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Get Ready to Rev

The best way to improve your likelihood of establishing a fast and trouble-free Internet connection is a good, clean installation. Follow these tips to avoid being left at the starting line.

Do not burn your bridges. If you're upgrading to a high-speed connection, keep your dial-up modem functioning. You may need it right away to download device drivers or other files required to complete your broadband installation. You'll also want your dial-up modem at hand as a backup when your broadband connection goes on the fritz--which it will.

Prepare your PC. If setting up your new Internet service will require a house call by a technician, make life as easy as possible for the installer. Is your PC easy to access, and is it located near a telephone jack or coaxial cable? Or will your connection need an extralong extension that the installer may not have? Anticipate any unique needs of your work environment, and make sure the installer is aware of them in advance.

Double-check that your PC meets all hardware and software requirements for your new service. Is the required connection--whether a PCI slot, a serial port, or a USB port--open and working properly? Check Windows' Device Manager for yellow error flags, and fix any hardware problems before the installer arrives (see FIGURE 1). How you open Device Manager varies depending on your version of Windows, but one way is to right-click My Computer, choose Properties, and look for a tab or button labeled 'Device Manager'.

Have your modem drivers and OS files handy on floppies or other removable media, or copy them to your hard disk to give yourself superfast access to them. (You need to copy only the .cab files from your Windows or System Recovery CD.)

Treat the installer like a long-lost friend. Any broadband installation can be frustrating, but installers and service personnel are rarely responsible for back-office screw-ups. Most installers are hard-working professionals with a tool belt full of off-the-record tips about your broadband setup. Sometimes a little goodwill--and maybe a cookie or a can of soda--can save you hours of frustrating calls to tech support.

Learn your limits. In nearly all cases, your local phone company will send a technician to your house to check the DSL suitability of the phone lines running from your house or building to the closest switchbox (which is usually just a few dozen feet away). The technician will determine your maximum available data throughput, among other things, based on your distance from the local telephone office. The closer you are to the local office, the faster your potential top connection speed. (Typically, your PC must be within 20,000 feet of the central office to qualify for DSL service.) Ask the technician what your location's best rate is so you can avoid unrealistic expectations.

Avoid the circle of blame. DSL installations--and some cable installations--require more than one visit to your location by technicians: the first time to test the line and prepare the wiring, and the second to hook up the service. These tasks can be performed by different divisions of the same company or (in the case of many DSL installations) your local telephone company initially, and then by a separate ISP. When problems arise, each company or division may blame the other. Your best defense is to ask the company representative who takes your order exactly who is responsible for what tasks and how they can be contacted. Be sure you have this information before anyone shows up at your door. Also, keep copious notes about everything, including names, dates, what was done, and what was promised. The calm but squeaky wheel does get the oil.

Do it yourself? You can install any of the four types of broadband connections yourself, but there's no guarantee that doing so will save you time or money. Cable and DSL providers offer self-installation kits that PC-savvy customers can probably handle with few or no problems. If you think a Makita is a kind of sled dog, however, installing a satellite or wireless system probably isn't for you; it requires an affinity for power tools and a commitment of several hours at least. Unfortunately, many people discover that installing broadband yourself can easily become a nightmare. Keep the following two points in mind:

• Don't take chances with hardware: In theory, any properly installed network card will work with any Internet access device. In practice, you can't count on it. Always use the products recommended by your ISP. Check the company's Web site for a list of compatible items.
  
  
• Use the equipment provided: Though the cable connecting a broadband modem to your PC's ethernet port may look like a standard ethernet cable, it might not be one. Some DSL and satellite installation kits use a special crossover cable. Replacing it with a standard cable won't work.
  
  

Think outside the box. If you'd rather not open your system's case, ask your cable, DSL, or wireless provider for an external modem that connects to your PC via USB. If you must use an ethernet connection, check out Belkin's $50 USB Broadband Network Adapter external ethernet adapter.

USB 1.1 is rated at a throughput of 12 mbps, but in reality it's rarely higher than 8 mbps, and 6 mbps is typical. If you use videoconferencing or other data-hungry Internet applications that require speeds above 8 mbps, consider adding a second, dedicated USB card for your broadband connection. Or wait for the arrival of hardware that uses the new, faster USB 2.0. PCs outfitted with USB 2.0 should be available very soon. See Hardware Tips for more on the benefits of USB 2.0.

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