Internet Service Provider

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Today, I would like to continue my post, and the topic is about Internet Service Provider. :)

Different types of Internet Connection

Two types of Internet Connection ;

• Dial-up Connection 
• Broadband Internet Connection / Direct Connection 

1. Dial-up Connection :

a. Conventional Dial-up :
- (to connect to the Internet, your computer dials its modem and connects to a modem attached to a computer belonging to your ISP.)
- PC has to dial via a phone line to connect.
- Characteristics of Conventional dial-up:

• Slower, but cheaper 
• Ties up phone lines 
• Relatively secure from hackers 
• Example : TMNet 

Advantage and Disadvantages of Conventional Dial-up :





b. ISDN ( Integrated Services Digital Network) :
- Also transfer data over ordinary telephone lines
- Typically uses two phone lines to transfer data
- ISDN requires a special ISDN modem
- Characteristics of ISDN:

• Faster, but pricey 
• Doesn’t tie up phone line 
• Used by businesses and individuals 

- (always on connections) :

• Many home and small business users connect to the Internet via high-speed broadband Internet service. 
• PC is continually connected to the Internet. 
• Direct connections are typically broadband. 
• Used in the home and office. 
• Because you are always connected, it is important to protect your computer from hackers. 

2. Broadband Internet Connection :






a. DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) :

- Broadband delivered over telephone lines :

• Must be less than 3 miles from a switching station. 
• Transmits over telephone lines but does not tie up the line. 

- Fast, direct Internet access via standard telephone line.
- ADSL is one of the more popular types of DSLs.
- Requires DSL modem.
- Available in urban areas.
- Half or less of cable speeds.
- Example :- Streamyx without WiFi


b. Cable Internet Service/ Cable Modem :

- Cable modem: Most widely used home broadband connection 

- Provides high-speed Internet access through the cable television network via a cable modem.

c. Fixed wireless :

- Uses radio transmission towers rather than satellites.
- Not available in all areas.
- Expected to use WiMAX.
- Provides high-speed Internet connections using a dish-shaped antenna to communicate via radio signals.

d. Wi-Fi ( Wireless Fidelity) :

- Data is transmitted through radio waves.
- Public wireless networks :

• Both free and fee-based are available.
• Currently Wi-Fi for short range, but WiMAX may soon be an option.

- Wi-Fi Hotspot :

• Places that provide a user with free or paid internet service.
• Example : Airport, Cafe, Hotel, Hostel, Offices, and other public buildings.

e. Satellite Internet service :

  

- Broadband option for rural areas.

• More expensive than cable or DSL.
• Available in many areas other broadband options are not.

- Provides high-speed Internet connections via satellite.

- A satellite dish communicates with a satellite modem.

f. Cellular Radio Network :

- Also known as Mobile wireless 

- Access via mobile phone or device

- Offers high-speed Internet connections to devices with built-in compatible technology or computers with wireless modems.

- Example provider:- Celcom, Maxis, DiGi

Advantages of Broadband :

1. Connection speed is up to 100 times faster than dial-up connection. Online gaming is only possible using a broadband internet access.

2. It does not affect the phone line.  For DSL internet access, you can use the same phone line for both voice/fax and data transmission.

3. It is convenient because the internet connection is always on.

4. You don't need to dial an access number and risk getting a busy signal. 

5. Broadband internet offers unlimited access and you won't be charged based on the connection duration.

6. Broadband internet not only gives you high speed internet access, it can also provide cheap phone services via VoIP technology.

Disadvantages of Broadband :

1. High monthly fee compared to dialup internet access.

2. Higher security risk than dial up connection.  A personal firewall is needed to protect your computer.
3. Not all phone wires are equipped for DSL service.  May not be available in rural or remote areas.

4. Not all cable TV networks are equipped for cable internet access.  May not be available in rural or remote.

Common Types of Internet Connections :

Factors to consider to help you  choose the right internet connection :

- Availability :

•  not all services are available on all locations.

- Speed/Performance :

• people in the neighbourhood who use the same  service simultaneously time may draw on your  service and slow the speed of the cable connection.
• Wi-Fi is only recommended for personal use because of limited speed.

- Security Levels :

• Different connection have different security level.

- Price :

• The most affordable one is WiFi, (low cost), you  can get an unlimited connection but not for  business purposes because of speed limitation  and stability. 

- Support Services :

• One of the top priorities when choosing a Internet Service Provider/Internet Connection is their  ability to offer the best customer service and  technical support.

BROADBAND VS. DIAL-UP

• Broadband — or high-speed — Internet service has seen a rise in popularity over the last decade, becoming a standard communication service over its slower counter-part, dial-up Internet. You can use the broadband vs. dial-up chart on this page to learn the differences between each type of Internet connectivity and decide whether or not to move into the high-speed era.

