networks frequently peer at public Internet exchanges to connect to other Tier 2 networks, as well as large content delivery networks. In some cases regional Tier 2 and global Tier 2 networks are actually larger than their Tier 1 networks, with the only limitation being their global network visibility.

Tier 3 - An access network purchasing wholesale Internet access or transit from other larger networks to reach the global Internet. Tier 3s frequently participate in public Internet exchange points to try an minimize the costs associates with buying wholesale and transit routes or access from larger Tier 1 and Tier 2 networks. Tier 3 networks make up the majority of the global Internet, as the Internet access providers whom actually connect with end users.

Content Delivery Networks (CDN) - Suppliers of information, entertainment, applications, and other interactive resources available to end users of the Internet. CDNs can either supply their own content, or act as a cache or distributor of other company's content.

John Savageau is a managing director at CRG-West, responsible for managing operations and architecture for several of the largest telecommunications interconnect facilities in the US, including One Wilshire in Los Angeles. He has extensive experience in telecommunications contruction, operations, and network engineering with prior positions at Sprint International, MagicNet Mongolia, Level 3 International, and the US Air Force.

By Jay Tillotson

Over half of us don't bother to read the small print when signing a contract with a broadband provider. We trust in the company we are signing with, and assume that nothing will go wrong. Perhaps it won't; you may be one of the lucky ones who never fall foul of a cleverly worded clause. But for the rest of us, it's important to know what we're signing. So read the terms and conditions carefully and watch out for the following:

Setup fees

Some providers will ask you for an upfront charge for equipment and connection. This can be anywhere between ฃ20 and ฃ40. In itself that isn't too bad, but there are companies which will also ask for the first two months subscription upfront too, which bumps up the initial cost considerably.

Introductory offers

If you see a sign advertising broadband 'for only ฃ6.49 a month' you'd jump at it, right? Well, look before you leap. Often this low price is only for the first three months after signing, then the price can double for the rest of the term. Watch out for this, it's a common ploy used to lure customers into a contract, then charge them when they can't afford the increased payments.

Exceeding the download capacity

Unless you have paid for an unlimited download package, you may fall foul of this. A download is any data you receive from the web, be it a movie, a song or even just looking at a website. So if you browse a lot and download music too, you run the risk of exceeding your capacity. Some providers can charge as much as ฃ2 per GB over your limit. Avoid this by assessing your usage and going for the maximum you think you'll need, rather than the cheapest.

Payment charges

Think how you intend to pay for your service. Many providers charge you extra for not paying by direct debit. This can be anything from ฃ3.50 to ฃ5 per month.

Helpline charges

If something goes wrong - and it probably will - you'll need to call the helpline. Helpline costs can vary greatly; from 3.5p per minute up to a staggering ฃ1.05. Considering you'll probably be on hold for quite a while, this can work out incredibly expensive. Look for a provider who offers free helpline calls.

Late payment fees

If you are late with a payment, you could be faced not only with a charge from your bank, but some providers will disconnect your service and charge you for doing so. They may also charge you an administration fee for a late payment. If you think you may struggle making payments on time, look for a provider with lower penalty charges.

Contract termination fees

This is the one to watch out for. Some providers like you to commit to them for a minimum of 12 or 18 months, and charge you if you cancel your subscription within this time. All well and good if the service is fine and you just want a better deal, but if the service is shoddy you may resent having to pay to escape it. If you have any problems with your service, keep records of all correspondence and use it as proof if you need to contest a cancellation fee.

No minimum contract

If a provider says there is no minimum contract, this doesn't mean you can leave at any time and avoid getting charged. There will still be a cancellation fee, they just don't want to put you off with the words 'minimum contract'.

If you can find the right provider, broadband is a wonderful thing to have. Just don't fall foul of these little tricks. Shop around, examine terms and conditions carefully, and don't be afraid to question anything with the provider. Make sure you know precisely what you're signing, and you should avoid any nasty surprises a few months down the line.

Slow broadband? Take a broadband speed test and find out how slow your connection is. Search for faster, cheap broadband online.

J Tillotson is a UK author specialising in technology and communications

By Michael Lemm

This is an issue to which every independent ISP -- wireless or not -- must pay attention. The regulations and legislation that are now being proposed will threaten the businesses of all independent ISPs. This is vital, folks! If independent ISPs don't get active on this issue, you may all be toast.

While WISPS are thankful that winter is over and are gearing up for spring, the FCC and Congress are considering regulations and laws that would put them out of business.

The issue: "Network Neutrality." Originally a benign concept which simply stated that ISPs should not leverage their positions in anticompetitive ways (e.g. the cable company blocking online video or the telcos blocking VoIP), the term has now been "hijacked" by vested interests who seek to impose regulations that would prevent ISPs from managing their bandwidth, blocking ports used by worms, preventing P2P from taking over their networks, or even selling different connection speeds at different prices!

