How Slow Internet In The Office Can Affect Your Business

How Slow Internet In The Office Can Affect Your Business
Don't you just hate it when the internet in your business is slow? Sure, there are many reasons for why it is this way. One of them is most definitely the fact that the more users there are on the network, the slower it tends to run. Another is the fact that there might also be some sort of internal problem with your internet. It might have a directional loop for instance, which would slow down and retard the speed at which it could perform.

One never really thinks of the implications of having internet that is very slow, especially if one's primary business is not on the internet. However, if you do run a business where your trade depends very heavily on the type of internet that you have, you should definitely think about the damage that your slow internet may be causing to your bottom line.


Don't hold your business back

It has been shown that slow internet hampers the ease with which people can conduct business. It also slows down internal operations. Now, if you are a business that specialises in communicating with your clients via the internet, or if you have some sort of file sharing system in place so that you can get completed projects to your clients on time, your business will be badly hit if you have slow internet and fail to accurately meet deadlines because of this. What follows is dissolution of reputation in the marketplace, as well as a decline in clients.

Not only is it very frustrating for clients to not be able to communicate with you via internet, but it is also very annoying for your employees who have internet based work to do. If you want to breed a lot of ill will in the workplace, having slow internet is the place to start. Of course, if you want to have happy employees, make sure that you give them the best quality tools to work with.

You could also be missing out on the latest types of software. A lot of very helpful software is available via the internet these days and, if you have slow internet speed that prevents downloads, you are also preventing yourself from working with some lovely up to date tools.

What is the solution to this problem? Well, of course, the first one is to get better internet. However, before you even consider doing that, you must research what types of internet can support high speeds within a business environment.

Your best bet is to get some satellite internet. It is broadcast from space through geostationary satellites and comes through to Earth completely uninterrupted and undisturbed. It never cuts out and, more importantly, it never degrades in quality, meaning that you will have a twenty four hour link up to the best satellite internet on the planet. Gone are the days of struggling with slow internet! Satellite internet has the potential to transform the way in which you do business.

How the Internet Is Structured

The term Internet is a contraction of 'interconnected networks' and, indeed, the Internet is a gigantic global collection of linked networks. The networks that make up the Internet can range in size from tiny (just two or three connected computers) to massive (thousands of interlinked machines).

An Internet service provider (ISP) is a telecommunications business that delivers Internet-related services such as access to the Internet, domain name registration, website hosting, and so on. ISPs enable you to connect to the Internet.

When you use your computer to access the Internet from your home you most likely connect to an ISP via a modem and a local telephone number or through a dedicated high-speed line. When you connect to your ISP you become part of their network, which allows you to access the Internet.

The computers in the office where you work are likely to be connected together into a network known as a local area network (LAN). This enables the computers in the office to communicate with each other. The LAN is most likely connected to an ISP and this connection enables you to access the Internet from your office computer.

Either way, your home PC or your office LAN becomes part of the ISP's network. The ISP will link in turn to a larger network to become part of that network. That network will be connected to other larger networks to create a communications system that spans the entire globe.

Thus the Internet is nothing more than a network of networks. These networks connect computers using a wide variety of technologies, including conventional and high-speed telephone lines, fibre-optic cables, microwave links, wireless technologies and satellite communications.

Routers

The networks are connected using routers. A router is a specialised computer that directs traffic on the Internet. As the Internet consists of hundreds of thousands of smaller networks linked together, the use of routers is absolutely necessary.

When you want to visit a particular website, you type the address of the site into your web browser. The address goes to the nearest router and the router decides where that site is on the Internet.

The router also determines the most efficient path through all the networks to reach this destination. This determination is based on the traffic in different parts of the Internet and the available connections.

Higher-level networks

The networks in a particular region may be grouped together into a mid-level network. Or they may be linked in a wide-area network (WAN). A WAN covers a larger geographical area than a mid-level network. If the website you are looking for is within the same regional network or WAN, the router will send it directly to its destination.

However, if the website you are looking for is in another part of the Internet, the router will send your request to a network access point (NAP). NAPs connect high-level networks, ie they allow access to Internet backbones.

The Internet backbones are a collection of networks that link extremely powerful super-computers. The backbones are made up of fibre optic trunk lines (aka OC for optical carrier). The fastest OCs can transit 2.488 gigabits per second!

There are many high-capacity backbones around the world, all interconnected at various NAPs. They enable everyone, no matter where they are, to communicate freely with everyone else on the planet.

Repeaters

As you can see the Internet is a veritable jumble of interconnected networks. These networks are linked using a variety of communication technologies that vary from very slow to ultra-fast. And, given the way that routers decide the most efficient route, your data may circumnavigate the world before reaching its destination.

