When you're using a single computer, you use its analog modem or a broadband cable, DSL, or satellite modem to connect to your ISP as needed.

• Cable: Almost all cable companies offer high-speed Internet connectivity. You will be supplied with a cable modem.






By default, Windows 7 networking is configured to use DHCP to obtain IP configuration information.

• DSL: Digital subscriber line (DSL) is a high-speed Internet connection over telephone lines. You will be supplied with a DSL modem. Usually use Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) to secure connections. Your DSL provider supplies you with a PPPoE username and password to connect to the network. Windows 7 has a built-in support for PPPoE.
  
  
  
  Read more about DSL at:
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Subscriber_Line.
• Dial-up: Dial-up is a connection over a phone line by using a modem. Dial-up is a much slower way to access the Internet.
  
  
  
  
• Wireless WAN: Wireless Wide Area Network (WAN) is fully supported by Windows 7. A mobile device such as a smartphone can connect through broadband cell towers and WiFi hotspots to connect to the Internet. The portable device may offer a data card, and perhaps a specialized cable, that connects themobile device to the computer, usually with a USB connection. The computer can access the Internet through the mobile device, treating it as a special type of modem. The provider of the brodband service must enable this option for the portable device, typically for an extra fee. Most broadband vendors refer to this feature as "tethering" the computer to the mobile device. The mobile device must also be configured to recognize that this feature is active.