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Cable internet is a technology for bringing high-bandwidth broadband internet service to homes and small businesses over your cable TV line. What does this mean? It means that you can get high speed internet access over your existing cable TV connection. Cable is known as an “always-on” internet service. This means that when your computer is on you are always connected to the internet. Unlike dial-up service there is no logging on with user name and passwords required. With Cable internet service all you need to do is plug your PC into your Cable Modem and your Cable Modem into your normal cable television outlet on the wall. Typically, the Cable Modem is provided by your Broadband Internet Provider.

Cable internet service is typically offered by the same companies that provide cable TV. The high speed internet access works over the same coaxial cable that the TV signal comes into your home on, but does not effect or interfere with your TV signal. Therefore you can use your internet service and watch TV at the same time without any problems. Typically, cable internet service provides a maximum of 1.5Mbps to 6Mbps (Megabits per second) of bandwidth (internet speed) on the system. However, everyone on your network segment is sharing that bandwidth, so performance (internet speed) can be much lower, especially if a lot of people in your neighborhood use the service. They may also limit your individual bandwidth, so that you will never see the peak bandwidth even when your network segment is clear. Since you are sharing the network segment with other users, there can also be security risks with Cable Modems.

Cable internet service is typically priced from $30 to $50 a month, which covers the Cable Modem rental fee; unlimited Internet access; and Internet application software, such as a Web browser and e-mail applications. Cable internet service installation fees, which usually run from $50 to $150, cover cable wiring, an Ethernet card for your computer, and software configuration. If you don’t want to pay the Cable Modem rental fee you can buy your own Cable Modem.

Some advantages of Cable internet service are as follows:

• Cable internet service is “always-on” and you can still watch your TV channels.
• Broadband speed is much faster than dial-up service.
• Cable internet service can use the cable outlet you already have at your home or business.
• A Cable Modem is typically supplied to you by your Cable internet provider.
• Fixed monthly billing, regardless of usage time.
• The distance between you and your internet provider will not affect your internet speed.
• With Cable Internet Service you can take advantage of VoIP Broadband Phone technology, an extremely cost effective telephone service option.

Some disadvantages of Cable internet service are as follows:

• Cable internet service is shared between you and other people on your network segment.
• Cable internet service is not symmetrical in that the upload (send) internet speed is slower than the download (receive) internet speed.
• Cable internet service is not available everywhere.