Thoughts on Cheap hookup?!

[SuzyQ]

Hubbie and I are just now moving into house. We both have cell phones, so we would like to NOT have a telephone line for making calls (our cells provide long distance).

SO, that leaves us to internet! Do you have to have a telephone line hookup in order to get internet? If so, anyone know of a cheap way to do that? (We are trying to avoid the $40/month for a phone line that we don't make calls on).

Are there other options?

Any suggestions would be great!

~Suzy

[LimeGreenCheri]

I suggest you forgo dialup and head for cable. I love my cable modem, it is so fast and just as cheap by the time you pay for a phone line and access. Good luck!

[Barb D]

We just got our DSL through the Cable company then we got rid of our home phones. My cell phone is a Seattle Number so my kids who can call Seattle but not everett can now call me for free and I can call anywhere with my cell phone.

Then my husband has an Everett Number so our neighbors and friends can still hook up with us.

We share minutes and long distance is free. We have been with out a home phone for about 3 weeks now and I love it. SInce my kids are grown and moved on we dont get that many calls. I never would have done this with teenagers home. We now carry our home phone everywhere with us. Oh we also get phone to phone and all weekends free (Doesnt count on out time)

The internet on the Cable is just as good as the internet on thePhone (DSL that is) Its always on and really fast. If you dont have a phone you cant have phone internet.

Barb

[WillCAD]

There are 3 main ways that people get on the internet these days (I know there are more than three, but these three are the most common and easiest to get):

1. Dial-up.
You've had this before, so you know what it's like. Dial-up servies include such providers as AOL, MSN, AT&T, ArcZip, NetZero, and a host of smaller companies. Dial-up service connects your computer to the net by dialing up the provider's computer over a regular telephone line. You can't talk on the phone while the computer is on the net. Dial-up services cost $10-$25 a month, depending on provider. Some people get a second phone line just for the internet, with no features other than unlimited calling, which will cost an extra $15-$25 a month depending on your phone company.

2. DSL (Digital Subscriber Line)
This is considered a broadband connection, since it is always on and is twice as fast as a dial-up. It's offered by companies like AT&T and most local phone companies. Costs are usually about $40 a month, plus a rental fee for the DSL modem of about $5. A DSL is similar to a phone line, but it does not handle voice phone calls, only internet connections, so the connection speeds can be faster than dial-ups, which use the regular voice lines. For many people, DSL is the only kind of braodband available in thier area (except sattelite, which is very expensive).

3. Cable
Cable internet is also a broadband connection. It comes through the cable TV lines from your local CTV provider. The cost is about the same as DSL, but it's twice again as fast. The connection is always on. Note that most cable TV companies will charge you extra (almost twice as much) if you get thier internet service but not thier TV service.

Both cable and DSL can be shared between multiple computers if you add a piece of hardware called a 'router', which networks your computers together and lets them share the net connections. The router also has a firewall built in to prevent outsiders from hacking your computer and using it to hack some big companies computer. Routers can be gotten from any computer store and will cost about $60 to $120, depending on brand. There are also wireless routers available, so you won't have to run cables all over the house. Both wired and wireless routers require you to install a network card (either wireless or wired) into each computer.

This is all oversimplified, but I think you get the picture. Check with your phone company and your cable TV company to see what broadband options they offer and how much it costs.

[Barb D]

Will cad good way to describe it all!!

Alicia I can tell you Cable is busy adding all over around here. As you know COmcast took over all of Western WA I think anyway they seem ot be a lot better than AT& T Broadband the old cable company.

Your new house is across Interstate 5 from me so I dont know the status of that area yet but If you decide to go with out a phone the Cable is great and they are runnign awesome specials right now. (6 months for something like $20 and no installation) We had DSL before this with the phone company (Verizon around here) and it was about $40 or $50 a month and thats what the Cable will be after 6 months.

Barb