DIAL-UP CONNECTIONS
For many years available technology restricted Internet connections to the use of dial-up modems, which converted computerised digital signals to analogue signals and routed them over the telephone network POTS (Plain Old Telephone Services) at speeds of about 56Kbps, or less in many cases.
For many years available technology restricted Internet connections to the use of dial-up modems, which converted computerised digital signals to analogue signals and routed them over the telephone network POTS (Plain Old Telephone Services) at speeds of about 56Kbps, or less in many cases.
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For many, this type of Internet connection was and still remains a
popular choice, especially for the casual users accessing the
Internet on adhoc occasions to retrieve emails etc, and to some
businesses that use this technology to complete financial
transactions with their bank. However, for many the rapid
introduction of much faster Broadband services has quickly become an
important alternative for the serious Internet Surfer and those
running Small-to-Medium Home/Business Offices (SOHO).
BROADBAND
Broadband traditionally comes in two formats:
- Conventional telephone socket connections (Sky, BT, Orange, Talk Talk etc)
- Cable connections (Virgin Media)
Whatever your choice, speeds of up to 50Mbps are achievable for the home and small business user. The broadband marketplace could be compared with that of the jungle, with many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) offering a range of services at varying prices, all of which can be quite complicated for the end-user to make a decision as to what to sign up for. Many have minimum contracts, and those of you who choose the conventional telephone connection method are not always assured of obtaining the advertised speeds. This very much depends on the distance that you connection is from the local telephone exchange and can make a vast difference to the performance of your broadband connection.
Our advice is do your homework before signing up to any broadband service, especially enquire what restrictions the contract has, whether it relates to speed, download allowance (this is particularly important if you stream music from a radio station - it can count towards your download allowance per month), get-out clause etc.
If you are looking for guaranteed speeds Virgin Media connections offer realistic fast speeds, because they install and use Fibre-Optic cabling, which is much faster than the older Copper cabling still widely used by BT. However, it is hoped that BT will quickly catch-up as they are also upgrading the telephone network to run similar Fibre-Optic transmissions.
Whatever the choice of broadband provider, the diagram below illustrates how a home/office network could be configured for more than one user to connect simultaneously to the Internet, using either a telephone or cable based provider.
BROADBAND
Broadband traditionally comes in two formats:
- Conventional telephone socket connections (Sky, BT, Orange, Talk Talk etc)
- Cable connections (Virgin Media)
Whatever your choice, speeds of up to 50Mbps are achievable for the home and small business user. The broadband marketplace could be compared with that of the jungle, with many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) offering a range of services at varying prices, all of which can be quite complicated for the end-user to make a decision as to what to sign up for. Many have minimum contracts, and those of you who choose the conventional telephone connection method are not always assured of obtaining the advertised speeds. This very much depends on the distance that you connection is from the local telephone exchange and can make a vast difference to the performance of your broadband connection.
Our advice is do your homework before signing up to any broadband service, especially enquire what restrictions the contract has, whether it relates to speed, download allowance (this is particularly important if you stream music from a radio station - it can count towards your download allowance per month), get-out clause etc.
If you are looking for guaranteed speeds Virgin Media connections offer realistic fast speeds, because they install and use Fibre-Optic cabling, which is much faster than the older Copper cabling still widely used by BT. However, it is hoped that BT will quickly catch-up as they are also upgrading the telephone network to run similar Fibre-Optic transmissions.
Whatever the choice of broadband provider, the diagram below illustrates how a home/office network could be configured for more than one user to connect simultaneously to the Internet, using either a telephone or cable based provider.
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Having chosen an appropriate Internet Service Provider, it is
important that the correct routing equipment is installed in order
to get the best out of the connection. Many ISPs now provide
their own modems/routers and insist that users make use of them.
However, there are other options available. After a
considerable amount of experience engaged installing various modems
and routers, we have come to the conclusion that equipment supplied
by Netgear is one of the best choices to make. Not only do
their range of modems and routers cater for just about every
networking scenario, their access to technical support is excellent
and equipment connections remain stable for a high percentage of the
time.
Whether you choose the telephone or Cable scheme, it is important to select the correct type of router. There are two types of router one for connecting to the telephone socket in the wall using an RJ11 connector, and one that connects directly to the Virgin Media Cable Modem using an Ethernet Cable with RJ45 connectors.
Once installed computer can be connected to the routers using Ethernet (RJ45) cable, and will provide the best transfer of data over that of USB, that is still in use as a connection option.
WIRELESS INTERNET CONNECTION SHARING
Although using Ethernet (RJ45) network cable is always the best way to achieve a stable network connection, it may not be practical to run in certain environments. An alternative would therefore be to utilise "Wireless Technology", which eliminates the need to install network cable, which in a domestic environment is often difficult to blend with existing decor.
Whether you choose the telephone or Cable scheme, it is important to select the correct type of router. There are two types of router one for connecting to the telephone socket in the wall using an RJ11 connector, and one that connects directly to the Virgin Media Cable Modem using an Ethernet Cable with RJ45 connectors.
Once installed computer can be connected to the routers using Ethernet (RJ45) cable, and will provide the best transfer of data over that of USB, that is still in use as a connection option.
WIRELESS INTERNET CONNECTION SHARING
Although using Ethernet (RJ45) network cable is always the best way to achieve a stable network connection, it may not be practical to run in certain environments. An alternative would therefore be to utilise "Wireless Technology", which eliminates the need to install network cable, which in a domestic environment is often difficult to blend with existing decor.
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Computech 2000 typically uses Netgear Wireless Modems/Routers
(displayed above), which have proven to be both reliable and
effective when circumventing those difficult wireless environments.
We have successfully installed many varieties of wireless
connection, either in conjunction with cable or telephone networks.
Whatever your preference, we can assist you to decide on the best
wireless option and also install the appropriate equipment for you.
However, in the case of cable connections (Virgin Media) you will
need to have the initial cable equipment installed by Virgin Media
Engineers, before a wireless router can be integrated.