Desperate need of Internet DSL advice needed....

[shadowkat]

I called Time Warner Roadrunner Service about a cable modem - to see if I could get one. Turns out it has to be connected to the TV cable and that won't work since the TV is across the room.

Also I have to install it myself. Also won't work. Live in an apartment - the cable for the TV snakes through a hole in the window cell, across the ceiling down a wall and to the TV. Plus cable has gone out three times last year so far.

So I called Verizon DSL - who informs me that I have to switch from Sprint to Verizon in order to get their DSL service. Phone service is currently Sprint.
Verizon would be cheaper, but no voice mail (that's extra ) - so actually the same amount. Also it's all self-install and requires some sort of Internet card (whatever that is) to attach the DSL Modem to the computer. So not sure my computer can handle it. Computer is 128 Ram, 32 bit.

What should I do?

1. Get a new computer (expensive - also a bit dicey regarding delivery, no one
here during the day.)
2. Switch phone services and get DSL, attempt to install, get the Internet Card? DSL is $29.95 a month. Can I even install this myself?
3. Try to get Time Warner to install cable modem. Cable Modem is 44.95 a month.

Or continue to live without for a while longer?

Any advice on this mucho appreciated.

Comments

[spikewriter]

I think you can get Yahoo! SBC DSL for $29.95 a month and not have to switch phone services. You may have to have another jack installed for the DSl to connect to and buy the modem yourself, but I'd check with the non-phone company providers such as Yahoo! and Earthlink. (Earthlink is currently $39.95 a month for me and I've been very happy with them.)

[soundingsea.livejournal.com]

The cable modem needs to be connected to the cable TV, yes, then the cable modem connects to your computer with an ethernet cable. Those can come in any length. So don't worry about that too much, as long as you can run an ethernet cable around the room.

Cable will be faster unless you want to use bittorrent or other peer-to-peer options. Then, DSL will work better overall.

Self-installed DSL is not hard, but. BUT. For either of these options, you will probably need an Network Interface Card for your computer (unless Verizon is selling internal DSL modems, which I don't think they are). If you're on dial right now, your computer can probably only take a little phone cable, right? Not a wider, bigger ethernet cable?

So, to sum up: external "modems" (they aren't really, but who cares) provided by cable or dsl companies both will need to talk to your computer somehow. That somehow is via a network card. Old, slow network cards suitable for an older computer are very cheap; just have to buy, open computer, stick in slot, and follow instructions with come with card (usually software on a CD). (if you have no cd, make sure the instructions are also available on floppy - windows may or may not have drivers for the network card by default)

Maybe that helps narrow things down?

[elz.livejournal.com]

Turns out it has to be connected to the TV cable and that won't work since the TV is across the room.

That shouldn't be a problem - you just use a cable line splitter and run a second, longer cable across the room to your computer. That plugs into the cable modem, and you run an ethernet cord from the modem to the computer. (And when I got my cable modem, all of the necessary cables and hardware came with it.) An ethernet/network interface card costs about $15 and should be very easy to install - it goes in one of the slots above or below your modem, and you almost literally just open the computer case and stick it in there.

[wisewoman.livejournal.com]

I would say switch phone services to Verizon, as they're offering a good price for monthly DSL service. Installing that service will not be difficult for you to do yourself, and will come with complete instructions.

HOWEVER, you will need to buy a cheap network card for your computer, and it will have to be installed. Most computer-type people will tell you this is a simple task and indeed it is, but if you have never opened up your "tower" or the computer box that most non-geeks think of as the "hard drive" it may prove a daunting task, and there is also the (very unlikely) risk of shorting out everything if you touch the inside of the computer while carrying a load of static electricity on your body, even when the computer is completely unplugged.

I think, though that if you disconnect the "box" or "tower" and lug it along with you to Staples, Office Depot, Future Shop, etc, etc, someone there will probably be willing to sell you the internet card and pop it in right on the spot...it's not that it requires any time or equipment to do it...

Good luck. Whatever you decide, you'll absolutely LOVE the switch from dial-up.

dub ;o)

[herself_nyc]

My TW cable modem is under the desk, and my TV cable box is on the other side of the room.

Also, I think you can get them to install it if you ask--and pay a little more. I sure didn't do my own installation.

I love the cable modem--fast and reliable.

[cactuswatcher.livejournal.com]

Installing a DSL modem is fairly easy as long as you have a tower computer. The phone company sends you the card and directions with pictures. If it's like mine was, you just unplug everything, open up the case, pull out the card that your phone plugs into now, and put in the new one in where that was. The phone connector is exactly the same. After hooking things back up it's just a matter of installing the software from a cd and you are on your way.

If you are using a lap top it gets more complicated as some of the others have indicated. But, it's not an impossible project.