What is amazing is that the FCC and Congressional aides have had little or no contact/discussions with any small ISP or WISP... and that they had been told repeatedly by advocates of "Network Neutrality" that competition for the cable and telephone companies was dead! They still apparently believe this, and are preparing to unleash regulations and legislation that will deal serious blows to cable companies and telcos but could very easily kill small ISPs and WISPs.

All independent ISPs, and especially WISPs, need to speak out on this issue.

WISPA filed no comments or reply comments in the proceeding, nor has it filed any ex parte memoranda in the docket. (You file an ex parte memorandum when you go to speak to staff or Commissioners at the FCC about an issue.) So, it does not appear to be lobbying at all on this important issue. The only ISP trade association that has filed anything is Part-15.org (Michael Anderson), and that filing was short, vague, and (based on comments from staffers within the FCC) insufficiently persuasive. ISPs and especially WISPs need to speak up on this issue. The proposed regulations would prevent you from throttling or blocking P2P .... allowing it to take over your networks and rob your bandwidth for the benefit of companies that use it to distribute content.

They might also force you to charge by the bit, raising your prices and/or making it impossible for you to compete with wired services in areas where you overlap with them. One FCC Commissioner has stated that he wants the FCC to make up rules as it goes along, penalizing ISPs on a complaint basis without any prior warning of what behavior might be penalized. It's unfortunate that independent ISPs seem utterly blind to the fact that all of this is going on! That's why independent ISPs need to form a coalition to address this specific issue. If you do not, you'll likely be blindsided by regulations that make it impossible for you to continue in business.

Some of you believe that it is your job to provide bandwidth, not to decide what end users do with that bandwidth. To me, it is obvious that Comcast's practice of playing man in the middle with PTP traffic is wrong, immoral, and bad for the network. In markets where Comcast is the only option, it is understandable that users are screaming for regulation. If their network, or your network for that matter, is being taken over by PTP then they are selling too much bandwidth to their users at too low a price. Perhaps they should re-structure their service plans to include per-month bandwidth caps or fees for usage over $X. A move away from advertising insanely high speeds on oversold connections with a 1 to 100 over-subscription would be a win for all of you

On the other hand, Service providers need to be able to prioritize traffic in a uniform manner by type while being prohibited from managing traffic by source or destination. If you are prioritizing VOIP traffic to your own VOIP service, you should be required to prioritize VOIP traffic to any other destination.

Right now, there are a large number of organizations arrayed against you. An organization called the "Network Neutrality Squad" is advocating that the government regulate and micromanage ISPs. Some of its demands include that ISPs not operate caching Web proxies, not block Port 25 to limit SPAM, not prioritize traffic (even VoIP), and not limit bandwidth hogging by P2P.

The EFF, a group called "Save the Internet", and a number of commercial enterprises (e.g. Vuze, Inc. and BitTorrent, Inc.) whose businesses use P2P to dump costs on ISPs ..... have also been very active. And small, independent ISPs have been no-shows at the FCC hearing at Harvard, at the hearing two weeks ago before the House Judiciary Committee's Antitrust subcommittee, and in virtually every other forum on the subject to date.

The FCC will be having a second hearing at Stanford University in mid-April, and ISPs need to call the Commission and ask to be on the panel. You also need to file comments in FCC Docket 07-52 and visit with the Commissioners and their staffs. You also need to call your Congressmen and Senators, especially if they sit on the House Commerce Committee, and get in on the Congressional hearings. At this point, you must take immediate and strident action to turn the tide, because it is running very much against you -- mainly due to your failure to speak up.

You need to speak up, as most lawmakers are totally oblivious when it comes to the internet and are apt to propose, and even pass, inane laws and regulations. However, you should take a long look at your own practices and advocate what is right over what is best for your business model.

See this "Seven Principles" document for one person's take on what's reasonable to demand of ISPs and what is not -- as well as the reciprocal responsibilities of users and content providers.

I'm concerned that so many WISPS are ignoring this potentially dangerous legislation. You can NOT ignore these issues and assume they will go away or evolve into a reasonable and logical determination that will support you. You MUST be proactive and your comments MUST stay pointed and on topic.

Or you can just blindly go about your business and let things happen to you.

Michael is the owner of FreedomFire Communications....including DS3-Bandwidth.com and Business-VoIP-Solution.com. Michael also authors Broadband Nation where you're always welcome to drop in and catch up on the latest BroadBand news, tips, insights, and ramblings for the masses.

By Michael Lemm

Although a business shouldn't be confused on what the differences are between Local Area Network (LAN) and Wide Area Network (WAN) ... too often those entrusted with finding a bandwidth solution for their business aren't clear on these basic tenets of overall computer network infrastructure. If not completely understood it affects the quality and accuracy of the final decision. So ... it's important to get it right.

So .... in the interest of clarity here's the real differences between LAN and WAN:

LAN - A local area network (LAN) is a computer network covering a local area, like a home, office, or group of buildings in close proximity to each other. Current LANs are most likely to be based on switched IEEE 802.3 Ethernet, or on Wi-Fi technology running at 10, 100 or 1,000 Mbit.

In general a local area network is made up of devices in local proximity to each other and has finite distance limitations. The LAN can be either wired or wireless but is only at a single location.

