A connection to the Internet is measured in the amount of data transferred per second. The link types described in the following table are typical types of service. The Internet services and providers in your area might differ slightly.
The following table lists the common connection types. Only true Internet connections are described. Some services (not listed) only provide Internet mail service or Internet news service.
Table 20.2 Common Internet Service Connection Types
Connection type | Bits per second (bps) | Approximate cost |
PPP dial-in | modem speed | $20-30 mo. |
SLIP dial-in | modem speed | $20-30 mo. |
Dedicated PPP/SLIP | modem speed | $200-300 mo. |
56K | 56 thousand bps | $150-300 mo. |
PPP ISDN | 128 thousand bps | $70-100 mo plus equipment |
T1 | 1.5 million bps | $1,500-2,000 mo. |
T3 | 45 million bps | $65,000-80,000 mo. |
If you just want to browse the servers on the Internet using a hypertext browser, you probably want to get a PPP dial-in account. These accounts can transfer data up to the speed of your modem and usually are metered or have time use restrictions. Costs range from about $20 to $40 per month.
To establish a light traffic FTP or World-Wide Web (WWW) server, you could probably use a dedicated PPP account. These accounts can transfer data up to the speed of your modem and are available 24 hours a day. Costs range from $20 to $300 per month. Speeds faster than modem speeds are possible using integrated services digital network (ISDN) lines.
A server with medium traffic might want a larger pipe to the Internet and have a T1 or some fraction of a T1 line installed.