Inernet help, please.

MarkV · May 9, 2004

We have made our final move to the country and just love it except for our Internet connection. The step back to a dial up connection after having DSL seems painfully slow. We signed up for Joi Internet hoping their ads of "DSL like speeds" would be somewhat true. Well it isn't much like my DSL was. We also put in a new US Robotics 56k v.92 modem hoping that would help. It looks like our old rural phone lines just are not going to give us much more than 28,800 bps though. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

So my question for you computer savvy members is should I buy a new computer? Ours is an older Pentium II with as much RAM as it will hold and is running Windows 98. I know a new machine can not fix the phone lines but don't know if a new machine would maximize what I have and make a noticeable difference.

By the way, cable and DSL are not options here and I don't see it happening for a long time. Satellite is available but seems kind of pricey for our needs.

MarkV

MikePA · May 9, 2004

Ours is an older Pentium II with as much RAM as it will hold and is running Windows 98. So my question for you computer savvy members is should I buy a new computer?
Yes. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif That's an ancient PC.

 if a new machine would maximize what I have and make a noticeable difference.

Sorry, wont make a noticeable difference in your Internet speed. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Bird · May 9, 2004

I agree with MikePA. You may, or may not, want a new computer, but I wouldn't expect it to help with your Internet speed. When I was living in the country with dial up service, 28.8k was the best I could ever do, and usually no more than 26.4k, even with a new Pentium 4 machine.

BillG_in_TX · May 9, 2004

( should I buy a new ...... ? )

Absolutely. It should be orange, and don't even think about getting one without a FEL. A toothbar will be helpful as well, and if you can swing it - a backhoe. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

On a somewhat more serious note, I do believe that an XP computer will run a little faster, but it's not DSL. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

JayC · May 9, 2004

I'll take a 28,800 connection in the country over a broadband connection in the city any day. I'm not a city person and I will never live in the city under any cirumstances. Right now I'm connected to a 37,333. As was said, a new computer won't increase the connection speeds much, if at all. Dial up is just an old, slow way to get on the Internet. How much would it cost to get that satellite DSL or whatever the connection is? Would it be cheaper than a new computer? Around here there is a satellite DSL available, but I think it costs about $200.

Glenn9643 · May 9, 2004

Our situation is much like yours with very slow dialup and no DSL, etc. available. I've been using DirecWay 1-way satellite for a couple of years with much faster downloads. This system uses your dial-up modem for transmission from your computer and everything incoming is via satellite and USB satellite modem. Cost is $39.99 per month and I have a dedicated phone line for about $23.00 monthly. I couldn't see the value for me in the 2-way satellite system. Also don't know if the 1-way systems are available new but they can be found used occasionally. You might find something at this site: http://www.dslreports.com/forum/sat

GerardC · May 9, 2004

( ....Right now I'm connected to a 37,333. As was said, a new computer won't increase the connection speeds much, if at all.)

That is what I'm usually connected at (37,333). Low 30's on occasion and rarely at 40 other times. I have NetZero which is $9.95/month. My 13th month (extra month when you pay yearly) is due this month and I think I'll try their Hi-speed for $14.95 a month. I'll let you know if it is worth the extra $5.00. G

Gatorboy · May 9, 2004

( I'll let you know if it is worth the extra $5.00. )

It won't be. They send highly compressed images -- which gives the illusion of higher speed, yet the photo you will see online will be horrible.

Dialup is dialup -- it can't be Energized, Maximized, Exercised to make it any faster.

JayC · May 9, 2004

One time, on an ultra-rare occasion, I got a 42,000. It was a shocker. lol

California · May 9, 2004

In town with 1.5 mb DSL and this Athlon 750, TBN screens are instantaneous except peak hours may have a second or two delay. I'm also running Ad-Subtract which eliminates the delay for fetching off-site banner ads.

Over at the ranch, access is via wireless mini-lan from the ranch house to the 'rural DSL' (384k maximum) in my tenant's cabin. Their phone line tested 200k maximum DSL capability.

I use an old Dell portable there, Pentium 166 with 48 k ram. When I ran 40k dialup there the delay was unacceptable, often 20 seconds for a TBN page to appear. When I set up the wireless lan I observed something strange - my connection software indicates the TBN page arrives rather quickly, then with no more data coming through the wireless link, the old Dell waits 5 seconds or more to display the page. I think the delay is in the pentium 166's ability to rearrange the received data into a presentable page, rather than data transmission through the 200k dsl or the 11 mbs wireless connection. (I have a similar ad-blocker ther to avoid banner ads.)

