Internet Connection Considerations

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Internet Connection Considerations

Start Getting Started

Your Own Domain Name

Your Internet Connection Costs

Testing the Internet Connection

Improving Your Internet Skills

Upgrading Your Internet Connection Considerations

Internet Hardware Connection Considerations

Your Local Area Network ( LAN ) Connection Considerations

Geographically Separated or Multi-National Corp Considerations

Getting Started

Use AOL or CompuServe or Prodigy or Netcom or xxx just to get started ( learning to crawl )
- Since these companies have everything bundled together...try them first...
- You probably have their software floating around somewhere...
Once you're connected and get accustomed to the internet
- you will be able to learn what they offer and what they don't offer...
- you will probably very quickly outgrow their "internet services"
You will need a "reasonable" computer + modem
- IBM 486-66Mhz machine or better ( Pentium 90Mhz might be more preferable )
- Microsoft Windows 3.11 or better ( Win95 might be more preferable )
- 14.4Kbaud modem will be barely tolerable ( 28.8K, 36.6k or ISDN is much better)
Buy some "internet" books or take classes to learn how to use the internet
Send some emails to your friends
Look at some web pages
Try to find stuff on the internet with the search engines

Your Own Domain Name

You should reserve your own "domain name" before someone else registers your first choice for your "internet domain name"
- Domain names are assigned on a first come-first served basis
- Your assigned domain namea are all over the world...
- Domain names are like your "company name" for conducting business
- IP addresses are REQUIRED to get onto the internet.
- Your IP address is provided to you by your ( ISP ) Internet Service Provider
- IP Addresses are like your "company street address" for conducting business
Which is better corporate image for your internet presence:
- your_name@YourCompany.com or your_name@aol.com
- www.YourCompany.com or www.members.aol.com/YourCompany
Selecting your own "unique" domain name
- If any of these programs finds your desired domain name, it's already taken...toooo late...try another permutation
- Use any of these programs to see if the domain name you want is used by someone else
  - whois Enter the domain name you'd like
  - nslookup
  - dig
Once you found an available domain name, you MUST register it with InterNIC
- Your domain name will costs $ 100 for the first two years, than $ 50/yr thereafter
- You will need an ISP with whom you need to work with to maintain your "domain name"
- We will be more than happy to work with you to maintain your connection

Your Internet Connection Costs

Do NOT get your "internet costs" confused
- Costs charged by the different internet service providers...what does it include
- Costs of installing, setup of your internet connection
- Costs of your monthly internet "dialup" connection
- Costs of "tech support" available to you
- Costs of your "internet software"
- Costs of your web page "storage space and accessability"
- Costs of your "web page creation"
- Costs of your "web page maintenance"
Carefully evaluate your requirements vs costs, performance and support
Connection Costs vary significantly from vendor to vendor ( ISPs )
- $ 10 - $20/month Dialup/Shell Accounts
  - Your typical "dialup" internet connection, eg AOL, CompuServe, Netcom etc
  - May or may not include disk space for web pages & FTP depending on whom you choose
  - Typically includes a modem dialup connection
  - Limited functions if you get a "pre-packaged stuff" from the famous online services
  - Lots of flexibility and functionality if you get the right shell accts
  - Typically does NOT include your own domain names
  - You pretty much need to know what you're doing and how to use it
- $ 45 - $75/month "Virtual Domains"
  - Usually includes having your own domain name
  - May or may not have a dialup connection ( ie they may not be in your city )
  - The $ 100 InterNIC registration fee may or may not be included
  - Typically, still no "useful" support for "your custom web pages"
  - Your internet server ( web host ) is shared with other companies which WILL affect your email & web page efficiency
  - Ideally suited for those whom have a knowledgeable system admin & web designers
- $ 300 - $1,000/month Internet Servers ( Web Hosting Service )
  - Your internet host typically sits on a T1 or T3 connections
  - May or may not be your own dedicated "internet server"
  - Might include some minimum web page creation support ? )
  - Might include your own dedicated internet server for you own use
  - Probably includes additional support for web page design, creation & maintenance, etc
  - Probably will get better service and tech support
- upwards of $ 250,000/month
- Additional twists to your "internet connection costs"
  - Additional charges based on number of hours of use
  - Additional charges vary based on "how much you use the network bandwidth"
  - Additional charges based on disk space utilization or adding extra space that is not needed
- Additional twists to email costs
  - The number of email accounts you need
  - Amount of email traffic
  - Size of your incoming/outgoing emails
- Additional twists to web page hard-costs
  - charges vary based on "number of web pages" vs no page counting
  - charges vary based on "number of hits" vs no number of hits counting

