DSL advice

[VoyT]

Since some of you guys are more technically adept than I am....

SBC has a promotion for DSL that has me about ready to bite. My problem is I have 2 computers, but only one needs internet access all the time. I really don't want to buy a router and deal with the setup....
So, is it possible to install the software on both machines, then move the modem and splitter over to the 2nd machine when I need access?
Or am I better off just going for one of the cheap dialup services (like NetZero) for the 2nd computer?

 

[rapoole]

Hi-

Switching the cable will work. But routers are cheap and setting them up really isnt that bad. You will get tired of cable switching, and I bet you would enjoy having both computers available all the time. (Right now I'm using a Linksys wireless router. )

rapoole

PS: You will definitely be better off with DSL than dialup. Once you have it you'll never give it up.

 

[azanon]

Yes its possible to just install on 2 pc's and swap out the modem. SBC charges extra for 2 pcs to share a line and they have a specific package for that purpose. If someone's doing it without paying extra, its a hack.

 

[Spanky]

A router is very easy to setup and it is cheap.

I use a wireless one so that I do not have to deal with cables.

 

[rapoole]

"SBC charges extra for 2 pcs to share a line and they have a specific package for that purpose."

A pox on them!

 

[ganda]

Yes its possible to just install on 2 pc's and swap out the modem. SBC charges extra for 2 pcs to share a line and they have a specific package for that purpose. If someone's doing it without paying extra, its a hack.

How would SBC know? All they can see is the router, whatever is beyond the router is none of their concern. How would they charge me for my TiVo which is using the router too?

Just get a router. Really quite simple to set up.

 

[Hyperborea]

How would SBC know? All they can see is the router, whatever is beyond the router is none of their concern. How would they charge me for my TiVo which is using the router too?

Well, they can't know with 100% reliability much like trying to tell if the same troll is running multiple accounts unless they don't take any precautions. SBC could watch your network traffic, examine the packets, and do some statistical analysis. Would they bother? Not likely unless your traffic is enormous. Besides, I thought that most (all?) of the DSL/cable providers had dropped the stupid one computer rule.

Just get a router. Really quite simple to set up.

Well worth it even without multiple computers. The hardware firewall protection alone is worth it. Wired routers can be picked up for $30 or so. I was able to find a screaming deal on wireless routers for CDN$30 over XMas so I got two - one for me and one for the parents. I now run the wireless one for the laptop and connect it to old wired one which also has the desktop, the network laser printer, and the VoIP box. When I set up the living room media server I'll connect it with wireless and perhaps the PlayStation as well by setting up a wireless access point.

I recommend looking at www.dslreports.com for information on the providers and home networking in general.

 

[parnass]

SBC has a promotion for DSL that has me about ready to bite. My problem is I have 2 computers, but only one needs internet access all the time. I really don't want to buy a router and deal with the setup....

I have been using SBC Yahoo/DSL for 15 months and am satisfied. We have 2 computers and a D-Link DI-604 router.

The router has an additional, important advantage -- it contains a decent quality firewall which helps keep out malicious attacks. The DI-604 model has been available for quite some time and is reliable. Two other friends use the same model. Got them on sale for $20.

 

[MJ]

My company is cancelling my DSL account with Earthlink. Verizon is offering DSL (1.5 meg) 1 year commitment for 11 months @ $30/month. This includes a Westell Versalink combined modem and wireless router at no extra cost other then shipping (no pickup available :-/). Sounds like a pretty good deal.

I though of going to a dialup for $10/month with web accelerator but I have no cell phone so my phone line would be tied up for hours unless I dial in 5 or more times during the day just to keep the lines somewhat available. Not very practical, a real pain in the a-- and it could cost another $8-$10 a month for all those phone calls.

I use a laptop only and the wireless idea sounds interesting. How does wired compare to wireless 10 to 20 feet from the router, on speed, connectivity, interferance and anything else?

MJ

PS: I just found out that there is an additional Federal surcharge of $3 raising the cost by 10% more. Not exactly a real bargain.

 

[Hyperborea]

I use a laptop only and the wireless idea sounds interesting. How does wired compare to wireless 10 to 20 feet from the router, on speed, connectivity, interferance and anything else?

The theoretical speed of the wireless connection depends on the protocol used. If you've 802.11b that will be at 11 Mbps (million bits per second). If you've got 802.11g that will be at 54 Mbps. In the real world the speed of 802.11g will be closer to ~18 Mbps and probably for 802.11b around 5 Mbps.

Most wired ethernet will be at 100 Mbps theoretical and if you don't have much on the network you should see close to that in the real world.

These speeds are all more than you'll see from your DSL/cable provider so it doesn't matter too much unless you have more computers (or other devices on your network) that are doing significant traffic with each other - i.e. copying files from a desktop on the network to your laptop or playing Doom between two or more computers on your network.

What you are going to have to do is to make sure that you have security set up correctly on your wireless router or you could be leaving yourself open for attack. At the low end of it your neighbours could free-load on your network connection to having somebody in your neighbourhood watch your data packets.

http://www.dslreports.com/faq/wlan

 

[MJ]

What you are going to have to do is to make sure that you have security set up correctly on your wireless router or you could be leaving yourself open for attack. At the low end of it your neighbours could free-load on your network connection to having somebody in your neighbourhood watch your data packets.

Thanks Hyperborea

MJ

 

[VoyT]

Hey folks, thanks for the answers. And Hyperborea, many thanks for the link!
I may go ahead and sign up, and leave the router issue to another time. I suspect, since the computers are in different rooms, I'll have to go wireless. To be honest, trying to find a decent router makes my head spin ....