This section deals with the different types of connection to the Internet.

- Dialup

Until recently the most common type of connection used in the UK. Depending on your modem, the best connection speed was about 56K.

• Setting up dialup connection on XP
  • click on the Start Menu
  • then choose Control Panel and double
  • click on the Network Connections icon
  • from the left-hand side bar under Network Tasks choose Create a new connection
  • on the New Connection Wizard choose Connect to the Internet
  • choose Set up my connection manually
  • choose Connect using a dial-up modem
  • in the Connection Name box type a name for the new connection, such as AOL
  • in the Phone number to dial box, enter isp number
  • and enter password
  • finish
• Setting up dialup connection on 95/98
  • Click the Start button.
    
  • Click Settings.
    
  • Click on the Network icon.
    
  • Click on Dial-up Connections.
  • click on Make New Connection
  • select your modem type and name
  • enter isp phone number and password
  • finish

- Broadband

Most broadband services in the UK use the ADSL technology, the most widely-available type of broadband service in the UK. Broadband offers a number of benefits compared to dialup access, including:

• Always connected - no need to dial in everytime you want to use the Internet.
• Almost 10 times faster than dial-up if you using a 512 Kbps connection. Some broadband connection are 2000Kbps.
• No need for an extra phone line - with a adsl filter you'll be able to use your telephone while online.

- ISDN

Integrated services digital network (ISDN) is an international communications standard for sending voice, video, and data over digital telephone lines or normal telephone wires.

Wireless Internet Connections

Wireless Internet, or wireless broadband is currently the newest type of Internet connection. Instead of using telephone or cable it uses radio frequency bands to connect to the Internet. Wireless will provide an always-on connection and can be accessed from anywhere if you are within the geographical coverage area. Based in metropolitan areas currently, expect this to expand nationwide from 2006.

T-1 Lines

T-1 are lines leased to businesses connecting to the Internet and for Internet Service Providers (ISPs). They offer high useage levels with the line containing 24 individual channels, each which supports 64Kbits per second.

Commonly asked broadband questions,

• DSL Filters

  • A DSL filter is a piece of equipment that plugs into your phone line and allows you to run both a adsl broadband connection and telephone at the same time.

    

• Cable Extensions
  • If the adsl modem is too far away from the phone socket, you may need to use an extension. The maximum reliable distance from the main house socket would be 13 metres for broadband. Plug the extension cable into the filter. Do not plug the extension directly into the phone socket, always go through the filter. Then plug the extension cable directly into the broadband modem

Connection problems with broadband,

• Find a line fault with BT

  • One problem that can effect your broadband connection is a noisy or crackly line. The BT test number 17070 can be used to check the line works. It will do a ring back or quiet line test (allows you to listen for noise).

    If the have found that the line is faulty, then you can contact BT faults on 151 or 154 for business.

• A network cable is unplugged

  • If you are getting disconnected from broadband and getting the error "A network cable is unplugged", it usually means a problem with the BT Voyager 100 usb adsl modem.

    The solution is,

    To turn off your pc and then disconnect you adsl modem from your pc and the phone socket. Then reboot your machine and hopefully your connection will be fine. Otherwise contact your isp.

• Host lookup failure
  • This message is displayed when an error message occurs if the remote PC is not found when you attempt to connect. This is usually because a firewall program such as Zone Alarm or Blackice is blocking the AOL Software. In order to fix this problem, check the firewall blocking list.
• User authentication failed
  • This message / error is displayed when your isp member details have become damaged or corrupt on the isp server, which allows you to gain access to the isp server. To fix this problem, you may need to reinstall your connection software or alter the connection information such as phone numbers, username and password.

My connection is slow. What can I do?

Basically singup for broadband. If you haven't got the option of broadband locally then the only option is to move house (though a little extreme). If enough people in your local area do demand broadband access (i think it's around 300) the BT should install the necessary cables. Most phone companies are not that interested in dialup computer connectivity issues these days. Finally if you only have access to dialup then maybe you need to swap companies. Most have free 30 day trials such as AOL. The future of Internet connection is cable/broadband so dialup will just become slower and slower as services on the web become more bandwidth intensive. Broadband overtook dial-up in May 2005, and now makes up 50.7% of net connections in the UK.