Wireless Connections
Wireless Internet connections are very convenient, especially if you need to be able to
connect from any point within the area covered by the wireless network. At this writing,
many coffee shops, libraries, and similar institutions provide wireless Internet access
for their patrons, but few wide-area wireless Internet connections are available.
In 2006, Google launched the first citywide wireless network in the United States,
in Mountain View, California. Google and other companies are looking to create citywide
wireless networks in other cities as well.
Satellite Connections
Satellite tends to be the most expensive form of Internet connection, but it is worth
considering if you are in a rural area where the only alternatives are ISDN and
dial-up??”or perhaps only dial-up. For example:
StarBand (www.starband.com) offers a 512 Kbps service for $49.99 a month
and a 1 Mbps service for $129.99 a month??”after you??™ve paid $299 for the
satellite dish that??™s needed.
HughesNet (www.hughesnet.com) offers a service of up to 1.5 Mbps for
$99.99 a month with no upfront fee, but you??™ll need to commit to a two-year
contract.
Fiber-Optic Connections
If your building or street is wired for fiber-optic connections, you should jump at
the chance to get one. This is the fastest form of connection, providing bandwidth
of 100 Mbps or so. You??™ll probably be sharing the circuit with your neighbors, but
even so, you??™ll get great performance.
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