Learned a valuable lesson about the difference between wireless and line internet

[eborg9]

Recently I have been going back and forth between using my 3G/4G wireless modem and regular cable modem...especially the last week since I recently moved.

I was having one hell of a time accessing clients servers wirelessly..actually with the exception of one (and my own account), I couldn't do it and it was slowing me down tremendously.
Not only that, but my computer (desktop and laptop) were running painfully slow, with tons of lock ups, time outs, and I was getting kicked off of servers constantly.

So...I just had my cable installed in the new place and opted for an upgrade of the fastest pipe (internet speed) that they had available both residential and commercial and the difference is extremely noticeable.(It's only been a week that I have been without it)

I can now feel the extra Gig of RAM that I installed last week, no outside server issues and I am back to multi-tasking at the speed of (almost) light, running multiple apps, monitors and windows without any problems.

Same computer, different connection. I had forgotten what it feels like to be back in civilization.

The bottom line, wireless modems are pretty convenient, especially if you have portable computers, but don't expect to do any complex online tasks with them, especially if you need to access outside servers and networks and perform work or maintenance. They are just not up to the constant authenticating, along with all the other things that go on in the background.

I can say from experience, if you are multi tasking, they will actually slow your computer down.

All that stuff you see on T.V. where a guy pulls out a netbook and accesses the network to get some work done with a smile on his face, or playing online games and streaming video conferencing...yeah...I couldn't do any of that (well the video conferencing, but who really cares when you are trying to work) , and I thought I had the fastest thing available.

Don't get me wrong..I am not disappointed or upset with my wireless company, but they ALL greatly exaggerate the abilities of their network.

Maybe someone with a little more tech knowledge on upload/downlaod speeds, servers, and the issue of wireless and relays can elaborate more.

[vangogh]

The internet companies will all advertise their theoretical top speeds, though in practice you aren't going to get those top speeds. It also depends a lot on your connection.

Wireless is also slower than wired. If you're connecting over 3G then you should be getting something close to what's advertised, but if you have a connection wired into your home and then you're accessing that connection through a wireless modem the speed will be determined by the weakest link in the connection, which will be the wireless.

Wireless modems have advanced over the years. A few years back we connected over wireless b, then it was wireless, g, and now it's wireless n. However if your modem uses b or g then those are the speeds you're getting.

One more thing to consider is that most internet providers have several levels of speed they offer. The more you're willing to pay the more bandwidth you get. There's more than one level of high speed connection and the internet providers add new levels over time. If you signed up for a connection a few years ago you probably aren't getting the fastest connection your provider offers today.

One last thing. Download and upload speeds are usually not the same. You generally get much more download speed than you do upload speed and the speeds advertised will be the download speed.

[eborg9]

I never have a problem with my cable connection. I have been upgrading since DSL was all the rage.
I hear my local provider is coming out with a 50G access plan. They want $120 a month for it, but I think I may have to check it out.

Originally Posted by vangogh

One more thing to consider is that most internet providers have several levels of speed they offer. The more you're willing to pay the more bandwidth you get. There's more than one level of high speed connection and the internet providers add new levels over time. If you signed up for a connection a few years ago you probably aren't getting the fastest connection your provider offers today.

I know, and I hate that. Why not just have "Internet Access" and just give us the fastest thing you have.

I know novices or casual users will opt for the lower speed, but if they really knew the difference, who would call the cable company and say "Give me the slowest thing you have"? "I want to do some stuff online, but I don't mind waiting to download a photo or some music..I'm not in that big of a hurry".

The phone company offers you a connection..they don't have "Less static" and "No static" plans.

You don't get a difference in flow from the water company...they don't ask you , "How many times a day do you think you'll be flushing the toilet?"....just give me water!

I hate the way they ration out the internet access...it's a scam. Because they aren't actually turning it up for power users...they are turning it down for those that budget the bandwidth.
It's not a luxury anymore..it's a utility.</rant>

[billbenson]

You know, its funny. Verizon put in a bunch of fiber to the curb in our area and are heavily advertising their service that is better than the cable company according to them. In the ad, they really quickly say up to 1Mbs. They require a 1 year contract. Used to be two. They are also the local wireline telephone company.

