Broadband is a term used to describe an Internet connection that doesn't use a modem. The "broad" in broadband is supposed to mean "fast", but speed is not the sole measure of how good a broadband connection is.

Reliability, total bandwidth, IP addressing, and the associate hosting services are important to consider when selecting a broadband service.

On the consumer and small business side of the market, the most popular broadband services are Cable Modem and DSL.

The most common misconception about broadband is that people assume that it's only benefit is to improve download speed. That is to say, they think it only improves web browsing and file download- because that's how the industry advertises it.

But fast downloading is only half of the picture. What about upload speed? What about a static IP address so people can download things from you?

Don't think for a minute that you'll never need anyone to download anything from you. Read the articles about hosting your own website or your own email server.

The point is, be selective when choosing a broadband providor. Learn about upload speeds, static IP addresses, and total bandwidth restrictions.

We've compiled a list of links to left to help you do your research.