WAN - A wide area network or WAN is a computer network covering a broad geographical area. Contrast with personal area networks (PANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs) or local area networks (LANs) that are usually limited to a room, building or campus. The largest and most well-known example of a WAN is the Internet.

A wide area network (WAN) is comprised of multiple LANs connected to each other across distances. And example would be a corporate office connected to each of its satellite offices. This method of interconnection is handled via a third-party carrier -- i.e. Qwest provides the wiring connecting two locations together.

WANs are used to connect local area networks (LANs) together, so that users and computers in one location can communicate with users and computers in other locations. Many WANs are built for one particular organization and are private. Others, built by Internet service providers, provide connections from an organization's LAN to the Internet. WANs are most often built using leased lines. At each end of the leased line, a router connects to the LAN on one side and a hub within the WAN on the other. Leased lines can be very expensive. Instead of using leased lines, WANs can also be built using less costly circuit switching or packet switching methods. Network protocols including TCP deliver transport and addressing functions. Protocols including Packet over SONET, MPLS, ATM and Frame relay are often used by service providers to deliver the links that are used in WANs. X.25 was an important early WAN protocol, and is often considered to be the "grandfather" of Frame Relay as many of the underlying protocols and functions of X.25 are still in use today (with upgrades) by Frame Relay.

For professional help in finding just the right LAN or WAN solution for your business applications .... use the no cost assistance available through DS3-Bandwidth.com.

Michael is the owner of FreedomFire Communications....including DS3-Bandwidth.com and Business-VoIP-Solution.com. Michael also authors Broadband Nation where you're always welcome to drop in and catch up on the latest BroadBand news, tips, insights, and ramblings for the masses.

By Andy Adams

It's hard not to feel bad for the Americans these days, their dollar becoming weaker and weaker, the problems with oil prices and now another blow, Broadband. As one of the worlds most developed countries it seems they are lagging behind in the area of home internet.

A recent study by the European Commission into the penetration rates of Broadband Internet, basically how popular it is has found that the United States of America were left in the dust compared to many European countries. It was found that Denmark, Finland and Sweden were amongst the world leading countries that have a penetration rate of over 30%. The United Kingdom, France and even miniature country Luxembourg are all reported to have greater rates than the United States paltry 22.1%.

How have the Europeans blazed ahead of the USA? Well it may be down to the 19 million brand new lines installed in 2007, that's 50,000 households getting broadband internet fitted every day! The telecoms industry is big business in Europe with estimated revenue of �62 billion being made.

So how come Broadband isn't as popular in the United States? Well one could argue that the sheer size of the country and it's many smaller towns in the middle of nowhere being hard to provide service to. Whilst this is true and there are plans for countrywide Wireless networks such as the fabled "WI-MAX" plans there are a number of other reasons that have made US consumers wary of investing in Broadband.

One reason is the recent controversy over one ISP (Internet Services Provider) which was found to be limiting some customers speed if they were found to be using the internet to download via Peer 2 Peer networks like Bit Torrent. A nation of computer geeks spoke out over this and it has resulted in many people changing providers or shirking Broadband all together.

In some apartment complexes entire buildings have a Internet Provider built in to the building and if you live there you have to get your internet from the predefined provider. As a consumer I wouldn't like to be told what service to have for my own home, especially when service quality and speeds can vary drastically between providers.

This is probably why the European regulatory model is much better for consumers, the model is designed to promote competition and so we see cheap broadband deals and offers in Europe much like we do with Mobile Phone deals, we even have TV networks like Virgin Media and BSkyB offering packages including telephone service and Satellite/cable TV too to sweeten the deal.

This competition and abundance of cheap broadband deals has seen 12 million households switched suppliers in 2007 alone and has obviously helped promote the service which has fast become as common as other utilities like water and energy.

If you are looking for cheap broadband whether you have an existing provider or not then you can compare broadband deals online. Also if you are thinking about changing your supplier then check your connection using one of the various broadband speed test websites to see whether you are getting your money's worth.

By Tina Porter

Broadband, derived from the words broad bandwidth, is a term that is used to describe any high-speed Internet connection that does not utilize a dial up service. This includes Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), Cable, Fiber, Wireless, Satellite and Broadband Over Power Line (BPL) connections. It is by far the most popular way to connect to the Internet because it is said to have many advantages over dial-up.

The main difference between broadband and dial-up is the way by which your connection is established. Dial-up connects using a modem and an existing phone line. Every time you want to initiate a new web session, you have to establish a new connection and IP address. Because of its limited transmission capability, at best, you will get a maximum connection speed of 56,000 bytes per second (56kbps), which makes downloading or opening large files a time consuming, if not impossible, task.

As noted above, there are several different types of Broadband services, all of which are capable of transmitting data faster and more efficiently than dial-up. You never have to reestablish a connection or IP address because it is always on, regardless of whether you are using DSL, Cable, or Satellite etc. The only way it goes offline is if someone physically disconnects it. The best part is that you will normally have a connection speed of approximately 5 million bytes per second (5Mbps) with this type of service.

