Rural broadband

[Lil' Dave]

I'm still using phone modem and corresponding ISP via phone modem. Recently
received a flyer from a wireless provider's installer for internet service
in my rural area. Area is in hill country of central TX. Among other
claims on the flyer, one is "not affected by weather". They use ground-base
antennas, not satellite. How is this possible?

Visited their website for more details. Emailed their sales dept rep for
more info. They don't install any software on the PC per response. I want
them to connect to a Linksys BEFSR11 router, and indicated it had no
built-in hub. Response was cound be done, but, not needed if one PC only,
can connect directly to PC's network card. That's confusing to me regarding
PC's security while on internet. Comments?

I asked about the closest local antenna to my location for LOS
considerations and determination of antenna height. (Antenna height on my
end that is). Total antenna height is part of the installation cost.
Response was that installers only leave flyers when there is apparent ease
of installation and service easy to provide. Comments?

The have POP/SMTP email server for my Outlook. No attachement limit size
made in response about that

On the PC hardware end, had one question for them. Has onboard network
"card" built into the motherboard. Have not ever tried using it as I have
not networked PCs in the house. I optionally routed my Firewire card's
hardware irq usage to hardware irq 3 in the bios settings. Have an add-on
Promise ide card using hardware irq 11 and Adaptec scsi card using hardware
irq 10. Built-in sound using hardware irq 5. If I enable the onboard
network card, it will probably take irq 3 by default and attempt to share
with Firewire (see potential for conflict already and minimally affecting
bandwidth potential for the internet at the very least). Response was that
they could use their own PCI network card, or, USB type if that don't work.
I intermittently use a USB connected hard drive and thumb drive. 4 rear USB
ports and one workable front USB port. 4 USB host controllers listed in
device manager, and the enhanced version (2.0) as well. These all use their
own specific XP (past number 15) irqs. Hardware irqs used are 5, 9, 10, and
11. All resulting in shared at the bios level even before XP get's hold of
it. I'll try it and see what happens, but I have my doubts of this not
affecting something else on the PC's hardware bandwidth.


Disclaimer: Has nothing to do with current Administration push for rural
broadband, said company has been working to provide broadband in this area
since 2002. Don't go there.

 

[smlunatick]

I'm still using phone modem and corresponding ISP via phone modem.  Recently
received a flyer from a wireless provider's installer for internet service
in my rural area.  Area is in hill country of central TX.  Among other
claims on the flyer, one is "not affected by weather".  They use ground-base
antennas, not satellite.  How is this possible?

Visited their website for more details.  Emailed their sales dept rep for
more info.  They don't install any software on the PC per response.  I want
them to connect to a Linksys BEFSR11 router, and indicated it had no
built-in hub.  Response was cound  be done, but, not needed if one PConly,
can connect directly to PC's network card.  That's confusing to me regarding
PC's security while on internet.  Comments?

I asked about the closest local antenna to my location for LOS
considerations and determination of antenna height.  (Antenna height onmy
end that is).  Total antenna height is part of the installation cost.
Response was that installers only leave flyers when there is apparent ease
of installation and service easy to provide.  Comments?

The have POP/SMTP email server for my Outlook.  No attachement limit size
made in response about that

On the PC hardware end, had one question for them.  Has onboard network
"card" built into the motherboard.  Have not ever tried using it as I have
not networked PCs in the house.  I optionally routed my Firewire card's
hardware irq usage to hardware irq 3 in the bios settings.  Have an add-on
Promise ide card using hardware irq 11 and Adaptec scsi card using hardware
irq 10.  Built-in sound using hardware irq 5.  If I enable the onboard
network card, it will probably take irq 3 by default and attempt to share
with Firewire (see potential for conflict already and minimally affecting
bandwidth potential for the internet at the very least).  Response was that
they could use their own PCI network card, or, USB type if that don't work.
I intermittently use a USB connected hard drive and thumb drive.  4 rear USB
ports and one workable front USB port.  4 USB host controllers listed in
device manager, and the enhanced version (2.0) as well.  These all use their
own specific XP (past number 15) irqs.  Hardware irqs used are 5, 9, 10, and
11.  All resulting in shared at the bios level even before XP get's hold of
it.  I'll try it and see what happens, but I have my doubts of this not
affecting something else on the PC's hardware bandwidth.

Disclaimer: Has nothing to do with current Administration push for rural
broadband, said company has been working to provide broadband in this area
since 2002.  Don't go there.

These wireless broadband would seem to be based on cell phone
technology. The broadband modem would be either a USB stick or a
modem which can connect to an Ethernet port.

 

[Malke]

I'm still using phone modem and corresponding ISP via phone modem.
Recently received a flyer from a wireless provider's installer for
internet service
in my rural area. Area is in hill country of central TX. Among other
claims on the flyer, one is "not affected by weather". They use
ground-base
antennas, not satellite. How is this possible?

(snippage)

You would be far better off posting this question in one of the forums on
www.dslreports.com. This isn't a Windows XP question and DSL Reports, in
spite of their name, is about far more than just DSL. They have reviews of
and discussions about all sorts of Internet services. Their forums are full
of experts in this area.

Malke

 

[Leythos]

Visited their website for more details.

And yet you didn't provide a link to it for us to review.

Many Wireless providers of Internet service offer good connectivity and
speed, and we use dedicated wireless with units that range 26 miles for
business operations - weather has little impact on them.

My experience with over-the-air wireless internet service is that it's
problematic, but when it's working, it's good and reasonably fast - not
as fast as Cable internet, but much faster than dialup.

 

[Roy]

And yet you didn't provide a link to it for us to review.

