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100BaseT - Another term for fast Ethernet, an upgraded standard for connecting computers into a local area network (LAN). 100BaseT Ethernet works just like regular Ethernet except that it can transfer data at a peak rate of 100 mbps. It's also more expensive and less common than its slower 10BaseT sibling.10BaseT - 10BaseT The most common form of Ethernet is called 10BaseT, which denotes a peak transmission speed of 10 mbps using copper twisted-pair cable. Ethernet is a standard for connecting computers into a local area network (LAN).
24x7 Technical Support - Technical support that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Be certain that an ISP claiming 24x7 Technical Support means that a technician is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. ISPs can make the 24x7 claim while providing only a fax-back service or complicated voice menu system after hours. 24x7 technical support also is no guarantee that a user won't be put on hold for great lengths of time just to reach a support technician.
28.8 Modem - A modem that connects at a maximum throughput of 28.8Kbps. 28.8 modem speeds are considered barely adequate in the increasingly graphics-laden Internet.
33.6 Modem - A modem that connects at a maximum throughput of of 33.6Kbps. 33.6 modem speeds are considered barely adequate in the increasingly graphics-laden internet.
3D API - This generic term refers to any API that supports the creation of standard 3D objects, lights, cameras, perspectives, and so on. Such APIs include Argonaut's BRender and Microsoft's Reality Lab.
3D sound - When we hear things in the physical world, our ears pick up a variety of audible clues that tell us such things as ''''a truck is approaching me rapidly, from behind and to the left, and it''s remarkably near.'' Until recently, however, most computer-generated sound was merely stereophonic--sounds could appear from the left or right, but they had no real depth.The latest 3D sound techniques, including A3D from Aureal and Creative Labs'' Environmental Audio, use techniques to trick our ears into positing sounds in three dimensions. Many 3D audio techniques require a specially designed sound card to work.
5.1 - Digital surround sound is recorded on six separate tracks: front left, front right, front center, rear left, and rear right, with an extra track reserved for very low bass. Although analog surround sound (Dolby Pro Logic) also often uses six speakers, the analog format simply splits a traditional stereo signal into front and rear components.
56.6 V.90 Modem - A modem that, despite its name, connects at a maximum of 53Kbps. V.90 refers to the standard used to communicate over voice phone lines. Two modems that use the same standard should, theoretically, be able to communicate without problems. The 53Kbps transfer rate is for downloads only; upload data travels at 33.6Kbps.
56K KFlex Modem - A modem that, despite its name, connects at a maximum of 53Kbps. KFlex refers to one of two competing standards (the other being X2) for 56K modems that has been made obsolete by the V.90 standard. The 53Kbps transfer rate is for downloads only; upload data travels at 33.6Kbps.
56K Leased Line - A telephone line that provides a dedicated data connection at 56Kbps.
56K X2 Modem - A modem that, despite its name, connects at a maximum of 53Kbps. X2 refers to one of two competing standards (the other being KFlex) for 56K modems that has been made obsolete by the V.90 standard. The 53Kbps transfer rate is for downloads only; upload data travels at 33.6Kbps.
64K Leased Line - A telephone line that provides a dedicated data connection at 56Kbps.
64QAM - This digital frequency modulation technique is primarily used for sending data downstream over a coaxial cable network. 64QAM is very efficient, supporting up to 28-mbps peak transfer rates over a single 6-MHz channel. But 64QAM's susceptibility to interfering signals makes it ill suited to noisy upstream transmissions (from the cable subscriber to the Internet).
AA - A modem indicator light that tells you the modem is ready to pick up the phone, so long as there''s a communication program running and prepared to handle the call. The light is often not shining even when the modem is prepared to take a call, so it''s not a useful light.
AC-3 (Dolby Digital) - This digital surround-sound format for home audio is called Dolby Digital in theaters. It is a 5.1 format, with six separate audio tracks. AC-3 has been chosen as the official sound format for digital TV, and is already encoded on many DVDs and Laserdiscs
ACK - When a modem receives a data packet, it sends a signal back to the sending modem. If all the data is present and correct, it sends an ACK (acknowledgement) signal, which acts as a request for the next data packet. If the modem didn''t get all the data, it sends back a negative acknowledgement, or NAK.