There are definite advantages to using broadband Internet. There are a wide variety of new services available that dial-up just plain can't handle, such as Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoiP or digital phone). You never have to worry about additional phone lines, usage charges, or tying up your main phone line while you are online. Loading graphic intense web pages and downloading/ uploading large files are no longer a problem. As far as performance goes, it is definitely the better choice.

There are also some drawbacks that you should be aware of. The overall cost of broadband, including installation, equipment, and monthly service charges, can be significantly higher than dial-up. Also, because you are always connected to the Internet, there is an increased security risk. However, Installing a good firewall should help eliminate that problem.

Ultimately, only you can decide whether or not broadband is right for you. Some people feel that it is not worth paying such a higher price for while others feel that it is worth paying more. If you are the type of person that uses the Internet just to check their mail and read the news, then you are probably better off with a dial-up connection. If you are one that likes to watch videos, play online games, or download a lot of data then it might be worth it for you to switch to broadband.

To learn more about Internet Services be sure to visit http://www.internetservicesnow.com where you will find information on Internet web hosting service provider and much more.

By John French

The convenience of connecting two or more computer in your home or office has increased, especially with the cost of home or small office kits decreasing. Unfortunately there are people out there who want to use your wireless Internet for free or use it to hack into your computer.

There are now many websites devoted to 'Wardriving', which involves people searching for exposed wireless networks and sharing this information via websites of via their social network.

If you have set up your wireless network straight from the box and have not changed any of the default settings, then there is a huge chance that you are supplying somebody else free Internet access or being hacked into. A wireless network will never be as secure as a cabled network. By following the seven steps below then you will stand a much better chance of protecting your home network.

1. Change The Admin Password

The default password for most wireless kits is ADMIN. If you haven't changed this password then change it as soon as you can. It is surprising the amount of wireless networks that are hacked into or accessed by a third party because the ADMIN password is still ADMIN. Especially as manufacturers manuals can be downloaded from the Internet with their admin password.

2. Disable or Change the SSID

The Service Set Identifier [SSID] is a code that wireless hardware sends out to identify itself to other devices. By default the SSID is normally the manufacturer's name. The SSID is only required when devices are first synchronizing with each other, so the best option is to disable the SSID broadcast once your network connection is established.

By disabling SSID broadcast you will make it much harder for an intruder because they will have to start guessing the SSID code. Most wireless gateway devices offer the option to disable SSID broadcast, however some may require a firmware upgrade, and some devices do not offer that option at all.

If you cannot change the SSID or do not want to disable it, then the SSID should be changed to a unique phrase that is hard to guess. Using non-dictionary words as well as numbers and special characters for the new SSID will make it much more for your wireless network to be accessed by hackers.

3. Use 128-bit WEP Encryption

Wireless Equivalent Privacy [WEP] is the security standard and offers the option of either 64 or 128 bit encryption. It also includes additional encryption using the Initialization Vector (IV), which is a series of random bits added in front of a message before it is encrypted. 64-bit encryption is easier to hack into than 128 bit. You may need to update the firmware on your wireless device to be able to use 128-bit encryption.

By using encryption, if the wireless device and computer do not contain the encryption key, then no exchange of data will take place. Enabling 128-bit encryption will discourage people not permitted to access your network and make your network more secure. The casual hacker will normally move onto an easier target if they find encryption is enabled.

4. Turn off DHCP

Most wireless devices have Dynamic Host Control Protocol [DHCP] enabled. This allows a new host on your network to introduce itself and request an IP address so it can then connect and use your wireless connection. All very convenient for a legitimate user, but for an trespasser onto your wireless network, that's like putting a 'come steal from me sign' outside your open and unlocked front door.

While it may be a pin to the legitimate user to your wireless network, it's a necessary one due to the amount of damage that can be done if left turned on. By using static IP addresses you will create another hurdle for the unwanted prowler wanting to steal your bandwidth and probably more.

5. Enable MAC Address Filtering

Each computer network adaptor has a unique address built in called the MAC address. Most wireless devices allow MAC address filtering. By creating a MAC address list of permitted network adaptors [that are attached to a computer], you are creating a guest-list so to speak. If a computer with a MAC address on the list, they will not be permitted to access the wireless network.

Mac addresses can be spoofed by a very technical minded knowledgeable individual, however by using MAC address filtering you will deter all but the most determined hacker.

If you are unsure about how to proceed with any of the above please read the manual that came with your wireless hardware. There normally is a wizard or step-by-step walk through that will help you.

I hope the five above tips will come in handy and enable you to use your wireless network without the threat of an unwanted intruder.

For free common sense computer tips and advice that will protect and speed up your computer visit http://www.john-french.net

For an extended version of this article please visit http://www.john-french.net

John French has been breaking, repairing and building computers for over 15 years. He has expertise in computer security and maintaining a healthy computer. Fighting computer infections and keeping a healthy and speedy computer is of priority importance.

