Broadband
If you are considering getting broadband or ADSL Internet there are very
many companies to choose from, each with their own deal. It is unfortunate
however that some of the better known companies seem to spent more of
their budget on advertising than on proving a good connection and proper
customer service.
Finding an optimal and economical solution for your needs is more complex than signing up with the CD that came with a magazine or pre installed on your new PC or MAC.
How much will you be using your Internet, how many connections are there, where is your telephone connection, how many telephones are there in your house, do you have an alarm system connected to the phone line and how many computers do you plan to use in future? Do you want a wired or a wireless connection?
Another main consideration when switching to broadband is the security of your PC and personal data. When connected to the internet, computers without proper protection are vulnerable to Computer viruses and Worms, Hackers and Spyware. Fortunately there is very good protection available against most of these threats and we can help you choose the right one at a reasonable price. You will need anti-virus software that will be constantly update against the latest virus threat, a Firewall (preferably hardware) that will keep hackers out and Anti Spyware (which can be obtained free of charge!).
A software firewall is as much a blessing as a curse, it often leaves the decision to the user who normally has no idea what is safe or not. A software firewall needs a paid update subscription and slows your PC down. A hardware firewall has none of the above disadvantages and can be shared by several computers.
Dial-up Internet.
Most dial up Internet accounts are Pay-as-you-Go usually advertised for from 1p per minute (with the 'from' bit in a very small font). People who infrequently use the Internet usually end up paying 4p per minute as they use the internet during day time. Often these connections are much slower than advertised.
There are however good alternatives available from as less as 0.5p per minute any time of day and no limit on use. We’ll happily discuss what would be the best option for you.
An alternative for regular users is an ISDN dial up account, this has served me well in Elstead up to the time ADSL became available. If you are currently cannot get ASDSL it pays to register with BT. When BT gets enough demand from one area they will convert your telephone exchange to a broadband enabled one.
If you don’t want to run cables through your house you can opt for a wireless home network with the added security of a build in hardware firewall. Click Here to go to the wireless networking page.