Cable modems are devices that provide high-speed Internet access using cable television networks.

They are designed to work over TV lines. They are connected to the TV outlet for cable TV transmission and the operator connects a Cable Modem Termination System at the cable company’s main office. The cable modem can be used for fast access to the World Wide Web.

Cable modems are available as an internal, external or set-top box device. An external cable modem is a small box that will have two cable connections, one to the cable wall outlet and the other to a computer through a standard 10Base-T Ethernet card. An internal cable modem is a PCI bus add-in card for a PC. They can only be used in desktop PC’s. The set-top box is a cable modem in a cover, which supplies return channel through the Plain Old Telephone System.

Regular modems use a phone line to dial up and connect with another modem. Cable modems connect your computer to the Internet service provider by translating the networks information so it can be passed back and forth over the cable channel. Cable modems can plug directly into your computer via a USB connection or a network card in your computer. A network card is the hardware that allows you to communicate on a network. In the case of a cable modem connection, it allows your computer to talk with the cable modem. It takes the place of a regular modem in your computer. Just turn the computer on. With a cable modem, your connection is always on. This means that you do not need to dial in. Whenever your computer is on, you are on the Internet, automatically.

Cable modems vary in cost. Since there isn’t a universal standard for them, you have to get a cable modem that works with your specific provider. There are many companies who are producing or have announced cable modem products. They include: 3Com, Bay Networks, Com21, General Instrument, Hayes, Hybrid Networks, Motorola, NEC, New Media Communication, neighborhood, Scientific Atlanta, Terayon, Toshiba, U.S. Robotics and Zenith.

The author presents the website on cable modems. It covers meaning of cable modem, types of cable modem, companies providing cable modem and how modem works. You can visit his site on cheap cable modems

You no longer have to go to Starbucks to enjoy wireless Internet connections. That’s right, you can enjoy your coffee from the privacy of your home and access the Internet. Wireless Internet has come home as well, and Internet connections can now be shared among family members without stringing wires through the living room. On the negative side, however, setting this up can be quite a chore.

With a wireless network, not only can you share Internet connectivity, but you can share files. You can put a file on a shared drive, and then anyone on any computer in your house can access it.

Additionally, you can share a printer. You can literally press “print” while working on your laptop in the bedroom, and the printer in your office will start spewing out your latest reports.

To start out with, you need a gateway the Internet. Any computer can serve as your gateway. This system must be directly plugged into the Internet in order for other users to be truly wireless. Thus one computer is stationary, you cannot move it.

To connect your wireless systems to the Internet, set up your gateway. Click on the Start menu and scroll up to the Control Panel. Then double click the Network Connections icon. At this point you can run through the series of steps in the Network Set up Wizard. Make sure to select “set up a home or small office network.”

Continue moving through the wizard until you reach the “select a connection method” page. You will need to select the option that states that your computer is directly connected to the Internet. Keep moving through the steps until you arrive on the final page with your reward: the finish button.

At this point you only have one computer hooked up to the Internet, and you can’t move it around the house. To gain mobility, you will need to go through the same steps with each of your other computers, only this time, you should select the option that states you’re your computer is connected to the Internet through a network and not directly connected to the Internet.

Unfortunately this sort of network does have a downside: the wireless connection relies on the gateway. When you turn your gateway off, the rest of your systems drop their Internet connection too. You might also want to consider purchasing a wireless router. Check out our article configure a network that always stays on.

Overall a wireless connection offers the freedom that no other Internet service does. You can even sit outside your home within a reasonable distance and access the Internet. Imagine that: shopping online from your deck. You could work from the kitchen, the bedroom, and even the bathroom. And while no one wants to become a workaholic, some people need the variety of setting to stay productive. So take the necessary steps to get hooked up and go wireless today.

Secure the border, secure Internet connections…what about
securing our children’s minds?

Everyone is talking about the U.S. borders not being secure
– illegal aliens streaming over our borders, about securing
our broadband connections from hackers, and I was just
curious about the silence of securing our children’s minds.

Has anyone been paying attention to our most precious
treasure being assaulted on a daily basis by the equivalent
of illegal aliens – a failing education system, drugs,
violence, teen pregnancy and immoral attacks on all levels?
Our children’s spiritual borders are being left unguarded,
and this assault is during the most critical years of their
lives when it comes to learning about becoming a whole
person when they become adults. The Southern Baptist
Convention to their credit has developed a resolution “to
warn their members concerning the toxic spiritual nature of
the government school system”. The resolution further calls
on churches to “become aggressive and proactive in starting
Christian schools and in supporting homeschooling”.