ACPI - This power management standard, proposed by Microsoft, Intel, and Toshiba, lets the PC control power to peripherals like CD-ROMs and printers, as well as consumer devices hooked up to the PC. Peripherals can also use ACPI to turn on the PC. For example: you could insert a CD-ROM into a drive, and the computer would automatically boot up.
Active Channels - An Active Channel is what Microsoft calls a Web site that has been enabled for push delivery to Internet Explorer 4.0 browsers. To create a channel, developers write and upload a CDF (channel definition format) file to their Web site; new content is delivered to users automatically when the site is updated. Developers and subscribers can control the update frequency; which channels, subchannels, and items (sections) are subscribed to; and other channel characteristics. Most Active Channels use dynamic HTML (DHTML) and other effects to spice up content and make it more interactive.
active matrix - Flat-panel displays for laptop computers are created by laying diodes over a superfine grid of wires. The diodes are activated by applying current to various points around the grid. Connect enough of these dots and you get an image. Active-matrix displays use transistors to keep their diodes in an on or off state, unlike their passive-matrix cousins, which rely on the diodes' persistence. As a result, active-matrix displays are brighter and produce better color than passive-matrix displays. However, the additional technology required to build active displays also makes them far more expensive.
Active Server Page Support - Support for Microsoft's Active Server Pages, a scheme for dynamically generating content when users view a page.
ActiveX - This set of technologies from Microsoft provides tools for linking desktop applications to the World Wide Web. Using a variety of programming tools--including Java, Visual Basic, and C++--developers can create interactive Web content. For instance, ActiveX technology can allow users to view Word and Excel documents directly in a browser.
ADO - A Microsoft technology that provides a unified way to access different data sources with a single data model. By providing a single data model, ADO lets you access data in the same way whether it exists in a database, a spreadsheet, and even text files.
ADPCM - This method of encoding sound data files takes up less storage space than the regular PCM format used by WAV and AIFF files--and CD audio for that matter. ADPCM comes in more than one flavor: IMA's ADPCM, for example, is used on the Sony Mini Disc to cram more data onto a smaller platter; Microsoft ADPCM is used as part of Windows 95's canon of audio codecs.
ADSL - Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. ADSL transmits an asymmetric data stream with more speed for downloading data and less speed for uploading data. Oriented towards residential and home office users who generally download bigger files than they send. Commonly used for email, file transmission, browsing, and online purchasing.
ADSL - Like ISDN, ADSL uses standard phone lines to deliver high-speed data communications. But while ISDN's transmission speed is limited to 64 kbps, ADSL technology can deliver upstream (from the user) speeds of 640 kbps and downstream (to the user) speeds of more than 6 mbps. Even better, ADSL uses the portion of a phone line's bandwidth not utilized by voice, allowing for simultaneous voice and data transmission.
Adult Content Storage/Distribution - Indicates that users are allowed to store and distribute adult content.
Adult Content Viewable - This indicates that the ISP does not block content meant only for adults. Few ISP actively block this kind of content, but some provide relatively ineffective filtering software that users may need to install themselves on their local computer.
AGP - A dedicated graphics bus slot on PC motherboards. Designed by Intel, AGP operates at 66 MHz and transfers data at a rate up to 528 MB/sec. By comparison, the PCI slot that most graphics cards currently use runs at 33 MHz and has a maximum transfer rate of 132 MB/sec.
AGP's greater bandwidth will allow game and 3D application developers to store and retrieve larger, more realistic textures in system memory rather than video memory, without incurring a dramatic performance hit.
AIFF - This audio file format was developed by Apple Computer for storing high-quality sampled audio and musical instrument information. It is also used by Silicon Graphics and in several professional audio packages. Played by a variety of downloadable software on both the PC and the Mac.
Alias Email Address - An email address that acts as an alias, or nickname, of another email address. For example, if username@domain.com were an alias for yourcompany@domain.com, any email sent to username@domain.com would end up in the mailbox of yourcompany@domain.com.
alpha blending - In computer graphics, each pixel has three channels of color information--red, green, and blue--and sometimes a fourth called the alpha channel. This channel controls the way in which other graphics information is displayed, such as levels of transparency or opacity. Alpha blending is the name for this type of control, and it's used to simulate effects such as placing a piece of glass in front of an object so that the object is completely visible behind the glass, unviewable, or something in between.
amplitude - Like any wave, analog signals contain peaks and valleys. By measuring the difference between the peaks and the valleys and then dividing by a factor of two, we get the amplitude--or strength--of the wave. The larger the amplitude, the stronger the wave.
