Just as the subject says, and im In the US.

Well it depends 1. What your budget is 2. What kind of offers you have for broadband in your area and what companies provide the service. I think the best solution is to get a router and try to find someone to split the cost of a broadband connection with (i.e. roomate, parents). This is the way I do it so a $50 a month cable modem connection only costs me $25 a month, which is just a little bit higher than the monthly cost of most dial-up services.