The Internet can be accessed through a high-speed connection provided by a cable television line. This type of connection is much faster than the usual connection which uses a regular modem and a telephone line. To implement a cable connection to the Internet, a cable modem must be attached to a network connection (Ethernet connection) on your computer. Both the modem and the necessary network card are usually supplied by the cable company as part of their package. If you don’t have a cable outlet near the computer, the company that provides the service will install one for you.

To use this type of connection, your cable television company must have it available, and not all cable companies offer this service. Some companies that are not cable television companies are able offer this service because they have made affiliations and/or rental agreements with the cable television operators.

If you currently subscribe to cable television and you add cable Internet service, most cable companies will give you a reduced rate for this combination service. Also, you can watch television and surf the Internet at the same time.

A cable Internet connection is an always-on connection, meaning you don’t have to dial up the Internet when you want access. Just turn your computer on, and you are connected to the Internet. This always-on type of connection is convenient, but makes it easier for a hacker to access your computer data. Therefore, if you use cable to access the Internet, you should implement a firewall to protect your computer.

The drawback to cable Internet is that it is shared access, meaning that you share the bandwidth with your neighbors. If every one of your neighbors gets cable Internet access and every one of them is online simultaneously, your Internet connection will slow considerably. Slow speed is currently not a problem or even a consideration in most cases. However, if cable access becomes more widespread, speed slow-downs could become a drawback to cable Internet access.