In summary, the speed of the receiving pc might be a factor you can improve. 'NetPerSec' from PC magazine is the free software I use to see how fast, and when, data is arriving. If you see a delay between arrival and presentation, that delay can be improved with a faster pc.

Also - several years ago dialup speed in town was slow. I finally persuaded PacBell to replace the 'drop' from their pole to the house and that greatly improved dialup speed. This was back in the 33.6k era, and allowed the full 33.6.

gws · May 9, 2004

The dialup speed up prgrams are a joke. There is NO way to speed up to DSL speed on the internet. Yes you can sometimes get a web page to load 5x faster but you will never get a sustained download rate and your downloads of compressed files, mp3, avi, etc are going to go as your line speed.

Dialup in rural america is a pain, Even if you have a 56k model the lines are often poor and much slower speeds are the normal. If you have a 56kb line and never can get over 28.8kb then your on a split line., Your phone line is being multiplexed across to phone lines. For voice use this is not an issue but for data, it means 1/2 speed. You might call the phone company and ask to be moved to a non multiplexed line, but most likley they will not .

Check around is there a wireless solution? satellite is an option but a bit pricy.

IS DSL offered anyplace near you? Maybe stike up a deal with a neighbor to put in a DSL line and then use wireless to bring it over to your place?

DieselnHooters · May 9, 2004

A new more powerful PC wont speed up your connection but you will still notice a marginal improvement on web page display. I am in the same situation you are, had a AMD 450 , my top speed was 26,6 kbps although I had achieved 36,6 on 2or 3 occasions in a 2 years period /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif. Then the PC's power supply died on me, bought a brand new AMD 2,0 with the maximum RAM that could be crammed into it, still 26,6 /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif. Finally decided to try another internet provider, a small local company ,had a large national phone company before, now I am always between 36,0 and 40,0 kbps, /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif, granted this not exactly NASA but a very noticeable improvement nonetheless.

Richard · May 9, 2004

I'm on a ISDN line at home, 128K both ways. Though my distance from the "slick" or what ever the phone company calls the major junction box keeps me below my max speed.

ISDN (for me) is much better than my 12K or so dialup. The phone company here ( I presume you also have bellsouth) doesn't solicit this kind of line anymore, they're trying to phase it out I guess, but for me, DSL isn't an option yet.

GerardC · May 9, 2004

( The dialup speed up prgrams are a joke. There is NO way to speed up to DSL speed on the internet. Yes you can sometimes get a web page to load 5x faster but you will never get a sustained download rate and your downloads of compressed files, mp3, avi, etc are going to go as your line speed.)

This is true. They advertise just what the quote says.

I did get it today and the pages do load faster. I have a one month free trial so I figured I'd try it. I'll know whether or not it's worth it ($5.00 extra/month) in about a weeks time of surfing. G

PineRidge · May 9, 2004

I'm out in the country also. Cable wanted well over a grand to run the wire to my home and I had a trench open.

I have been with DirectWay satellite ever since and I'm not looking back. It's quick and it works! As far as I'm concerned it's just another tool needed for our Internet and mail order business and the charges are a cost of doing business on the Internet. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

MarkV · May 10, 2004

I was afraid you would tell me what I already suspected to be the case. Looks like, live with the slow speed or go satellite if I can't. I don't think I can count on the phone company doing much up grading of equipment out here. We are a good 10 miles from the nearest gas station so I wouldn't say we are in a boom development area and that is just fine.

Thanks for all the advice and different options. I'll just try to look at the positive. Maybe go to the Photo forum and get a ¼ acre mowed during each photo download. It will break up the mowing and I can still spend the day on TBN. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

MarkV

riptides · May 10, 2004

Just out of curiosity.... how many phone splits do you have in your house? Is the PeeCee your connecting to the ISP with on its own dedicated phone line? Or is this line shared?

When I started rewiring my house the first thing I did was call the phone company and have them install a new trunk to the house.... the girls are getting older... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif they brought in new lines. Then I wired my Peecee up to their new lines. Result 14k to 56k.
Then I ordered cable..... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

-Mike Z.

MarkV · May 10, 2004

Only one line to the house right now. When you say splits I guess that means jacks with phones hooked to them? There is only one hooked up at the moment.

A couple of people mentioned the trunk line to the house and I will check on that. Not sure if the phone company will work with me, it is a pretty long run but worth asking.

Thanks,
MarkV

kevincook · May 10, 2004

A couple of years ago I looked into a Dual Modem dial-up service. The cable modem ended up being a better option for me but you might want to check it out. It will require two modems and two phone lines but you will double your connection speed.

Dual Modem ISP

There are other vendors also.

Good Luck,
Kevin

P.S. I would probably go with a satellite set-up.