A 14.4 kbps modem can receive only about 1.2-1.4 kilobytes of data per second, even if there is no other network traffic. As a technology for home use, the web is still in its early days. In many parts of the country, telephone companies provide ISDN services that can support Internet connections as fast as 128 kbps. Cable modems and satellite-based data services are also emerging as alternatives for home connectivity. The trickiest part of getting access to the web is installing and configuring the necessary software.
Many similar products are available.
Most of these programs are distributed for free on the Internet. Microsoft 's Internet Explorer is emerging as the most formidible competitor to Navigator. Since Explorer is distributed free with Windows95, its share of the market is increasing rapidly. This tutorial describes basic browser skills that apply to both Navigator and Explorer. Windows 3.1 users typically require a version of Winsock .