posted on October 11, 2002 11:33:58 AM
We live in a rural area and cannot get cable or DSL. It takes a long time for me to launch auctions, so we are thinking of hooking up to a satellite. Does anyone have any comments, suggestions, etc. re hooking up with a satellite service? Also, they say you need an available USB port. I don't even know what one is to see if I have an available one. Is it something you can buy or add on, if I don't. Any help would be appreciated.
posted on October 11, 2002 06:13:59 PM
I have the satellite connection from Direcway and I like it.
I never get kicked off. It is always on if the computer is on, so I never get a busy siginal. It loads so fast when I start the computer, it is much faster than having to dial-up and listen to that stupid noise, and half the time be told that it was unable to establish a connection.
On fast sites and downloads it is a wonderful thing.
I went on the Microsoft site to do an update that I had been dreading because it was supposed to take 1 hour and 12 minutes at 53k, 4 hours with 28k and that is what I had before.
It took less than 4 minutes. No, it is not a typo, less than 4 minutes.
I will tell you this when eBay is slow it is much better than a dial-up, but the satellite can not make eBay really fast because eBay is slow. It will make it lots better but it does not do miracles.
AuctionWatch is a fast site, and it loads like lightning. The eBay Q&A board will completely download in about 3 seconds.
After the first year it will not cost any more than 2 ISPs and the extra phone line, with the convenience and speed it offers I am glad to pay the extra $40.00 for 12 months.
The Direcway folks are really nice, and if you want to network a couple of computers and just have the one hook-up they allow that. Try that with another ISP and they start wanting you to pay for two hook-ups.
They will even help you if you get stuck, take my advise and network what ever you want to network before you get the satellite.
Sorry this is so long, but I am just so impressed with this system.
posted on October 11, 2002 11:08:16 PM
It sounds a lot like a cable modem. Always on and always lightening fast, except for the slow ebay site.
I never thought I'd say an internet connection could be too fast but sometimes it is. I can open up 5 browser windows at once with no problems or reduction in speeds. Most downloads take only a few seconds and it is rare to see the little yellow files icons drifting across the screen into the big file icon during downloads because the downloads are done before that stuff can even start.
The best treat you can give yourself is a super fast and always on internet connection. Get rid of the cable TV extra pay channels and use that saved money to pay for the fast modem setup. All across the country people get huge cable TV bills for pay channels that repeat the same movies over and over all month long. What a waste of money that is.
posted on October 12, 2002 05:43:27 PM
We have Satellite...Starband. It's not as fast Roadrunner or DSL, but the phonelines are so bad around here, dial-up was out of the question. I don't know about anyone else, but when it rains we DO lose connection. It doesn't even have to be raining here..it could be raining where the Starband control center is. Well...that's the price we have to pay for living far away from the city, but I DO miss Roadrunner.....
posted on October 12, 2002 08:47:32 PM
you might want to also check into a service called mmds wireless internet. It is coming into rural areas here and there. It is line of sight terrestrial wireless. You have an antenna on your roof which has line of sight to a broadcast site, usually on a mountain top or tall building.the antenna is connected to a cable modem which is connected to your computer. Unless things have changed recently, satellite still requires the use of a phone line for your uploads (page requests, etc.). mmds uses no phone lines. I have very fast always on service, it's not affected by storms the way satellite is, and it costs 39 dollars per month. my antenna looks at a broadcast tower which is 10 miles away and I have a real good signal...whatever you decide, once you have broadband you'll never go back to phone lines...good luck!
here's a link to a wireless ISP search engine:
http://www.bbwexchange.com/wisps/
posted on October 13, 2002 05:23:42 AM
With the Direcway system you can have a choice of a two way system or a one way system with a phone line.
If you are going to be using FTP or posting auctions and sending large emails of files get the two way system.
The two way system has not been out for very long, it is what I have and it is great.
Even when we are both on the networked computers and posting, it does not slow it down enough for me to be able to see it.
The wireless system sounds good, too. I looked at it, but the up front cost was too high. I live on the east coast and the winds here just eat antennas.
Direcway has a $99 dollar installation fee and is $99 a month for the first year and $59.00 a month after that. Since we needed to replace our TV receiver anyway (had it for years)and did not want a second disk we decided to go with them.
