This section discusses some things you might want to think about before you sign up for an Internet account.
So how should you get on the Internet? It's going to depend some on where you live: big city, small town, rural, or the corner of No and Where. Talk to your friends, find out what they use, how much it costs them, and how well it works for them. If you can, run the SpeakEasy Speed Test on their connection (ISP performance measurement page). Try not to go with the first service you hear about. Broadband or high-speed connection types commonly offered include DSL, cable modems, and satellite. It's unclear if any particular system is going to become dominant for consumer accounts. See my Hardware & choosing a login ID page for more on broadband.
Of course, you can opt out of the traditional ISP-account model, get a netbook or notebook with WiFi, and just use free wireless Internet at library branches, coffeehouses, bookstores, oil-change places, laundromats, and the like. There may even be someone neighborly within range in your neighborhood or apartment building who's left their personal wireless unlocked.
It's probably appropriate when piggybacking on somebody else's wireless to avoid large downloads, such as 700MB Linux distros. Save those for when you're on fast public wireless somewhere.
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