AMPS - Analog cellular radio standard and the foundation of the cellular industry in the United States.
Analog - The traditional method of modulating radio signals so that they can carry information. Amplitude modulation (AM) and frequency modulation (FM) are the two most common methods of analog modulation. Today, most U.S. cellular systems carry phone conversations using analog; the transition to digital transmissions is happening slowly.
analog controls - Analog controls are dials, knobs, and similar mechanisms that you find on monitors and other devices. They have a potentially infinite number of settings that cannot be stored in a profile and recalled--which means that a monitor's analog controls require readjustment whenever you change the video mode (resolution or refresh rate).
anchor - Anchors are the same as hyperlinks--the underlined words or phrases you click on in World Wide Web documents to jump to another screen or page. The word anchor is used less often than hyperlink, but it does maintain the seafaring theme of navigating and surfing the Net.
anonymous FTP - Part of the Internet's appeal is the huge number of files available for download. Anonymous File Transfer Protocol (FTP) enables anyone to download files from a properly configured FTP server. This allows users without accounts to access files by entering the username anonymous, along with their email address as a password. Because anyone can access files that have been set up for anonymous FTP, Webmasters need to be careful to use it only for files meant for public consumption.
Anonymous FTP Download - Indicates that the ISP provides space on a server that allows people to download files without needing unique usernames and passwords.
Anonymous FTP Upload - Indicates that the ISP allows people to upload files to a server without requiring them to log in using a unique username or password.
anonymous remailer - An anonymous remailer is a computer that strips away identifying information (such as your email address) before passing your message on to an email address or a newsgroup. When you send mail using a remailer, the From: field of your message becomes a made-up address like 12xyx@remailer.com.
There are actually two kinds of services called anonymous remailers. The first is truly anonymous: no one anywhere knows your identity. With the second, called pseudo-anonymous or sometimes pseudonymous, the owner of the service knows your identity and can be forced in a court of law to reveal it. Most truly anonymous services are free (it's difficult to bill an unknown, unnamed client), but they often require some skill and effort to use. Many pseudo-anonymous services charge a fee, but are more user-friendly.
Basic Traffic Reports - The most basic of reporting tools. Basic traffic reports usually just list the number of "hits" (HTTP connections) on a Web server.
Cable Modem - A device that converts the data on cable wiring into networking data that a computer can understand. A cable modem typically uses the bandwidth provided by an unused television channel. Speed varies depending on how many subscribers are signed up in a particular area. The maximum is about 30Mbps, but more typical speeds are less than those of a 10Mbps Ethernet LAN.
Cancellation Fee - The fee charged to users who cancel a service after the free trial period and before fulfilling a longer-term contract.
CGI Support - Support for the use of Common Gateway Interface. CGI is the standard for integrating applications with Web pages, and is used for scripts and database applications.
Client Operating System - The operating system used directly by users. An ISP should not only support the client operating system but also provide software to automate the client ISP software installation.
Co Location - Refers to an ISP that provides infrastructure, such as data center, as well as a connection to the Internet. In most cases you're hardware will physically reside with the ISP. Check to ensure you have complete backup provisions and physical access to your servers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Expect the cost to include not only location costs but charges for the amount of data transferred from the server to the Internet.
COM/DCOM Support - Support for Microsoft's Component Object Model and Distributed Component Object Model, a superset of what used to be called Object Linking and Embedding (OLE). Support for COM/DCOM would allow developers to more easily integrate Web pages with common Windows applications, such as Excel or Microsoft's SQL Server database.
Connection Type - The means by which a connection is made to the Internet. Most connections can be classified as either slow or high speed. A slow connection type generally means dial-up (56.6K V.90 modem for example). DSL and Cable are two of the leading high-speed Internet connection types. Both offer speeds in excess of 1Mbps.
Coverage Area - A measure of the area over which an ISP can provide a local phone number or connection. For example, an ISP with local phone numbers around the nation would have a nationwide coverage area.
Data Transfer Limit (from Web space) - The maximum amount of data the ISP will allow transferred from dedicated Web space to the internet. This data is usually is measured in megabytes per month.
Dedicated Server - A server located at the service provider that is for exclusive use by your company.
