Bits and bytes are measurements of data, but they differ in their size and what they measure. Understanding what these terms are will help you understand how your computer stores information and how your Internet connection speed effects you. One way to tell them apart is the case in which they are written. When abbreviating bits and bytes, a “b” (small case) is a bit, and “B” (upper case) is a byte, therefore, “kb” is kilobit and “KB” is kilobyte (note: the case of the letters before the b are insignificant).

A bit (b) is the smallest measurement of data that can be stored on computers or transferred by Internet services. Bits represent information with a binary coding system made up of only 1's and 0's (bi means two, i.e., two numbers). When bits are arranged and stored in sequences of 1's and 0's, they are translated by computer programming into words, pictures, and other data.

Usually, when you hear the term “bits”, they are measuring transfer rate, or how much information can be transferred in a certain amount of time. Internet connection speeds are measured this way, for example, “bps” is bits per second, the amount of bits that can be downloaded or transferred in a second. Since bits are so small, most connection speeds are measured in thousands of bits per second.

When measuring transfer rate for Internet connections, 1 kilobit (kb) = 1000 bits, 1 megabit (mb) = 1000 kilobits. Say you connect with dial-up at 34.4 kbps. That means 34.4 kilobits or 34400 bits can be downloaded per second to your computer. Say you connect with DSL at 6 “megs” aka mbps. You can download 6 megabits, or 6000 kilobits, or 6,000,000 bits per second.

A byte (B) is 8 bits strung together. Remember, bits store information based on a binary system and are arranged in sequences. These sequences are in sets of 8 and called bytes. It takes many bytes sequenced together to create documents, images, programs, and commands for your computer. When measuring sizes of files, programs, and capacities of drives, you use bytes. Like bits, byte are often noted in larger quantities, like kilobytes, megabytes (megs), and gigabytes (gigs).

Many people assume a kilobyte is 1000 bytes, etc., but this is not true. When describing capacity (size or storage size of computer elements), bytes are measured by the same binary system that code bits. Therefore, “kilo” = 1,024 (or, 2^10) instead of 1000. A kilobyte (KB) is 1,024 bytes, and a megabyte (MB) is 1,024 kilobytes. A gigabyte (GB) is 1,024 megabytes.

A Microsoft Word document is usually about 30 KB in size. An picture, like clip art is typically about 100 KB, and photos are often much larger. A CD typically has a 700 MB (or 716,800 KB) storage capacity. You can buy computers with a hard drive (main storage unit) capacity of 500 gig (or 524,288,000 KB).

Don't forget, 1 byte is 8 bits. An Internet connection (like transfer rates or download speeds) is measured in bits, and 1 kilobit is 1,000 bits. Storage capacity (like disk space and file sizes), it is measured in bytes, and 1 kilobyte is 1,024 bytes.

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles! 

If you are considering signing up for DSL, you may wonder how DSL compares to dial-up. In this comparison, we will compare dial-up with ADSL, the most common DSL service that connects through a telephone line.

Dial-up and DSL both transmit information through your copper phone wires, but the process is different. A dial-up modem converts the analog signal on your phone line into digital information your computer can translate. Your ISP's modem must convert from digital to analog so it can travel on the phone lines. DSL uses the same lines, but bypasses the digital-analog-digital conversion. This means data can travel faster and the analog phone line can still be used while your connected to the Internet.

The total monthly price for dial-up is about $7-20 dollars a month, and installation is usually free. In some cases, the dial-up modem is not functioning or not automatically installed on the computer, so you would need to buy $20-40 modem. DSL's monthly rate can be anywhere from $15-100 a month, depending on the speed desired and the location of the consumer. More equipment is necessary for DSL and the installation is more complicated, so you can expect about $50 in start-up fees.

Dial-up exceeds DSL in transportability and availability. Dial-up service is available to any computer and any land line phone, which means you can take dial-up with you if you travel or move. Since DSL is strictly available to homes within a certain distance from the phone company's central office, rural areas can rarely be served. Many times several hundred feet determines whether or not DSL is available.

