get broadband

pretty much. We got broadband at the end of June. It was a bigger hassle than expected and somehow we ended up having no access for a couple weeks thanks to a computer issue that showed up right after our connection, but thankfully that’s over. I haven’t really finished all I was hoping for with this goal (like setting up my computer). So I reserve the right to write more on it later. But for now I’m calling this one done to make room for other goals.

I need to hustle on this one. Don’t know when I’m going to find the time, but I’d better do it. I want this in place before our dial-up goes away at the end of the month.

I guess I had better figure out a bare bones, down and dirty plan of action.

I need to get this done before the end of June when we completely lose our dial-up.

I work in IT but my forte is applications/software. I’m a little less knowledgeable on the hardware side but it’s time I learned this stuff anyway.

I’ve had a few conversations with coworkers and friends in the hardware side of IT about what we need to do to get this working. Today I waited for 30 minutes on hold with the cable company and lucked out that at the end of the wait there was a very knowledgeable person on the other end of the phone. So I think I know most of the pieces I need to put in place.

There is no way I’m paying $150 for someone to come to my house and set up wifi when I can do it myself. From what I’ve learned here are the steps for my project:

• Get all 3 computers we want on the wifi network on XP SP3 so we have the functionality of the current Windows firewall.
• Configure the Windows firewall.
• I’m not sure if the laptop even has XP. If not, I may have to research whether an older operating system (possibly Windows ME?) will even work for this. If it does I’m going to want to install and configure a third-party firewall.
• Install and test the wireless USB adaptor I bought.
• Buy at least one more wireless adaptor.
• Get the self install kit from Best Buy.
• Have a coworker help me pick out the best combination of cable modem and router (Not sure if I should get an 802.11n router or if 802.11g will be fine for our needs).
• Use the self install kit and get the modem connected and registered with cable company.
• Get the router installed and configured.
• Attach all the PCs.
• Get antivirus and anti-spyware software intalled and updated on all 3 machines.
• Bonus: Get the laptop ready for travel mode. My most geeky girlfriend (she’s a network admin) recommends setting up a separate Windows profile for use while traveling. One without admin rights to install anything. That way if any nefarious types try to get into my computer while I’m using an unknown connection they can’t get very far. I’d like to do this for the Hawaii trip.

We just have dial-up at home. I am fortunate I can use my company’s high-speed connection after hours. But it would really make things easier to have more speed at home. We haven’t done it before because of cost.

Now, however, CompuServe (our dial-up provider) is dropping their dial-up service by the end of June. That forces our hand. It would be silly to looking for other dial-up in this day and age.

Our phone company advertises their DSL loudly and all over all our bills. But for some reason they don’t have it available in my apartment building! That’s okay, I didn’t want to sign a contract anyway.

So it looks like it will be cable modem for us. I’m a little worried about how much this is going to cost. But I’d better get busy looking for deals.

don’t want to. Had this for a long time and love it. :)

this is driving me nuts. i have dedicated most of my work day to this. i admit i dont know what i am doing really, but i know i want broadband becuz i will be setting up a multi user household, and more bandwidth means less slow down, and crashing, and disconnecting. however at this moment in time i am having a hard time finding a provider in my area, let us say its atlanta georgia, but its a little further north actually, and kinda east. if anyone ANYONE out there knows of a small time provider that can provide me fast internet service for this very obviously black hole of an area, please PLEASE PLEASE PRETTY PLEASE let me know.

i never knew it would be so hard to request for strictly an internet service. i dont like the television, i dont use a land phone, but i have both options, with comcast as the cable provider, and bellsouth now at&t as my phone line people. i dont get it. if i want just one service they dont want to help me. but they will do back flips to give me a bundle deal. look i like to pick and choose. i am not going to pay $80 to receive a bunch of telemarketing calls, and the damn t.v. is the devil. besides the writers are on strike, there is nothing good to watch. can i just please have my internet and watch badly filmed youtube vids please? if the port is there, i have a gateway, let me out already?!

and the future is adelaide!

in adelaide for about 8 weeks and my apartment has it. I’m plugged in now – and it is super quick and good.

if only there was stuff i wanted to download!

I could not imagine life without broadband!!

Just got it!
The argument was always that I was never going to stay in an apartment for a year and that it was too expensive.

Finding free wireless hotspots works, but I am getting more done now.

Perhaps I getting less done, but I am doing it from home. This will certainly remove ten 3$ coffee drinks from my life. That’s just about what I am paying for DSL.

Next goal: Set up my network.

oh yeah, wireless is good. You can read my very first blog post from home here