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The Very Basics of Networking

Remember when planning for the Internet you need several things:

-you need a "pipe" or phone line from your building to the person who will feed you the Internet: your ISP (Internet Service Provider). The size of the pipe depends on how much information you will need. This can be determined by looking the number of computers you will have connected to the Internet. A building with 5 computers will need a smaller pipe than a building with 50 computers. The vendors will suggest a pipe size.

These pipes come in various sizes:

  • POTS line - stands for Plain Old Telephone Service, a regular phone line; you can probably run 5 computers, slowly, but it will work.
  • ISDN - is a digital phone line, comes with 2 phone numbers, you can probably run about 10 computers with this. It is a technology that is on its way out. It can be expensive because there is a per minute charge.
  • 56K line - this is a dedicated line; you can probably run 15 or so computers; to be honest, I don't understand these types of lines
  • DSL - Digital Subscriber Line, not available in all areas. But if it is, go for it. You can probably run about 50 computers with it. Installation is not complicated and it is CHEAP, about $40 per month.
  • T1 - Expensive but a big pipe. Allows for expansion. If DSL isn't in your area, you many have to go to a T1. You can run 100's of computers with this one.
  • Cable - provided through Time Warner Cable or Cablevision. The pipe is scalable and cost effective.

-an ISP (Internet Service Provider) - someone to "push" the content down the pipe to you. ISP's will charge based on the size of the pipe and the maximum amount of content you will need at any given time.

-wiring - If you want the Internet to run on a group of machines a cable is pulled from a central point in your building to each place there will be a computer.

-If you set up an internal network, you had best have someone to do the set up and maintain it as you move forward.

-If you are setting up an internal network you will also need network hardware: file server, hubs, routers, switches, etc.