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Bandwidth is the buzz word of the new Millennium. A lot of what you read about is the new technologies out there to provide high speed internet connections through greater bandwidth: cable, DSL, and now satellite modems. All this new technology is exciting to read about, but the fact remains that most of us still connect to the Internet using our 56K modem and a dial-up Internet connection.
Windows 98, Windows ME and Windows 2000 have all included simple Wizards to initially set up dial-up Internet connection. There are also many free Internet services out there, many of which include their own proprietary software that will automatically set up a dial-up connection. That's all well and good--except that installing one of these free services may conflict with another dial-up connection that was working perfectly well before.
"No problem", you may say. "I'll just use the uninstall feature that came with this new Internet service. That will purge the offending software and my old dial-up service will work again."
Right? Wrong.
What you have just discovered is that many of these programs remove their browser software but leave the conflicting dial-up network settings. Or you may not even have have done anything to cause the problem. Windows has been known to just lose dial-up network settings for no obvious reason.
Next: SYSTEM BUILDER FAQ
Why should I build my own PC?
Building a computer is a time-consuming task, requiring extensive research, purchasing and configuration. First of all, you've got to know exactly what components you need, find the best prices, order the parts from one or more vendors, and put all the pieces together. Also, you don't have the benefit of the manufacturer's tech support department when you get stuck and you don't get a unified warranty. But, you may end up with a system that better fits your needs and you'll get lots of hands-on experience.
Is it hard to put together?
Actually assembling a PC isn't that hard if you are handy with a screwdriver. Decent motherboards come with documentation describing how and where to plug your components in. I honestly think that anyone could put a PC together.
Why is it a challenge?
I've said it's easy to assemble the system, but that's only half of the battle. The most wrestling will occur when you try to power up your system and find that you didn't plug something in properly. After that, you must wrestle some more as you try to configure your operating system to recognize all of your components and work properly with them. Operating systems usually
don't contain all of the newest drivers, and won't recognize all of your peripherals properly.
How much will it cost me?
You should plan on spending more money building a system than you would just purchasing one pre-assembled. However, you can purchase components that are more easily upgraded and better suit your needs. I'd say assembling a system yourself will add about $300 to the purchase price if you are putting together a $2,000 system. You will also spend a lot of time trying to make it work. Don't be discouraged, though--you will find the knowledge you gain very
practical. You also win the right to brag to your friends about how you built your own system from scratch.
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