my modem/phone company/lines in general sucks

[samati75]

Well they do! I bought a v.92 modem and can't get a connection speed greater than 25k, for which AT&T promptly boots me off. Then I read this: http://www.hal-pc.org/~wdg/56k.html

EVERYONE should read that.

[vikingscaper]

That is the reason why I upgraded to DSL! It may be expensive but I always can get onto the internet!

[samati75]

I'm so frustrated, I am even tired of talking about it. I spent 40 on the modem, thinking how cool i was, lol. Now I'm just going to throw the darm 33.6 in there. Blech.

[BillFrugge]

I hate dial-up.

I travel a lot, and stay at a number of hotels. At this one hotel in Indianapolis, I spent an hour trying to dial in. Whenever it seems like you've made a connection, it either goes off into never-never land or disconnects you.

I used to have two phone lines at home: one for voice, and one for computer. One day the computer line quit. After one week (!) the phone company came out and said that it was fine, no problems, and charged me. I could never dial in at greater than 24k after that. (Before, I'd met 45.3k) I've got an ear for sound and I could hear a subharmonic on the phone line, and when I complained the phone company said that they can only gaurantee up to 14.4k!

It wasn't long after that that I had the telco remove their line, ditched my modem, and got cable modem. The hotel in Indianapolis now offers wireless high speed internet, so that solved that one too. Now if I could convince some of my customers to allow me connect into their network... (Probably not going to happen since my partner brought a bank down due to a virus on his laptop... ;) )

[Lord Loser]

Hmmm, been there. Done that. In fact, I've done everything you did, including buying an external 56K modem from the phone company, thinking there was some kind of software glitch. I now pay out the eema for other service, but at least I can do what I want, when I want, except when the weather's really really cloudy...

[jayelsee]

Dial up sucks! I have seen a NOTICEABLE decline in speed and connectivity in the past 6 months. While I was sitting here reading this thread, I got disconnected TWICE and it took almost 2 minutes, and 2 phone numbers, to reconnect.

I think I'm gonna have to overcome my cheapskate genes and get DSL or cable. After all, time is valuable, too.

Which is better? I've heard cable is faster, but DSL more secure. Any truth to that? I am a techno-dummy.

[Lord Loser]

My bro is a computer nerd and he's got DSL. He told me that cable modems are like party lines. If you're the only one using them, then the speeds are phenomenal. But, as more and more people in your area start using the same line, the speed slows down from all the traffic, and eventually you reach a point of saturation and a speed where you will stay. I just know what I'm told...

[vikingscaper]

I love DSL! The only real problems that we have ever had with it was when we first got the DSL account and we couldn't get the modem to work. We eventually got it to work and it has worked fine ever since except for when we have tried to establish a wireless network in the house but that is another story. I don't know much about cable since DSL is the only service available in my area.

[jayelsee]

Well, then, so far I'm a-leanin' towards DSL. Anybody else want to weigh in? Anybody who maybe has had both, which did/do you like better?

[grapeshot]

When I had my dial up, I pretty much always got on at about 50K. I had no real complaints at all, but I went and got cable broadband anyway. So far I've been very satisfied. The only problem I've had was when my network card failed. Of course, I didn't know that was the problem, so I called the cable company. They came out, diagnosed it as a failed cable modem, then discovered that my network card was bad, too. They replaced it all for free, and didn't charge me for the call even. (I must be practically the only one in America who's pretty satisfied overall with their cable service.)

Recently I got a laptop and am now traveling with it. I have found out all the things you people are talking about with dial-up modems!! It's been a real nuisance. AND not every hotel has hi speed access, which is also a pain.

[BillFrugge]

Originally posted by grapeshot
AND not every hotel has hi speed access, which is also a pain.

I stayed at one hotel because they had a sign that advertised 'high speed internet.' I couldn't find an ethernet jack in the room, and when I asked about the internet, the concierge told me about the jack on the phone. 56k dial-up was their idea of high-speed...

Oh well. At least the room was nice enough. I suppose once you've drunk enough of the complimentary wine, 56k seems fast enough.

