Connecting to the Internet

When talking about getting connected to and exploring the Internet, two terms used most often are dial-up and broadband.

With dial-up you use your phone line as a data line to get you connected to the Internet. You can't hook up to the Internet directly; you have to use an Internet Service Provider, or ISP. Now dial-up is the slowest method of sending data on the Internet, but it's also the least expensive.

Broadband, or a high speed connection, is accessible through several sources; cable Internet from your cable TV provider, DSL from the phone company, and some through satellite dish providers. The drawbacks to these methods are a higher monthly cost than dial-up.

No matter what method you use, access to the Internet will open a new world to you and your family where you will be able to explore, learn and communicate in a whole new way.