In 2017, it’s likely that you probably have access to the internet at home, which means that you’ll use an Internet Service Provider (ISP). An ISP will grant you access for the internet in return for a monthly fee, normally in the form of DSL or cable. Depending on what package and method of access you purchase, determines the speed and amount of bandwidth you’ll have access to. If you want to get more technical, the device you’re using to access this website puts in a request to a DNS server to access the IP address that this site is linked to. You might be familiar with the DNS error when you’ve been unable to access a website even though you’re connected to the internet. This is often caused by a corrupt DNS setting, which can often be solved by restarting your router. When the request to access the website is accepted by the server, then the website’s IP address is found and it will load within seconds.

What is the best way to choose a new ISP?

Depending on where you live in your country will have a huge impact on the ISP that you choose. If you live in a rural area, then you might be limited by who offers the best coverage in your location. If you want only the fastest fibre optic, then this will also be limited by the local coverage that ISPs offer, as well as your budget. There are many great price comparisons sites online and they’ll help you find the best prices. Once you’ve identified who you’d like to go with, make contact with them to find out the level of service they offer in your area, as well as the best price they can offer you. It never hurts to haggle!

How can I find out who my ISP is?

To find out who your ISP is, the first thing to do is to search for any recent mail. It’s common for your ISP to send you bills and other promotional material, so you’ve done well to avoid these if you’re completely clueless about your provider. If you haven’t received any mail from them, then you should try heading over to whoismyisp.org, which instantly tells you who your provider is. For more information, including internet speeds and the nearest exchange, try speedtest.net. This gives you a clear indication of the download and upload speeds that you can expect, so that you can contact your ISP if you feel that you are not benefitting from these speeds, which could highlight a server side issue.

How can I hide my internet history?

In recent times, it can often feel like a bit of privacy is hard to come by. If you wish to hide your internet history, you can use a Virtual Private Network. This enables you to hide your IP address by masking your identity by using the VPN which encrypts your browsing history by assigning you with another IP address. This means that if anyone ever tracks your IP and asks for your identity, they’ll actually be asking your VPN and not your ISP. This is beneficial, because more often than not your ISP will be obligated to hand over your details by law. However, your VPN isn’t and will likely withhold your information and consequently protecting your anonymity.

The term Internet Service Provider can confuse someone, but in a nutshell, it’s a term to identify the company that supplies your internet. To get the best service, you should often check the market for prices as it’s common for your fee to get incrementally increased year after year if you’re on a contract. As technology moves forward, it’s also worth comparing ISPs to see who offers the fastest speed for your buck.