[grinner]

I have had Cable and DSL. With the Cable I was seeing speeds up to 750kps... whereas with the DSL, even though I am paying for the 750kps... I rarely ever see speeds over 400kps. I have replaced EVERY line in my house... and the phone company says the problem is on my side. So when I told them I replaced every line(I do that for a living) they denied it was them. It seems the phone line from the Pole to the House is bad... and the Phone Company WON'T replace it. So I had my bill changed to the 333kps and when my contract is up... I will have to look at another alternative. If only the Sat. wasn't so expensive.

[samati75]

Thats what I was wondering. I have dial-up (yeah, I'm back on!, albeit at 24k), my roomate has BellSOuth DSL Lite (splits the phone lines) and we watch DirecTV. Now, what is the cost for the DirecTV satellite internet and how good is it?

[grinner]

Last I saw... it was @ $100 a month.

[samati75]

Gah. I just asked roomie, he says his external modem cost $100 and he pays $45/mo for the services. I don't think his d/l times are all that. His puter is old, though. I do have a network card on my computer, although i had to install a modem card to dial-up. If I had the network card, would I not have to pay for an external modem? Cause that would help, money and desicion-wise.

[grinner]

You need a modem in order for you to connect to the internet. You SHOULD have a network card so that you can have the modem connected to a router that includes a hardware firewall and connect the computer thru that.

[samati75]

Well roomie has a dial-up modem, and then an external DSL modem that commects to a splitter in the wall. IS that right? I would have a dial-up modem and a network modem in the same puter, if I wanted to, that is. It didn't make a difference before, with my old Win95 Compaq, but now it's such a shame to let all this power go to waste, lol. ;)

[Egg]

here's one for Brits.....£22 month for real broadband not the pseudo pretenders

www.freedom2surf.net

[grinner]

why? If your roomie has DSL... split the cost with him... and get a router that has at least 2 outputs. Then you run the DSL modem output to the router input... and then have 2 lines going out to the 2computers. I have up to 3 computers on at a time sometimes... and all 3 are connected thru the DSL modem.

I think you may have your terminology mixed up.

[samati75]

I dont know. All I know is its the type of card (that came in my computer before I put the V92 in) is the kind that hooks up to those fat yellow phone cables, the ones we usually use at work.

If he ran a cord from his room to mine, would it be too long and degrade the signal? Its not far away, 15-20 feet at most. The phone cord I have to use is that darn long! I'll have to check the back of his modem to see how many outgoing ports he has... Maybe we could do it now...

ETA: actually, I just looked the thing up, it's a "Netgear FA311 TX 10/100 Ethernet Card"

[grinner]

I have network lines running at least 90 feet. My DSL modem and Router are in the basement... and I have Network lines running thru the attic vent from the basement to the attic... and then down inside the walls to my outlet boxes. I have Phone, Network, and 2 RG6 lines running to each bedroom upstairs. I only have 1 room connected to the router right now... but I have 2 computers running off of the same network line without any problems. As long as it is a HighSpeed internet service, and as long as you are going thru a router... I think you are good up to a couple thousand feet.

[grinner]

Originally posted by samati75
I dont know. All I know is its the type of card (that came in my computer before I put the V92 in) is the kind that hooks up to those fat yellow phone cables, the ones we usually use at work.

If he ran a cord from his room to mine, would it be too long and degrade the signal? Its not far away, 15-20 feet at most. The phone cord I have to use is that darn long! I'll have to check the back of his modem to see how many outgoing ports he has... Maybe we could do it now...

ETA: actually, I just looked the thing up, it's a "Netgear FA311 TX 10/100 Ethernet Card" that's just a standard network card. You connect the computer to the router using that.

[samati75]

oh neato. now if only the internet fairy would come along and bless me with free services.... lol Thanks, grinner!

[BillFrugge]

It sounds like your roomie has an ethernet cable running from his computer straight into the DSL modem. Most modems only have one connection on the back. The dial-up modem is not needed.

You'll want to invest in a broadband router or a switch/hub at the least. A router makes things easier, and usually has a built-in firewall. What you'll be doing is setting up a peer-to-peer network. Drop a note when you get the router, and we can help.

I've seen runs of greater than 300' that still worked. Technically, that's the limit. You won't have any problems.

[grinner]

Where I used to work... there were some Network runs over 1000'. but it was only text that was running thru them... graphics were stripped.

[Third EYe]

I have had 9 computers hooked up to my cable connection at the same time. All of them DL/ing at the same time. You're DL speeds are only as fast as the source you are retrieving from can send. DSL and Cable both have faults, I have seen DSL come down in price, and Cable rise. So far my cable connection has been adequate, but I suspect that I will be returning to DSL soon.