Testing the Internet Connection

Check to see if the other guy is properly registered
- whois Netscape.com
- nslookup Netscape.com
- dig Netscape.com
Check to see if you can find his "normal default machines"... could also be a different name
- ping Netscape.com Check for domain name
- ping ns.Netscape.com Check for a DNS setup
- ping www.Netscape.com Check for a Web Server
- ping ftp.Netscape.com Check for a FTP Server
- ping mail.Netscape.com Check for a Mail Server
- ping news.Netscape.com Check for a News Server
- ping gopher.Netscape.com Check for a Gopher Server
Testing the "Dialup" Connections
- For dialup accounts do you get connected on the first attempt everytime ?
- Does it stay connected until you hang up ?
Email latency
- Test the Email Servers & Clients
- When you send an email, how long does it take before the recepient receives it
- When someone sends you an email, how does it take before your receive it
- Can you send huge ( 1Mb or more ) binary files thru your ISP connection ?
- What is the maximum transfer rate at your modem speed ?
Check for automated email responders
- info@Netscape.com Send back to the requestor general info for proper contact address
- sales@Netscape.com typical sales dept
- support@Netscape.com typical tech support dept
- discuss@Netscape.com typical "discussion group" for everybody to talk with each other
Test that your Web pages are configured properly
Test your news list, reading, replying and posting latency
Test if you login into other machines via Telnet
Test if you perform FTP
- Try to download a 1Mb file...how long does it take...
- Try to upload a similar huge file...can you upload it...how long does it take..

Improving Your Internet Skills

A few learning the Email tips
- Use the different news reader programs to see which is more for your style
- Do you understand the concept of "spamming" using emails
- Sending email tips
  - Send emails to "groups of people"
  - Attach sound files, video clips, graphics files to your emails
  - Send "encrypted email" so nobody can read it except the intended recepient
  - Try to maintain your own "mailing list and discussion groups"
- Receiving email tips
  - Replying to the entire "mailing alias"
  - Decode and playback the attached sound files, video clips, graphics files, etc
  - "Decrypt" your encrypted incoming emails
A few learning the Newsgroups tips
- Use the different news reader programs to see which is more for your style
- Find your "business expertise" & hobbies in the various ( 15,000+ ) newsgroups
- Read and respond to the news articles
- Read "multi-part" news articles ( articles that are in multiple files )
- Post your own comments and isses in the newsgroups
- Do you understand the concept of "spamming" in newsgroups
- What are the "posting" policy for those newsgroups your interested in
A few learning the web tips
- Create your own web pages and than view it
- Add graphics, sound, video to your web pages
- Add colors to your web pages
- Format your web pages according to your preferences
- Can other people view it
- Find out where all your customers are coming from
- Use the various search engines to find the information you need
- Distribute your own company software
- Play with the various features of the browsers
- Netscape email, netscapes newsreaders, Netscape HTML editors, etc

