Making Sense of Your Connectivity Options

1
Making Sense of Your Connectivity Options

• Paul Kleeberg, M.D.
• American Academy of Family Physicians Scientific
  Assembly
• October 3rd, 2003
• New Orleans

2
Objectives

• Understand the different methods of connecting to
  the Internet
• Know the benefits, limitations and approximate
  cost of each method
• Know how multiple computers can share one
  connection
• Know how these techniques can be applied in your
  home or office
• Know how to set up a secure wireless network in
  your home or office

3
Outline

• Connecting to the Internet
• POTS, ISDN, DSL, cable, satellite and dedicated
  leased lines
• Sharing an Internet connection
• Sharing a dial-up, DSL or cable connection
• Building ethernet networks wired and wireless
• Comparing the options
• Conclusion

4
POTS Plain Old Telephone Service

• Uses the standard phone line
• User dials up the ISP to make a connection
• Speeds said to be 56K but always slower
• Internet (IP) address is assigned at the time of
  the call
• Requires minimal hardware and setup
• Costs about 14 to 20 / month for unlimited use

5
POTS

• Disadvantages
• Slow
• Dialing-up and connecting is slow
• Ties up phone line
• Intermittent connections

• Advantages
• Available from anyplace
• Easy set up
• Easy to switch ISP
• Useful when traveling
• All new computers can use it

6
ISDN Integrated Service Digital Network

• Digital version of dial-up telephone
• Installed by local phone company
• Requires an ISDN card in the PC or an external
  modem
• A digital call is made at the time of need
• Reliable speeds of 64-128K
• Internet access (ISP) a separate cost
• 45 metered, 120 unlimited use / mo.

7
ISDN

• Advantages
• Fast dialing (1.5 sec)
• Easy to switch ISPs
• ISP can connect to you (extra cost)
• Available in some locations where alternatives
  are not

• Disadvantages
• Expensive
• Intermittent connections
• Requires addl hardware
• Requires new wiring
• Metered by phone co and sometimes the ISP
• Difficult to get installed
• Works only at the site of installation
• Limited availability

8
DSL Digital Subscriber Line

• Runs over ordinary telephone wires
• Digital signals use high frequencies not used by
  analog phones
• Installed by local phone company
• Reliable download speeds of 128K to 7M
• Always on
• Internet access (ISP) a separate cost
• Monthly cost 22 for 256K to 275 for 7M

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DSL

• Advantages
• Always on
• Flat fee
• Reliable
• Requires no new wiring
• Does not tie up phone line
• Fixed IP available
• Can be used to host a web site
• Dial-up access when traveling often included

• Disadvantages
• Can be tough to switch ISPs
• Requires additional hardware (DSL Router)
• Can be difficult to get installed
• Works only at the site of installation
• Limited availability
• Fast upload speeds cost more

10
Cable

• Runs over cable TV wiring
• Installed by cable company
• Download speeds of 768K to 3M and higher
• Upload speeds slower, about 300K
• Always on
• Shared bandwidth - the more people on it, the
  slower it is
• Unlimited use with Internet access (ISP) included
  in cost
• Costs about 50 per month

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Cable

• Advantages
• Usually quite fast
• Always on
• Flat fee
• Somewhat reliable
• Broader availability
• Does not interfere with TV

• Disadvantages
• Shared bandwidth
• Requires additional hardware (cable box)
• Works only at the site of installation
• Upload slower than download
• No choice in cable company or ISP
• Dial-up access when traveling not always included

12
Satellite

• Available from remote locations
• Two providers Direcway and Starband
• Downloads about 1M. Upload via satellite up-link
  up to 100K.
• Costs Installation 200 plus
• Single Win98SE or better machine unlimited
  service 70/mo hardware 500
• Networked machines (any OS) unlimited
  service150/mo hardware 600

13
Satellite

• Advantages
• Available anyplace that has a view of the
  southern sky
• Always on
• Unlimited access

• Disadvantages
• Hardware and installation costs
• Shared bandwidth
• Can be slow when using a Virtual Private Network
  (VPN)

14
Dedicated Leased Line

• Fixed digital connection
• Bidirectional access at guaranteed speeds
• Speeds range from 56K to T1 (1.5M) on up
• Always on, unmetered
• ISP is a separate charge
• Fees
• 56K 80/mo, with ISP 300/mo
• 1.5M T1 250/mo, with ISP 1500/mo

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Dedicated Leased Line

• Advantages
• The most reliable connection to the Internet
• Guaranteed bandwidth and service levels
• Great for hosting a web site or for managing your
  own security and firewalls
• 56K available anyplace there is a telephone

• Disadvantages
• Expensive
• T1 and higher access confined to metro.
  Extremely expensive in rural areas
• Difficult to get installed
• Not easy to switch ISPs
• Requires dedicated hardware

16
Sharing an Internet Connection

• Use one Internet connection to allow access by
  several machines
• Products available for dial-up (POTs), DSL and
  cable
• Most products also include a firewall increasing
  security

17
Sharing a Dial-up Connection

• Advantages
• Cheap
• Uses only one phone line
• Any number of computers can share one line
• Can be used with a network

• Disadvantages
• Slow. Same problem as POTS
• Speed slows as more attempt to use the line at
  the same time

18
Sharing a DSL or Cable Line

• Share a single DSL or cable line with any number
  of computers
• Can be used with a wired, wireless or mixed
  network.
• Can be used to share a single Internet (IP)
  address on an existing network.
• Hardware starts at 80

19
Sharing a DSL or Cable Line

• Advantages
• Always on
• Uses only one DSL or Cable connection
• Any number of computers can access the Internet
  simultaneously
• Computers inside can be invisible to the outside
• A computer inside can be a web server for the
  Internet

• Disadvantages
• Requires extra hardware
• Requires a network

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Building Networks

• Wired Ethernet
• Advantages
• Very high speed 10, 100 and 1000M
• More secure - requires a physical connection
• Disadvantages
• Running wires
• Laptop needs a wire

• Wireless (WiFi)
• Advantages
• High speed 11M (802.11b) and higher (802.11a g)
• Wiring unnecessary
• Use with any computer
• Laptops not tethered
• Many laptops are wireless-ready
• Disadvantages
• May require a PC Card
• Requires extra steps to increase security

21
Wireless Connections to the Internet Networks
22
Comparing the Options
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Useful Links

• Handouts from this lecture with additional links
  http//fpen.org/aafp/connect.html
• Home networking information from Linksys
  http//www.linksys.com/edu/
• Home networking information from Microsoft
  http//www.microsoft.com/insider/networking/
• The owners' manual for the broadband wireless
  router demonstrated in class ftp//ftp.linksys.co
  m/pdf/wrt54gv1.1_ug.pdf
• Webopedia An encyclopedia of technology terms
  http//webopedia.internet.com/