Dial-Up - A Dial-Up connection uses a modem through the phone network to connect to the Internet. The phone network is sometimes called POTS, for plain old telephone service. Typical dial-up connection speeds are 28.8K, 33.6K and 56.6Kbps. The current generally accepted base dial-up speed is 56.6Kbps.
Domain Forwarding - A service that forwards requests from one domain to another. For example, www.yourcompany.com could be forwarded to a personal Web site on www.yourprovider.com.
Domain Hosting - A service providing a place for users to go when they try to type in your domain name. For example, typing www.yourcompany.com would take users to the ISP hosting your domain name.
Domain Registration - This company provides a service which will registering a domain name. A domain name is your permanent street address on the Internet. It's a unique name used to identify, among other things, a specific Web site.
DOS Client Support - The ability to support clients running DOS. The ISP should not only support the operating system but also provide software to automate the client ISP software installation.
Download Speed - This is the maximum possible data transfer rate from the ISP down to your computer. On many xDSL services this will be faster than the upload speed. For the home/casual user this works well since they typically download more data than they upload.
DS-3 - Digital Service, level 3. DS-3 is the more common name internationally for what is known as a T3 in the United States.
DSL - Digital Subscriber Line. A network access technology that delivers always on, high-speed Internet access. DSL is designed to take advantage of that portion of the bandwidth which is not used by voice. There are many different types of DSL. The most common are ADSL, SDSL and IDSL.
E-Commerce - Electronic Commerce is the buying and selling of goods and services over the Internet. E-Commerce continues to grow exponentially as an increasing number of consumers gain access to the Internet and security measures improve. There are three main types of E-Commerce transactions: business to business, business to consumer, and consumer to consumer.
Email Address - An Internet address that comprises a user name and a host, separated by an @ (at) sign. For example, username@domain.com.
Email Forwarding - A service by which email sent to one address, such as sales@company.com, is sent instead to another, such as Joe.Smith@company.com.
Email Server Type - The protocol used by the email server when distributing email to users.
Email/Collaboration - Services that include email, email lists and related technologies.
Fractional T1 - A T1 line (1.544Mbps) divided in increments of 64Kbps.
Fractional T3 - A T3 line (44.736Mbps) divided in increments of typically 3Mbps.
Frame Relay - A dedicated line for packet-switched data (i.e., network traffic). The name refers to a standard by which packet data is sent as frames that are relayed to their destination without any kind of conversion.
Free Software - Software, such as browsers and Web page authoring programs, that the ISP provides free of charge when users sign up. Most of this software is free anyway, but a CD from an ISP can save hours of download time.
Free Technical Support - Technical support that is available free of charge. Most free support is limited to the service being provided. Don't expect an ISP to trouble-shoot the operating system just because you're a customer of their ISP services.
Free Trial Period - The period of time during which a new user is not charged for the Internet service. The length of this period varies by service. Some ISPs provide a certain number of free hours, while others let users/companies try them for a given number of days, regardless of the amount of time used.
FrontPage Server Extension Support - Support for a protocol that makes it easier to upload Web pages from Microsoft's FrontPage, a Web page authoring software application.
High-Speed - Connection speeds greater than dial-up services. High-Speed connections range from 64Kbps single channel ISDN to 44MB-plus T3 connections. The most common High-Speed services are ISDN, xDSL, Cable, Frame Relay, T1 and T3.
IDSL - IDSL is for locations that exceed the length requirements for ADSL or SDSL (more than about 3 miles from your phone company's central office). IDSL uses ISDN transmission coding, bundling together both ISDN channels and voice all on one circuit. IDSL is more expensive than DSL because you don't pay for bandwidth but for the equipment and installation which is not as widely used.
IMAP - Internet Messaging Access Protocol. The latest version of IMAP, IMAP4, provides for more sophisticated handling of email, such as the management of server-based folders.
Internet Connection Redundancy - Two or more connections to different network providers. Internet connection redundancy ensures connection to the Internet in the event of one connection going down. Two or more connections are also important for network performance, because routers can use network information to choose the fastest route to a given destination.
Internet Service Provider - Also known as Internet Access Providers, Internet Service Providers are companies that provide consumers and businesses with access to the Internet. Internet Service/Access Providers purchase bandwidth from other companies that have direct links to the Internet. The Internet Service/Access Providers in turn sell that bandwidth to consumers and businesses in smaller chunks. For example, an ISP may take the bandwidth of a 45Mbps T3 connection to the Internet and sell it to thousands of 56Kbps dial-up modem users.
