NOTE: Please read How to Choose a Broadband Internet Service
From 56K to High Speed Internet Connections
This is an essential readable guide and checklist for choosing a cable or dsl service. With high speed Internet, you do not use need to tie up your phone, your connection is always available, and Web page will load at least 20 times as fast as they did with your dialup connection.
CHOOSING AN INTERNET PROVIDER
Notes and links for Tracy Marks' Internet classes
http://www.windweaver.com
Tracy Marks 781-641-3371
NOTE from Tracy: This page has not been updated since 2000 and will be updated in November 2006, but I completed the above article in October 2006.
back to webclass.htm guide.htm
design.htm bkmarks.htm windweaver.comMore on Internet providers/hosts at
http://www.windweaver.com/searchpage.htm
COMPUTER CURRENTS
Internet Service Provider List
http://www.currents.net/resources/netprov/netprov.htmlBOARDWATCH ISP DIRECTORY
http://www.boardwatch.com/isp/index.htm*HOW TO CHOOSE AN ISP
http://www.currents.net/resources/isp/intquest.html
FINDING AN INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER
http://infopeople.berkeley.edu:8000/Howto/services.htmlHINTS FOR CHOOSING AN ISP
http://www.boardwatch.com/mag/97/mar/bwm16.htm
NEW! ZD NET - CHOOSING AN ISP
http://www8.zdnet.com/pcmag/features/ispchoose/_open.htm
ZD NET's Ten QUESTIONS to ask your ISP
http://www8.zdnet.com/pcmag/features/ispchoose/ques.htm
ZDNET: Summary and Ratings of National Internet Providers
http://www8.zdnet.com/pcmag/features/ispchoose/summ.htm
ZDNET Superguide to ISPs new!
http://www.zdnet.com/zdimag/zdlabs/superguide/
CHOOSING A WEB HOST
Choosing a Web Host http://www.ppn.org/net97/apr/apr4.html
Budget Web Hosts http://www.callihan.com/budget/
Budget Web http://www.budgetweb.com/budgetweb/index.html
Ultimate Web Host List http://www.webhostlist.com/
FREE HOME PAGE DIRECTORES
Giant List of Free Web Space Providers
http://imagi.net/~buechler/Brians/homepages.html
Free Web Page Provider Review
http://www.digiweb.com/~maxlee/FWPReview/
FREE HOME PAGE SITES
See CNET Reviews: 5 Free Web Hosting Services
"Ever since Yahoo bought GeoCities earlier this year, the service has gotten better and better. In fact, we can't believe what GeoCities gives you for free: superior web page building tools for every skill level, tons of free extras for your site (such as news feeds and auction forms), an easy-to-navigate interface, and unobtrusive ads. Unless you're a glutton for unlimited storage space--and in that case we recommend Xoom.com--you won't find a better free Web host than Yahoo GeoCities."
The best
Geocities http://geocities.yahoo.com/home/
(Easy page-building tools, many additional options, lowkey ads, affiliate programs.
Full review here.)
(Go to neighborhoods page; try Eureka for fewer business restrictions. )
Geocities Member Page http://geocities.yahoo.com/home
Geocities Neighborhoods http://geocities.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/hood/geo
Lycos Tripod http://www.tripod. lycos.com
(limited space and annoying ads, but easy to navigate, good pagebuilding tools,
many extras, and pays you for traffic. Full review here.)
Xoom http://xoom.com/home/
(cluttered interface but plenty of web space, chat rooms on site, small ads.
Full review here.)
Others
Lycos Angelfire http://www.angelfire.lycos.com/
(annoying tools and ads, but plenty of space. Review here.)
