High Speed Internet

[Wingnut]

Jerry,

you ARE aware that (assuming you're running Win98 or newer) you can share your modem? I do it all the time with my home network .... I have 5 boxes in my computer room and I frequently am using 2 online at the same time to access different stuff off the net (one will be doing a NAV update and another checking my websites for problems).

pete

 

[Mrwurm]

Pete, it is not safe to assume that I am aware of anything computer related. I've got a real good tech support guy that upgrades my two pc's once a year for me. I talked to him this morning and he said he can network my computers to work with DirecWay. He told me to run a cat5 cable between the two pc locations and he would do the rest. Does this sound right to you?

 

[Wingnut]

well, yes .... as long as you have something to hook the cat5 cables to /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif. It you have network cards in both PC's ... then Win98 (or newer) will allow you to easily network the 2 pc's. The "magic" part is then setting one up as the proxy "server" ... and viola ... you can both play on the 'net at the same time (of course, you'll be sharing the same pipeline ... so their MP3 downloads will walk all over your TBN reading ...

 

[DavidInNH]

Jerry,

Microsoft calls it Internet Connection Sharing (ICS). ICS is Microsoft's label for NAT, DHCP and some ease of use extensions. DirecWay explicitly acknowledges support for it. I used a FreeBSD system with NAT to share my dialup line for several years. I recently converted to ICS to share the modem. It worked fine. I'm now using to share the satellite link and so far so good (only one day so far...)

 

[radman]

I recently moved to an area without cable or DSL capabilities. I am for the first time using a wireless system with a local provider called Microlnk. It requires direct line of sight with a small dish to their reciever antenna. Connection speeds can be 256, 512 or 1025k depending on what level of service I desire. $35 for 256, $60 for 512/month. I currently can be connected to my work VPN and still allow others in the household to use the internet as desired. Today is the first day of use. So far no problems. The Dish and Direct satellite systems reportedly don't work well and usually not at all with a VPN. You might see if a similar system is available in your area.

 

[wasabi]

We got a duo-dish (Direcway and Directv) installed last week at our mountain place. The upload time is a multiple of the download which is over 500, sometimes over 1000! /w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif

We have phone line, but DSL is two years away. No cable in the foreseeable future. This, with phone and fax, seems like the best answer.

I'm impressed, perhaps too easily, but for me it works!

 

[Mrwurm]

Thanks Doug, Pete, David, and others. I think I've learned enough to now make an informed decision. Your help is greatly appreciated /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

DirecWay may be in my future. (Their is something really cool /w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif about owing your own satellite transmitter)

BEAM ME UP SCOTTY

 

[Mrwurm]

Did a little more checking and it turns out that several providers can hook me up with an ISDN service. They claim that this is about four times faster than a 56k dial-up, but nowhere near as fast as DSL.

1) The two providers that I talked to said that I needed to call my phone company and upgrade to an ISDN line. I'm not sure what this involves, if its possible, or what it will cost.

2) They also told me I would have to purchase ISDN modems. I've never heard of such a thing and can't find pricing on these.

$39 a month for service plus and extra phone line at $40 a month puts the cost at $79 a month.

Still leaning towards the Direc Way satellite at $59 a month.

 

[MDNY]

One quick thought about ISDN. it can get costly long term. Depending on how they set up the service or how it is billed, you can be billed on a usage level.

Most of the higher end high speed connections ISDN, T1, T3 etc are for major users and have major expenses.

I too am leaning towards Direcway (no cable or cable internet) where I am building and the phone company won't offer DSL either. One problem I have is we are putting in a home network and will have two computers. But I checked out their site and you have to run a MS app to share your usuage and bandwidth. No connecting at the router/firewall in your basement, but only at the USB port on the computer.

Not happy and checking out the options.

 

[Nuru]

Direct TV is only TV, you want Directway, which is the same company (HNS), but it is broadband service, can be both TV and internet.