That is a wake-up call and others need to be sounding the
alarm across our nation. Securing broadband Internet
connections cannot be more important than securing a loving
realtionship with our children, instead of them forming a
relationship with the blurred PG-13/R rated broadcasts
coming from the television.

Parents, family, neighbors, and friends should be sounding
the trumpet about protecting our children’s spiritual
borders. See more info here:
http://www.earnedmedia.org/gtko0531.htm it is a website
called the Christian Communication Network and details the
SBC’s resolution. This site also has a link to
http://www.getthekidsout.org/ a grass roots effort to
educate parents about the loss of morals in the public
school system and the full resolution.

A moral education is the first defense our children should
have against everything else, they need the ammunition to
make the right choices when it comes to drugs, violence and
when to start a family – which is where the confusion starts
that creates teen pregnancy in the first place. A second
pillar of defense is a proper relationship with your child
as each one is a different person and needs respect, love
and wisdom for that individual. These pillars help develop
a foundation that can withstand practically any assault our
children have to face in the world today and in the future.

If the Southern Baptist Convention is drawing up a
resolution advising parents to take their children out of
public schools, then at least we have someone paying
attention. Their needs to be a far louder alarm sent to
parents everywhere to get our children into a quality
environment where they can learn moral values and will not
be restricted or challenged for exhibiting moral values.
This is an issue that needs to be addressed like no other
as it is already too late to ignore with the large number of
children being negatively affected by the forces trying to
brainwash them to make the wrong choices.

We all need to remember – to train up a child in the way he
should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
(Proverbs 22:6)

Once you’ve got your wireless network set up, I’ve no doubt that one of the first things you’ll want to do with it is share an Internet connection — after all, that’s why most home users put in a wireless network to begin with. Well, the good news is that Windows has Internet Connection Sharing built in. The bad news is that setting it up can sometimes be a little less than fun.

The problem is that the Internet Connection Sharing Wizards that come with Windows 98 Second Edition and Windows Me don’t work very well, and in some cases, can break your existing Internet Connection. The good news is that it’s not that hard to set up, as long as you do it properly.

How Internet Connection Sharing Works

When you set up Internet Connection Sharing, you set up one of your computers as a ‘gateway’ to the Internet, and then use this gateway to access the Internet with your other computers. Essentially, requests for data from the Internet are being sent out through the gateway, and the responses are being sent back across the network (’routed’) back to your computer. The gateway computer is still the only one that’s directly connected to the Internet.

If you have trouble visualising what’s happening, imagine for a second that the computers are people. Let’s call the computer-people Bob, Fred and Alice. They’re all in a bar together, but Bob is the only one with money for drinks (we could say he has a ‘connection’ to the bar). Fred and Alice can ask Bob to buy them a drink, and Bob can bring over the drinks, for them to have as they usually would. At no point, however, can Fred or Alice go and order a drink at the bar.

Setting It Up: The Gateway

Note: this guide assumes that you have already set up your wireless network, but you have not connected it to the Internet yet.

The computer with the modem connected to it is the one you need to set up first — as the gateway, it’s going to be providing Internet access to all your other computers. On this computer, go to the Control Panel, then click Network Connections. From here, you can run the Network Setup Wizard by clicking ‘Set up a home or small office network’.

Click next through the wizard until you get to a screen called ‘Select a connection method’. On this screen you need to select ‘This computer connects directly to the Internet. The other computers on my network connect to the Internet through this computer’. From here on, you should be able to click next again until you get to the finish. Say ‘yes’ to turn on file and printer sharing when you’re prompted.

Your computer is now ready to be a gateway to the Internet.

The Network

The next step is setting up the other computers on your network to make use of the gateway you just created. Run the Network Setup Wizard on each of these computers, but this time through choose ‘This computer connects to the Internet through another computer on my network or through a residential gateway’.

If the computer that will now be using a shared Internet connection was using a dial-up connection before, then there are a few things left to do — you need to change some settings in the web browser Open Internet Explorer, then go to the Options screen (in the Tools menu). Click the Connections tab. You should click ‘never dial a connection’, and untick three boxes: ‘automatically detect settings’, ‘use automatic configuration script’ and ‘use a proxy server’.

