Internet Plans: Dial-up Versus Broadband

Internet is a network that connects computers all over the world and enables users to communicate and exchange information through a number of channels. Its origin lies in the ARPANET, that was developed by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) in the U.S, in 1969. Its original aim was to enable the computers of different universities to share information among them. However, internet has become a public domain to share and access information. This can be done through a number of different types of internet connections that vary from the dial-up internet connection to the Satellite Internet. The following lines will help you understand two of the most common forms of internet connection plans - Dial-up and Broadband.

Dial-up Internet Plans
The Dial-up internet plan allows one to access the internet via telephone lines. In this plan a user connects into telephone line through the modem built in his computer. Through this telephone line the user dials into network pipelines that signs into the internet. The telephone numbers are provided by the Internet Service Provider (ISP). Subscribers using the dial-up connection are given a number by the ISP, to use the internet. To have a dial-up connection one must have a modem that could either be built in the computer or could be externally present. The subscriber uses a username and password that helps the subscriber to access the internet through the dial-up connection.

Broadband Internet Plans
In contrast to the dial-up connection, a broadband connection helps to connect a PC to the internet, using a cable or a DSL connection. In a dial-up connection, every time that you access the internet, a setup call has to be made to the ISP. However, in case of a broadband Internet connection a user remains connected to the internet until the cable or DSL connection is physically unplugged. Hence, one is always connected to the internet through a broadband connection. But this could result harmful computer viruses to easily get downloaded into the system. So a good quality computer antivirus software and firewall is required.

Dial-up and Broadband: The Comparison
Due to its limited bandwidth the dial-up connection is slow in speed. It can provide a maximum speed of 56 kilobits per second. Dial-up connection also limits access to certain media like videos. It also takes longer duration to open and download attachments and play online games. Caching frequently visited websites or using other software can increase the speed of dial-up connection. However, this type of connection is not suitable for people who want to download and access movies, songs, games and sites with elaborate graphics. Another drawback of a dial-up connection is that since it uses a telephone line one can't use the telephone as long as one he is accessing the internet. It's because of these drawbacks that a dial-up connection is cheaper than a broadband.

Speed of broadband internet connection is much higher than that of a dial-up connection. In contrast to a dial-up connection one can watch and download videos and music, download software and play online games using the broadband connection. In case of a broadband connection a user is free to use his telephone while he is connected to the internet. As the broadband connection has more advantages than a dial-up connection, it is more expensive.

As technology advances, our needs increase. Starting from dial-up connection to broadband to wireless, now we can access the internet through satellite. The internet has continuously evolved to meet our requirements, and this evolution is to go on.