[NCLUG] internet access options

[Frank Whiteley]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Loseke" <mike at verinet.com>
To: <nclug at nclug.org>
Sent: Friday, July 19, 2002 9:28 AM
Subject: Re: [NCLUG] internet access options


> Thus spake Idris S Hamid:
> >
> > Dear gang,
> >
> > I'm considering moving outside of town to the mountains where broadband
is
> > probably unavailable. Are there any internet solutions for the home
computer
> > other than a 56K modem that I can consider? Is wireless service
available for
> > the home PC yet? What r my options? I dread going back to the 56K
modem;->
>
>  As has been stated, CWX (www.cwx.net) can hit some places up in the
hills,
> around the resevoir I know there are some guys using it but getting it
> further up the canyons would be prohibitive -- too many repeaters for too
> few customers. Satellite would work but latency would be high. Also, do
> not even try to hold on to the hope that you can even get 56K up there.
> You might be lucky to get 33.6.
>
With Qwest you'll get V.90 or pair gain, depending on location.  Pair gain
generally limits to 26400 and the local loop can drop this to 21600 or
24000.  A few of the latest modems seem to be able to eek 28800 out of pair
gain.  If you get 31200 or 33600 with a v34 modem, you'll get higher with
v90.  There is almost no K56Flex or X2 support any longer, so those 56K
modems only hit v34 speeds.

SLC96's tend to limit speeds to 26400.  I don't know if Qwest is
re-deploying these in more rural developments as SLC2000's are being
installed in more urban areas.  The latest SLC2000 deployments I've seen are
supporting 52000-53333 dialup speeds.

If you get rural enough, you may not even be on Qwest.  Most of my
experience is with the Nunn Telco, Wiggins Telephone Association, and Roggen
Telephone Association.  These are co-ops and usually have not employed too
many digital tricks outside of multiplexers.  Nunn is apparently wiring the
town with DSL and bought EZLink ISP.  Their loops are generally copper and
45k+ dialups are common, even on ranches.  Wiggins uses some multiplexing to
run 8 numbers down a cable pair at 300volts.  Voltage drops and distance can
cause problems.  These numbers are usually 26400, but sometimes as low as
19200.  Many locations get 50K dialups as they have good copper in most
towns, even as far away as Grover and Hereford.  If the line is >5 miles
from the CO, there is likely a loop extender installed.  These may have
voice modules that will play havoc with Internet connections and must be
removed.  Most of the telephone co-ops will do this within a day or two of
the request.  Roggen has a smaller footprint than Nunn and is less
progressive.

The acid test will be whether you get 45k or better on your main line and
the expensive of adding a second line.  This can be expensive in the
countryside, but opens the option of using multilink to bind two or more
sessions into one.

Remember, in the Internet world if all you want is fast, reliable, and
cheap, pick two.  CWX has some AUPs you might want to be aware of before you
sign up.  It really depends on your user profile, it's a good solution for
some, poor for others.

Frank Whiteley
Greeley