The Trouble With Internet Connection Sharing

To go back to our bar for a moment, imagine Bob leaves. Oh dear. Looks like Fred and Alice can’t get any more drinks, doesn’t it? The same thing applies to the computers on your network — if the gateway computer is switched off, they will lose all their access to the Internet.

That’s not the only problem, though. While Internet Connection Sharing works fine for the web and email, it can be more problematic when it comes to doing other things. Downloading files from filesharing networks, for example, or using videoconferencing, requires you to mess around with the gateway computer’s settings. After a while, it can get quite frustrating. If you’re in this position, you should really try a wireless router — see our article ‘Create Always-On Networks with a Wireless Router’.

Many people are afraid to consider a wireless router because wireless routers are relatively new technology. But wireless routers can really simplify Internet access in your home, small business, or large company.

With a regular Windows Internet network you are easily able to access the Internet from any of your computers that are connected to the Network. Most small businesses are extremely happy with this type of set up. The problem that many businesses run into is that the modem has to be on before any of the other computers are able to get Internet.

For businesses that are use to turning off all their equipment in the evenings, remembering to turn the modem on in the mornings can become an ongoing issue.
Sometimes employees may even spend hours with technical support trying to figure out why their Internet is not working, when the problem is simply that the modem was never turned on. A wireless router can solve this dilemma very inexpensively.

With a wireless Internet router all your computers can have Internet accesses easily without worrying about the modem computer being turned on first. Plus employee laptops can easily access reports and other business material without first having to save information to a disk and transfer it to their office computer.

When looking for a wireless router you need to look for both price and quality. You definitely do not want to skimp on this piece of equipment. Look at the speed of the router as well as its range. You want to make sure that you choose a router that will be able to handle the Internet access for all your office computers, this means finding a router that has enough speed to comfortably keep all your employees connected to the Internet at the same time.

Residential customers and very small businesses are all finding the convenience of wireless Internet a great thing. The easy of use that a wireless router provides is perfect for almost any person or business. Plus you don’t have to be a technical genius to install a wireless router at home or in a business.

Most wireless routers simply get plugged into a hi-speed Internet line and you go through a basic step by step computer set up. Some computers don’t even need a set up process and they will automatically recognize the wireless router and connect to it.

After plugging in your wireless router you might need to have a brief conversation with your Internet provider to register your device and confirm your set up. But after that, you are really off and running. You can connect as many computers as you would like to your system and easily use laptops throughout the office. Plus you will no longer be wasting man hours trying to figure out why your Internet is not working, when the problems was simply that the main modem computer had not been turned on yet.

Today’s internet is a great place to find useful information but most people are on dial up. If you are in an area that offers broadband, you should make the switch soon. One of the first differences you will notice is that you no longer need to dial in to get on the internet. The moment you turn on the computer, you are online. In fact, you are always online and that’s a big time saver. The next change you will notice is how fast web pages load, about 1 to 5 seconds. It takes 10 to 20 seconds to load an entire page on dial up.

Now, this may encourage you get broadband sooner. When it comes to downloading something on dial up, you have to wait a short while for small files and longer for larger files like software. With broadband, it takes 5 to 10 minutes for a music file, which takes about 30 minutes on dial up.

Another good reason to switch to broadband, is the missed phone calls you get on dial up. An extra phone is the only way to get calls that can’t be received due to the dial up connection. Broadband helps in more ways than you think. If you have two computers or more, why not share the internet with a home network. Now you can surf the web and let someone else surf too. You have the option of wired or wireless. Wireless is the way to go if you have another computer in another room far away in your home.

Having broadband can also help you download the Windows updates you must download to keep your computer safe. Downloading these files on dial up can take one full day. Broadband will download these file in half the time. But with broadband you are going to want to have a great firewall and virus protection since you are always online. You can get a virus at anytime, so get the most up to date software.

If you are an online gamer, then broadband is great for that too. You can play people in a lag free game. When you change to broadband, you will wonder why you have not tried it sooner. Your options for broadband are cable and DSL. Cable is supplied by your cable company. DSL is supplied by your phone company. If you have the option to get either, you should get DSL. It is faster than cable.

If you can’t get broadband in your area, there is another option. It is called satellite internet. It is basically the same as cable or DSL. The speed may not be as fast, but you will notice the difference when you get it. Another difference is the price, which includes equipment, installation fee, and service. It is worth it to be able to save time loading pages and downloading files. Now you know the benefits of having broadband, decide if you should try it.

