**Which ISP is Right for Me?**

The First ISP and a Little Bit of History

In the late 1980s, only major universities and defense contractors had access to the internet. Access in the way we know it today through dialup. If people outside the university and contractor community wanted to use the internet, there was a method called UUCP that was used. This method allowed one computer to “call” another computer. The computer exchanged information and email with the other computer, and these computers could then call other computers. Such was the method of internet access then. Two people; one named Barry Shein and the other Spike Ilacqua, thought of providing internet service to the populous; the same internet service that universities and contractors alike are providing for its members. These two consultants, instead of receiving calls on computer technicalities or troubleshooting, received calls asking about places to use access email and USENET. Because of this Shein and Ilacqua decided to profit off internet access by selling it to people. Ilacqua began developing account creation and billing software, and building modems to install into computers. This led to the creation of the company The World, the first ISP as we know it today; compatible, so to say, with other ISPS and had access to USENET.

Though The World may be credited with creating the first ISP, an ISP that we are familiar with, the concept of an ISP, however, was developed by CompuServe. During the 1980s CompuServe offered what was called MicroNet to computer hobbyists to use on the consumer network. CompuServe sold starter kits, which basically allowed access to its time sharing machines during off peak hours. As part of the starter kit, $25 of free time was included. Users were able to access MicroNet as if it were the internet and were provided with email. Users had access to major subscribers too; such as newspapers, movie reviews, magazines and much more. The most interesting part was its real time forums, or chat rooms, where users can communicate directly with each other. CompuServe and its MicroNet were very similar to our common day ISPs and the internet and can almost be labeled as an ISP; it’s just that CompuServe didn’t actually provide service to the internet.

What Does ISP Stand for?

ISP – is an acronym for Internet Service Provider.

How Does it Work?

Below is an image of the ISP provides its services through WAN.

What is it?

An ISP is an internet service provider grants internet access for its customers through either broadband or dialup connections.

provide

What is broadband and dialup? Which One is Better for Me?

 Connection speeds can be divided up into two general categories dial up and broadband.

Dialup is a method of internet access through phone lines. This connection is slower than broadband, but usually cheaper. Dialup costs anywhere from nothing to a few dollars a month for either limited, or the more likely, an unlimited time to access email and the internet. However, most dialup internet providers post commercial ads on the users’ computer while in use. This is done to provide keep prices low, and provide cheaper internet access for the public. Recently, dialup has minimized the amount of ads that appear while in use to compete with broadband speeds. Dialup uses phones lines to carry data. It uses a modem to convert information to analog; this is to allow primitive phone lines to be able to carry high speed data.

• A popular American dialup ISP is NetZero. NetZero provides a variety of connection combinations for the user to choose from. Visit the NetZero website for more information.
  
• Another popular American dialup ISP is America On Line or AOL. AOL used to be a popular dialup access ISP, but after the merge between AOL and Time Warner Cable, AOL became available though both dialup and broadband. To learn more about the AOL ISP, click here.

Below is an image of the modems that is built into our computers and laptops and provides access to the internet though the method of diapup.

Broadband is the method of internet access that uses a wide band of frequencies to carry information. This type of internet provider is faster and more reliable dialup internet access, but is more costly. Broadband can cost anywhere from double to triple the cost of dialup. There are different types of broadband services; DSL, cable, wireless and satellite. The speeds of these different services vary with location and type. A benefit to using broadband over dialup is its speed. Its speed can provide users with faster downloads, uploads, streaming, and better gaming experiences. Unlike dialup, however, broadband doesn’t give much flexibility with the customers’ usage. It usually charges one monthly fee for unlimited hours of internet service.

• DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line. This technology allows telephone networks to use telephone lines to carry digital signals directly without converting to analog signals first. A popular DSL ISP is Verizon, which is also a popular telephone service provider; what a coincidence. Visit the Verizon website for more information on its rates and coverages.

• Cable is a method which uses hybrid fiber-coaxial networks to transmit data. These cable lines were originally designed to carry television images at very high speeds, and therefore are able to carry internet information at very high speeds as well. There are many different cable ISPs to choose from, however, the cable connection is established through your local cable company. Ratings on popular cable companies are listed here.

• Wireless is a fairly new phenomenon. Wireless broadband follows an IEEE 802.11 standard. The most commonly employed specification of this is 802.11b, or more commonly known as Wi Fi. Wireless access is limited to the wireless range. The user can connect to a base station within a certain distance and access the internet. Wireless is more so a method of accessing the internet rather than an ISP, though it does follow though with its name.

• Satellite ISPs use a satellite and base station, satellite dish, to send and receive signals. Satellite ISPs provides faster and more reliable internet service than cable or DSL, however, its speed varies frequently, unlike cable or DSL which remain relatively stable. Satellite ISPs are more popular in rural and regional areas, especially where telephone and cables lines are limited. A list of satellite ISPS can be found here.

Broadband companies use servers to provide internet service. Each slot gives a different IP.

Depending on your location, connection preference, internet usage, and personal needs, you should be able to determine which source of internet access is best for you. For me, I’d choose cable access for two main reasons, first, because I’m a frequent internet user and second, because I live in an area where cable lines are readily available for my use. You can decide which one is best for you. Good Luck and farewell, you're now ready to choose your ISP.

This site is created by:

Elysse Chao
Stony Brook University
CSE301 History of Computing
Spring 2005