My Current Internet Problem

[Arctyrael]

Here is the deal. Right now I play on a college internet connection - barring the rather random internet burps, the connection satisfies me. However, at home, I return to the dreaded dial up. I live in the middle of eastern bumblefuck. I'd have a better chance of highspeed internet living in an RV that never stops roaming the highways of hell.

No need to read the parts marked out with the "------" if you don't want.
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The cable company, Comcast, does serve the street my house is located off of. Awesome! Right?... Yea, really freakin awesome that I live 1700 feet off the road. I asked a Comcast crew to come 'estimate' the cost of installation and they gave me a price of $8,000. First of all, that is so much bullshit I couldn't help but laugh as the customer service was left wondering why the line went dead. Unfortunately, that meant I would have to discover some new means to obtaining High Speed Internet within my place of summer residence.

I therefore, resort to satellite inquiries. I understand this is not the greatest of options for something like FFXI, but I was only thinking at the time, "Hey, can't be any worse than dial up." "Can it?" Well, I then begin my search into the ways of the satellite. Lo, I find the upfront costs and with mirthful glee, close the open IE window. $600 for a latent upload - not worth it. I'd rather have to punch a shitty computer for slow speeds than deal with that shit.

Creativity comes into play now. It seems the best thing I could hope for is placing a utility shed at the street and running a fiberoptic line to the house. Now I estimated the costs for this, and they come roughly to $600 dollars as well. Not too bad - no latency, and Comcast has good service atleast here. (Yes, it may seem low, but a little bit of hardwork on my end and I saved like $1k). Of course, this plan is seemingly inefficient due to the fact that I'd have to have the shed close to the road -.- Nothing came of this.
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Recently when toying again with the idea of bring high speed to my parents house, I noticed the prospect of Cellular Wireless internet. Nextel being my primary choice. (For some reason, we get shitty ass coverage with Verizon near my house)

I was curious if anyone has had experience with Blackberry internet. If the latency was low as they claim. If it is high speed like they claim. Mostly, I need to make sure it isn't that crappy internet they use with cellphones.



*EDIT*
To those internet people that are able to find any information available on the web about anything -- I ask you, find me reviews of this service! >.> Ikari...

 

[Claxton]

Use dsl.

 

[Arctyrael]

Ah knew I left off the most important bitchfest of all. The story of Hellsouth is so full of anger I have suppressed it.

All i say is that DSL is not possible either for reasons beyond my control.

 

[Sculli]

I would go with Comcast (even though they seem to suck as a company), and build a little 1ft square shed out of plywood and have them end the cable there, right by the road. Then run your own cable from there. 1700ft is quite a distance, a good cable that is made for outdoors is going to cost you quite a bit though. Not 8k of course, but I'd say $6-10 per foot for stuff that is gel sealed, so that will add up quickly. You will probably need to run it in plastic conduit, so yeah $10 a foot is probably a good estimate.

No idea about wireless/cellphone. Friend of mine has it through Cellular One, and he gets low speeds and frequent disconnects.

 

[Arctyrael]

Yes, but I am so very desperate. I do not believe Comcast would do a hook up to that. My only recourse would be to see if Neighbors would hook me up with service to their house and a year of payments upfront.

 

[resipsa]

Build a little shed by the road. Have the electric company run a drop to the shed. Put the cable modem and a wireless router capable of transmitting 1700 feet in the shed. Enjoy sprinting 3400 feet every time Comcast tech support tells you to reset the modem and router.

*Edit - I was joking, but then I did some research and this guy actually did something similar: http://www.rage.net/wireless/wireless_howto.html

 

[Claxton]

Build a little shed by the road. Have the electric company run a drop to the shed. Put the cable modem and a wireless router capable of transmitting 1700 feet in the shed. Enjoy sprinting 3400 feet every time Comcast tech support tells you to reset the modem and router.

*Edit - I was joking, but then I did some research and this guy actually did something similar: http://www.rage.net/wireless/wireless_howto.html

"This is a brief mini-howto on how to build a linux based wireless router out of what amounts to spare parts, using the linux router project's single disk router software. The total cost of each end of the router, including antennas and cabling, is less than 1300 US dollars, which is a considerable cost savings over the dedicated bridge units (typically about 3100 US each) available from the same manufacturer"

I wouldn't pay one thousand dollars to play this fucking game.

 

[Solitia]

No offense, but why not just handle using dialup? It's really not that bad.

 

[Kire]

Build a little shed by the road. Have the electric company run a drop to the shed. Put the cable modem and a wireless router capable of transmitting 1700 feet in the shed. Enjoy sprinting 3400 feet every time Comcast tech support tells you to reset the modem and router.

*Edit - I was joking, but then I did some research and this guy actually did something similar: http://www.rage.net/wireless/wireless_howto.html

1700 feet would be a boats internet i guess lol some have them here and use ST peter port and reaches other island

 

[Kotsu]

If you lived in maryland, I would run it for you. >.> I ain't driving to tennessee though. I'd say for supplies and all with a cable line that will actually handle outside will probably cost between 2000-2200. The labor is a bit excessive, but expect at least the same cost for labor. My mom has a 200 yard driveway (Yes kids, that's 600 feet) and it was a bitch and a half for my and my uncle to run the lines and all. So, I'm imagining another 1100 feet, and to be honest, I would stare down the edge of a knife just as quickly -.-;; It's a bitch, especially if you go by zoning laws. I think, I dunno about there, it's something like 5 or 6 feet underground with running.

 

[Arctyrael]

No offense, but why not just handle using dialup? It's really not that bad.

Because you are under the assumption that all connections are the same. When you are on 35+ year old phone lines, you find your dial up to be worse than typical. I have no idea wtf Hellsouth is thinking, but they have got to be one of these worst telecommunications companies out there.

I was told 2 years ago that 1 year ago we would have DSL where we live.
False.

At this point, it isn't so much that I just want a better internet, it is that I'm tired of paying Bellshit for crap service. We have enough static on the phone line that they can't do anything about, that if the sun decides it is having a bad day, I can't connect. I am very serious about that. I don't like paying companies for sub par shit because they have a monopoly. (Damn your shitty client SE!)

Do you play on Dial up Soli?

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On a side note, I tested Verizon's broadband and unless the 'modem'/'PDA' has an effect on latency - it was highly latent ;_;

 

[Arctyrael]

It's a bitch, especially if you go by zoning laws. I think, I dunno about there, it's something like 5 or 6 feet underground with running.

Zoning laws in TN more lax. Warmer climate, less restrictive depths.

Once again indicative of Hellsouth's shitty fucking service - we have had rains strong enough to wash out about a foot of dirt to reveal the telephone lines -.-. Now I am able to cover it up again, but it makes me wonder what the rest of their grid is like...

 

[Arctyrael]

Has no one tried the wireless broadband packages? I guess I will have to research up at dslreports some more or something.