How much does it cost to connect to the Internet, and what kind of equipment (hardware, software, etc.) does my school need in order to support an Internet connection?
The cost of an Internet connection varies tremendously with the location of your site and the kind of connection that is appropriate to your needs. In order to determine the cost to your school, you will need to answer a number of questions. For help in learning what the questions are and getting answers to them, begin asking at local colleges, universities, technology companies, government agencies, community networks (often called “freenets”), local electronic bulletin board systems (BBS), network access providers, or technology consultants. To give you an idea of possible equipment needs, here are three sample scenarios, based on possible solutions found in the United States. Keep in mind that these are very general examples and that there are many solutions at each level. See also the answer to Question 5.5. Low-end: You could subscribe to some kind of Internet dial-up service. This may be provided by a vendor at a cost, by a local university gratis, or as a part of a public access
