October 2002 Edition

high speed internet access for your home computer

Are you considering high speed internet access for your home computer? There are three types of high speed internet access available at this time: cable, dsl or satellite. Each has its advantages and disadvantages and it is a good idea to consider them all before making a choice.

Here are some questions you may want to ask when talking to each of the providers:

• What are the average download and upload speeds?
• What factors will affect those speeds? (i.e. time of day, number of people on the network, etc.)
• What additional equipment will I need and who installs it?
• What is involved in making the connection?
• Can I use outside mail servers – both outgoing and incoming?
• What e-mail programs do you support?
• What sort of security features do they offer (firewalls, etc?)

On an additional note: It is always a good idea to ask others (from MCCD) who are using the service you are considering. They may know of problems which are not addressed by the provider.