Hello all! I am looking to get rid of landlines and Embarq. I currently have DSL through them. What options are out there for internet connection, and what do they cost? I live near McGee's Crossroads. I do not have cable or satellite, not in the budget. Trying to save as much money as possible. Any ideas? Thanks in advance!
Two cans and a string? Short of that, although probably more expensive than those options is a card for your computer through your cell phone carrier. Verizon has a new device about the size of a credit card that will allow 5 devices to hook up to the internet at the same time.
Forgot price info: Card I discussed is $99 If I remember right I pay about $60 a month for the internet access.
Dockpoint is a local company which you might contact for their prices if you are looking for strictly internet connection and nothing else. I believe there's a couple of other companies out there but I can't recall them at this moment.
Buy a Cantenna ($40) and connect to any open wireless connection in your neighborhood. Tends to lean towards 'line of site' but I've had it go through some woods, a little under 2000 feet away, and still give a 60% signal. If you have a 2 story house place it upstairs. Free Internet!!! http://www.cantenna.com/ Under the NC General Statutes it is legal to use someone else's connection if they leave it unsecured,you don't infiltrate their networked PC's, and you don't do anything illegal while using the connection. Note: you will need either a wireless router/bridge or a wireless card with a mini antenna jack in it to complete the connection to your PC. Wireless router/bridge is the best way to go for a desktop. Use a USB Wireless device with an external antenna for a laptop. They have a 7 foot cable extension, which I recommend, but you can find it cheaper locally. 7 feet is the max length for the extension or it degrades the signal. And it's all mobile to take on the road if you want.
You might check into RoadRunner Lite through Time Warner. I think it runs about $25 a month. You don't have to have TV or any of their other services to get it.
I'm not a Socialist, I'm a Frugalist! :lol::lol::lol: PS: A special thanks to those unsecured Roadrunner Turbo users!!:lol:
Might be legal, but unethical. Kinda like stealing cable. If you aren't paying for it, you shouldn't use it IMO unless you are invited to.
I agree, but you might actually do your neigbors a service by grinding their internet speed to a snails pace, it may make them realize how vulnerable their personal information is to any hacker in the neighborhood.
It would be unethical if you did not have the ability to secure your broadcast, but, you do. Every wireless router comes with a manual. Most all novices use the software wizzard to install the router. The wizzard requires a "no" or "yes" and a "continue" click when it asks them to enable security. If they do not enable the security then they are intentionally opening their connection for outside use. Or, they are the typical impatient PC user who never even breaks the plastic on the manual and they just kept clicking through the wizzard install while yelling, "I wanted this yesterday, I needed it this morning, GIVE IT TO ME NOW!!!!" Either way they 'allowed' the use of their airwave broadcast. That's why the law was written that way. You'd have to be a complete idiot to miss all the warnings in the manuals and the wizzards on securing the signal if you did not want it used by others.
If you want to justify it by saying it's legal to take advantage of stupid people, more power to you. I don't and wouldn't. I don't play that way.
As it doesn't actually prevent you from using your internet access, its more like: If you leave your blinds open, is it ok for somebody outside your house to watch your TV or if you have your stereo up too loud, and the neighborhood listens to your music with you. I agree that it is an ethical issue, but its not as morally absolute as theft. That said, i do it. If i'm somewhere with open wifi, i will be on that faster than you can say the word "ethics" rather than use my winmo's data plan to tether my laptop.
I got this last month and they were running a special: $14.99/month for the first year so I would definately check into this as it is the least expensive service out there (I think).
