Connecting From Home
To connect online, your computer must be equipped with a modem, a device that translates the digital signals from your computer into analog signals that can travel over a standard phone line. Those are the scratchy sounds you hear from a modem's speaker. Believe it or not, there is actually meaning in all that noise. A modem on the other end of the line can understand it and converts the sounds back into digital information. By the way, the word modem stands for Modulator/Demodulator. Modems come in different speeds and are measured in bps or bits per second. A 28.8 Kbps modem sends data at 28,800 bits per second. A 56 Kbps modem is twice as fast, sending and receiving data at a rate of 56,000 bits per second. Most modems today are 56 Kbps.

Why does speed matter?
On the Internet, you are constantly exchanging data with other computers. Some of these digital files can be quite large. As you will soon learn, you want this exchange to happen as quickly as possible. If you are purchasing a modem, get the fastest one available.
If you have call waiting, you will want to disable it before connecting online. If you're online and a call comes in, it will disconnect you unless you disable call waiting. In most places you can enter *70 before the number you call for Internet service so that another call will not interrupt you while you're on line.

Other Means of Connecting
SDN
There are faster ways to transmit data by using an ISDN or leased line. In many parts of the U.S., phone companies are offering home ISDN at less than $30 a month. ISDN requires a so-called ISDN adapter instead of a modem, and a phone line with a special connection that allows it to send and receive digital signals. You have to arrange with your phone company to have this equipment installed.

Cable Modems
A relatively new development is a device that provides high-speed Internet access via a cable TV network. With speeds of up to 36 Mbps, cable modems can download data in seconds that might take much longer with a dial-up connection. Because it works with your TV cable, it doesn't tie up a telephone line. Best of all, it's always on, so there is no need to connect--no more busy signals! This service is now available in some cities in the United States and Europe.

DSL
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) is another high-speed technology that is becoming increasingly popular. DSL lines are always connected to the Internet, so you don't need to dial-up. Typically, data can be transferred at rates up to 1.544 Mbps downstream and about 128 Kbps upstream over ordinary telephone lines. Since a DSL line carries both voice and data, you don't have to install another phone line. You can use your existing line to establish DSL service, provided service is available in your area and you are within the specified distance from the telephone company's central switching office. DSL service requires a special modem. Prices for equipment, DSL installation and monthly service can vary considerably, so check with your local phone company and Internet service provider or Online Service.

What’s the difference between an ISP and an Online Service?

ISP:
An ISP is a company that provides access to the Internet. For a monthly fee, the service provider gives you a software package, username, password and an access phone number. Equipped with a modem, you can then logon to the Internet and browse the World Wide Web and USENET, and send and receive e-mail. In addition to serving individuals, ISPs also serve large companies, providing a direct connection from the company's networks to the Internet. ISPs themselves are connected to one another through Network Access Points (NAPs). The advent of ISPs has made connecting to the Internet an affordable and convenient option for many people. In addition to providing access to the Internet, ISPs usually offer additional services as well. These services can include:
 

•  Web hosting - An individual or organization can place their web pages on a web server located at the ISP. Internet users can then access these web pages.

• Domain Name Service - Provides domain name servers, which are computers dedicated to translating a customer's domain name into the actual numeric IP (Internet Protocol) address of the customer's computer. Domain name service is integral to the proper functioning of the Internet.

• Proprietary Online Services - Such as the custom services offered by America Online, Inc. or CompuServe. These special options are available only to their subscribers. ISPs charge a fee for the service of providing Internet access. Charges vary from region to region and can depend on variables such as: 

 type of connection
 modem speed
 level of service

Some ISPs charge for each hour that a user is connected to the ISP. Other service providers allow unlimited connection time once the user has paid a flat fee either by the month or by the year. Recently, a few new ISPs that provide free Internet access have become available. Two of the most popular ones are Net Zone and Free ISP.
There are many sources of information about Internet Service Providers via the World Wide Web. Two sources are: http://thelist.internet.com/ and http://www.isps.com.

Online Service
An Online Service is a business that provides its subscribers with a wide variety of data transmitted over telecommunications lines. Online services provide an infrastructure in which subscribers can communicate with one another, either by exchanging e-mail messages or by participating in online conferences (forums) and synchronous conversation (chat, instant messages). In addition, the service can connect users with an almost unlimited number of third-party information providers. Subscribers can get up-to-date stock quotes, news stories hot off the wire, articles from many magazines and journals, in fact, almost any information that has been put in electronic form. Of course, accessing all this data carries a price, and most Online Services’ monthly fees are a little higher than an ISP. Three of the largest online services are America Online, CompuServe and MSN.

The difference for you would depend on whether you just wish to use E-mail, and have access to the Internet and the World Wide Web, or whether you want the additional fringe benefits offered by an Online Service Provider.