IP Address Type (static or dynamic) - This describes how an ISP assigns Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to its users. An IP address is a series of numbers that work like a telephone number. Using these numbers, another computer can find your IP address on the Internet. A static IP address is always the same and is useful for users who want to provide a service on the Internet, such as a Web server or FTP server. A dynamic IP address is one that is assigned to the user each time they log in and is usually different every time.
ISDN (single/dual) - Integrated Service Digital Network. ISDN was designed for digital data and voice transmission. ISDN can have two 64Kbps channels--one for voice and one for data. The two channels can be combined to provide up to 128Mbps.
Java Script Support - Support for JavaScript. All ISPs support Java Script, because the code is usually implemented in the Web page itself. Whether the script runs or not depends on the browser, not the Web site or ISP.
Java Server Page Extension Support - Support for a protocol that makes it easier to upload content to a Web server.
Linux Client Support - The ability to support clients running Linux in any of its many distributions. Note that the ability to support Linux nay not mean that there is explicit technical support available.
Linux Server Support - This service is using Linux as the server operating system.
Load Balancing - Combining software and/or hardware to spread network traffic among two or more systems. As ISP's ability to load balance is absolutely necessary for large sites servicing heavy demand.
Local Chat Server - A server run by the ISP for hosting real-time chat sessions among users, either one-to-one or in groups. The most common chat protocol is Internet Relay Chat (IRC).
Local Kali Game Server - The ISP runs a server that enables multiple users to play Kali together.
Local ListServer - ListServer is the most commonly used software for hosting email discussion groups, but it is not the only one. Users send and receive messages sent to the ListServer, which in turn distributes the messages to all list members.
Local Quake Game Server - A server run by the ISP that enables multiple users to play Quake together.
Mac OS Client Support - The ability to support clients running the Macintosh operating system. The ISP should not only support the operating system but also provide software to automate the client ISP software installation.
Mac OS Server Support - This service is using Mac OS X or Apple's previous Unix as the server operating system.
Maximum Email Box Size - The maximum amount of space taken up by all of the email messages stored on the server. When the maximum is reached, new email messages will be returned to the sender as undeliverable.
Maximum Email Message Size - The maximum size any one email message can be. A maximun email size threshold is usually set to discourage users from sending very large attachments.
Modem - A device that translates the analog signals that travel over voice phone lines to the digital information understood by computers. The term "modem" derives from modulate/demodulate, which is descriptive of the conversion process.
Monthly Fee - The cost, per month, for Internet service. This cost is separate from setup fees and technical support charges.
Monthly Fee Help - Pricing out an Internet service can be tricky. However, as a general rule, the greater the bandwidth, the greater the cost of the service. Here are some guidelines on how services are usually priced: Dial-up services--be they 28.8kbps, 33.6kbps or 56.6kbps--are all the same price. Look for 95 percent of these services to be priced between free and $20 per month. ISDN (up to 128kbps) comes in two flavors: single channel and dual channel. Single channel (64kbps) service generally costs between $20 and $35 dollars per month. Dual channel is twice as fast as single channel but costs only $10 more per month. Although they are hardly speed demons, 56K and 64K leased lines are more expensive than dial-up and ISDN--prices start at more than $50 per month. Of all the access services, DSL is the most difficult to price.DSL comes in a variety of speeds (less than 100kbps to more than 7mbps) and can be configured with different download and upload speeds. ADSL, which features a slower upload speed than download speed, is significantly less expensive than SDSL, which has identical download and upload speeds. ADSL, which offers download speeds in excess of 128kbps, is priced starting at less than $50. SDSL prices start at less than $100 for low-end services and can rise to several hundred dollars as speeds exceed 1mbps. If you are lucky enough to reside in an area with cable Internet access, the service will run between $40 and $60 per month. However, many cable providers will not service businesses, only home users. Dedicated business services such as frame relay, T1, T3, and their fractional cousins are extremely difficult to price.
Multi Link - A technology by which two or more independent network connections can be treated as one connection. Most leased line connections use multilink--making several 64Kbps lines look like one very fast line, for example. If you intend to use multilink, look for ISPs that offer the service at no additional cost.