Upgrading Your Internet Connection Considerations

Complete List of ISPs
You should be running at least Pentium-90Mhz w/28.8K modem.
- use different "internet software" ( pick and choose what works better )
- use different operating systems ( Win95 or WinNT or Linux )
- upgrade to faster hardware ( Pentium-120, P160, P200 )
- upgrade to faster connection ( ISDN or Fractional T1 or Full T1 )
What are the differences between these companies ?
- Internet Backbone: AlterNet, UUNet, BarrNet, PSINet, CerfNet, ANSNet, etc
- Phone companies: ATT, MCI, Sprint, LDDS, PacBell, etc
- Large Commercial Online Services: AOL, CompuServe, Microsoft, Prodigy, etc
- Large ISP: Best.com, Netcom.com, CRL.com, Aimnet.com, etc
Switch to a "better/faster/larger" ISP ( not the slow commercial online services )
Find the nearest ISP in your area: Complete list of ISPs
- What is the "quality" of the "internet services" do they provide ?
- What is the "connection speed' that you need ?
- Which "internet software" do they provide ?
- What is their "tech support policy" ?
- What is their refund policy ?
- What is their liability and terms & conditions ?
- What do they guarantee ?
- What can you NOT do on their service ?
- How well do they support your email requirements ?
- How well do they support your newsgroups requirements ?
- How well do they support your web page requirements ?
- What other services do they provide that you can use ?

Internet Hardware Connection Considerations

Your internet server needs to have a 24 hour dedicated connection to the internet
Your internet server == a "unix machine" + firewall + router + phone lines to ISP
When there is a internet connection/access problem
- How do you identify it it is a hardware problem ?
  - the internet server, router, gateway, firewall or client machines
- How do you identify if it is a software problem ?
  - Lots of different software running to keep the connection alive...
- How do you know if is a "phone connection/access problem" ?
  - the phone company, the ISP, your phone lines, etc
Where is your "firewall" that protects your computers from the internet hackers
Usually your firewall is part of your internet server or part of your fouter
Who installs, setup, test & maintains your firewall ?
Where is your "router" to the internet to connect your machines to the internet ?
Who install, setup, test & maintains your router ?
Who installs, setup, test & maintain your individual machines for connection to the internet ?
How do you prevent "employees from wasting company time" for their own internet research/play/fun ?

Your Local Area Network ( LAN ) Considerations

More than likely, everyone can have and should have their own email address
Which internet software packages do you need ?
How does everyone get connection to the Internet ?
- Is your "internet server" in your building ?
  - Is your local LAN connected to the internet server's ethernet card ?
- If your "internet server" at your ISP providers site
  - Do each invididual dial your "internet server" ?
- How many people on your LAN need access to the Internet ?
- Can or should each computer have access the internet ? Why ?
- Is your local LAN firewalled FROM the internet ?
If you already have a LAN, do you still need it or can you switch to a TCP/IP compatible LAN ?
If you already have a LAN, is it TCP/IP compatible ? If NOT,
- You need a "gateway server" machine from your LAN to the Intenet server
  - eg. If you're running Novell's Netware for your LAN, you NEED a gateway...
  - eg. If you're running Microsoft Window-for-Workgroups for your LAN, you do NOT need a gateway..
- You could use a "proxy server" to convert your LAN protocol to TCP/IP protocol
If you don't have a LAN setup, your life's a little easier...

Geographically Separated or Multi-National Corp Considerations

Assuming you have offices spread across the country or around the world
- What are your security precautions for sending information between offices
- How fast do you need to send information between offices
- How big are the files that you need to send between offices
- Does each office has sufficient engineering staff to maintain their own internet site
- Do you need or want video conferencing capability between offices
- Do you need or want "internet phone" capability ( eliminates long distance phone calls )
Are these office currently connected thru dedicated phone lines ( WANs )
- What communication protocol is it using
- Are there any special software that requires these special "phone connections"
- Can the protocol be changed to allow "internet connectivity" ?
If each office is not yet connected to each other
- How much is the "phone bills" for calls between offices
- Is the company divisions running indpendently or centrally operated

Sat May 31 00:56:16 1997
Programatically Created_Updated by:

LMML