Internet Options? I need some techno guru to help me!! (router, audio)

[NekkidFish]

Originally Posted by HappyHarley

Personally, I would get both cincinatti bell, and hughes net.

I hate satellite internet, the signal will go out all the time, especially in cloudy weather, storms, snow, etc

But when it's working at its best it will be faster than the cinci bell... But for times when you can't use that, or go over your usage limit, just switch to the cinci bell.

If I had to only get one, it would be cinci bell. And I would try to learn to not use internet for anything other than the necesiities like banking and email.

So, Hughes Net is stronger than Cincy when it is working right?

Do you have a home network? We have several computers, iPads, etc. hooked to the home network.

So, can you explain how you switch from one to the other. Is it a major hassle?

Thanks! Jules

[HappyHarley]

Originally Posted by NekkidFish

So, Hughes Net is stronger than Cincy when it is working right?

Do you have a home network? We have several computers, iPads, etc. hooked to the home network.

So, can you explain how you switch from one to the other. Is it a major hassle?

Thanks! Jules

Just like people use their laptops at home, at mcdonalds, at starbucks, etc... It is very easy to switch from one connection to the other when using a wireless machine (laptop, ipad, etc). At the bottom right of your computer you should see an internet connection symbol. Just click on that, and it will show which network you are connected to, just disconnect from it, and choose another available one to connect to. Often called "network and sharing center".

For desktops that don't have a wireless card, and need to be plugged in with an Ethernet cable (the thing that looks like a telephone cord but a little bigger), you would just have to switch it out from the back of the desktop, and plug the other internet's ethernet cable into it for the different connection.

Both HughesNet and Cincybell, will provide you with a modem or combination modem/router. I don't think hughesnet has a built in router, so you would have to buy a router for wireless connection. Don't buy a router that is more than 90 bucks, just a waste of money.
_____________________________

Is money an issue for you? LOL.. Even Warren Buffet would say Yes it is! I was looking at hughesnet prices, and wow, they are still expensive. I do know that the gov't was having a subsidy thing for satelite internet providers, which made it a lot cheaper, but maybe that money has ran dry already. But if you get hughesnet, be sure to ask them about it.

HughesNet Plans and Pricing, High Speed Rural Satellite Internet
The power max plan is wow, so expensive. 130 a month , plus 10 for the modem, and taxes, lol.
The power plan seems like a better deal. Just a little less speeds..

Cinci is a lot cheaper, ZoomTown High-Speed Internet Access - 5Mbps Speed - Cincinnati Bell
only 30 a month, and plus maybe 6 bucks or so.
______

But now that I think of it-

I'll change my previous statement about getting both right away.

I would just get CinciBell first. Way cheaper, always connected even during bad weather, comes with a wireless router modem combination, so just one box is all you need. Plus you don't need to have a satellite dish on your home. (I'm not sure what your situation is, but if your renting or something you would need landlord approval anyways before they could install a dish, and even some homeowners associations don't allow dishes)

I would try that out for a couple weeks, and see if it does the job for you. If your not satisfied , then get Hughes net too. That way the kids can use one connection, and the parents use the other. Because having so many people or computers using the same connection does make it run a bit slower for everyone.

But yea, just get cincy bell first, and then let us know how its workin for ya!

[NekkidFish]

Originally Posted by HappyHarley

Just like people use their laptops at home, at mcdonalds, at starbucks, etc... It is very easy to switch from one connection to the other when using a wireless machine (laptop, ipad, etc). At the bottom right of your computer you should see an internet connection symbol. Just click on that, and it will show which network you are connected to, just disconnect from it, and choose another available one to connect to. Often called "network and sharing center".

For desktops that don't have a wireless card, and need to be plugged in with an Ethernet cable (the thing that looks like a telephone cord but a little bigger), you would just have to switch it out from the back of the desktop, and plug the other internet's ethernet cable into it for the different connection.

Both HughesNet and Cincybell, will provide you with a modem or combination modem/router. I don't think hughesnet has a built in router, so you would have to buy a router for wireless connection. Don't buy a router that is more than 90 bucks, just a waste of money.
_____________________________

Is money an issue for you? LOL.. Even Warren Buffet would say Yes it is! I was looking at hughesnet prices, and wow, they are still expensive. I do know that the gov't was having a subsidy thing for satelite internet providers, which made it a lot cheaper, but maybe that money has ran dry already. But if you get hughesnet, be sure to ask them about it.

HughesNet Plans and Pricing, High Speed Rural Satellite Internet
The power max plan is wow, so expensive. 130 a month , plus 10 for the modem, and taxes, lol.
The power plan seems like a better deal. Just a little less speeds..