Homestead http://www.homestead.com
50Megs http://www.50megs.com
Allows Business at No Charge
HyperMart http://www.hypermart.net/home.html
MaxPages http://maxpages.com/
Maximizer http://biznet.maximizer.com/home/index.html
Hot Community http://www.hotcommunity.com
100Megs http://www.100megs.com
WebJump http://www.webjump.comMore links to information on choosing providers and web hosts:
http://www.windweaver.com/searchpage6.htm#Providers
RECOMMENDED INTERNET PROVIDERS FOR BOSTON
Earthlink http://www.earthlink.net
World, http://www.world.std.com
SOME LEADING NATIONAL INTERNET PROVIDERS
Earthlink http://www.earthlink.net rated the best U.S. provider
many local numbers 800-395-8425 sales@earthlink.net
(bought by Mindspring in 1999)
Review: http://www8.zdnet.com/pcmag/features/ispchoose/summ5.htm
AT&T 800-967-5363 http://www.att.com/worldnet
Review:http://www8.zdnet.com/pcmag/features/ispchoose/summ2.htm
Mindspring 800-719-8660 http://www.mindspring.com
Review: http://www8.zdnet.com/pcmag/features/ispchoose/summ9.htm
IBM 800-821-4612 http://www.ibm.net
Review: http://www8.zdnet.com/pcmag/features/ispchoose/summ6.htm
Concentric Network 800-939-4262 http://www.concentric.net
Review: http://www8.zdnet.com/pcmag/features/ispchoose/summ4.htm
America Online 800-827-6364 http://www.aol.com
Compuserve 800-848-8990 http://www.compuserve.com
CYBERCAFES - INTERNET ACCESS
Boston Area (rent Internet time):
Computer Cafe, Arlington 781 646-4300
http://compcafe.ne.mediaone.net/ (soon http://www.compcafe.com)
NetCafe, Boston 536-6510 http://www.mynet.com/
Virtually Wired, Boston 542-5555 http://www.vw.org/
Choosing a Quality
Internet Presence Provider
by Philippe Scheimann, MSc MBA <philips@well.com>
edited by Tracy MarksThere are various factors that make you choose an Internet presence provider
(IPP), taking into account that money is not the only factor. This tip contains
a checklist of issues you should consider to help you decide which IPP fits your
needs (for this tip, IPP is defined as a host of your Web site and related services,
including autoresponders and automated mailing lists).When considering your Internet Service Provider, take the following issues into account:
1. Connectivity of the Web site to the net backbone
What is the bandwidth ? How high speed? T1, T3...2. Kind of connectivity to the Net e.g. ATM
This "not so new" system does help speed the connection.3. IISA, real-time server info package
4. Secure Internet Commerce, which system is used ?
If there are possibilities of payment, what system is being used? There are pros
and cons for each of them.5. Type of server (Unix, SQL Server and MS Access Hosting,...)
6. Type of firewall
If you hang around with some would-be hackers, you can usually hear if the
provider is careful enough.7. What kind of reporting does the company provide, and in how much detail?
You want to know as many details as possible concerning the traffic on your site.(#8 and #9 are added by Tracy Marks)
8. Front Page hosting
Front Page is the premier site development and maintenance package, but not
all ISP's support it. If they do, there may be an added cost.9. Support availability
Is this company available by email or phone evenings and weekends? Is technical
support free? Is it prompt?10. How does it handle naming Web sites? (virtual "www.yourcompanyname.com.")
Don't forget to be listed as the Administrative contact, otherwise you will have
problems if you want to switch ISPs.11. Use of auto-responders
Auto-responders are great marketing tools when used correctly. This is the net version
of the fax-on-demand.12. On-line forms
Does your ISP offers on-line forms along with the required CGI programming? Make
sure the form can be accessed in secure or regular modes (since some browsers cannot
accommodate secure forms).13. Mailing lists software and maintenance
What are the possibilities for setting up moderated or non moderated mailing lists?
There are also other functions that make life easier for the handling of the list.
What is the price for the maintenance if the ISP does it?14. Remote Access facilities
There are ISPs that will not let you update the content of your site on your own.15. Memory storage allowance
How many Mbits are you allowed to store? What is the price of each extra Mb
and how is it calculated? (per day, month...) Some ISPs do not provide extra
space nor inform you of this excess: some email messages may not reach you
and be lost.16. Set up fees
You may be asked for set-up fees, which makes the switch to another ISP
more expensive.17. Volume of traffic to the site
If your site attracts a heavy traffic, you will have to pay some extra money.
This is based on Mb per day or week or month. If you have one gig allowance,
this may allow you about 10,000 visitors per month.18. CPU
If you use too much CPU time of the server, the ISP may want you to leave
or pay some extra money.19. Service after you left (leave a page with forward)
You have finally switched to another ISP, will your previous ISP let you keep
a page for some time (and will the new one let you keep a page if you change again)?20. Rates
Price is however important: from $21.95/month (or even lower) for basic usage
to $300/month (or higher) for 50 e-mail addresses, web hosting etc.Philippe Scheimann, MSc MBA is a management and internet consultant based in
Israel with an International experience.
http://www.well.com/user/philips/ philips@well.com
14 reasons to own a domain name: http://www.well.com/user/philips/domain.html
last updated December 2, 2002