I have used the cable company here for years. TV, phone, internet. They have no contract required. Great service. 4 or 5 years ago I had 5M of service with them (download). For the last several years I have had a much higher value from online tests. For a test to a router server near me I have a 32M download and 1.7M upload. I never paid for that, it's just what they give me.

I checked on a couple of other speed tests. One shows me 15M download from CA and 17M from atlanta which is a lot closer. Both were 1.7 upload.

If you recall back in the old days you could pay a few thousand a month and get a dedicated T1 (1.544) That was fast. Why, because it was a dedicated circuit.

If you have 5M or more these days, your fine. Your ISP may slow you down, the web server on the site you are connected to may be busy. Routers in between send a packet here and a packet there. They also have priority routing. I did a 4 G download a while back. Took three try's and the successful one was 14 hours.

4G / 30mbs = 133.33 seconds not 14 hours.

Nobody is really lying to you. My ISP is probably giving me that 33M or whatever download. But in the context of how they are giving it to you its deceiving. You just want what your ISP is giving you not to be the bottle neck in the system.

As far as wireless, its a much slower speed, with all kinds of error correction checksums / security in it. It will certainly be slower. Also, the speeds are quoted as ideal. Start going through walls and its much slower.

[nealrm]

Sounds like you had a spotty connection in your home. I've used a 3G connection in both Atlanta and St. Louis. When I had the full 3G connection it was as fast as my DSL upgraded service at home. Of course if the modem is connecting at less than 3G or you hit a cell tower with a high load, thing can be alot slower.

[eborg9]

Originally Posted by billbenson

As far as wireless, its a much slower speed, with all kinds of error correction checksums / security in it. It will certainly be slower. Also, the speeds are quoted as ideal. Start going through walls and its much slower.

What can I say ? I drank the Kool-Aide. I'm an easy target when it comes to tech. All you have to do is "WOW" me for under $500 (especially under $300) and I'm likely to try it.

Originally Posted by nealrm

Sounds like you had a spotty connection in your home. I've used a 3G connection in both Atlanta and St. Louis. When I had the full 3G connection it was as fast as my DSL upgraded service at home. Of course if the modem is connecting at less than 3G or you hit a cell tower with a high load, thing can be alot slower.

I'm looking at the tower ( disguised as a palm tree) , but I now know that means nothing. Vegas is a pretty big city, with plenty of access..maybe too much.
I remember 'back in the day'..working on the strip, you would get network time outs during conventions and trade shows. An extra 200k people in town would over load just about everything that had to do with communications.
Those days have been over for quite some time.

Wireless is cool, don't get me wrong. I think the technology is amazing. But it's not as reliable as a cable in the back of your unit.
The days of sitting at a Starbucks and having a client call you with a problem and whipping out your netbook to FTP his server files are not quite there yet. (You could probably do it with a company network if it was programmed to recognize your specific signature)

Like I said before, these guys ( wireless companies) greatly exaggerate the abilities of their internet, VG put it best..."Theoretical top speeds"...It's a connection...and it's pretty fast ( and I've used it in a couple of different cities) ...but it ain't the same.

The commercials are "best case scenario". It's the miracle of marketing..they show people during broad daylight ( which you assume to be business hours) performing work related, complex tasks...but that is not the reality of how powerful the networks really are. Maybe if you are just checking emails, but not if you are actually working and need to be connected to something besides Google.

All in all, I still wouldn't be caught dead without a wireless modem in my pocket...and I wouldn't take any stars off of a review because of this. Wireless is still the shiznit.

Anyone remember Dial Up ?

[nealrm]

Anyone remember Dial Up ?

Isn't that the soap that is 99% pure and floats on water .

[KristineS]

Originally Posted by eborg9

Anyone remember Dial Up ?

Oh wow, does that take me back. I stuck with dial up for far longer than I should have done because it was cheaper. Now I wouldn't be without my high speed internet for any amount of money. It is more expensive, but I can do so much more.

[Business Attorney]

I think I still have an old Hayes 9600 baud modem somewhere in the basement ...

[Patrysha]

Had to go from satellite high speed to dial up two moves back. Hardest year ever! Didn't want to go back, but had to because there was no other option that we could afford (getting another satellite deal just wasn't feasible)