internet service provider - Revision history

Woozle: /* Questions to Ask */ clarification on TWC traffic shaping

2007-11-14T15:43:04Z

Questions to Ask: clarification on TWC traffic shaping

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:43, 14 November 2007
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	...when considering getting any kind of internet service, and hopefully before signing any kind of service contract:		...when considering getting any kind of internet service, and hopefully before signing any kind of service contract:
	* Does the ISP use [[traffic shaping]] (a.k.a. "packet shaping")? Do they plan to do so?		* Does the ISP use [[traffic shaping]] (a.k.a. "packet shaping")? Do they plan to do so?
	** [[Time Warner Cable]] ~~does~~.		** [[Time Warner Cable]] has announced that they do, although it's not clear what this affects.
	* Does the ISP block or restrict access to any ports?		* Does the ISP block or restrict access to any ports?
	** [[Verizon]] blocks access to the [[POP3]] and [[SMTP]] ports, and restricts access to their SMTP server in such a way that it is difficult if not impossible to receive your email at any domain other than one hosted by Verizon.		** [[Verizon]] blocks access to the [[POP3]] and [[SMTP]] ports, and restricts access to their SMTP server in such a way that it is difficult if not impossible to receive your email at any domain other than one hosted by Verizon.

Woozle: /* Questions to Ask */ speakeasy has emails listed on their web site

2007-10-30T14:22:13Z

Questions to Ask: speakeasy has emails listed on their web site

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:22, 30 October 2007
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	** [[Verizon]] blocks any outgoing email whose return address is a domain not hosted by them.		** [[Verizon]] blocks any outgoing email whose return address is a domain not hosted by them.
	* Does the ISP have an email address to which you can send complaints, comments, or questions about your service? Where is the recipient of these emails physically located? (Are they local to your area, are they centralized, or are they "[[outsourcing\|outsourced]]" overseas?) What diagnostic tools are available to the recipient?		* Does the ISP have an email address to which you can send complaints, comments, or questions about your service? Where is the recipient of these emails physically located? (Are they local to your area, are they centralized, or are they "[[outsourcing\|outsourced]]" overseas?) What diagnostic tools are available to the recipient?
			** [[Speakeasy]] apparently [http://www.speakeasy.net/contact/ does] ''(I got a non-robo response within minutes of emailing the "home sales" address. --[[User:Woozle\|Woozle]] 10:22, 30 October 2007 (EDT))''

	==Links==		==Links==
	===Tools===		===Tools===
	* [http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/ Internet Connection Speed Test by Speakeasy]: tests up and down speeds to a handful of major metro areas		* [http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/ Internet Connection Speed Test by Speakeasy]: tests up and down speeds to a handful of major metro areas

Woozle: questions to ask

2007-10-27T17:36:07Z

questions to ask

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:36, 27 October 2007
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	[[computing]]: [[internet]]: [[internet service provider]] (ISP)		[[computing]]: [[internet]]: [[internet service provider]] (ISP)
	==Overview==		==Overview==
	An [[internet service provider]] (or ISP) is a business which provides (~~usually for a monthly fee)~~ a connection to the [[internet]] to a ~~third party (an individual or organization)~~.		An [[internet service provider]] (ISP) is a business which sells or provides [[internet access]] (i.e. a computer network connection to the [[internet]]) to their customers. Most ISPs are businesses which charge a flat monthly fee for this access, though some are government agencies which provide the service for free to a restricted set of customers.

