Internet Connection
Mar 26th 2007, 8:37 pm
#77
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 72
Re: Internet Connection
We've now had the satellite long enough to make an initial assessment of it and I've been favourably impressed.
Reliability is an issue, it does go out in storms so, if email is your business you do need dial up as a backup. However, this is the basic system connecting through a Hughes satellite (the cheaper set up, sneered at by the cognoscenti) and it's proven prefectly adequate for web browsing, maintaining the blog, 3270 emulation, secure VPN using Cisco software.
Technical support from Bruce Telecom has been excellent but here's a thing; they're only open daylight hours. I'd choose daylight support in English over 24hour support in gibberish but that's a personal choice. I would choose this facility over Rogers cable internet except if I had to do a lot of Unix work; telnet over this link is agonising because it sends each keystroke to Mars and back before showing it on the screen.
Reliability is an issue, it does go out in storms so, if email is your business you do need dial up as a backup. However, this is the basic system connecting through a Hughes satellite (the cheaper set up, sneered at by the cognoscenti) and it's proven prefectly adequate for web browsing, maintaining the blog, 3270 emulation, secure VPN using Cisco software.
Technical support from Bruce Telecom has been excellent but here's a thing; they're only open daylight hours. I'd choose daylight support in English over 24hour support in gibberish but that's a personal choice. I would choose this facility over Rogers cable internet except if I had to do a lot of Unix work; telnet over this link is agonising because it sends each keystroke to Mars and back before showing it on the screen.
Most interesting ........ This is the first example I have heard of ... true Satelite Internet Service. How does it compare Speedwise and for Cost to Cable and DSL service ... discounting the intial setup costs of course?.....................................
Mar 26th 2007, 8:54 pm
#78
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,020
Re: Internet Connection
I don't have the first bill yet. The contract says $100/month + $20 for a static ip (most people wouldn't need that), I don't know if there's a catch. Rogers was $60/month for cable internet. The Rogers service was faster but, if there's no cable, there's no cable. ADSL costs about the same as cable and offers about the same performance but, again, if the infrastructure isn't there, it doesn't really matter how much they would charge for it if it was there.
Apr 11th 2007, 11:41 am
#79
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,020
Re: Internet Connection
We (the collective we, not me mate) have discovered a curious quirk of using a satellite connection. The connection is actually made in outer space but the internet thinks of outer space as being part of suburban Chicago. This matters if you want to use a site that tries to limit functionality by location. I think it's fundamentally stupid to try to impose such a limit on a non-geographic medium but the streamers of Degrassi Junior High disagree. It is apparently irritating to see a trailer featuring some light lesbo action, have your interest piqued, and then be thwarted because you're in Chicago.
Especially if you're not in Chicago.
Especially if you're not in Chicago.
Apr 11th 2007, 3:44 pm
#80
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 72
Re: Internet Connection
We (the collective we, not me mate) have discovered a curious quirk of using a satellite connection. The connection is actually made in outer space but the internet thinks of outer space as being part of suburban Chicago. This matters if you want to use a site that tries to limit functionality by location. I think it's fundamentally stupid to try to impose such a limit on a non-geographic medium but the streamers of Degrassi Junior High disagree. It is apparently irritating to see a trailer featuring some light lesbo action, have your interest piqued, and then be thwarted because you're in Chicago.
Especially if you're not in Chicago.
Especially if you're not in Chicago.
Sounds like an experienced Hacker could have a ball with this system............................................