Multi Session - The ability to have two or more connections to the ISP. This is often required to successfully use multilink with a modem or ISDN line.
National Service - The national service designation Indicates that an ISP provides phone connections--called Points of Presence (POPs)--throughout the country.
NT Advanced Server Support - This service is using Windows NT Advanced Server as the server operating system.
OC-12 - Optical Carrier, level 12. OC-12 provides 622.08 Mbps.
OC-3 - Optical Carrier, level 3. OC-3 is the equivalent of three DS-3, or T3, lines or 155.52 Mbps.
OS/2 Server Support - This service is using OS/2 as the server operating system.
Page Request Reports - A report on how many actual pages where read--not just the number of hits. Each element on the page, such as graphics and banner advertisements, registers a separate "hit." Page requests, therefore, are a more accurate representation of activity on the Web site than basic traffic reports and unique user reports.
PERL Support - Support for the use of scripts written in Perl, a popular scripting language on Unix.
POP3 - Post Office Protocol, Version 3. POP3 is the most common protocol used on the Internet and provides for relatively simple actions. For example, POP3 gives users the choice of receiving email and either leaving it on the server or deleting it from the server.
Proxy Server - A server that handles Internet connections on behalf of a group of users. Proxy servers are often used to increase performance. For example, if one user retrieves a page that the proxy server has not retrieved recently, it gets the page from the original Web server. However, when a second person asks for the same page, the proxy server can send that person a local copy of the page, which is often much faster. Proxy servers are also sometimes used to protect privacy by hiding the identities of its users from other servers on the Internet.
Remote Email Access - The ability for a user to access email when he or she is not connected directly to the ISP where it is stored. Remote email access, such as through the Web, is very important for frequent travelers and those who use many different computers.
SDSL - Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line. SDSL offers the same uploading and downloading speeds. Typically oriented towards businesses that support multiple simultaneous users, or who send and receive large files.
Secure FTP Download - Indicates that the ISP allows people to download files from a server, but only if they have an account on the server. The file downloads are also usually protected with an encryption scheme to protect against interception while in transit over the Internet.
Secure FTP Upload - Indicates that the ISP allows people to upload files to a server using a unique username and password. The uploads may also be protected with an encryption scheme to protect them from being intercepted while in transit over the Internet.
Server Operating System - The operating system running on the ISP's servers. The server operating system does not usually affect the user or company contracting with the ISP, unless the user or company will be running applications on the ISP server. In such a case, there must be compatibility between the server operating system and the application.
Server Reporting Tools - Reporting tools provided by the ISP that allow customers to better assess the visitors of a Web site. Typical measurements include unique users, page requests and amount of time a user spent on the site.
Setup Fee - The fee an ISP charges to sign up a customer. The Setup Fee may include an installation program or, in the case of xDSL and cable, necessary modems. The Setup Fee also might include a service call by a technician to install hardware equipment such as a modem or network adapter.
Setup Fee Help - Some Internet Service Providers offer a low service fee, only to charge more in setup fees. Setup fees are part of just about every access service that's faster than dial-up. Just don't get blindsided with fees well beyond the norm. If your business is located in a competitive market, with many Internet access choices, look for setup fees that are well below $100. If competition is scarce look for setup fees possibly running in excess of $100. When it comes to dedicated services such as Frame Relay, T1 and T3, do not eliminate a provider just because it has a setup fee. Rather, make sure you get something in return for such a fee (enhanced technical support, for example).
SMDS - Switched Multimegabit Data Service. SMDS is Intended primarily for metropolitan area networks and for LAN-to-LAN connections. SMDS provides for up to DS-3, or T3, levels of traffic.
T1 - A 1.544Mbps telephone line that is made up of 24 64Kbps lines. The name comes from the telecommunications committee that designed it.
T3 - A 44.736Mbps telephone line made up of 28 T1 lines.
Technical Support - A range of services designed to help users/companies with technical problems, from something as simple as a Frequently Asked Questions list on a Web site to a technician who comes to a home or business to fix problems.
Telnet Access - Indicates that an ISP allows its users to access their account using the Telnet protocol. Telnet is a terminal protocol, originally designed for green-screen, dumb terminals.
Time-Spent-On-Site Reports - A report showing how long, on average, each user spent on a site. Unless users are asked to explicitly log in and log off, time-spent-on-site reports are an estimate based on the first and last "hits" from a given address.
