connectivity library

 

Before you can get to 'computing' you've got to get connected. Learn about things like modem speed, broadband connections, T1 lines and satellite internet.

Featured Article:  Tech Talk: DSL Quiz

Consumers have a couple of options for high-speed Internet access. Digital subscriber lines (DSL) are one of them. Test your DSL knowledge in our quiz! See more »

5 Tips to Improve Your Wireless Connection

5 Tips to Improve Your Wireless Connection

Wireless connections are the norm, and there are easy ways to improve your connection. Learn how to improve your wireless connection in this article.

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How Broadband Over Powerlines Works

How Broadband Over Powerlines Works

Imagine plugging your computer into any electrical outlet in your home and having high-speed Internet access instantly. Power line broadband is offered in a few U.S. cities, but there are groups and government agencies fighting to block further development. What's the controversy about?

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How Cable Modems Work

How Cable Modems Work

Learn how a cable modem works and see how dozens of television channels plus any Web site out there can flow over a single coaxial cable into your home.

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How does a T1 line work?

How does a T1 line work?

What's so special about a T1 line? It means the phone company has brought a fiber optic line into your office that can carry data at a rate of 1.544 megabits per second!

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How does satellite Internet operate?

How does satellite Internet operate?

How do you access the Internet other than dial-up if you live too far from a phone company office for DSL and there is no cable TV on your street? Satellite Internet access may be worth considering.

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How DSL Works

How DSL Works

When you connect to the Internet, you might connect through a regular modem, a local-area network connection, a cable modem or a digital subscriber line (DSL) connection. DSL is a very high-speed connection that uses the same wires as a regular telephone line.

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How High-speed Dial-up Works

How High-speed Dial-up Works

Under the impression that dial-up modems are out of style? Actually, tons of folks still use dial-up Internet access. Find out how high-speed dial-up makes the most of the original connection method.

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How Interplanetary Internet Will Work

How Interplanetary Internet Will Work

How far will the Internet go? The next phase of the Internet will take us to far reaches of our solar system and lay the groundwork for a communications system for manned missions to Mars and planets beyond.

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How Modems Work

How Modems Work

Much of the world still uses a standard modem to connect to the Internet. In this article, we'll start with the original 300-baud modems and progress all the way through to the ADSL configurations.

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How Municipal WiFi Works

How Municipal WiFi Works

Learn about the amazing things that these networks can do and how they may provide free or cheap Internet access. We'll walk you through the technology behind "Municipal WiFi" and tell you why this term can be a misnomer.

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How VDSL Works

How VDSL Works

If you've been holding your breath for the next best thing in Internet connections, get ready to exhale. VDSL has five times the speed of regular broadband.

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How WiGig Works

How WiGig Works

Wireless networking sure is convenient, but it can be slow. An emerging standard known as WiGig may make a difference -- you can transfer 25 GB of data in less than a minute! Will WiGig outlast its competitors?

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How WiMAX Works

How WiMAX Works

WiMAX has hit technology news in a big way. This networking system can blanket a 30-mile radius with broadband access, compared to WiFi's 300-foot range.

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Tech Talk: DSL Quiz

Tech Talk: DSL Quiz

Consumers have a couple of options for high-speed Internet access. Digital subscriber lines (DSL) are one of them. Test your DSL knowledge in our quiz!

See more »
What are the most wired countries in the world and why?

What are the most wired countries in the world and why?

The United States isn't quite the world leader in Internet access that it once was. But how do you measure how wired a country is? Which ones are in the top 10?

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Which is better to use for a cable modem -- a USB connection or an Ethernet card?

Which is better to use for a cable modem -- a USB connection or an Ethernet card?

There are too many variables to make a generalization about whether Ethernet or USB is the better way to connect your home computer. Read this article to learn how to pick the right one for your system.

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Why the difference in speed with my cable modem?

Why the difference in speed with my cable modem?

It can be truly frustrating -- one minute you're zipping along just fine, the next, you can't get one page to load. What's causing the backup? Cable modems are part of a loop that begins at the cable company's central office, goes through a certain neighborhood or area, and comes back to the central office.

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