——————————————————-
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Broadband
——————————————————-

Connecting to a wired Network requires you to do several things. Read the instructions so they can be easier to understand as you perform the task step by step. If you are in school or just have several computers in your home and need to connect them all to a wired network you will first plug the Ethernet cable into your computer and into the network port in the wall or in a mini hub.

Turn the computer on and open your web browser. From there you should be redirected to a registration page. Follow the sign up steps on the screen. Restart your computer and you should be good to go. Many colleges and schools have this system set up for students and teachers so they can be connected to the internet while in their dorms, classrooms, or other locations round the campus.

The necessity for internet service and computers in schools seems to be much greater today because computers are a wave of the future. They are used in every business today and the necessity will only increase so it is very important that everyone learn how to use the computer and to use the computer to write essays, term papers, etc. Setting up a computer and getting connected to the Internet can be a daunting task if you are not familiar with a computer.

There are new technological devices being introduced everyday so it can be very stressful if you know nothing about it. It may be a good idea to get a friend or professional computer expert help you to make sure you can be connected. There are a lot of technical terms used that can be very hard to understand if you are not knowledgeable about a computer.

If in doubt, get some help from someone who knows what they are doing. It is better to ask for help than to mess something up and have it cost you more in the long run. It is not shameful to ask for help. Most people do not know all of the tech words or their meanings when it comes to the computer and network. That is why some people go to school just to learn all about the computer. There is a need for educated computer experts so they can help those who do not understand all of that technical stuff. There are more people who do not understand it than those who do. We are all learning everyday and will not stop learning because new advances in technology will not allow it. It is an ongoing education we all need if we are going to be able to keep up. We all can learn from each other.

Consumers understand that when there is more competition in a market, there are lower prices. This is especially true in the computer industry where it is reported that 68% of households have a computer. According to the Computer Industry Almanac, the worldwide number of Internet users will exceed 1 billion this year with the United States leading with over 185 million users. The number of users will continue to increase as well as competitors, forcing companies to offer faster connections at a cheaper price. Two technologies that will lend a hand in allowing new players into the Broadband market are BPL and WIMAX.

Broadband Over Power Lines, BPL

BPL is a technology that allows Internet data to be transmitted over utility power lines and is also referred to as Power-line Communications or PLC. The technology works by modulating high-frequency radio waves with the digital signals from the Internet. These radio waves are fed into the utility grid at specific points, then travel along the wires and pass through the utility transformers into homes and businesses.
One main concern by officials in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), is that BPL will interfere with radio systems including fire, police, short-wave and land mobile. There are other groups who are taking the initiative in realizing this potential including the IEEE which has begun to develop IEEE P1675, “Standard for Broadband over Power Line Hardware.”

This technology has gained national attention with reports by the Wall Street Journal that industry powerhouses Google and Goldman Sachs have invested nearly $100 million into Current Communications Group, a company that provides high-speed Internet access over electrical power lines. According to Reuters, CCG will use the financing to deploy voice, video and data services in domestic and global markets. IBM is also currently researching the use of electrical power lines to provide internet access by opening a BPL center in Houston with CenterPoint Energy although IBM has declined to put a dollar value on the amount invested.

Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, WIMAX

WiMAX, also known as IEEE 802.16, is a standards-based wireless technology that provides broadband connections over long distances and is intended for wireless “metropolitan area networks”. It can be used for wireless networking in much the same way WiFi is used today while also allowing for more efficient bandwidth use and interference avoidance. WiMAX has a broadband wireless access range of 30 miles compared to only 100 – 300 feet for a WiFi wireless local area network.

WiMAX can be used for a number of applications, including “last mile” broadband connections, hotspots, and high-speed connectivity for businesses. Alvarion, a global organization headquartered in Israel that supplies integrated Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) solutions, has announced it will supply satellite provider DirecTV Group Inc. with equipment that uses WIMAX technology in order to enhance customer upstream bandwidth requirements. By implementing “last mile” broadband connections, DirecTV would then be able to supply faster connections to rural areas where it would cost millions to lay down the cable lines necessary for high speed. Another application under consideration is gaming. Microsoft is looking to make WiMax a standard feature in its Xbox 360. This would allow gamers with similar equipment to interact with other players without any internet access. All the funcionality of WiFi with improved range and reduced network latency makes WiMAX a very attractive alternative.

