Whether you’re working remotely from your secluded ranch, you want to keep up with your friends and family from your mountain cabin, or you simply like to be connected to the net no matter where you are, internet options for people in remote areas abound. Although the scenery is beautiful and the setting is serene, finding an affordable, efficient internet connection in rural areas can be a daunting task. There are many ways to access internet but not all of them are created equal. Here are some of the options that are available to people in remote areas.

Dial Up

Dial up is the cheapest option and it can even be free sometimes. However, the downside of using dial up internet is that it is slower than other options and you cannot use the internet and your phone together at the same time. Furthermore, most major websites are graphically rich these days, meaning that load times are painfully long if you have dial up. The performance of dial up internet can vary widely depending on your location.

Wireless

If you live in a remote area, you may be able to get wireless internet access if there is a provider in your area. However, the availability of wireless internet is still relatively limited in remote areas. Wireless internet doesn’t require a telephone line or cable network. The internet is connected using radio frequency bands. The connection is always on so you don’t have to dial in order to access the internet. All you need to get started is a wireless modem or card and a service provider.

Satellite

In some rural areas, satellite internet may be your only option. Satellite internet is available virtually anywhere. A local dish is usually positioned on the roof of your house and receives data relayed via satellite. Your computer receives the data from the dish at a speed of up to 400kbps. However, satellite internet is more expensive to set up than other types of broadband internet. Many satellite internet services are asymmetric, meaning that the satellite is only used to download data. Any information you need to upload is transmitted via a dial up connection. So in addition to paying for a satellite connection, you also have to pay for a dial up connection.

ADSL

Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, or ADSL, is a type of high speed broadband internet access that is becoming increasingly more available in remote areas. ADSL, often referred to as DSL, allows digital information to be sent over ordinary telephone lines at high speeds. It carries voice and data signals simultaneously so you can talk on the phone and use the internet at the same time even if you only have one telephone line. In order to have access to DSL in a remote area, you need to be within 4km of a specially equipped telephone exchange. You can also have access to a DSL connection outside of this range if you install a heavy gauge wire or optical fiber cable. The cons of DSL are that upload speeds are slower than download speeds and the set-up fees and equipment can be expensive.