I was just wondering what kind of internet connection all the other FT members use and whether they are happy with it.

I use a broadband connection and though it costs a lot, it's pretty fast and I'm pretty pleased with it.

A crappy old 56k modem here... some pages take ages to load

Super dooper satellite connection here - thanks to little Johnny Howard. It does have it's disadvantages but it is the most reliable way that we could have Internet.

Broadband and VERY cheap, very efficient, very fast.

I have cable access here and it's not bad. Faster than the phone line. PF

28kbps modem on the MTNL dial-up.

Manvinder, I hope you don't take any offence on this but a 28kbs. modem ? Isn't it very slow ?

Cable, here. We can't get broadband yet although larger cities can.

I'm on a 56k modem, too. Slow, yes, but pefectly adequate.

Broadband via a cable company, unlimited usage for a reasonable monthly charge. Speeds vary wildly according to when you use it but in general happy with the service.

I'm on what my cable company says is broadband. At 150kb I suppose, loosely speaking, it is. Many argue that the term 'broadband' doesn't apply until speeds are higher than that.

The connection speed doesn't worry me though, it's reasonably OK. The big advantage of a broadband connection is that it is permanently connected. Getting rid of the need to keep dialling in makes paying the extra worth while. Unfortunately my ISP's e-mail service is a bit of a let-down. Other than that I'm happy enough.

56k Modem but for reasons best known to my ISP (or perhaps to TW) if I hold my mouse over the connection icon it shows connection speed of 33.6Kbps. This week I almost weakened and investigated having broadband but I am really not sure that it is worth the extra money as I understand I still have to pay the rental of the telephone line and then there is the question of my webspace and even losing my email address which has been with me many years. I need convincing that the extra money is worth it. By the way, I am talking of about £25 per month for the slowest broadband connection.

In my town all dorm rooms and other apartment buildings for student housing have a broadband connection. The speed is great (2 Mbps-10Mbps) and it's cheap (11 euro a month), so I'm very happy with it! I can hardly remember what it was like to be on a 56k modem...

ADSL here, with a speed of around 400 kb/s (when AOL lets us!)

I have a 'cable TV' connection; the company which provides me with my cable TV connection also connects my computer to the 'net. Apparently this is broadband, but the speed is no faster than any other internet connection! It's pretty expensive, though, it costs around 850 rupees per month.

For some reason, when I hover my mouse over that 'Network Connection' icon in my system tray, it says the speed is 100 Mbps! Yeah, right...that's probably the maximum speed my network card (D-Link) can handle.

The best part, however, is that I am always connected to the 'net with this, I don't have to keep dialing-up and sitting pointlessly waiting for the computer to get connected.

However -- I must not forget to mention the disadvantages of this!

• The connection frequently goes down.
  
• Apathetic technical support members.
  
• Er...
  

And many more...

Most of Harish's disadvantages are also mine. However the support is pretty good but the connection is down often. However the speed varies. It mostly stays about 100-110 kbs. The fastes was somewhere about 200kbs at 3 AM in the morning ( we were back from seeing some idols ) and 34-35 kbs at 8;00 PM in the evening.

Another thing is, when the connection is down, and we phone them up, they say that something is wrong with their gateway.
Can someone explan to me what this gateway is ?

A 'gateway' is simply a computer owned by your ISP, which connects you to the internet.

More here.

Now starting a new thread on internet terminology...

ADSL here, with an average speed of around 655 Kbps, which is allright. The computer is permanently on with the connection to the net open. I get booted out once a day by my ISP, and pay a fixed fee of € 45 per month.

56k modem with AOL dial-up. I was kicked offline only once
today, so far, so I can't complain too much.

Quote:

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I am offended

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SORRY ! Please forgive me.

I was on metered cable till this summer, when the bills made it cheaper to use flat rate, since when I've been through all the archives here. I'd like broadband as the pages often turn very slowly, but our cable system is too old so I have to have a book on the go while I'm waiting!

Not sure about mine, but it must be bad. Something like 56kb. Bad for me! So slow