Connecting to the Internet: Wide Area Network (WAN) Choices
If you host your own server, it will need to be connected to your ISP via a permanent, direct connection. There are a number of choices for such a WAN connection:
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ISDN, or Integrated Services Digital Network, is a mature technology available from the telephone company. There are several variations on ISDN but the most common variety moves data at 128 kilobits per second.
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T1 lines are a form of leased telephone line moving data at 1.544 megabits per second. A T1 line is a basic, reasonably high-speed mode of connecting across town or across a long distance.
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Cable modems are offered by some cable television systems. They move data at relatively high speeds – up to 10 megabits per second, which is much faster than ISDN. (Because you share the local loop between your premises and a neighborhood facility, you cannot assume all of the advertised raw bandwidth for yourself.) A relatively new technology, cable modems do not always offer the level of reliability of traditional telephone links, but service may become sufficiently solid as the technology matures.
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DSL, or Digital Subscriber Loop, is a relatively new technology for digital data transfer over traditional telephone lines. DSL can move data at about two megabits per second. DSL is only available in some localities and only subject to constraints having to do with the local telephone plant. DSL is expected to be a very popular connectivity option for small businesses and other small organizations. (Sometimes DSL is referred to as “ADSL.”)
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