Balance Speed, Cost When Choosing Your Net Connection

The Internet has moved so thoroughly into the mainstream that it's no longer a question of whether a personal computer user should be online. The only question is what kind of connection to use.

The answer depends on how fast you want to surf the Net, and how much money you're willing to spend for extra speed. Today's choices range from a basic telephone modem that can creep along at 28.8 kilobytes per second or less, to a cable line capable of downloading files a hundred times faster than that.

Here's a rundown of the most popular options. Keep in mind that some of them -- the cable in particular -- are not available yet in every community.

MODEMS: This is the method used by most consumers -- largely because almost all PCs now come with built-in modems. You can also buy modems at computer and electronics stores. Modems plug into a phone line and let you connect to an Internet service provider.

Many notebook computers also come with built-in modems. And most notebooks have a slot that can accommodate a credit-card-sized modem. There are even wireless modems. One company, Metricom of Los Gatos, sells a system called Ricochet that combines a wireless modem with Internet access. It's only available in a few metropolitan regions -- but the Bay Area is one of them.

Speed: The fastest modems available are 56K models -- although they don't really run at a full 56,000 bits per second speed. Federal law precludes downloads faster than 53K over regular phone lines, and many lines can't support anything even in the 50s. Your distance from the phone center can also affect the speed.

Cost: A 56K modem can be had for under $100. (Notebook modems are more expensive.) You'll also need an account from an Internet service provider, which will run, on average, $20 a month. And if you plan to use your Internet connection extensively, you should consider a second phone line so that you can have one line for phone calls. The second line should cost under $20 a month if you connect to the Net via a local call.

Pros: Modems are the cheapest way to get online. They work on regular phone lines.

Cons: They're too slow to take full advantage of streaming audio and video. And they tie up your phone line.

ISDN: Short for Integrated Services Digital Network, ISDN is a service from the phone company that permits phone lines to carry data more than twice as quickly as the fastest modem.

Speed: Up to 128 kbps on downloads.

Cost: $305 for Pac Bell's ISDN Home Pack, which includes a special modem. Installation is $125. The monthly rate is $55.95, which gets you 200 off-peak hours of Internet access (from 5 p.m to 8 a.m. and all weekend).

Pros: Faster than a modem.

Cons: Expensive, sometimes hard to set up and slow compared with other alternatives. And there's an installation fee.

DSL: Stands for Digital Subscriber Line. Available from the phone company as well as some Internet service providers, DSL provides high bandwidth over existing lines, utilizing a special modem and a network card that goes inside the PC.

Speed: The basic service accesses the Net at 384 kbps, but you can also get 1.5 mbps if you really feel the need for speed.

Cost: Pac Bell's DSL Home Pack, including a modem and network card, is $299. Then it's $89 per month for unlimited access at 384 kbps, $279 for 1.5 mbps.

Pros: Easy to set up and a lot faster than ISDN. The Internet connection is always on, which means you don't have to dial each time to connect. You can fax or talk on the phone at the same time you're online.

Cons: Costs more than most consumers are willing to pay for the Internet. Not yet available everywhere.

CABLE: Cable companies including Tele-Communications Inc. offer high-speed Internet access in selected communities right through the TV cable. In the Bay Area, the service is provided in conjunction with AtHome.

Speed: AtHome claims it delivers the Internet at between 1.5 and 3 mbps -- making it by far the fastest alternative for most consumers.

Cost: The installation ranges from $99 to $175, depending on your area. That includes a network card that goes in your computer, plus running the cable to the PC. Monthly Internet access is between $30 and $50, also depending on where you live.

Pros: Very fast and always on, cable Internet is a pleasure to use. Also, it doesn't jam up your regular phone line.

Cons: Not all communities have been upgraded to the two-way cable system necessary for Internet service.

SATELLITE: Like TV, the Internet can be accessed at high speed over a satellite using a small dish antenna. The main provider of the service is DirecPC, a division of Hughes Network Systems.

Speed: Up to 400 kbps.

Cost: $299 for the DirecPC Personal Edition, which includes a dish and controller (installation is extra). There's an activation fee of $49.95. Monthly rates start at $29.99 for 25 hours of Internet access.

Pros: Good speed, and you can use it anywhere. All you need is a clear line of sight to the south, and room somewhere on the outside of your house for a 21-inch dish.

Cons: After you exhaust your monthly access, you get dinged $1.99 an hour. The system only works with PCs using Windows 95/ 98 or Windows NT. No Macs.