Cinci is a lot cheaper, ZoomTown High-Speed Internet Access - 5Mbps Speed - Cincinnati Bell
only 30 a month, and plus maybe 6 bucks or so.
______

But now that I think of it-

I'll change my previous statement about getting both right away.

I would just get CinciBell first. Way cheaper, always connected even during bad weather, comes with a wireless router modem combination, so just one box is all you need. Plus you don't need to have a satellite dish on your home. (I'm not sure what your situation is, but if your renting or something you would need landlord approval anyways before they could install a dish, and even some homeowners associations don't allow dishes)

I would try that out for a couple weeks, and see if it does the job for you. If your not satisfied , then get Hughes net too. That way the kids can use one connection, and the parents use the other. Because having so many people or computers using the same connection does make it run a bit slower for everyone.

But yea, just get cincy bell first, and then let us know how its workin for ya!

Thanks for all of the info! We will try Cincy for a bit and see if we can make it work. I am trying to wrap my head around the fact that we might have a slow connection, so I don't pull my hair out once we get there. LOL

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by NekkidFish

If we have no choice but to go with Cincy Bell, is the 5Mbps a good speed for our needs? That just sounds small to me, like a dial up connection.

LOL, I love how people talk about internet speed theses days. 5 Mbps is about 100 x faster then the fastest dial up connection. The average internet connection in the US is 8.6 Mbps.

Hulu and Netflix will be a bit slow on 5 Mbps. You will probably see some buffering.

[NekkidFish]

I called Cincy Bell to establish new service, and the gal in the Philippines proceeded to tell me that I already had service, and my account number and my telephone number. Note: the numbers she gave are for the current owners of the home. I could not get her to shut up long enough to explain that I am buying the home.

And so, my relationship with Cincy Bell begins. *sigh*

[HappyHarley]

Originally Posted by NekkidFish

I called Cincy Bell to establish new service, and the gal in the Philippines proceeded to tell me that I already had service, and my account number and my telephone number. Note: the numbers she gave are for the current owners of the home. I could not get her to shut up long enough to explain that I am buying the home.

And so, my relationship with Cincy Bell begins. *sigh*

What time did you call? Some companies route their calls to US offices during business hours, and then route them to 3rd world countries after hours.

I never get mad at call center people, no matter where they live. I've worked that job before, and it sucks. Low pay, high stress, no satisfaction.

But yea, it does sound like the agent you got was probably new and didn't know how to do everything yet.

[NekkidFish]

Originally Posted by HappyHarley

What time did you call? Some companies route their calls to US offices during business hours, and then route them to 3rd world countries after hours.

I never get mad at call center people, no matter where they live. I've worked that job before, and it sucks. Low pay, high stress, no satisfaction.

But yea, it does sound like the agent you got was probably new and didn't know how to do everything yet.

I did not get mad at her, it was just frustrating.

[HappyHarley]

I'm getting worried about NekkidFish , it's been like 8 days since her last post. I don't know how someone could go that long without internet. NekkidFish please keep us updated!

[Three Wolves In Snow]

Originally Posted by HappyHarley

Personally, I would get both cincinatti bell, and hughes net.

I hate satellite internet, the signal will go out all the time, especially in cloudy weather, storms, snow, etc

But when it's working at its best it will be faster than the cinci bell... But for times when you can't use that, or go over your usage limit, just switch to the cinci bell.

If I had to only get one, it would be cinci bell. And I would try to learn to not use internet for anything other than the necesiities like banking and email.

That's not true. I had it when I lived in FL. We had thunder storms and clouds all the time in the summer, my internet would not go out. I had Hughes net. The only thing that "sucked" about it was that, as a gamer, it did cut in to my gaming time unless I stayed up until non peak usage time. I had no problems with them, and I'm not sure why everyone acts like they suck. They don't.

As for 5mb/s download speed....that's slow. That is very slow. The national average is about 30 mb/s.

[HappyHarley]

Originally Posted by Three Wolves In Snow

That's not true. I had it when I lived in FL. We had thunder storms and clouds all the time in the summer, my internet would not go out. I had Hughes net. The only thing that "sucked" about it was that, as a gamer, it did cut in to my gaming time unless I stayed up until non peak usage time. I had no problems with them, and I'm not sure why everyone acts like they suck. They don't.

As for 5mb/s download speed....that's slow. That is very slow. The national average is about 30 mb/s.

With satellite internet , the speed also depends on where you live. If you live in Florida, which is a very populous state, that has cable internet available almost everywhere, then if you use satellite your speeds will be faster b.c not many other people in florida use satelite.

But say if you lived in Wyoming, and a lot of people don't even have access to cable internet, so they all use satellite, that will mean slower speeds, etc.

It sounds like you had a very good technician who installed your satellite, however, that is not the case for many people. If the dish is off just by a little, little, itty bitty tiny bit, it will effect the connection and speed.