Most discussions of home networking center on sharing a
high-speed Internet connection. However, many of us either do not
have access to high-speed Internet from our telephone or cable TV
company or simply cannot justify the additional cost.
Sharing a dialup Internet connection is a feasible alternative
in these cases. While not difficult, you should keep in mind that a
dialup connection is easily overloaded if more than one user is
placing demands on it. Several users could probably check email
simultaneously, though more than one person surfing the Web would
most likely result in poor performance for all users.
Many manufacturers are directing their efforts toward the
broadband (high-speed Internet access) market. However, some
companies still cater to the dialup market. The three most
prominent companies that continue to manufacture products to allow
the sharing of a dialup Internet connection are Apple (AirPort), NetGear (RM356 56K Internet
Gateway Router), and 3Com
(OfficeConnect® 56K LAN Modem). Prices range from $175 to
$299.
The NetGear and 3Com products include built-in 4-port hubs to
allow up to four computers with ethernet to connect directly to the
device and share the connection. The Apple product has only two
network ports, but it also serves as a base station for wireless
Internet sharing. Your individual needs would dictate which product
best suits your purposes.
There are some important guidelines to keep in mind regardless
of which product you use. All have a setting that allows you to
determine how much time should elapse with no network activity
before the unit closes the Internet connection. If your Internet
connection shares your voice line, you should set this relatively
low: 5-10 minutes. However, if you have a dedicated telephone line
for Internet access, you can set it much higher: 30 minutes to 1
hour. Be aware, however, that your ISP (Internet Service Provider)
may automatically terminate an idle connection in a shorter
period.
When setting up the unit, you will need to know the telephone
number of your ISP, your user name, and your password. In addition,
if you have call waiting, you will need to enter *70,
(including the comma) in the appropriate location before the ISP
phone number to disable call waiting while you are connected to the
Internet. Failure to do this may result in your being disconnected
anytime you receive a phone call.
Unlike a shared cable or DSL connection, Internet access through
a shared dialup connection is not instantaneous. When you attempt
to access the Internet, there will be a delay while the sharing
device calls the ISP and makes the connection. Subsequent users who
access the Internet while the device remains connected will get
more or less instant access. It is only the first user who will see
a lag. 