By Dru Peacock

Not all that long ago the internet was just for nerds, but now it seems everybody needs the internet in order to survive. No really, think about how much we rely on the internet. We use it for shopping, entertainment, for communication, and we even use it to work. The internet has come on in leaps and bounds, now people would laugh at the idea of a 14.4kbps modem, but they were state of the art not too long ago!

You have been able to get the internet on your mobile phone for quite a long time, however the results were never really very good. Then it was possible to connect your phone up to your computer and use it as a modem, however the speed was absolutely terrible.

Recently however this has all started to change, it is now possible to get very high speed broadband mobile internet almost anywhere in the UK. Some people will try to tell you that 3G internet is broadband speed, however it's not. What I consider broadband is HSDPA technology, this stands for High Speed Downlink Packet Access. It's even better than 3G, in fact it's about 14 times faster than 3G internet! This is commonly known as 3.5G because of the differences.

If you can get your mitts on a phone that supports HSDPA then you will be able to surf the internet and download files at similar speeds to when you are at home.

What's more is that you can get a modem to connect to your computer so that you can surf the internet wherever you are. These modems are available from all of the major networks, including t-mobile, O2, Orange, Vodafone and Three.

Not only can you have fun surfing the internet when you are on the train, or on holiday but you can also be doing work. These also involve very little configuration, all you need to do is plug the modem in and away you go. Mobile wireless broadband is a great way to get online!

All of the networks are pretty competitive, most offer a free modem if you sign up to a 24 month contract, however if not then the modem normally costs around ฃ100.

All of the networks are frantically trying to improve their 3G coverage throughout the UK. Vodafone is able to offer download speeds of around 7.2Mbps which is amazing! Although this service is not available countrywide it is available in major towns and airports.

The great thing about this new exciting technology is that it's so easy to use, plus it's getting cheaper every day. T-mobile offers a tariff that costs just ฃ4 a day, and you only pay when you want to use it. This is idea if you already have the internet at home and think it would be a waste paying a monthly fee for something that you're only going to use once.

It is now easier and cheaper than ever to get mobile internet. Mobile wireless internet is also very convenient. Thanks to your mobile internet connection you can enjoy the internet wherever you are, you no longer have an excuse not to be working!

For all the Cheap Mobile Broadband Deals and UK mobile phone deals come and visit us at Cheap Mobile Phones Deals

By John French

Identity theft is big business these days. By following the following seven steps you will stand a much better chance of protecting your identity from being stolen and causing you the hassle of repairing bad credit history.

Step 1 - Ensure your computer has the following programs installed, regularly updated and working every time you are online.

• Anti-virus - AVG or Avast are recommended.

• Firewall - ZoneAlarm is recommended.

• System cleaner - ccleaner is recommended

• Anti-spyware program - AVG Anti-Spyware and Lavasoft Adaware 2007 are recommended.

Step 2 - Limit what personal details you make available on social networking sites. If you use Facebook, bebo, Myspace or any similar social networking site then be aware that some personal details that you entered when signing up are available for most people to see. Your location, your surname, email addresses and phone numbers etc are visible and these can and will be used by fraudsters to clone your identity. Re-visit what details you have input on any social networking site.

Step 3 - If you use chat rooms or use an instant messenger program then do not give out any credit card, bank account or personal details, especially to people you have just met online. They may seem genuine, but if they are not it will take them less than one hour to clone your details and start wrecking your credit history and spending your money.

Step 4 - Shred all unwanted personal data. Yes, you may know this, but do you actually do it? Use a cross cut shredder. They cost a bit more than the straight-line shredders, but they are worth it. Shred everything you don't want. Bank statements, credit card statements, and phone bills, even junk mail. Don't throw it away if it has your address or any personal details on it. If any piece of mail contains any personal details, then shred it.

Step 5 - Check your bank and credit card statements regularly, without fail. If you spot anything suspicious, then get on the phone quick smart and query it. Especially if you see a holiday, computer, flights or trip to the moon [ok I exaggerate a little here!] that you never purchased.

Step 6 - When buying from the Internet you should use a credit card rather than a debit card. You have much more protection when purchasing goods via your credit card. Phone up your credit card firm and ask what type of protection they offer. If they don't, I'd advise moving to a company that does offer online protection.

Step 7 - When out and about shopping never let your credit or debit card leave your site. Especially in the UK now, there is no reason as chip and pin means that you only need to enter your pin for any purchases, which can be done with portable terminals. Be very careful at restaurants and petrol stations, these seem to be the worst culprits for cloning cards.

All recommended programs are free for home use. Please use a search engine to find their download locations. By using the programs above you will ensure that your computer is ready to combat most of the online infections and people wishing to hack into your computer.

For free common sense computer tips and advice that will protect and speed up your computer visit http://www.john-french.net

For the active links in this article please visit http://www.john-french.net

John French has been breaking, repairing and building computers for over 15 years. He has expertise in computer security and maintaining a healthy computer. Fighting computer infections and keeping a healthy and speedy computer is of priority importance.