Many Wireless providers of Internet service offer good connectivity and
speed, and we use dedicated wireless with units that range 26 miles for
business operations - weather has little impact on them.

My experience with over-the-air wireless internet service is that it's
problematic, but when it's working, it's good and reasonably fast - not
as fast as Cable internet, but much faster than dialup.

--
You can't trust your best friends, your five senses, only the little
voice inside you that most civilians don't even hear -- Listen to that.  
Trust yourself.
(e-mail address removed) (remove 999 for proper email address)

Well I share the same experience as I am using often wireless 3G/HSDPA
USB or phone modem connectivity with internet in my provincial
location.....The internet speed is variable..from the slower than
dialup 5 kbps to 384kbps...and it kept fluctuating.
When I travel urban areas, the speed pics up and can even reach to 2
mbps....but it kept on fluctuating and it often get so erratic during
bad weather.
Note they are using ground based antennae and the problem still
persist....
Roy

 

[Lil' Dave]

http://www.txwinet.com/

http://www.txwinet.com/service_rates.php?

Hill country proper begins approximately 10 miles west of IH35 and continues
west. My location is approximately 5 miles west of Wimberley. The map does
not show topography or their antenna locations.

Yep, you usually learn when you get older to listen to your gut.

 

[Lil' Dave]

Talk to your neighbors and find out what they do, the ones at the same
altitude as you. If it is via cellphone, how well does your cellphone
work at home?


They said it's not necessary. They didn't say it wouldn't help
security to have a router. And they said you can have one if you want.
It all seems clear to me. (Although aiui router security is
insufficient and software can provide all the security of the router
and more. aiui, a router firewall is only a hardware firewall and
that's not enough. Maybe that's why the isp isn't used to routers
with only one PC.)


On the contrary, I think the previous push for telephone wires to
rural areas was a mistake.

How is that contrary?
Every rural area that I know of here has telephone wires for many decades.
Huh?

 

[Doug W.]

Have had High Speed Internet for the past year and a half.
Direct line-of-sight tower...12 to 14 miles about max for
reliable transmission of radio wave...mine 7 miles...go for it.
Have "enhanced plan".
What used to take 5 hours to download now takes 15 to 18
minutes. Two CDs from ITunes...12-20 minutes. Read the
literature from the company...they know what they are doing.
Most can accomodate different configurations on your end.

Doug W.
=

 

[Lil' Dave]

Thanks Doug.

There's 3 tall antennas mounted on top of one the tallest hills in the area
where I live about 7 miles away. I think this company owns at least one of
them.

Yep, even the windows updates are painfully slow on a phone connection. I
had a cable internet connection when I lived in VA via Cox Cable. Am
familiar with potential for speed. Roadrunner cable here extends as far
west as the closest town limits and stops. A matter of potential customers
vs. infrastructure cost, I would imagine.

Now I have to track down a 6' RJ45 cable with modular connectors. Need it
for the PC to router connection. Lost mine in a move. I don't remember if
its a straight type or crossover, do you have any idea?

--
Dave

Have had High Speed Internet for the past year and a half.
Direct line-of-sight tower...12 to 14 miles about max for
reliable transmission of radio wave...mine 7 miles...go for it.
Have "enhanced plan".
What used to take 5 hours to download now takes 15 to 18
minutes. Two CDs from ITunes...12-20 minutes. Read the
literature from the company...they know what they are doing.
Most can accomodate different configurations on your end.

Doug W.
=

 

[Doug W.]

Thanks Doug.

There's 3 tall antennas mounted on top of one the tallest
hills in the area where I live about 7 miles away. I think
this company owns at least one of them.

Yep, even the windows updates are painfully slow on a phone
connection. I had a cable internet connection when I lived in
VA via Cox Cable. Am familiar with potential for speed.
Roadrunner cable here extends as far west as the closest town
limits and stops. A matter of potential customers vs.
infrastructure cost, I would imagine.

Now I have to track down a 6' RJ45 cable with modular
connectors. Need it for the PC to router connection. Lost
mine in a move. I don't remember if its a straight type or
crossover, do you have any idea?

=======
Don't know...the installers looked after all of that.
=======

 

[John John - MVP]

Thanks Doug.

There's 3 tall antennas mounted on top of one the tallest hills in the area
where I live about 7 miles away. I think this company owns at least one of
them.

Yep, even the windows updates are painfully slow on a phone connection. I
had a cable internet connection when I lived in VA via Cox Cable. Am
familiar with potential for speed. Roadrunner cable here extends as far
west as the closest town limits and stops. A matter of potential customers
vs. infrastructure cost, I would imagine.

Now I have to track down a 6' RJ45 cable with modular connectors. Need it
for the PC to router connection. Lost mine in a move. I don't remember if
its a straight type or crossover, do you have any idea?

These are most always straight patch cable. Crossovers are usually only
used in an ethernet to ethernet (pc to pc) connections. Some switches
and routers can use both types, they have sensors that autodetect the
cable types and route the traffic accordingly, but it is usually best to
avoid crossovers and use all straight patch when connecting to switches
and routers.

John

 

[Lil' Dave]

I dropped by the local Wal-Mart yesterday. Got a 7' cat 5E cable for 10
bucks. That's all I needed. I'm getting the minimum residential package.
Its touted at 1 Mb/s. Don't need a real fast capable cable for that.
Router is Linksys BEFSR11. Network chip is a Marvell 10/100/1000 copper
modified for Gigabyte onboard.

Router shows connection on the LAN side while in XP. XP no longer is
whining about cable disconnected. Just waiting for install on Friday. They
use RJ45 on their end too. Hopefully, this will be a "plug and play" thing.
I'll keep my phone connection for a month after this instal in the event
there's unforeseen problems.