One thing I've been meaning to ask you is if you have anti-spyware software on your computer. Some of the symptoms you've described about your dial-up service getting slower and slower sound like your computer is slowing down from spy-ware you got through the internet. Anti-spyware software is cheap compared to the other solutions.

[knullabulla.livejournal.com]

The thing about having to change phone companies is B.S. Total con-job. Like spikewriter says, go through a non-phone company provider to sign up.

You'll probably get better connection speeds from the cable. You shouldn't see a drop in speed if you're using a decent quality ethernet cable.

I'm using Yahoo!SBC--they sent an ethernet card and the modem, and I bought my own router to connect to other computers. Very easy, you'll get a CD that will walk you through the set up process.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

One thing I've been meaning to ask you is if you have anti-spyware software on your computer. Some of the symptoms you've described about your dial-up service getting slower and slower sound like your computer is slowing down from spy-ware you got through the internet. Anti-spyware software is cheap compared to the other solutions.

I can't tell if I do or not.

I have the most recent Norton Anti-Virus program - 2005 which searches for Spyware and everything else and tells me I don't have it. Is that good enough?
If not where should I go to get some and how do I find out if my computer is infected with spyware??
(It's been getting slower and slower and slower as the time wears onwards.)

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

That shouldn't be a problem - you just use a cable line splitter and run a second, longer cable across the room to your computer.

No...that's not going to work. You'd have to see my apartment to understand this. But running a longer cable across the room would basically involve either running it across the path to the door to the apartment, door to the bathroom and the kitchen or the entry to the bedroom - which means me tripping over it constantly and knocking everything connected to it over. (My apartment is basically two rooms.
One is the bedroom, one living room/computer/kitchen space with little stove kitchenett and bathroom branched off like arms from the same wall that contains the entry. ) Not workable for cable modems stretching from TV to Computer. (It's why I couldn't just hook up my Computer DVD player to my TV and had to get a separate DVD player. )

An ethernet/network interface card costs about $15 and should be very easy to install - it goes in one of the slots above or below your modem, and you almost literally just open the computer case and stick it in there.

Open the computer case??? Can you open the computer tower? (Okay - see you can tell I'm clearly not a tech person.)

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

My TW cable modem is under the desk, and my TV cable box is on the other side of the room.

So you can get two outlet connections? I know it was a hassel getting them to do my TV cable - they had to climb out the fire-escape and everything. So I have a feeling they'd want to do a splitter. Which I used to have on the DTV connection, but it was taken off - because my connection kept going out on me.
But if I could convince them to set up a separate cable modem away from the TV...that might work.

Oh they are willing to install but for an additional $30. If you do it yourself you get three months free.
Apparently they hate to install these things.

[herself_nyc]

I don't know about two outlet connections, I just know that my modem and my cable box are not next to each other. I had the modem first, actually, and only subscribed to cable TV much later.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Most computer-type people will tell you this is a simple task and indeed it is, but if you have never opened up your "tower" or the computer box that most non-geeks think of as the "hard drive" it may prove a daunting task, and there is also the (very unlikely) risk of shorting out everything if you touch the inside of the computer while carrying a load of static electricity on your body, even when the computer is completely unplugged.

This is unfortunately me. It's not that I couldn't figure it out.
But I've been told never ever to do it for the reasons you state above.

Difficulty is - the nearest Staples, Office Depot, etc is in Manhattan - which is 30 minutes away by subway. No car. Lugging it off with me not exactly the easiest thing in the universe.

Have a question that could solve this problem - how do I know whether or not I have a network card? What does it look like? I may already have one and not know it.

[atpolittlebit.livejournal.com]

If you're using Windows, I'd suggest Spybot-Search&Destroy (http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html) and Ad-Aware (http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10045910.html?part=69274&subj=dlpage&tag=button). Between the two (both freeware) they do a decent job of keeping stuff off the system.

[cactuswatcher.livejournal.com]

If the Norton program says it specifically searches for spyware it probably does. But the computer getting slower and slower is a classic symptom of spyware on your system. With Norton's competitor, McAfee, Antispyware is a seperate program from the anti-virus program, and even gets its updates seperately. I think I'd open up your anti-virus program (like starting any program) and make sure all the settings are right to be sure it's searching for spyware as well as viruses and worms. Try finding any help files within the program which may aid you with this.

That's about all I can suggest.

[thepackrat741.livejournal.com]

the intiial " connect " has to be through your " ISP " ... ( the service your paying for ) ... but the REST is up to YOU !!!
...hell ... even AO*hell* people can " go through " their local cable company !!!
;-P
It's da' LAW !
;-b

[thepackrat741.livejournal.com]

cable has higher bandwidth ... which means higher speeds .
DSL uses local phone company hardware ...which MIGHT mean more reliable connections when storms are in the area.
compare your phone service to your cable service ...then decide.
Can you CALL someone when CABLE is out ? or can you watch cable when PHONE is out ?