By Garry L. Neale

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) is a high speed Internet service that uses existing phone lines to connect to special DSL modems and your computer. There are many DSL Internet providers, but because this technology keeps changing, companies have a tendency to come and go quickly. However, DSL service is still a competitive force in the market due to many of the advantages of this type of high speed Internet service.

DSL service generally provides speeds from 1.544 Mbps to 512 Kbps downstream, and 128 Kbps upstream. DSL can reach these high speeds because DSL providers have access to the full spectrum of broadband through normal telephone lines. Regular dial-up modems and voice transference only take up a small portion of the broadband available.

There are some negative aspects of DSL service, one of which is the fact that you must be near a central telephone hub to achieve a usable DSL data signal. If you live in an area accessible to the service, providers in your neighborhood shouldn't be too hard to find. A DSL service provider will set up the service within a reasonable amount of time, so you can be surfing the Internet soon after signing up.

There is more than one reputable DSL service provider from which to choose - three of the largest are SBC, AT&T, and BellSouth. Many people choose a company such as SBC because of the many services it provides to consumers, which smaller providers may not be able to offer. The same is true for providers such as AT&T, and BellSouth.

AT&T is a popular choice out of the many DSL Internet providers currently operating. AT&T is a reputable service provider that provides everything you need at set up time, and is known for good service. You don't have to worry about setting up DSL modems on your computer, or anything else that needs installation from the start. AT&T is a reliable service you may want to consider signing up for.

The advantage of a DSL service is that you can continue to use your phone line for voice calls without interrupting your Internet connection. Compared to regular dial-up service, the modems offer significantly higher speeds, and because you can use the phone lines already in place, signing up with providers is quite simple.

Also, when you sign up with a DSL service provider, the company usually includes a modem as part of the installation.

What are the disadvantages? Not everyone has DSL providers available in their local area because you have to be located near a central service provider center. DSL modems can't pick up signals that are too far away, and the farther away you are from a central telephone hub, the weaker the signals become. In addition, with providers, receiving data is faster than sending it.

No matter what high speed Internet service you end up choosing, know that DSL Internet is still a viable option. With high speeds and a wide coverage area, Digital Subscriber Lines allows you to get broadband Internet at home for an affordable price.

To learn more about DSL, check out the Free Consumer Review Web Site.

By Tina Porter

For those that live in remote areas, obtaining high-speed Internet access can be quite difficult. Cable access is almost unheard of in rural areas. Digital Subscriber Loop access, also know as Digital Subscriber Line or DSL, is available but the service can be unreliable depending on how far away from the central office you are. Using a Dial-up service provider still remains the predominant method of connecting to the Web and at best it is very slow. The only other option, which is becoming more and more popular, is satellite Internet access.

This is the perfect solution for those that live in less populated areas and have no other way of obtaining broadband (high speed) access. The service provider has a central location that acts as the middleman between the customer and a satellite that orbits Earth. When data is downloaded, it is transmitted from the satellite to the central location and then forwarded to the customers receiver. Then it is routed through the modem to where the customer can gain access to it. The process for uploading data is slightly different. It has to be routed through a dial-up modem first and then through the receiver. It then goes to the central location where it is forwarded to the satellite.

There are several drawbacks to this type of service. One major drawback is that it does have a tendency to be unreliable. Even though this problem is not nearly as bad as it used to be, some users still experience connectivity issues during heavy wind, fog and rain. You may also experience network latency issues that could significantly slow down your connection. For this reason, it may not be conducive to playing interactive online games. Also, the overall cost is higher than it would be for dial-up, cable, or DSL. For the service alone, one can expect to pay anywhere from $59 a month to $199 a month. That does not include the initial cost of the equipment, such as the satellite dish and modem.

While dial-up Internet access may have several drawbacks, so too does satellite access. Even though it does connect at a faster speed, its performance remains an ongoing issue. Ultimately, it is up to the consumer to weigh the pros and cons and then decide if it is the right solution for them.

To learn more about Internet Services be sure to visit http://www.internetservicesnow.com where you will find information on Internet Backup service and much more.

By Carl Weinschenk

There is no heavy technology in a recent New York Times story on growth of Internet congestion. That's for the best, since two of the worthwhile points the piece makes would be obscured if readers were knee-high in bits and bytes. The takeaway is that the dramatic stresses on the Internet - in the form of both a higher volume of data and the need to support far more finicky convergence applications - is being met by an equal growth in the technology. In other words, demands are growing, but so are the Internet's capabilities.

Maintaining this equilibrium going forward is more than a technical issue. The writer says it also is a matter of public policy, which is a big deal in an election year. Clearly, there are more pressing issues for the candidates to deal with, such as the overall economy and the war in Iraq. The approach to broadband infrastructure nonetheless is a very important issue in terms of the nation's competitiveness.

The Internet is so fundamental that broadband policy has become an important national issue. A recent executive summary from a long report from EDUCAUSE backs provisioning of 100 Mbps of capacity to every home and business in America by 2012. This would be paid for by a $100 billion Universal Broadband Fund.

