Thursday, November 18, 2010

What is Internet Bandwidth?

Internet bandwidth can be thought of as an electronic byway that connects the Internet to your computer. Increasing bandwidth (widening the lane) allows more traffic to flow, increasing speed. Having a little or a lot of Internet bandwidth available makes the difference between watching a graphic-intensive Web page load in phases over a period of several minutes, or having it pop into your window like a flash of lightening. The more bandwidth your connection has, the faster it will load and the more time you will save.
Internet bandwidth test meters are available online to test your connection speed. The hosting site will upload blocks of data recording the amount of time it takes to complete the transfers. Speed is a measurement of how much data can be transferred from the Internet to your computer per second. A graph will reveal the results, allowing you to see if your connection is performing as expected. Close unnecessary background processes and programs before you start, and take several bandwidth tests from several sites to establish an average, true speed.
Unfortunately we cannot “unthrottle” bandwidth at will. Internet service providers (ISPs) allot computer connections so much bandwidth based on the price of the package purchased. To get more speed, you have to upgrade to a package with a greater allowance of bandwidth. In the case of dial-up, the slowest type of Internet service, the technology itself limits the connection speed to less than 56 kilobits per second (kbps). As a point of reference, one Megabyte is 8,192 kilobits so transferring one Megabyte of data over dial-up can take close to three minutes. This limitation eventually pushes most customers towards faster technologies.
There are several different types of high-speed Internet one can get depending on local availability. Options include Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) offered over conventional copper telephone wires, cable Internet via the neighborhood cable TV provider, and fiber optic services available over newer fiber optic wires that are replacing conventional copper lines in many regions. If you live in a rural area, dial-up or satellite Internet might be your only choices.
DSL serves up the most affordable Internet packages, several times faster than dial-up. DSL entry-packages can start as low as $13 - $15 US Dollars (USD) monthly for speeds up to 768 kilobits per second (kbps). A connection of this sort normally delivers one Megabyte of data in 12-15 seconds, a big improvement over dial-up’s three minutes. DSL also offers much faster packages that compete with cable.
Entry-level cable packages typically offer a heftier allotment of Internet bandwidth, perhaps up to 3000 kbps (advertised as three megabits per second), delivering a Megabyte in about three seconds. Subscription prices vary, generally starting at $30 - $40 USD monthly. Packages increase in speed and price from there, though many cable providers offer only a single package. The faster the package, the higher the price tends to be within the normal range of the cable market.
Fiber optic Internet services start as high as 10 or 20 mbps, with top-tier packages offering 50 mbps of Internet bandwidth. That’s a transfer rate (speed) of roughly a Megabyte per second, two Megabytes per second, and five Megabytes per second, respectively. The fastest possible Internet packages currently offered cost an excess of $100 USD monthly.
Cable and fiber optic services will often bundle TV and digital phone with Internet access for one monthly bill. Bundles are optional and can be customized to exclude a service that isn't required. For those who would like DSL but do not have landline service, some telephone companies now offer “naked DSL” or DSL without telephone service for customers who use their cell phones instead of landlines.

What Are the Different Types of Internet Advertising?

For some companies and individual professionals, the Internet is used for the bulk or all of their advertising. In many cases, people choose Internet advertising because there are opportunities to reach a large number of viewers, in a variety of ways, for free or for very reasonable rates. Internet advertising options include pay-per-click advertising and business directory listings.
Many print advertising options require people to pay for a certain amount of space with no guarantee that anyone will pay attention. When placing an advertisement in a newspaper or on a billboard, for example, a company generally pays or agrees to pay a specified amount before their message is displayed. Pay-per-click Internet advertising does not usually work this way.

Pay-per-click advertising offers advertisers more guarantee that people are paying attention to their messages. With this option, advertisers are typically only charged when a person clicks on their advertisements. Otherwise, the advertisements can rest free on any number of web pages.
There are several types of pay-per-click advertisement styles. There are links that can be placed in the body of an article. There are text boxes that can be placed along the sides, tops and bottoms of web pages. There are also embedded links, which tend to eliminate the distractions from the content that some other options cause.
With an embedded link, a keyword is associated with an advertisement. For example, in a travel article, the word "hotel" may appear. That word may be highlighted, denoting a link. When clicked, it may show and advertisement for a particular hotel. Only at that time is the advertiser charged.
Some Internet advertising follows the traditional method where advertisers pay for exposing their messages. These generally work like newspapers and billboards. An advertiser is given so much space for a certain amount of money, which is usually paid monthly or annually. Some web pages may have rules that require advertisers to conform to certain standards. Others may accept any type of advertising as long as the space has been paid for.
Social networking sites offer a unique form of Internet advertising. Social networks sometimes allow people to build pages similar to miniature websites. On these pages, individual professionals or companies can promote and display their work and products. They can also create videos that serve as commercials. Other social networking sites can be used for Internet advertising because people can make announcements with links that draw viewers to another site that pertains to work or products.

What are Some Different Types of Internet Crimes?

Although the Internet has made life easier in many ways, it’s smart to be concerned about Internet crimes. Computer crime is becoming a growing problem for law enforcement officials around the world. Unfortunately, since Internet crimes typically involve people from many different geographic areas, catching and punishing the guilty parties is a difficult task.

One of the most common types of Internet crime is identity theft. This crime involves unscrupulous individuals who attempt to steal your personal information for financial gain. They may empty your bank account, run up unauthorized credit card charges, or open new accounts in your name and never pay the bills that result. Identity theft Internet crimes are often accomplished through phishing or spoofing, the practice of creating fake web sites or e-mail messages that trick the victim into divulging personal information. Certain computer viruses may also be used to harvest personal information for identity theft crimes.
Employment or business opportunity Internet scams that pray on the desires of financially desperate individuals are becoming increasingly popular as well. These Internet crimes may involve asking the victim to illegally reship merchandise to overseas locations, make fraudulent wire transfers, or advertise non-existent merchandise for sale on behalf of a third party. Generally, if you see an advertisement promising large monetary rewards for a minimal amount of effort, it’s smart to be cautious. It is possible to make money online, but legitimate business opportunities require a substantial investment of your time and skill.
Cyberstalking is a type of Internet crime that is of particular concern for teenagers and young adults. Social networking websites such as MySpace make it very easy for criminals to learn private details about a victim’s hobbies, interests, friends, family, and daily schedule. Cyberstalking Internet crimes may also lead to sexual assault if the perpetrator is able to convince the victim to appear for a personal meeting.
To prevent yourself from becoming victim of Internet crimes, it’s important to remain alert when using your computer. Never give out personal information such as your full name, birth date, address, or Social Security number unless you understand what the information will be used for. In addition, remember that people you meet online may not always be representing themselves truthfully. Be suspicious of claims that seem exaggerated or hard to verify.