Furthermore, many phone companies do not allow other DSL companies to provide service on their customer's lines. This monopoly can increase the price of DSL, or keep DSL from being available without changing phone companies. When signing up for another company's DSL is possible, further complications can occur when activation and technical support is necessary.

A DSL set-up process takes at least several days and sometimes as much as two weeks, due to the changes to your phone line and the equipment shipping and set up time. Dial-up has a very simple to set up because the phone company does not need to be involved, and no major changes or expensive equipment is necessary. All you need is one phone cord and your existing phone jack and computer. Unless you have to wait for a setup CD to be mailed to you (which is often not necessary), you can be connected within half an hour of signing up. Of course, this means you can also change your connection set up or set up multiple connections with little effort.

DSL is a constant connection with high-speeds compatible with online games, downloads, and videos, but the price, availability, and setup procedure may be critically deterring factors. Dial-up is a simple, available, and cost effective option for many basic online uses, but will not keep up with some high-speed activities.

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles! 

DSL is an acronym for “Digital Subscriber Line”, and is a type of broadband connection that typically uses the phone line to transmit information. It does not, however, inhibit the use of the telephone, like dial-up. The DSL connection and the telephone both use the lines at different frequencies and therefore go unnoticed by the other. DSL is usually a dedicated connection, so you can quickly access webpages at any time.

Telephone companies are usually the DSL provider, but sometimes other companies have an agreement with the local phone company, who provisions the user's line. DSL transfers data between the phone company's central office, the analog phone line, and a DSL modem. This is the same path dial-up, but DSL is able to use the telephone lines to full potential by eliminating the digital to analog to digital conversion that takes place with a dial-up connection. DSL is completely digital, and can therefore transmit more information and much faster.

Most DSL services work this way—through a land line phone. This type of DSL will not work on a VIOP or cable provided phone line. Dry-loop DSL is sometimes available and does not require an active phone service. New DSL customers must check with local phone companies and search online to find what kind of DSL service is available to them. They should also find out if 1, if it requires a land line phone, and 2, are there several providers to choose from. Once this information is obtained, there are a few additional factors that help make the decision on which plan is best:

Speeds available and needed: The possible connection speed for DSL is typically determined by the user's distance from the telephone company's central office. DSL is often not available at all to rural homes for this reason. DSL speeds usually range from .5 mbps to 6 mbps (megabits per second) in download speeds. Depending on the type of DSL, the upload speed can be equal to, but is usually less than the download speed. Typical Internet users will download more often than upload, so this is usually not a problem. Many factors can effect connection speeds, so sometimes the advertised speed is greater than the actual speed experienced by the user.

Even the slowest download speed on DSL most likely sufficient for normal web-surfing, email, and basic audio and video streaming. Higher speed plans may be necessary if the connection will be routed to other computers and wireless connections, or if the connection is needed for heavy usage and frequent downloads and uploads.

Price and other fees: Depending on the location of the individual and area competition, DSL can cost anywhere between $12-100 a month, as well as equipment and installation fees. The prices also differ depending on the download speed desired by the individual, and could be an introductory rate or include a contract. This is important to keep in mind. If two companies offer “DSL”, one at $14 a month and one at $24, the second might be double the speed as the other, and contractual requirements or eventual price increase on the “cheaper” plan could result in more expenses in the long run. DSL is rarely the same across the board.

The process of provisioning the DSL service to the telephone line and completing the set up usually takes several days, sometimes as much as two weeks. When new users order DSL service, they can expect several costs upfront, like buying a modem and other equipment. Some DSL providers will allow their customers to buy their own modem, but then will not be able to tech support it if it doesn't work. Those who want to use their wireless card on a second computer will need to buy a router, which is not always included in the DSL package. Many department stores and computer stores offer a variety of DSL modems and routers, so it may be helpful to shop around.

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles!