High speed internet comes rural Michigan!

[jim_mich]

This is a little off topic.

I'm excited! Today I learned that a local internet service provider installed a new wireless system on top of our village water tower a few months ago. It uses Motorola Canopy wireless that's faster than DSL or cable. It has a range up to about 35 miles. I'm about 3-1/2 miles from the water tower as a crow flies. There's a $199 install fee less a $40 rebate and I have to sign up for two years of service at $44.95 per month, maybe less if I prepay. This averages out to $51.58 per month when spread over two years. I'm currently spending $35 per month for two internet accounts and $35.75 for a second phone line which comes to $70.75 per month total, so I'll save a little over $19 per month. It'll give me 2Mbps download and 512K uploads. It's a no brainer; I signed up today. They say it takes a couple weeks to get it installed.

Joy, joy!

[Kirk]

Once you experience high speed internet a dialup is like going to the dentist.
Lots of nifty video on googlevideo and archive.org

Kirk

[jim_mich]

Kirk, dialup is very painful! I've experienced high speed many times. Just last week we traveled to North Carolina and had high speed wireless everywhere we stopped. Until recently there was nothing available for my home.

[jim_mich]

Hey guys and gals, I've finally got high speed internet! I never got the wireless system from the village water tower. It required my antenna to be more or less "line of sight" and there's a hill between the tower and my home that blocks the signal.

I now have a WildBlue satellite dish. I get up to 512 kbps down and 128 kbps up. The download speed varies depending on what is being downloaded. Typically most webpages consist of a number of individual pictures etc. sometimes from separate websites, so they can load in spurts. The tech that setup the system loaded an accelerator program from WildBlue, but I found it was 'decelerating' and slowing down the display in my computer. I uninstalled it and the webpage now display much faster.

Cost wise the install was about $300. This is a little higher than normal because the dish is on a pole about 130 feet from the house. I'll get a $100 rebate at $10 a month off the $49.95 monthly bill, which will bring the cost down to about $200. At first I had arranged to have the dish installed with a company that solicited me, but after checking around I found that the local dish guy would install it cheaper. I saved $200 by using him.

There seems to be a one or two second delay from when I request a website and when the data starts to stream in.

I can get even faster speed if I'm willing to pay extra for it. The dish can handle up to four times speed. I can get double the speed for an extra $20 per month. But after having 26.4 Kbps dialup I'm super happy.

Now I need to have the phone company cancel my second line and have my old internet supplier cancel my service when it expires. This means I'll need to move my webpage and change my email.

[racer270]

congrats Jim,
welcome ,......you have been on that " donkey " TOO long.........:)

aaa.... i get 6 meg. DSL..................................@ $21.99
.i use "voip" , skype out, for calls to the u.s. /ca..$2.50 :or..$29.99 a year..!
and just a local phone #..................................@ $7.01
.....................................................................________
||||\\\............................................................ = $ 31.50

next,.......internet tv......free....???

got to love it.....!!!........:)

http://www.skype.com/products/skypeout/

[graham]

Jim, I have DSL and when I got it it required a DSL modem. I think it cost about $50.00 witha 50pct mail in rebate.

With satellite what kind of modem do you need and was it included with the dish ?

The thing with satellites I have found with Directv, is that on occasions with heavy weather like a storm overhead or snow accumulation on the dish I lose signal . I wonder if the setup you have will have the same problems. I hope not.

Graham

[jim_mich]

Graham,
The system comes with a special modem that looks much like a cable modem, except that it has two coaxial connections to the dish and a ground line that runs to a good quality ground point. Then a simple LAN cable runs to the computer just like the cable modems use. It has a separate power supply transformer like many electron devices. There is no special software needed. When the tech guys set it up they just registered the modem with the WildBlue people.

I would guess that a very heavy storm might block the signal as happens with my TV dish maybe once or twice a year. During those types of storms you really don't want to be online anyway. You're better off watching the storm and ready to take cover immediately if need be.

[rlortie]

Gordy,

I am paying a DSL IP server $15.95 per month My local phone company charges me another $16.00 for Modem and usage. I also use another long distanc carrier who' monthly bill is included with my basic phone charges. They charge a $1.50 handling fee for the extra billing.

Last month I made one long distance phone call that cost $1.79, by the time that got done adding federal taxes and line usage fees that $1.79 phone call cost me $12.48.

Total monthly average for all runs me around $70.00 to $80.00

Checked out this Skype link and could not find the answer to the following question;.

Can you use your regular cord or cordless phone through the modem outlet or back of PC, or do you need speakers and a microphone, headset preferably?

Ralph

[racer270]

ralph,

Can you use your regular cord or cordless phone through the modem outlet or back of PC,......YES.....!

you can do it two ways:
1) using a "switch box" usb....$16.75 + shipping...on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... :IT&ih=005

you can use any phone /wired or cordless...(my cordless house phone works grate....and it rings my regular phone & skype calls......and i can make two calls at the same time....., one on the land line , and one "voip"...:)
or
2) you can get the hot ticket: a philips mod #841 @ http://www.nycommsdirect.com/Philips-DE ... 3-0039.htm

$139.00 this phone.... plugs into your router ....no need to turn your computer on with this setup and it is wireless...:)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------


do you need speakers and a microphone, headset preferably?

no......mic. speakers , or headset needed with the "switchbox" or the philips ..!!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

i use the "switchbox" ,......with my desktop ,the" computer needs to be on"
and use my regular cordless phone........

or i can use my laptop.......
and my laptop......has a mic & speakers.........!

gordy

[DrWhat]

Congrats Jim. Welcome to fast internet.

[trevie]

Well Done Jim, you can listen to radio and video online. without interruptions now...

here is one you may like. London Heart radio.



http://www.heart1062.co.uk/heart1062/

[rlortie]

Hello Jim,

I also have done some upgrading and just installed a new driver for my phone company's IP service through Microsoft.

I now have a new e-mail address in my profile. (Scott reminded me to do this). It knock my out of the system for a little bit, but as you can see, I am back!

Now, if there are any computer geniuses out there I have a call for help!

I down loaded my new driver via a talk through. When I set up my new address in MS "Outlook" it created another new mail box complete with folder options, sent messages junk mail, etc.

Is there any way I can import all the data in my old mail box to the new one.

My provider tech gave me an address for www.trueswitch.com, but the want to sell me an application tor $19.95 that takes care of canceling my old IP and forwarding my mail, etc.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Ralph

[Gregory]

Hi Ralph,

Inside Outlook there is an option to export and import things, like addresses and messages.
So, if you have access to your old account, you can export all the data, then import them in your new account. You can also import mail account settings.

File --> Import
File --> Export

Hope it helps.