The organization, which advocates the use of information technology in higher education, suggests that there will be a shortfall of capacity in the near future and says that the United States is lagging behind other nations because of our deregulatory approach. The writer concedes that such an approach offers some benefits. It has a fatal flaw, however: Many elements that are important to society but not in the interests of the companies building the network get short shrift. Benefits of upgrading to 100 Mbps include fiber's lower maintenance costs and a huge stimulus to the economy. Such networks could expand beyond 100 Mbps.

Public versus private seems to be shaping up as a vital issue. Here, Reclaim the Media editorializes on California's Broadband Task Force's final report. The report and the editorial say that there are about 2,000 communities in the state without broadband access and many others that are underserved. The editorial bemoans the fact that the task force advocates the use of private providers to build out the system. A better approach, the paper says, is public ownership. This will give communities more control over their telecommunications futures.

The general consensus is that we are at a crossroads in terms of our national telecommunications infrastructure. That was a point made by Michael Kleeman last autumn in the San Francisco Chronicle Kleeman, a senior fellow at UC San Diego and at the Annenberg Center for Communication at USC, wrote that the telecommunications infrastructure is as real as that supporting water, electricity and roads. The basic difference - that it is invisible to end users - doesn't lessen its relative importance. The bottom line, he says, is that the traditional Internet infrastructure can't support the demands increasingly being put on it. Writes Kleeman:

"It's as if every home in America suddenly needed 10 times more water at 10 times the quality coming out of the same sized faucet. Today, the average home uses as much bandwidth as a major office park did a few years ago."

He says that the United States has gone from fourth to 15th place in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's broadband ranking.

The United States isn't the only nation facing these issues, of course. This Telegraph story outlines similar challenges in the UK. If anything, the situation is more stark: 90 percent of Brits connect via broadband. The comments are similar to remarks about infrastructure on this side of the Atlantic. The common wisdom seems to be that demand is growing at a frightening pace, but that if prudent measures are taken - such as herding folks into the type of service that most suits them and transferring some demand onto wireless - the situation can be handled.

By Raina Kelsey

For most of us, high speed internet has made our lives easier. We do not have to wait for long periods of time to open our email messages or download our favourite tracks from the internet. The restrictions of using dial up connections are now done away with; these are being replaced by broadband internet services. Internet access through broadband is proving to be perfect for taking on the challenges of games or browsing the websites with high amount of graphical content.

Some of us may be living at a very distant place, where using a DSL connection may not be feasible at all. Broadband internet access becomes significant in such situations. Using the internet through the broadband can be done from nearly anyplace. Downloading or setting up of dedicated software is not compulsory. A simple cable or DSL modem - with potentials for accessing the internet - serves the intention. The procedure of installation is trouble free; in addition, the costs of setting up are quite nominal. All these aspects contribute towards the growing recognition of this way of accessing the World Wide Web.

Few years ago, the cost of installing broadband internet was very expensive. However, the picture has changed and as of now, this means of internet access has become quite affordable.
The merits of using this type of internet access are more than one. The internet access becomes more rapid. With rapid downloads as well as simple and trouble free uploads, the users do not have any reason to complain.

And the best part is that anyone and everyone can now enjoy these facilities, which are available from quite a few reputed service providers. People can make the most of these services and enjoy music, movies, games and video clips by downloading the same within seconds.

Wrapping it up, it can be said that in many areas of the earth and within different sections of people, time-consuming downloads from dial-up connections is now a thing of the past. Many users are in fact making the most of high speed internet to make their television shows more interesting. These connections are also being used for getting the most recent information on sports and news.

Raina Kelsey is an expert author, and writes about latest gadgets.
Broadband Internet Plans

By Garry L. Neale

Wireless Internet has truly changed the way the world goes online. Because of this transformative technology, you can go online and enjoy high-speed Internet access without being tied down to your home. In fact, wireless Internet is so wonderful because of the freedom it gives the individual to surf online away from the desktop, on your laptop or other portable device.

Also referred to as "wifi," wireless Internet is usually accessed on a laptop, cell phone, and other mobile computing device. You can also set up a wireless network between the computers in your house using a special router. People use wifi at home as a way to wirelessly access the Internet from any room in the house. It really is the most convenient way to go online in the modern world.

Wireless Internet providers offer a wide range of services to customers with speeds that compete well with DSL and cable. In the past, before the introduction of wireless Internet and routers, the only way you could connect to the Internet on your laptop was through a very slow, dial-up connection. Luckily, wireless Internet now allows you to go online without having to plug into a phone line.

Connection speeds for wireless broadband vary between 384 Kbps and 2.0 Mbps, which is a whopping 35 times faster than your average dial-up speed. This allows users of mobile devices to carry out online tasks on the go - and you can do more than just email and text message. Plus, it allows you to wirelessly set up a network at home with the use of a router.

Wifi and wireless routers make it possible to download streaming media and large files no matter where you happen to be - this is a convenient option for media junkies who just can't get enough of online media, such as videos. This type of router in particular lets you share files between several computers at home. In the past, you had to create a wired network for this to work - now routers make it possible to network more than one home computer more easily. Wireless routers let you bridge several computers together, even in different rooms.