For example, a request from a surfer in Dublin to view a website hosted in London seldom travels directly from Dublin to London; it is likely to be sent via the Americas should this be the fastest route (as measured in milliseconds).

The problem is that the further data has to travel, the more it deteriorates or fades. Repeaters are pieces of hardware that amplify or refresh the stream of data. Boosting the data signals enables the data to circumnavigate the globe yet arrive intact at its final destination.

Linking networks

In order to connect the various lower order networks which make up the vastness of the Internet, various types of equipment are used. These include bridges, gateways and hubs.

Bridges connect LANs. They enable data from one local area network to pass through another LAN en route to yet another LAN.

Gateways are similar to bridges. However they also translate data from one type of LAN to another. For example, they can translate data from a UNIX system so that it is intelligible on an Intel-based system.

Hubs link groups of networks so that the computers in any of the networks can talk to all the other computers in the other networks.

Servers and clients

All the computers on the Internet are either servers or clients. Servers are machines that provide services to other machines (hence the name).

There are various kinds of servers, each with specific functions. For example, web servers host websites, while email servers send and receive emails. FTP servers (file transfer protocol servers) upload and download files. One server machine may contain software for several service functions.

Clients are computers that are used to connect to servers. For instance, you can connect to any website from your home or office computer. The computer you use is known as a client.

When your client machine connects to a server it will connect with specific server software running on the server. If you are sending an email, for example, your client machine will be talking to the email software on the server.

Conclusion

To recap, the Internet is a single gigantic network of networks that are linked using a wide variety of technologies. The millions of individual networks, small and large, that make up the Internet are owned and operated by numerous individuals, small businesses and large corporations. This means that the Internet is built on cooperation and that nobody actually owns the Internet.

This lack of ownership might suggest that the Internet is subject to disruptions. Not so. When an individual network has problems it merely drops out of the overall network, but only the computers on that network are affected. The computers that were communicating through the broken network, using bridges or gateways, will have plenty of alternate channels for doing their business.

In addition, the Internet Society, which was founded in 1992 as a non-profit association, facilitates the open development of the standards, protocols, administration, and technical infrastructure of the Internet... ensuring the smooth evolution and operation of the network of networks.

Is the Internet a Boon or a Bane for Society?

Is the Internet a boon or a bane for society?

The question is tricky. It is almost like asking if the eating of an ice cream is good or bad? It all depends on at what stage of health one attempts to eat it. If you are down with the flu, of course, ice cream will be a disaster statement. However, in summer, it can add to fun & frolic. In general, ice cream means fun, and we have to go by the law of averages.

The question if the Internet is a boon or bane has to be decided by the law of averages as well. The invention of the Internet has benefitted humankind in many dimensional levels. The percentage of it having harmed human race is more about the evil side of the human mind. The Internet is a boon then. Indeed.


Imagine the amount of things the Internet has done. First, it has broken down the world borders. It has made it one playing field. Be it business, relationships, tourism all have benefitted exponentially.

The Internet has reconnected the broken wires of human relationships. Gone are the days when parents waited for that single call from son overseas. A face that arrived back home after five years was all disconnected emotionally and materially. Today the connection is back. Thanks to the Internet. Parents and children can share laughter, moments, money, and pictures at the same time, every time. The Internet has given the contentment back to most parents.

The arrival of the Internet has even changed the world of business. The knowledge that was typically locked away into mysterious corridors of elite schools for a high price tag is available to anyone who has it in him. India is the perfect example of how beautifully the country has used the Internet to surge ahead in the world order.

The Internet has made it possible for everyone to understand that there is more to life than just the need to race on a money track. That life is beyond the regular mom and pop routine. That you can be anything you want. For a mind with million dreams, the Internet has opened infinite opportunities. The moment of self-fulfillment in the law of hierarchy has arrived, thanks to the Internet.

The argument about the Internet being a bane depends on how ready the society is to use the tool for the right things. Once again if one comes back to Indian example, the country with the enormous young population was brewing with ideas, imagination and the Internet just connected all those dots. They went after the opportunity in a magnificent manner changing the world's perception of Indians. The "Start-Up" capital of the world, Indians & Internet are soulful companions.

It is true that the Internet gets used for many insane things as well. One regularly hears of heinous crimes happening around the world. The Internet gets used to propagate those horrific acts. There is another phenomenon. The Asian countries with several social norms have received a cultural jolt with boundary-less Internet. A lot of young adults have got exposed to things that parents would have loved to keep for a later date. The culture churning because of the Internet almost makes one feel that this infinite phenomenon has no end and it has invaded our private worlds.

