The Ins and Outs of Internet Connections

Written by Manager on March 31st, 2014. Posted in Blog

The Ins and Outs of Internet Connections

Fioptics, VoIP, upstream…the technical world is full of jargon that can make your mind start spinning. As you start or continue to grow your small business, you have to maintain phone and internet lines that can support your ever changing needs. Today, we are going to focus on finding the perfect internet for you! But first things first: Know your needs versus your wants! Even if you do not know the correct terminology or how to get to what you need, you need to know what your company must have at this present time and what you project it to need in the future. This alone can help you narrow down your necessities and keep you from being distracted by the fun flashy gadgets that you think you need. Once you know what is important to your company, your providers Business Manager can identify how to get you the services that you need.

Internet Connections:
In the internet world, there are a lot of options so let us take a brief moment to identify a few of the differences and see where you may fall on this spectrum.
Dynamic versus Static IP Address:
IP Address stands for Internet Protocol which allows computers to communicate with each other. Dynamic IP addresses are constantly changing each time you log into your computer whereas Static IP addresses are dedicated and constant. You are at less of a risk for security breaches when the IP address changes, but you are also more likely to lose connection and Static addresses are recommended when using VoIP, running a server, or if you are a gaming. Which type of IP address will you need?
Speed:
To determine the correct download and upload speeds you will need, make a list of what you will be doing on a day to day basis. This will help in determining if you will need access to Fiber Optics which may or may not be currently available in your area. Fiber Optics supports higher download speeds: transmitting data faster, supporting multiple devices, and eliminating buffering time. Will you be simply emailing and browsing the web or will you be running video conference calls while conducting HD video surveillance with the need of sharing files in real time? Obviously these are on different ends of the spectrum, but this makes a significant difference in the amount of speed that you need and ultimately how much you pay each month. Knowing exactly what you will be doing online will give your Business Manager the information they need when setting up your internet package. A typical download speed starts around 7mbps(megabits per second) which is designed for a reliable high-speed connection and can go well over 30 mbps to allow multiple users lightning fast speed. Upload speeds range from about 1mbps to accommodate day to day actions like emails and photo to 5mbps which supports the most advanced online needs.

Once you have a good idea of what you will need, speak with your Internet Service Providers Business Manager to determine what package is best for you and enjoy the vast information that the internet has to provide!

Information Provided By:

Garrett Hughes, Cincinnati Bell Business Manager
https://www.cincinnatibell.com

http://whatismyipaddress.com/