Toll-Free Technical Support - Technical support that is available using a toll-free number, such as 800 or 888 numbers, or through a local call. Avoid any ISP that provides technical support only through a costly 900 service or one that is charged by the minute.
Unique User Reports - A report detailing the number of users--not just the number of hits--using "cookies" or by asking users to log in to a Web server.
Unix Client Support - The ability to support clients running Unix as a client operating system. The ISP should not only support the operating system but also provide software to automate the client ISP software installation.
Unix Server Support - The service is using Unix as the server operating system.
Unix Shell Account - Indicates that an ISP allows its users to log in to its Unix servers, as if they were sitting at the server, using the Telnet protocol. It is a powerful way to use a server, but it requires the user to understand how to use a Unix command line.
Unlimited Access - A condition by which there is no limit to the number of hours a user connects to the ISP. The current norm is unlimited access per month on any kind of ISP account, from dial-up to DSL or cable connections. However, most ISPs won't allow users to connect continuously 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Upload Speed - This is the maximum possible data transfer rate from your computer to the ISP. On many xDSL services this will be slower than the download speed. For the home/casual user this isn't usually a problem since more data is typically downloaded than uploaded.
Uptime Guarantee - A guarantee that Internet service will continue for a given amount of time or percentage of time. Typically, if the service is unavailable, some portion of the service fee is refunded.
USENET News Groups - USENET is a very large, but informal, collection of discussion groups. The content of USENET is distributed across the Internet and stored temporarily (for about one to four weeks) on an ISP's server. The distribution uses a store and forward mechanism similar to email. The ISP has to subscribe to a discussion group before its users can read and post messages to the group. However, there are a few publicly accessible USENET servers on the Internet. USENET discussion groups currently number about 50,000.
Virtual Private Network - A secure network which appears to be local but in fact uses the public network (Internet) to connect remote users to a private network. Users access the company network via the Internet and establish a secure connection (tunnel) between the remote system and the server. Allows companies to support large numbers of remote users without the maintaining a large dial-up center.
Web Hosting - A service in which the provider maintains the Web server hardware and software, enabling users to concentrate on just the content. Users store their content on the ISP's server. On the low end, it's the 5MB free web space that an ISP provides for sharing information across the Internet. On the high end, it's a large E-Commerce site hosted on the ISPs servers.
Web Storage Space - Hard disk space located on the ISP's server(s) that is at the user's disposal. With low-end Internet access packages the hard disk space available may just be a few megabytes. Users can buy additional storage space if needed.
Web Storage Space Help - Just about every Internet access service includes some amount of free Web space--usually between 5Mbytes and 20Mbytes. Additional Web space can easily be purchased from the company providing your Internet access or from one of the many companies specializing in Web hosting. Look for an ISP that provides plenty of free Web space, but always remember that additional space is cheap.
Windows 3.x Client Support - The ability to support clients running Microsoft Windows 3.0, 3.1, 3.11 and Windows for Workgroups operating systems. The ISP should not only support the operating system but provide software to automate the client ISP software installation.
Windows 9x Client Support - The ability to support clients running Windows 95 and Windows 98. The ISP should not only support the operating system but also provide software to automate the client ISP software installation.
Windows NTAS Client Support - The ability to support clients running Windows NT Advanced Server. The ISP should not only support the operating system but provide software to automate the client ISP software installation.
Windows NTW Client Support - The ability to support clients running Windows NT Workstation (Versions 3.5 or 4.0). The ISP should not only support the operating system but also provide software to automate the client ISP software installation.
Wireless Networking - Networking using various forms of radio or infrared signals. For example, mobile phones use a wireless network.
xDSL - The DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line. The 'x' stands for any number of variations on the technology. The most common in the United States is Asymmetric DSL, or ADSL. The Asymmetric designation means that the technology provides different upload and download speeds. A variant called HDSL, for High bit rate DSL, is already widely used to provide T1 lines. The DSL technology makes it possible to use the excess capacity in standard copper telephone lines to carry network traffic. The speed varies, depending on how far the user is from the nearest switching station. It can theoretically provide up to 8Mbps, but more typically provides something less than 2Mbps.
Yearly Fee - The cost, per year, for Internet service. This cost is separate from setup fees and technical support charges. Many companies offer discounts for users/companies willing to sign up for a year in advance.
