Q: does it speed up the data tranfers and programs only, or does it work for internet too? if not what are my options for a higher speed internet connection. (BTW i am currenty connected to a router)
A: High-speed USB or USB 2.0 is simply a faster bus (way to transfer information from one place to another). Say for instance you want copy all of your photos in your My Documents folder to a USB 2.0 Thumb drive. USB 2.0 will move your pictures much faster than the old USB 1.1 standard (The difference is in seconds vs minutes). USB has nothing to do with your internet connection. As far as speeding things up, you'll have to talk to your internet provider (Time Warner, Charter, Sprint...) and see what is the highest bandwidth service they offer in your area.