	Internet service commonly comes in any of several flavors:		Internet service commonly comes in any of several flavors:
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	The term "broadband" generally refers to any of the others except wireless, which is usually explicitly called "broadband wireless" to distinguish it from older forms of wireless connection which had much lower bandwidth and typically were limited in the types of data they could carry.		The term "broadband" generally refers to any of the others except wireless, which is usually explicitly called "broadband wireless" to distinguish it from older forms of wireless connection which had much lower bandwidth and typically were limited in the types of data they could carry.
	===United States===		===United States===
	Most [[broadband internet]] service in the [[United States]] is provided by ~~one of~~ a small number of companies; the laws governing internet service have increasingly been set up to favor the existence of only a single provider within any given area. Major providers include:		Most [[broadband internet]] service in the [[United States]] is provided by a small number of companies; the laws governing internet service have increasingly been set up to favor the existence of only a single provider for each type of service within any given area. Major providers include:
			* [[AOL]]
			* [[Comcast]]
	* [[EarthLink]]		* [[EarthLink]]
	* [[RoadRunner]]		* [[RoadRunner]]
	* [[~~Comcast]]~~		* [[Verizon]]
	* [[AOL]]

	EarthLink, RoadRunner, and AOL are handled by [[Time-Warner Cable]] in some areas. (AOL is owned by Time Warner; RoadRunner is a division of Time Warner)		EarthLink, RoadRunner, and AOL are handled by [[Time-Warner Cable]] in some areas. (AOL is owned by Time Warner; RoadRunner is a division of Time Warner)
			==Questions to Ask==
			...when considering getting any kind of internet service, and hopefully before signing any kind of service contract:
			* Does the ISP use [[traffic shaping]] (a.k.a. "packet shaping")? Do they plan to do so?
			** [[Time Warner Cable]] does.
			* Does the ISP block or restrict access to any ports?
			** [[Verizon]] blocks access to the [[POP3]] and [[SMTP]] ports, and restricts access to their SMTP server in such a way that it is difficult if not impossible to receive your email at any domain other than one hosted by Verizon.
			** [[Time Warner Cable]] does not seem to do so, though we do not have an official statement from them.
			* Does the ISP restrict customer access to their SMTP servers? If so, how? (e.g.: If authentication is required, what sort of authentication? Is email sent through the server blocked if the return email address does not point to a particular set of [[domain name]]s?)
			** [[Verizon]] blocks any outgoing email whose return address is a domain not hosted by them.
			* Does the ISP have an email address to which you can send complaints, comments, or questions about your service? Where is the recipient of these emails physically located? (Are they local to your area, are they centralized, or are they "[[outsourcing\|outsourced]]" overseas?) What diagnostic tools are available to the recipient?
	==Links==		==Links==
	===Tools===		===Tools===
	* [http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/ Internet Connection Speed Test by Speakeasy]: tests up and down speeds to a handful of major metro areas		* [http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/ Internet Connection Speed Test by Speakeasy]: tests up and down speeds to a handful of major metro areas

Woozle: all this just so I could give the link a good home...

2007-07-20T02:30:53Z

all this just so I could give the link a good home...

New page

==Navigation==
[[computing]]: [[internet]]: [[internet service provider]] (ISP)
==Overview==
An [[internet service provider]] (or ISP) is a business which provides (usually for a monthly fee) a connection to the [[internet]] to a third party (an individual or organization).

Internet service commonly comes in any of several flavors:
* [[dial-up internet service|dial-up]] (slowest)
* [[DSL]]
* [[cable internet service|cable]]
* satellite
* wireless

The term "broadband" generally refers to any of the others except wireless, which is usually explicitly called "broadband wireless" to distinguish it from older forms of wireless connection which had much lower bandwidth and typically were limited in the types of data they could carry.
===United States===
Most [[broadband internet]] service in the [[United States]] is provided by one of a small number of companies; the laws governing internet service have increasingly been set up to favor the existence of only a single provider within any given area. Major providers include:
* [[EarthLink]]
* [[RoadRunner]]
* [[Comcast]]
* [[AOL]]

EarthLink, RoadRunner, and AOL are handled by [[Time-Warner Cable]] in some areas. (AOL is owned by Time Warner; RoadRunner is a division of Time Warner)
==Links==
===Tools===
* [http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/ Internet Connection Speed Test by Speakeasy]: tests up and down speeds to a handful of major metro areas