One major misunderstanding about dial-up is about where it can be set up. Many dial-up users do not realize that dial-up has very little restrictions on where it can be set up and how many times it can be set up. Multiple computers can have the same dial-up connection, even computers away from home. As long as only one of the connections is being used at one time, you will be able to connect from almost anywhere in the US. A dial-up connection is simply a collection of information a computer needs to establish and authorize a connection with your ISP-a local access number, username, and password. Your ISP should be able to give you an access number for nearly any location, so if you go on vacation or visit friends out of town, you can still set up a dial-up connection.

Another common misunderstanding about dial-up is how easy it is to create a new connection. Many people think you cannot set up a dial-up connection without a software download or a CD from the ISP. You can actually set up a new connection on any computer that has a dial-up modem without any company software. All computers come with an Internet connection set up wizard or adjustable network settings where you can input your username and password, etc. The software your ISP provides is simply using those components on your computer. It is fairly simple to set up the connection on your own, providing you have all the information it will ask you for, like a local access number. ISP connection software is provided for the sake of being user friendly, but it can also provide an advertising venue and run unnecessary programs on your computer, even after the service has been cancelled.

A third common dial-up misunderstanding is of the cause for various connection speeds. There are very few things that can affect your dial-up connection speed: The dial-up modem, the phone line, and the access number. For example, newer modems have better compression technology that can significantly alter the ability for your connection speed to increase. A phone line that is poorly wired, aged, or a far distance from the phone company can cause some users to have a worse connection than someone else using the same service with better phone line conditions. Access numbers can be heavily used or originate some distance from the user and also slow Internet connections. There are some software downloads that you can use to increase page loading speed or image compression, but they cannot increase your actual connection speed (kbps).

Understanding how dial-up works can sometimes help you get the most out of your dial-up connection, open doors to new opportunities, and help you get the fastest connection possible for your computer. Ask your ISP if you have more questions about your dial-up Internet service. They can show you how to manually set up a connection, give you more access numbers, and help you learn more about how to improve your Internet service.