At my wits end with this slow Internet...

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Thank you! Sometimes I don't have enough of an idea of what I'm doing even to search for directions. I know that sounds stupid (especially since I've built whole computers that worked quite well) but it's true.

I'm extremely surprised that the router sets up the modem by itself. That's impressive, even in this day and age.
 
starhawk said:
Thank you! Sometimes I don't have enough of an idea of what I'm doing even to search for directions. I know that sounds stupid (especially since I've built whole computers that worked quite well) but it's true.

I'm extremely surprised that the router sets up the modem by itself. That's impressive, even in this day and age.
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It would have taken two seconds to find the manual. Type in the model number with "manual" at the end into Google and bam. There you go. Anyways, I digress.
 
Not yet. Waiting on the USB modem and a cable (active repeater type, on recommendation of a friend elsewhere) to arrive... once it's assembled, and it works, I'll post and say whether or not it's actually better, and we'll go from there, I suppose. That's gonna be a couple days tho.
 
All parts have (finally!) arrived. Last was the modem, eBay seller (you know who you are) was a little slow in getting it to me. Arrived about an hour ago, and I'll get it going sometime this evening I *hope*.
 
Why not just get a regular internet connection vs MiFi?!? MiFi is intended for on the go, not at home.
 
aznguile972 said:
Why not just get a regular internet connection vs MiFi?!? MiFi is intended for on the go, not at home.
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Yeah he never really answered that one, only that it was his only option. Not sure where in the US you could live and have good 3G/4G coverage yet not have any other option for internet? I know in VA many rural areas getting regular cable TV is out of the question but in those same areas so is getting 3G cellular coverage. Most people in those area end up getting satellite internet which is just horrible.
 
Here are my available options:
- Dialup. Ack, no.
- DSL: 512k max (and that's *ideal* speeds!) -- insufficient for my needs.
- Satellite: HugesNet, twice as expensive for the same speeds, plus an astronomical install fee (I've heard it's like literally $900 or so).
- Cable: comcast. They pay for the first 150' of cable up my driveway, I pay for the other 322'. I've been told elsewhere (don't recall where, sorry) that it's $4/ft for the cable they'd put in, minimum -- much too expensive at that point, and that's without even looking at the data rates!

Cell Wireless places:
- ATT: great coverage, but I've heard way too much about throttling to feel comfy switching to them. Plus no unlimited plan (which I need).
- Verizon: currently with 'em. Have a grandfathered-in unlimited plan, which is nice, but the throughput I'm getting is why this thread exists.
- Sprint: unlimited 4g plan, but my town is 3g only :( I've promised them that if they ever get 4g in my area, and they have the unlimited plan still, I *will* switch. They're about 45min away (by car) from that spot, in another, bigger town.
- Virgin Mobile: their "unlimited" plan includes free throttling above 2gb. No please.
- Chatham Wireless: a little startup in the county seat of Pittsboro, NC about 14mi away from my house. They haven't gotten to us yet, and it's been a few years. Sounds like good stuff tho, sometime in the distant future.

Note that there IS no 4g in our area that I'm aware of. The problem really is that we consume a lot of data in a month, about 25gb (!). Mom is in love with Farmville (and that needs about 1mbps speeds to be even tolerable), and I can't really say anything about that (not that I'd want to) because it's good for her. She's not able to do much else right now because of a chronic non-terminal illness. (I've been asked not to be more specific than that, sorry.) I like to play around with Puppy Linux... and being able to play Pandora again would be nice, too.
 
hmmmmmmmm

/wonders if there is a big roll of 75 ohm out in the weeds somewhere/
 
@jojo69: notta chance. Wanna send me a spool? :p

@all: I'm posting this using the new setup. Slightly faster but not super-huge improvement. Slightly disappointed, I am, Yoda say.

Did find out that ATT has some sorta DSL thingy that is MAYBE available in my area, but they are (of course) outta the office for the weekend. I'll call 'em on Monday if I can remember.
 
Dsl would be faster overall I bet for you. 3G wireless at best is going to get you 2-3 Mbps. I doubt you will get that in most conditions.

Cable would be best for you. Call Comcast they ran my cable from the street for free. It was about a 300 foot run. You could do it yourself but that keep in mind for that distance you do want to run RG11 and under ground it need a ground wire. Plus of course call miss utility.
 
yeah, I was worried about loss, that's why I asked about an amp

he wouldn't bury it, just string it through the bushes
 
jojo69 said:
he wouldn't bury it, just string it through the bushes
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I don't think so! We have SERIOUS squirrel issues around here. I know that they like to eat bird feeders, and if a particularly fat one sits down on our power line, well, it's brownout time.

They are NOT chewing through MY internet if I can help it -- I'd actually rather learn how to use a ditch witch... although that costs money too, especially since the local equipment rental place closed like 6mo ago, so I'd have to go to like asheboro (45min by car) and get it trucked here. No way in hell I'm doing THAT with a shovel. Notta chance.

