Many telecom operators offer ADSL (or DSL) technology as a means for their customers to connect to the internet. The great advantage with ADSL is it is cable based, and not wireless; so we can expect great speeds and good latency. It is possible to take out an ADSL data plan with a telecommunications company. You should always look for an unlimited plan (if it is within your price range), although some operators offer what is known as a cap, where they will cut your usage once you have used a specific amount of bandwidth. Of course with ADSL, you will need the correct technology to distribute the internet connection to any computer you wish to access it from. An Ethernet ADSL modem or router does just that. We will look into some details…

Instead of having a separate server machine managing and distributing the connection across your network it is possible to use a device that is designed for this purpose. These devices are known as ADSL routers. What they do is establish a connection to the internet, and then share the connection to any device connected to it. Because 90% of people who have an internet connection are not tech savvy with setting up and sharing internet connections, a router is the perfect solution for them. There is very little configuration needed – in most cases it is as simple as entering your username and password you got from your ISP into the configuration page.

Routers also act as network switch hubs. The commonly come with 4 Ethernet ports and most modern ones also have wireless network functionality. This makes it possible to connect desktop computers via the Ethernet ports, and mobile devices such as PDA’s or notebooks will be able to connect wirelessly to an always-on internet connection. Of course if 4 ports are too little for your requirements there are many modem/routers on the market that will provide more.

When signing up for ADSL you will in most cases receive a free Ethernet ADSL modem, although it may be necessary to buy such a device depending on your situation. My recommendation to you is to buy online. In my experience you will often get much better prices when buying online as when compared to your local computer dealer.