The Truth About Cable
Like DSL, cable technology provides a high-bandwidth, always-on connection to the Internet (often over the same line as your cable TV service) for a reasonable price. As with DSL, cable Internet service isn't ubiquitous, and many misconceptions abound.

The Myths

1. Thanks to your big-name cable TV company, a cable connection is easy to set up and available everywhere you find cable TV.
   
   
2. With a cable modem, you get connection speeds as fast as 27 mbps.
   
   
3. Cable Internet access is as cheap as cable TV.
   
   
4. A cable connection is as safe from hackers as a traditional dial-up modem connection.
   

1. In order for you to get cable, your access provider must physically attach a coaxial cable and a cable modem to your computer, which may mean adding a network card if you don't already have one. This installation process is often both time-consuming and costly (around $75, although some companies permit self-installation).
   
   Nor do all areas of the country have access to cable Internet connections. If your local cable company--which typically holds a monopoly on all services--doesn't offer Internet access, you're out of luck. At the moment, there's little if any competition among companies providing cable Internet access.
   
   
2. You'll probably never get data transfer rates even close to cable's theoretical 27 mbps. For a number of reasons, connection speeds range from 500 kbps to 2 mbps. One big factor is that you share that cable line with other local customers. If you're the only person in your neighborhood online via cable, you may well get that 2 mbps. But as each person logs on, your access speed is divvied up. If one of your cosurfers starts downloading mammoth files, your performance will degrade further.

   Ask your cable provider how many other PCs share your cable connection and what will be the fastest connection speeds you're likely to get. And find out if the cable provider guarantees minimum upload/download speeds.
   

3. It's true that cable Net access is relatively cheap--as little as $39 per month. But beware of not-so-hidden installation costs, including a setup fee of around $75 and $30 to $50 for a network interface card. Sometimes the use of a cable modem is included in the monthly fee, but not always. This little piece of hardware can cost $200 to $300.
   
   
4. Because you share your cable connection with the people on your block, it's easy for nosy neighbors to peek at your computer files. One thing you can do right away is disable Windows' file- and print-sharing features. In Windows 95/98, open the Network control panel, click the File And Print Sharing button, and uncheck the two boxes in the subsequent dialog box. In Windows 2000, select Start, Settings, and then Network and Dial-up Connections. Right-click your cable connection, choose Properties, and in the General tab, uncheck the File And Printer Sharing For Microsoft Networks box.

   Like DSL, cable is an always-on connection with a static IP address, which means you're similarly vulnerable to hackers. That means you should disable Windows' file- and print-sharing features, turn off your computer when you're not surfing, and install some antivirus and firewall software. Don't forget to also download the latest security patches for Windows, Internet Explorer, and Microsoft Outlook, and make sure everything that can be secured with a password, is.

   What about just turning off your cable modem? "When the cable modem restarts, it could take the device up to two to three minutes to fully register with the network," says David Langlands, a vice president for 21st Century Telecom Group, a cable provider in Chicago. Before you turn the modem off, ask your cable provider about any potential problems.
   
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