hi everybody,

 

i will be living in Ohio city from november 1st onwards. and currently checking what provider is best for broadband internet access.

 

I am not planning on getting a fixed phone line so i would prefer a provider which doesnt require a fixed line.

 

can you give me some pointers?

 

Thanks.

dutch

Hi.

 

Ohio is a state, care to let us in on what city or cities you're thinking of relocating to?

He means Ohio City the neighborhood in Cleveland, you tool. :roll:

 

 

Did we all have our coffee this morning?  :wink:

 

I, by the way, have been thinking about signing up for internet in Ohio City too but haven't gotten around to it...

 

I look forward to the advice!

He means Ohio City the neighborhood in Cleveland, you tool. :roll:

 

 

 

Oh Jesus H Christ!

 

Did we all have our coffee this morning?  :wink:

 

 

No it's 5:55 AM, and I need to get to the mall to get my coffee.  Can you Believe I have to ride my bike to the mall to get some damn coffee?

 

SORRY DUTCH!

 

Will you be getting cable tv or satellite? You could piggy back it on one of those. I have mine through a land line that I don't use (I need it for the security system).  I also have a few friends who steal wi-fi from some of the restaurants and coffee shops in the neighborhood (and they even live a few blocks away from those establishments).

It's so weird I found this thread, because I came here to post a question about hi-speed internet as well.  I am still using dial-up believe it or not, mostly because I too have an electronic entry system here that requires a land line, so I figured as long as I have to have it, why pay extra for some other connection?  But I rarely buzz anyone in, and I was thinking I could cancel my land line altogether, and just post my cell number on the call board downstairs for deliveries and whatever.  But I still have to find some way to get on the internet.

 

Now, this is going to make me look pretty stupid, but I don't even know how the hi-speed thing works.  Does it go through my regular phone line?  If so, do I have to pay for service through Ameritech like I currently do now and then hi-speed service on top of that?  Do I have special hardware installed or anything?  Like I said, I know these are ignorant questions, I'm stuck in the 90's.  FYI, I live in Lakewood on the east end near 117th.

 

Right now, I use AOL (yes, I said AOL.  You can stop laughing now.  :roll:  I've just had it for years and everyone has that email so I've never felt like changing it.)  I suppose I could get service through them.  I probably wouldn't get it through my cell company, if they even offer it (Virgin Mobile), it's a phone someone else bought me, and I don't know if I will keep it, it's not great.  And I don't have cable or satellite.  Keeps me from watching too much TV.

 

Any advice for an ignorant techneophyte would be welcome...

allow me to chime in as an ignorant laywomen. We do not have a landline. We have wireless though the cable...We purchased a linksys"router" at best buy for about 49.00 (they have more expensive speeds, but this has been great) and then the cable guy brought over this other thingy that hooks up to the router. Conversely you can rent the router from time warner and you would get some tech support setting it up.    I talked time warner into some kind of package deal that only raised the monthly cost about $12 a month from what we were paying for cable (I think we are paying around 65.00 a month now). I am sure they will be be jacking it up at some point. One of our computers is wireless, but the other I have to connect to the router with a cable b/c it would not let me install the software for the wireless.  I am wondering if you can get internet only from time warner, or if cable is always part of the package?

I am not planning on getting a fixed phone line so i would prefer a provider which doesnt require a fixed line.

 

If you don't want a phone line, cable high speed internet from Time Warner Cable will be your best option. Or you can get "naked" DSL which is DSL without phone service from somebody like Speakeasy (Link), but it's generally not as cost effective. It's a good question peabody bring up re: cable internet without cable tv. I'm such a TV addict I've never even considered this so I don't know.

 

I guess another option worth mentioning is cell phone data networks are becoming more and more popular, like EVDO from Verizon. You buy a card you put in your laptop that gives you access wherever you go. Again, they're a little pricey I think (~$55 / mo).

 

 

Any advice for an ignorant techneophyte would be welcome...

 

If you're happy with dial up are you sure you even want to upgrade to high speed? If you decide you do your best option would probably be to keep the phone line then get AT&T DSL. Yes, it goes through your normal phone line and is just an additional charge on your phone bill (or it might be a separate bill, I'm not totally sure on this point). I think you can pay them a little extra to come out and install it for you, or if you're feeling brave you can self-install (it's not horribly difficult, although I can't say for sure without knowing your setup).

 

I believe AT&T offers basic DSL for $15/month, but you might qualify for their $10/month plan as well -- see this link for more information.

 

 

I am still using dial-up believe it or not, mostly because I too have an electronic entry system here that requires a land line, so I figured as long as I have to have it, why pay extra for some other connection?

 

I also have an electronic entry system routed through my phone line, but I no longer have a land line. I wasn't sure if my buzzer would still work, but lo and behold it still does! I still have my phone/answering machine hooked up to it, so if someone buzzes my unit and I'm not home, they'll get my answering machine. I also answer the front-door buzzer as I would any normal phone call, except that I no longer have phone service.

 

If all else fails, check with your management company or, better yet, check to see who made your door entry system and see if you can locate the manufacturer on the internet and ask them. The other option is to do what I did: go without a land line and roll the dice.