How it works is that you purchase a wireless Internet connection, and then set up a router to transfer the signal elsewhere, and share the Internet connection.

With a laptop and router it's easy to get connected to a wifi signal and take advantage of wireless broadband - almost every laptop sold now comes with a wireless modem already installed. The same goes for portable handheld devices, which have wifi capabilities built right in. The number of wifi hotspots is also increasing, so you can almost always find access to a broadband connection when you need it.

So where do you find a wifi provider? If you want to find a broadband connection in your local area, that isn't in your home or office, all you have to do is search online for hotspots that provide wireless Internet service. There are various websites that help you locate broadband connections in certain areas, especially as wireless Internet access grows in demand.

A wifi connection doesn't have many requirements. Although different from other connections, providers do provide many of the same features provided by other services. A wireless Internet service usually requires a laptop computer or a computer that is connected to wireless routers. A regular computer may need a Wi-Fi card for the service to work properly.

For wireless Internet access you may also need sniffer software that allows you to search out hotspots around your town.

To learn more about Wireless Internets, check out the Free Consumer Review Web Site.

By Jay Tillotson

Nowadays, there are so many different choices of broadband provider there's no need to stay with one that's making you unhappy. Thousands of people switch their providers every week, and most find they get a better deal for their troubles.

If you have decided to switch, use a broadband comparison tool to find out what deals are available in your area. Some providers won't be available in your region, so get a clear idea of your options. Take all factors into account, not just the monthly price. Some providers advertise a price of ฃ6.49 per month, but in the small print state that this rises to ฃ12.99 after three months, so watch out for any introductory offers and make sure you'll be able to afford the regular price. Also bear in mind the advertised download speed may be much higher than you could actually get.

Switching can sometimes be difficult, depending on your provider, and it's not a simple overnight procedure. The existing provider will not want you to leave, so they may try and stall your leaving by making it difficult for you to contact them - having a separate department for cancellations which is always 'busy' when you try and call them. Your new provider will attempt to make the change as smooth as possible for you - after all, they want your custom - but they also need assurance that you will be a good customer, so they may carry out a credit check before switching you over.

If your reason for switching is just to get a better deal, speak to your current provider; they may be able to offer you a different package without the hassle of changing providers. This will however reset your contract back to the start, so if you're also unhappy with other factors such as customer service, you can turn this new offer down and ask for your MAC instead.

The MAC is the Migration Authorisation Code, and is a 10-15 digit code needed to transfer you from one provider to another. It enables the BT engineer to locate your connection and pass it on to your new provider. The MAC is mandatory for all providers, and your provider will be breaking the law if they refuse to supply you with one. A MAC is free the first time, but you may be charged if you ask for more than one. The code is valid for 30 days from generation, so wait until you are ready to make the switch before requesting it.

Once you have your MAC, make sure you pass it onto your new provider within 30 days. Your current provider may decide to make things difficult for you at this point; they still control your broadband connection so they could terminate it until the switch is over, leaving you without internet access. Try to avoid getting into dispute with them and you may avoid this.

If you are unhappy with your broadband provider for any reason, you are within your rights to switch, but if you are under a minimum contract you may be charged a fee for leaving before this runs out. Check the regulations of any new for the minimum contract period, and make sure you're ok with this before switching.

Slow broadband? Take a broadband speed test and find out how slow your connection is. Search for cheap broadband with a better speed online.

J Tillotson is a UK author specialising in technology and communications

By Linda A. Perry

Sometimes life gives you lemons and you have to just make do with what you have. But if you pause, get in your zen space and really think about things, talk things out with people and get different ideas from brainstorming, you might, just might come up with something that you can use to your benefit. So, in doing such a thing, just talking about internet connections and talking about the horrible speed of dial-up and things like that, someone that I know gave me the idea of looking for free wireless rather than subscribing to a wireless service and paying about thirty dollars or more a month.

So how do you do that -if you do not want to spend the money and if you still want something faster than dial-up? Where do you look?

Answer- go to any of your public libraries. (Possibly your private libraries or school libraries might offer this same free service. You can begin your free wireless connection through the library as long as you are in the library ). So become a book-bug and head off into the nearest library to enjoy the great fast speed of braodband and DSL, without paying the bigger price of it. Right now, you can connect by wireless (If you have a wireless card in your computer -and most modern laptops have that already) at the New York Public Libraries and at the Brooklyn Public Libraries in Brooklyn, Staten Island and all the boroughs. Most likely you can do that at any library. Just check with the librarian, for more information . I will write another article giving specific instructions on how to do the connection -at a later date.

Linda Perry a published author, creator of genuine, unique television shows that air on Time Warner and on Cablevision in New York City. A warm-hearted individual who gives a voice to those who have been silent all along. This author produces television shows about almost all topics that help people in their lives. Many of the shows are entertainment; some are information and resources and still others are festivals, fiestas, and community events that bring all people together in one place in the city or in the country. To connect with this author or for more information write to thereallinda@live.com