However, once again to decide anything as boon or bane, one needs first understand the complex socio-economic fabric from where the person sees the idea of the Internet.

Should You Hire an Internet Marketing Expert?

Starting out in internet marketing is almost always overwhelming to e-business newcomers, even if they are seasoned business professionals or marketing experts. Internet marketing is truly original and quite different from traditional marketing. The complexity is compounded for those who do not have vast experience operating or marketing a business. Whatever the circumstances, many new internet entrepreneurs ponder the idea of hiring an internet marketing expert to get their internet-based business off the ground. There are different types of internet marketing experts who provide various levels of support and services. Hiring or contracting to a full-service internet marketing expert can be quite expensive, but using limited services of an internet marketing expert can be both cost-effective and advantageous for a new internet business.

Another option to hiring an internet marketing expert is to pursue training and educational opportunities in internet marketing that will prepare you to become an internet marketing expert yourself. Some services offered internet marketing expert firms include:

1.    Preparation of marketing plans
2.    Internet marketing consulting services
3.    Management of specific internet marketing campaigns
4.    Full-service planning and management of the internet marketing program

Having an internet marketing expert craft a marketing plan that is specific to your business is a good way to gain an introduction to internet marketing and to realize your internet marketing potential. A marketing plan prepared by an internet marketing expert should contain an analysis of your business and your industry as well as identifying and evaluating your competition and recommending a niche market for you to target.

The internet marketing expert should also outline internet marketing strategies for you to use to reach your target market and to drive targeted traffic to your website. Specifics of your planned internet marketing campaign should be included in the marketing plan along with milestones and an internet marketing budget. Using an internet marketing expert in this capacity will provide you with a clear internet marketing plan that will serve as a guide for your internet marketing program. Internet consulting services provided by an internet marketing expert can be provided one-on-one, through classes or through coaching. Generally, such consulting services accomplish the same thing as a marketing plan prepared by an internet marketing expert, but they are less formal and more intended to condition you to prepare and administer your own marketing plan and program. Working with an internet marketing expert on a consulting basis is a great way to learn about internet marketing and to prepare yourself to manage your own internet marketing program. Sometimes you may find it beneficial to hire or contract an internet marketing expert to manage a specific area of your internet marketing campaign that is time consuming. Search engine optimization and pay-per-click management are examples of these specific activities that may benefit from the use of an internet marketing expert. Both require ongoing monitoring and adjustments to be continually effective and cost-efficient. Linking campaigns are also ongoing, time consuming tasks that you may want to consider outsourcing to an internet marketing expert.

A full-service internet marketing expert generally provides a wide-array of internet marketing services. Among them are the marketing planning tasks of reviewing the industry, identifying the competition, analyzing the market, pinpointing a target market, developing a unique selling proposition, identifying marketing methods, and planning the marketing budget. Once the marketing plan is in place and approved by you, the full-service internet marketing expert actually launches and manages your internet marketing campaign. Considering all of the levels of service that an internet marketing expert can provide will help you to decide whether or not to hire an internet marketing expert. The main advantages of using the services of an internet marketing expert are access to expertise and freeing up your time. The disadvantage, of course, is the cost associated with the use of an internet marketing expert. In making that crucial decision for your unique business, a cost-benefit analysis can provide guidance to ensure that you make the best decision for your business.

What Would Life Be Like Without The Internet?

An interesting question in an age where the Internet plays an integral part of everyday life, business and society! So what are the implications of a life without the internet?

Well firstly we should ask the question in a more specific circumstance. What would life be like with no Internet if the 'plug' was pulled today? We'll be looking at this topic from this angle, rather than trying to imagine the world without the Internet had it never been invented.

Life without Internet - Pulling the Plug on the Internet.

How exactly the Internet Plug could ever get pulled is a complicated question, due to the expansive infrastructure that makes up the Internet. It would probably require the shutting down of every server and local DNS around the world. Some people have spoken about a major virus infection spreading through all servers and computers, rendering them / the Internet in a paralyzed state. There is also another wild theory where by the wind generated by huge solar flares will disrupt anything that carries current, from telegraph wires, anything metal, computers, servers etc. You can read about this theory if you Google "Carrington Event of 1959" This theory is said to be predicted by Nasa.

Life with no Internet - Personal Users
How would having no Internet affect the general personal user? Well apart from every teenager screaming because they can't log on to Facebook, it all comes down to how much we personally use the Internet and what for. Some of us hardly use the Internet, where others pretty much live their life around it! Equally some actually live a completely New Life within the Internet like those who use Second Life.

