18 Nov Internet Considerations for Business, Personal and Public Networks
There are a number of Internet types and service options to consider for business, personal, and public networks. Determining which type and the most appropriate plan depends on a number of factors. Here we present a general guide to selecting the right Internet service option for business and personal internet use, and public networks.
Personal Internet use
Internet service to residences can be communication to a single computer, or a personal network. For personal Internet use, reliability and speed are the essential performance parameters. In addition, homeowners generally want the best service at the lowest price. As a personal user with today’s types of broadband connections, you have four options.
- High-speed cable offers fast speeds. However, at peak use times during the day, the available bandwidth is cut back. This results in issues with Internet speed.
- DSL is just as popular as cable, and is very accessible using existing phone lines. However, its performance depends on your proximity to the local phone company source, usually a Central Office (CO).
- Internet service from satellite operators can be more expensive and slower. In addition, service can be disrupted by interference in the sky.
- Fiber Optic Internet service is the last option. This is the fastest option available (operating at the speed of light). Luckily, its infrastructure in the field is growing, allowing fiber optic service to become more affordable. But it remains costly and is not yet available everywhere.
So, which type of service is best for your personal Internet use? Your location is a main determinant. For rural residences, a satellite connection may be the most practical. All you need is a dish, as it connects to a satellite thousands of miles beyond Earth. If you work out of a home office, speed and reliability may take precedent over cost for you. In addition, the growth of streaming video services at home are becoming more important. At present, cable is the most widely available and reliable type of service with fast speeds to use in the home. Internet communication via fiber optic technology is even better, if available in your location.
Other considerations include the specific service providers in your area and the plan options they provide, as well as the cost for each. Business.org provides a list of The Best Internet Service Providers of 2018.
Business Internet use
When it comes to business Internet service, be sure to shop around for the best provider. Our goal in this article is to make you an educated shopper. There are options for any business location. They can be expensive up front. But, over the long haul they will save you time and money, and eliminate many of the problems and headaches.
One typical requirement for businesses is upload speed. Service providers offer Internet service packages to address both speed and security needs. They can help a business achieve the most secure Internet connection to protect its confidential and sensitive information.
In order to figure out how much Internet speed you need for a business, you first need to identify the number of users. The greater the number, the more speed and bandwidth you will need. Highspeedinternet.com suggests the following guideline to determine the download speed you need:
3 Mbps per 10 Users (or 5 Mbps per 10 users if employees are on the Internet most or all of the time)
Again, businesses need a lot more upload speed than required for personal Internet use. The amount required will depend on the amount of data uploaded by the business. The following are some typical business Internet uses that require more upload speed:
- Collaboration
- Cloud storage
- Video conferencing
- File sharing
- Uploading design, graphic and photo files
For the best Internet service for businesses:
- identify your number of users
- calculate your upload requirements using the above recommendation
- communicate this to several providers in your area
In addition, to be sure your security needs are met, let the providers know how often employees are on the Internet during working hours, and the level of confidentiality needed to secure sensitive files.
For considerations in Industrial, Medical, Telecommunications, and Data business applications, read about engineered solutions for critical and high performance applications.
Internet for public networks
Techopedia defines a “Public Network” as:
“a type of network wherein anyone (the general public) has access and through it can connect to other networks or the Internet. This is in contrast to a private network, where restrictions and access rules are established in order to relegate access to a select few.”
Public networks have little or no restrictions, which make them more vulnerable to security breaches. Typical locations for public networks include coffee houses, restaurants, airports, and other public gathering places with WiFi Internet access.
Users of public networks do not have any choice in the type of Internet service employed, but they do need to understand the security risks and, if necessary, take steps to mitigate the risk of hacking or other breaches. For more information about the steps you can take, see How to Stay Safe on Public WiFi Networks and Why You Should Never, Ever Connect to Public WiFi.