Overview of the Internet

What is Internet?
- The Internet is a worldwide collection of networks that links millions of businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, and individuals.

Evolution of Internet :

ARPANET :
- ARPA – Advance Research Project Agency created by US Department of Defense
- The network is called ARPANET
- The network became functional in September 1969
- The Internet originated as ARPANET and had two main goals:

• Allow scientist at different physical locations to share information and work together.
• Function even if part of the network were disabled or destroyed by a disaster.

- The original ARPANET consisted of 4 main computers located at:

• University of California at Los Angeles
• University of California at Santa Barbara
• The Stanford Research Institute
• University of Utah

- Each computers served as a host on the network (today known as server).


INTERNET2 :
- Internet2 is not a new network (especially to replace the Internet)
- It is a Research and Development (R&D) project
- In developing technology to ensure that the Internet in the future can handle tomorrow’s applications.
- Not-for-profit R&D project
- Connects more than 200 universities and 115 companies via a high-speed private network.

Who controls the Internet?
- No one - it is a public, cooperative and independent network
- Several organizations set standards
- Example of organization:

Advantages & Disadvantages of Internet  :

INTRANET :
- An intranet (intra means within) is an internal network that uses internet technologies.
- Network which only available inside an organization or a company.
- Allow scientist at different physical locations to share information and work together
- Function even if part of the network were disabled or destroyed by a disaster.

EXTRANET :- An extranet is the portion of a company’s network that allows customers or suppliers of a company to access parts of an enterprise’s intranet.
- An extranet provides a secure, physical connection to the company’s network.

Differentiate between LAN, MAN, & WAN

Classification of Network

How are LAN, MAN, and WAN different?
- The main differentiation among these classifications is their area of coverage.

Networks typically are classified as:

a) LOCAL AREA NETWORK (LAN)
b) METROPOLITAN AREA NETWORK (MAN)
c) WIDE AREA NETWORK (WAN)

a) Local Area Network :

- The simplest form of LAN is to connect two computers together or connection of the computers and devices in the office or home.

- A network which consists of less than 500 interconnected devices across several buildings, is still recognized as a LAN.

Characteristic of LAN :

There are essentially five components of a LAN :
- Network devices such as Workstations, printers, file servers which are normally accessed by all other computers.
- Network Communication Devices i.e., devices such as hub, routers, switches etc used for network connectivity.
- Network Interface Cards (NICs) for each network device required to access the network. It is the interface between the machine and the physical network.
- Cable as a physical transmission medium.
- Network Operating System, software applications required to control the use of network operation and administration.

Advantages:
- Easy to share devices (printers, scanners, external drives)
- Easy to share data (homework, pictures)
- Cost of LAN Setup is low.
- Sharing of resources such as printers hence cost effective.

Disadvantages:
- Power - a good LAN is required to be on all the times.
- Security - each computer and device become another point of entry for undesirables.
- If all computers running at once, can reduce speed for each.
- Area covered is limited.

b) Metropolitan Area Network :

- A MAN is optimized for a larger geographical area than a LAN, ranging from several blocks of buildings to entire cities.

- A MAN might be owned and operated by a single organization, but it usually will be used by many individuals and organizations.
- MAN can span up to 50km, devices used are modem and wire/cable.
- Example of MAN :

• Traffic Light Monitoring System
• Cable Network TV
• Surveillance System
• Building in a city

Characteristic of MAN :

Advantages:
- Efficiency and shared access.
- All the computer-owning residents of the area have equal ability to go on line.

Disadvantages:
- It can be costly (hardware, software, support, etc.)
- Security problems.
- As the network consists of many computers over the span of a city, the connection can lag or become quite slow.

c) Wide Area Network :

- A WAN is a network that covers a large geographic area (such as a city, country, or the world) using a communications channel that combines many types of media such as telephone lines, cables, and radio waves.

WANs have the following characteristics:
- They can cover a very large geographical area : states, countries ,continents.
- They usually communicate at slower speeds (compared to LANs and MAN).
- Communication medium used are satellite, public telephone networks which are connected by routers.
- Routers forward packets from one to another a route from the sender to the receiver

Advantages:
- Messages can be sent very quickly to anyone else on the network.
- Everyone on the network can use the same data. This avoids problems where some users may have older information than others.
- Share information/files over a larger area.


Disadvantages:
- Setting up a network can be an expensive and complicated experience.
- Security problems because exposed to viruses and hackers.
- Maintenance problems. Large enterprises will dedicate personnel to maintaining their WAN.

Network Topology

Hey guysss. We meet again ya. Hehehe.
So, topic today is.............

'Network Topology'.