I asked a few people their initial feelings towards not having the Internet, here's what they said;

"So many people use the Internet that if whoever banned it from the world everyone would complain that much and so many people would sue them that they would be forced to put it back on to regain all their money, or everyone should just move to the planet mars." Charlotte - 16

"Well, people would have to start talking to each other more, like they used to, and the whole morning chat at the post office will return. Kids would have to used the library to find stuff out instead of using Google, which will get them out of the house and learning to do things for themselves. People will receive letters instead of emails." Melanie - 28

"It would affect me greatly in work because of our regional offices that relay information, policies and procedures to one another quickly. Personally I don't have the time to go out as much as I'd like to and without the Internet I'd loose valuable socialising networks and access to friends and family far away." Debbie - 45

"Boring life! We would not be able to shop online, which helps a lot of people like me who find it hard to get around" Sylvia - 60+

Socialising - Can our Youth Socialise without the Internet?

Many of us use the Internet to communicate, especially those in the lower age brackets above 10 years. From email to chat forums, social networks, dating sites and even virtual worlds our demands on the Internet for social communication and networking are huge. So it's easy to anticipate that a life without the internet would force people to turn back to grass roots and socialise and communicate on a very basic level. My worry with this though, specifically within the lower age brackets is will the people who've grown up with the Internet around them be able to embrace social engagement on a grass roots level and know how to socialise? Would this better enhance communication skills and language in relation to studies on how 'Internet slang' has merged into our language skills? Would our ability to meet new people outside our immediate area be severed and thus affecting who we meet, socialise and interact with and above all whom we spend our lives with? How did you meet your partner? Was the Internet involved in the process?

Life without Internet - Communication

We use the Internet to communicate more than ever and it's become an integral part of any standard means of communication. So with no Internet our means of communication would have to adapt. I very much doubt we'll be sending smoke signals, but letters would fulfil the hole e-mails left and phones would fulfil the gaps that instant messaging, chat and social media created. An increase in posted mail and phone calls would surely benefit our local postal services and telephone network providers, but what we loved about the Internet was that communication was free! So it's a possible exaggeration to assume we'd all crack out the pens and paper, start licking stamps and calling everyone we know. Further more we would probably resort to basics, that remain free and simply go 'talk' to friends and family.

Life Speed not Broadband Speed! The Slow Down

It's a simple observation that the Internet sped up the world and lives we live. We communicated quicker, we could buy and sell quicker and we could find information quicker. So with the dilemma of having no Internet we'd surely expect the world to slow down, in business, society and communication. Coping with this huge decrease in processing speed would have extended impact throughout the business and society worlds to a point we'd wonder how we ever coped without it.

Life without the Internet - Effects on Business

Almost all businesses nowadays have some relationship with the Internet whether it's a simple business listing or an online store. What implications would be put upon businesses across the world with the loss of the Internet? Perhaps world wide recession, stock markets would collapse, millions of businesses go bust and millions of people loose their jobs? The impact on businesses that utilise the Internet would be massive and the make or break factor would be if they could survive without it? But there may be some advantages amongst this devastation; as consumers we'd probably start buying locally, enriching our local towns and shops. We'd look for local services and sustain local economies by trading within our immediate areas. The loss of jobs that relate to Internet Business would be hard to digest. Jobs at our local super market working the tills would suddenly be in high demand as well as many other jobs that don't directly relate to the Internet.

What Businesses might survive?

Many older businesses 'embraced' the Internet and didn't solely found their existence around it, so we'd find a good number of businesses still in a position to trade. They merely used the Internet as an advertising medium or extra virtual shop. As long as they had diversity and a strong customer base they'd adapt in whatever ways necessary to keep trading.

Access to Information & Resources cut

We all know the Internet is a massive resource directory, full of useful and useless information, all beautifully at our finger tips. So without it where would we find out the chemical compound of silver, or the world record time for eating After eights? Books! Quite simply, we'd resort back to the old school principle of reading books from libraries. It would definitely be harder finding the equivalent information that the Internet can provide in your local library but if you think about it the Internet basically took the concept of a library and expanded it by about a million times!.

Life without the Internet - Conclusion

Above all we have to remember we got to where we are today without the Internet. The Internet was a technological advancement that excelled us into the 21st century and changed the way we socialised, did business and purchased goods. It paved the way to the future and still has many exciting advancements ahead of it's self. Witnessing the loss of the Internet is probably very unlikely, but either way I'm quite sure as a human race we'd adapt and persevere as we have done for thousands of years. Those who grew up with the Internet well established around them simply can't comprehend life without it. There are however many of us who practiced life before it's time and have experienced a life without the Internet.