James Junior is a freelance writer and web programmer for http://www.jccorner.com

Both DirecTV and Dish TV recently announced they will bundle their Satellite TV service with high-speed Internet service via satellite through WildBlue Communications.

Cable television has been leading the way, bundling not only cable TV, but phone and high-speed Internet services. People are looking for two things when it comes to television and Internet connection – price and service. Cable has been aggressively responding, and Satellite TV is starting to get the message.

WildBlue launched its high-speed Internet connection service a year ago and has 60,000 subscribers. Their monthly service ranges from $49.95 to $79.95, with download speeds of up to 1.5 megabits per second. Their one draw back is the $299 equipment charge.

Pricing is yet to be determined for Dish Network and DirecTV packages bundled with WildBlue services, but they will have to offer a smaller equipment charge, or no charge at all in order to be competitive.

Satellite TV companies have offered DSL Internet connection for some time. They attempted to market to people without cable access in rural and remote areas. But both DirecTV and Dish Network have had miserable sales due to uncompetitive prices. DirecTV charged $580 for installation alone. The only people who bought the services were those that had no other alternative for high-speed connection, but now local phone services are able to reach these customers with radio towers.

Bundled Services is the Future

Customers don’t want to deal with a myriad of companies. They demand more simplicity. They want to deal with a single company that is willing to discount multiple services.

Comcast, the largest cable provider in Colorado, offers packages starting at $112 for cable TV, Internet service at 6 megabits per second and phone service. According to Cindy Parsons, spokeswoman for Comcast Colorado:

“We are accustomed to competition and expect there will be a wide variety of promotions from our competitors.”

Qwest Communications recently dropped the price of its bundled services. New customers can pay about $87 per month for local and long distance calling, 1.5-megabits Internet speeds and satellite TV service.

The two satellite TV powerhouses will have to offer similar bundled prices if they are going to remain competitive. And equally important is their Internet connection service will need to be reliable.

This new deal with WildBlue Communications will help Dish Network and DirecTV better compete with cable and telephone companies such as Comcast and Qwest. Consumers should benefit with alternative solutions and lower prices.

Fred Waters is author of the Satellite TV Guide, where you can find the best deals on Satellite TV.

When you’re an online student, it’s a good idea to have a
back up Internet connection. While your home connection may
be the most convenient way to access the web, many people
find themselves without service when they move to a new
location, experience a power outage, or have unreliable
connections.

If you’re trying to engage in an online class discussion or
post your midterm essay to your course Web site, the last
thing you want to worry about is whether or not you’ll be
able to access the web. When you find yourself without the
Internet in your home, check out some of these great
alternative places to catch a signal:

Libraries: The great thing about public library Internet
access is that it’s usually free. Many public libraries are
creating and improving computer labs for public use.

Depending on the consumer traffic at your local library,
this could be a great place to do your work or it could be
a giant headache.

Some library labs are overcrowded and a bit too loud for
writing that mid-term. You probably don’t want to face
shoving high school students, long waits, and 15-minute
limits. However, other library labs can offer a calm and
peaceful place to do your work. Ask your librarian what the
best hours are.

Internet Cafes: Cafes are springing up all over the place.
They generally offer a reliable connection at a fast speed
for a reasonable price. Search your neighborhood for these
tiny shops and you’ll probably be surprised at how many you
find.

Neighbors: If you have a wireless connection on your laptop
you may be able to access your neighbors’ wireless signal
in your own home. Don’t “borrow” their bandwidth without
permission though; be sure to ask if you can use their
connection.

Bookstores and Coffee Shops: These local hot spots often
have wireless connection available, free of charge, to
patrons. If you bring your laptop with a wireless
connection, you can grab a hot chocolate and use the
Internet to your heart’s content.

The nice thing about bookstores is that, unlike public
libraries, they generally maintain long hours and have a
very clean atmosphere. However, you may want to call ahead
to make sure you won’t find yourself in the middle of a
dramatic poetry jam.

Local Colleges: If you live near a college, you may want to
check out their Internet policy. Many colleges offer free
wireless connection everywhere on campus. College libraries
often provide Internet hook ups for laptops as well as
computer labs. At some colleges you may have to have a
student ID to log on, so check with the school before
connecting your computer.