As for the line amp bit, I dunno. What I do know is that they've got some sort of finned aluminum box (looks like Mini-Box[dot]Com's "WRAP Box" product) that they'd hook it into. I'm pretty boneheaded with networking stuff tho, so I've NO idea what's inside the thing. I can say that there's two of 'em strung up on the wires...
 
jojo69 said:
yeah, I was worried about loss, that's why I asked about an amp

he wouldn't bury it, just string it through the bushes
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That would be very bad. Most likely a squirrel or other animal would make quick work of it. Either way though the cables are not designed to be just laid across the ground.

For that distance you want rg11. An amp with rg6 would not be enough. When running cable you do it once and you do it right. The extra cost is not that much compared to what you save not having to do it twice.

On that subject compare the cost of installing the cable to the street versus all the costs you have spent trying to get mifi working. Plus with cable you probably get other benefits.
 
Oh and if the cost is only $4 a foot to install. I would jump on it. Once you buy rg11 and connectors and tools to crimp it, grounding rod etc. plus renting a ditch witch. You will be pretty close to that $4 a foot price.
 
"other benefits"...? We don't need a home phone (been without for over a year, it works great for avoiding telemarketers and the like) and we actually do not watch TV. In fact, the antenna rotator box let out the magic smoke (somewhat literally -- fusible link melted inside) something like 2 years ago, and we've never had the thing replaced, partially because we'd have to replace the entire system, antenna and all, and partially because we don't really care.

I'm still gonna call ATT about their wired internet thing (I think it's DSL but they're playing hard-to-pin-down) on Monday. If that has the speeds and prices promised, even for one year, I'll sign up in a heartbeat.
 
you still got that fried rotator box? They use a wierd delayed phase AC, not that easy to homebrew, the rotors are a dime a dozen but those boxes are a little hard to find. I run one as the elevation rotor on my ham satellite setup.

Never had the squirrels mess with my overhead drop, had them break into the attic and raise younguns one year, romper room and rat poop, but never had 'em munch the 75ohm.
 
Yeah, I've got it. It's an old Radio Shark model... if you've got a few, I'd love to know the rating on the link so's I can solder in a proper fuse of the proper size and see if it was the box that pooped or a seized motor on the chimney...
 
I'll look, you might have to remind me a few times though...lol
 
jojo69 said:
you still got that fried rotator box? They use a wierd delayed phase AC, not that easy to homebrew, the rotors are a dime a dozen but those boxes are a little hard to find. I run one as the elevation rotor on my ham satellite setup.

Never had the squirrels mess with my overhead drop, had them break into the attic and raise younguns one year, romper room and rat poop, but never had 'em munch the 75ohm.
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I have had squirrels chew into my propane lines. Also twice one has fallen into the power transformer that powers our house. I hate squirrels
 
Just confirmed with ATT (via live chat) that their DSL service is way not available in my area.

Anyone got suggestions OTHER than running cable myself? Keep in mind that Mom and I live on just under $1k/mo., so something that costs more than about $50 for installation ($100 is a significant maybe here) is probably not gonna happen.

EDIT: D'OH! Charter Communications is the local cable company, NOT Comcast. Sorry 'bout that.
 
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OK, called Charter. They've got a pretty good deal BUT... we are ~480ft from the road, so (duh) cable must be run. Does anyone know the "going rate" for cable running in central NC? What kinda cable would I need? (The service advertises "up to" speeds of 15Mbps...)
 
TBH, Charter didn't tell me shit. I'd still love to know how much it would be to pay someone round here (if I can find anyone) to bury the damn stuff.
 
starhawk said:
TBH, Charter didn't tell me shit. I'd still love to know how much it would be to pay someone round here (if I can find anyone) to bury the damn stuff.
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Do it yourself. Dig a trench, lay cable, profit? Or rent a trencher and do it yourself. I have no idea what it would cost to rent one, but I'm sure you could do it for cheap.
 
Might hafta do this. Unfortunately the local equipment rental place (there was one here in town) closed like a year or so ago. Might've only been six months. Doesn't matter -- they are gone. Not sure where else I'd go.
 
starhawk said:
Might hafta do this. Unfortunately the local equipment rental place (there was one here in town) closed like a year or so ago. Might've only been six months. Doesn't matter -- they are gone. Not sure where else I'd go.
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Home Depot / Lowes have equipment rental depts
 
Oh, that's cool. There's a Lowe's about 16mi from me, in the next town over. I hope they'll let me rent a truck to haul the equipment in as well... our current vehicle is a station wagon ;)

BTW, I called Charter again yesterday. They are going to do a (second) site survey, and hopefully this time actually tell me what the cost will be.
 
if its direct burial cant you just spade it in and get it as deep as you can. shouldn't take long
 
472 ft of cable is a LOT of digging!

Also, after some thinking... I don't think I'd last terribly long behind a ditch witch. If Charter can bury the cable at a rate we can afford, I'll probably go for it; if not, I guess I'm just stuck with what I got. The only thing that could change things at this point really is if I go begging and I'm not doing that.
 
'98 Saturn SW2, sorry. (Mom doesn't have a high opinion of the Magnum's aesthetics.)
 
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