I rarely lose connection with Cable, whereas with DSL I sometimes lost my connection and had to reboot the "modem" several times a day. I've lost my cable connection 3 times in over 2 years.

DLink makes the best router/firewall for the price. I have a DI-514. They make many models. Very easy to install, and I have seen unwanted traffic on my network virtually stop dead in its tracks. With the various rebates I got my DI-514 for free. I think that offer has ended.

I would certainly share any broadband connection before ever considering dial up. I dare say that if I was forced to use dial up, I would not access the internet at all. The money you pay for dial up is a waste, a complete waste. If they lower the price to 2 bucks every 6 months, then it would be worth it. Some DSL connections are cheaper than dial up.

You can have your cat 5 cable running for as long as you want, but one suggestion, if you are running it over 100', you may want to consider a repeater. I use hubs, not as good, but works ok. Your signal will degrade, and you can lose data on lines that are too long. However, I doubt that in an apartment you'll have anything going over 60', so you should be fine.

If you can do it, get rid of dial up, and never go back.

[BlackThorn]

Originally posted by Third EYe
Some DSL connections are cheaper than dial up.

I've yet to find a DSL deal for around $15 a month (which is still more than my dial-up.)

[BillFrugge]

Originally posted by grinner
Where I used to work... there were some Network runs over 1000'. but it was only text that was running thru them... graphics were stripped.

Was that ethernet?

Some of the older equipment using terminals is really just serial data transmitted along coaxial cable.

Some companies went for token ring due to the cost factor. There was also 10-Base2, and IBM has their own system involving 2 cables.

[grinner]

nope... the main server would strip images... I don't know the name of the program... and only would send text thru the network. It was really weird to surf the net... without images. that also with the fact that many sites were outlawed so that the employee's didn't surf the net during work hours. I ran many of the wiring for the network and if the run was longer than 800', we typically added a repeater.

[BillFrugge]

Neat! I'll bet it ran fast.

That does remind me of what the internet really is. When we send images or files through email, we're really converting it to a text file. Same with Newsgroups. Not that efficient, but the internet wasn't really designed to do that sort of thing.

When the Arpanet was set up, we didn't have graphics and sound capability on our terminals.

[grinner]

yeah, it ran incredibly fast... when it was stable.

[trubador]

I just had the dickens of a time trying to get connected to the internet today. My ISP must've been down. Just got on right now. Haven't had too much of a problem (except today) with my dialup service since I got my new Pent4/WinXP/56k-modem computer last spring. My old Win95 system with a slower modem was a pain in the royal ***.

P.S. With dialup, you'll never get faster than a 48k connection, even with the 56K modem. Here are a few links to help explain why:

http://www.ismi.net/56k/

http://www.ecsnow.com/library/m/modemfaq.asp

http://www.hardwarecentral.com/hardwarecentral/tutorials/56/5/

[samati75]

Yeah, I read the same thing, check the first post in this thread.

[VBKatLou]

Originally posted by BillFrugge
When the Arpanet was set up, we didn't have graphics and sound capability on our terminals.

Man, you've been doing this for awhile. :)

I started using the internet around '94. I believe there was a small search engine at the time. Nothing like today. Of course "business marketing" had not yet taken over and the internet was a much friendlier place. You could do a search and actually have pertinate pages come up first, instead of 15 pages of advertising/businesses/etc.

I recently moved into a new group at work. We provide B2B connectivity between car dealerships and manufacturers. Our stuff sits in the middle. Right now I'm doing XSL/XSLT on text files. Now I'm an application developer and I have always tried to stay away from the hardware/networking side of things (it makes me dizzy). So now I'm kinda forced to learn at least some of that stuff. I keep telling myself that these are good skill sets to have and will make me valuable in the market place, but I'd prefer software programming over this.

I just got DSL in November (SBC). I loaded out Norton System Works and Firewall Protection over the weekend. The firewall began showing me ports and asking for rules. I didn't have a very good idea of what I was doing and ended up blocking my DSL IP. I had blocked a number of things and didn't know which one was the DSL, so I had to "permit" a lot of things so that I could connect again. Is there a firewall protection for dummies site? The help in Norton is not giving me enough information.