Many home and small business networks include a connection to the Internet. Companies called Internet service providers (ISPs) sell connectivity to customers, usually through monthly service contracts. Some service plans offer extras like email or Web site hosting with extra cost.  but when choosing an ISP, the type of connection technology being offered plays a central role in the decision-making process.


Traditional Modem Dial-up
Today's analog modems support a theoretical maximum data rate of 56 Kbps. This makes traditional dial-up the slowest form of Internet access available. When connected to the Internet, modems also tie up one's phone line so that voice calls cannot be made. Despite their limitations, traditional modems remain very popular because of their reliability, low cost, and widespread support from providers. this is still the most popular way for internet connection from home, or from a hotel.


Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)
ISDN pioneered the idea of simultaneous voice and data support over ordinary telephone lines. With ISDN Internet access, customers enjoy data rates as high as 128 Kbps and the ability to make or receive calls on the same line (as with DSL, below). Providers have made ISDN almost as widely available as dial-up in recent years, but the cost of ISDN service remains comparatively high.


Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) and Cable
Fast growing in popularity, DSL and cable network services bring affordable high-speed Internet access to the home market. Both of these broadband technologies suffer from limited service availability, usually confined to urban and suburban areas. On average, cable and DSL support data rates of several hundred Kbps with peak performance above 1 Mbps.


Leased Lines
For the ultimate in high-speed network access, dedicated Internet connections can be leased from some providers. These lines operate at speeds ranging from 1.5 Mbps (T1 connections) to 4.5 Mbps (T3 connections). A provider can subdivide T1 lines, producing multiple separate connections performing as low as 128 Kbps each, a practice sometimes seen in apartment buildings. Expensive but very fast!


Wireless Access Services
Wireless networking remains immature and least available of today's Internet access options. Yet, the mobility promised by wireless Internet technologies like satellite or microwave appeal to many. Wireless Internet service providers offer data rates and pricing competitive with DSL, but they must contend with higher equipment costs and public perceptions that key security features are lacking.

there were nearly 122 million home Internet users, and many of them use the Net just for occasional e-mail and light Web surfing. If you're one of these types, a ubiquitous, handholding dial-up service such as NetZero Platinum is a good fit.

Mobile users need quick, easy, and secure access to e-mail and their companies' networks. The traveler's ISP should offer lots of local dial-up numbers, Web-based e-mail, wireless access in multiple metro regions, support for laptops and PDAs, and support for common corporate VPN protocols. Most cell phone companies allow for cellular Internet access as well, using a data cable that connects your phone to your laptop computer or even your PDA. However, such connections are much slower than Wi-Fi.

Small businesses have big ideas and need access to match. The demand for speed and security is high, along with superior service and support--especially with line sharing and local-area networks. Since staffing and client base can shift rapidly, a small business needs an ISP that can ramp up services quickly, from e-mailboxes to e-commerce. Small businesses that choose DSL may want to consider plans that offer faster upstream speeds than residential plans do.