| Let's say you signed up with an Internet Service | | | | forefront of your mind. Now you know the right |
| Provider (ISP) when you were still fairly new to all | | | | questions to ask. |
| this internet stuff. As time moved on, you | | | | What are your bandwidth needs and what |
| started to realize that they aren't delivering on all | | | | package does the ISP offer to fit them? |
| of the promises they made in the beginning. For | | | | Depending on where you are, DSL, Cable |
| whatever reason, their service isn't what you | | | | modems and Digital Broadband are all possibilies. |
| want. Or worse, what if your ISP just closes | | | | The major benefit to these options is that they |
| suddenly leaving you without a host at all. | | | | can generally use existing phone lines or cable lines. |
| I know how stressful it can be on the surface, | | | | A word of caution on DSL though; Your |
| but relax and know that you aren't the first | | | | connection speed can vary depending on your |
| customer to be put in this sort of predicament. It | | | | distance from the local source, so be sure to ask |
| happens every day to hundreds, even thousands | | | | where the nearest source is to you and how it |
| of end users. They survived it, and with the right | | | | might affect your connectivity and speed. |
| contingency plan, so can you. Switching to a new | | | | The two major parts of an ISP service are the |
| ISP / web hosting provider isn't nearly as scary | | | | phyical network connection (the parts) and the |
| or involved as you might think. | | | | network connection (the part that gives you the |
| Probably the single most important thing that you | | | | ability to surf the internet or send and receive |
| need to understand and implement RIGHT NOW | | | | email). Your ISP probably uses a Wide Area |
| is the backup. Backing up your data ensures that | | | | Network (WAN) to provide connectivity services |
| no matter what happens to your website or the | | | | to its clients. The largest WAN is the internet |
| data on your web server space, you always have | | | | itself. You want to look for an ISP with a reliable |
| a current up-to-date copy of your files available | | | | WAN and high uptime percentage. |
| to you in the event of an emergency and believe | | | | Finally, talk to your potential ISP to get concrete |
| me when I say that emergencies happen. Servers | | | | answers about their customer service capabilities. |
| go down and lose information, ISPs close leaving | | | | Ask for client references and make sure - before |
| you stranded. ALWAYS have a backup plan! | | | | you have a problem - that your Internet Service |
| With your backup in hand and your recent bad | | | | Provider is going to respond to issues quickly and |
| experience with your current ISP, start | | | | to your satisfaction. |
| researching with your newfound knowledge in the | | | | |