Wireless Internet... how does this sound?

[Techno]

Hello,

In two weeks I am (finally) moving from Tampa Florida, to my new house in Zephyrhills Florida. Where I am moving is so far away from the rest of humanity that at this time the only choice for Internet was Satellite or Dial-Up (I have road runner now). I found out 2 weeks ago that Zephyrhills has two local ISP's that provide Wireless broadband Internet. Both companies say I can get 1.5Mbs/384k for $29.95 after I pay $350 for the hardware and antenna. They both said that the ping time is between 10-20ms. Now, I don't know anything about Ping times. Is that Good (10-20ms)? I do play a bunch of online games (FFXI, SWAT4, Splinter Cell.....) so I am wondering if this sounds like a good option?

Thanks!

 

[Pliablemoose]

I don't know about ping times, but you can do VOIP over wireless internet, and that may save you a few $/month...

 

[Papagayo]

It would be acceptable for Diablo, Starcraft, etc..
But not great for Action games like Half Life, Quake, etc..


They are saying the ping time will be 10-20ms from you to their server, which means you add that to the game server connection..

 

[DivideBYZero]

Seems ok to me, the pings that is.

 

[mcvickj]

The only thing you need to remember is that anything is better than dial-up.

 

[mcvickj]

EDIT: Sorry for the double post.

 

[blackdogdeek]

if you have neighbors you might be able to share the connection and defray the cost of the initial hardware and antenna installation.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: Papagayo
It would be acceptable for Diablo, Starcraft, etc..
But not great for Action games like Half Life, Quake, etc..


They are saying the ping time will be 10-20ms from you to their server, which means you add that to the game server connection..

You ever tried pinging your gateway?

- M4H

 

[rh71]

Trial period ?

Also watch for inclement weather factors... check around to see what people are saying about that particular ISP.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

$350 for a GD antenna?! Christ this had better be a BIG antenna.

 

[FoBoT]

yes, go for it
LOS wireless is a growing niche for those of us in rural but not BFE areas

it is good

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: rh71
Trial period ?

Also watch for inclement weather factors... check around to see what people are saying about that particular ISP.

the frequencies used for LOS wireless are less susceptible to weather than satellite, it takes about 16 times worse weather for LOS wireless to lose signal than satellite

 

[AdamSnow]

I have wireless internet called "airNET" here in Ontario Canada... sounds very similar to what I have...

airNET is radio based... works awesome no matter what the weather, etc. I love it... play games online, etc...

In all honestly, I would not know it wasnt DSL if I didnt have an antenna on my roof for it.

 

[olds]

<--- marks thread as he will be moving to BFE, Egypt in the near future.

 

[keeleysam]

Yes, go for it. Satellite sucks more than dialup.

 

[dsity]

how does this wireless internet hook up to your computer?

 

[Trente]

I assume they transmit the data to you via sat, but how are you suppose to transmit data back? Could it be that a dedicated Dial-Up conenction is used as a mean for upload?

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: Trente
I assume they transmit the data to you via sat, but how are you suppose to transmit data back? Could it be that a dedicated Dial-Up conenction is used as a mean for upload?

I thought it was micro-wave?

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: dsity
how does this wireless internet hook up to your computer?

a router, just like any other broadband
the "modem" just works wirelessly , just like a wireless access point/wireless router for a LAN

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: Trente
I assume they transmit the data to you via sat, but how are you suppose to transmit data back? Could it be that a dedicated Dial-Up conenction is used as a mean for upload?

I thought it was micro-wave?

it is two-way wireless, just like the wireless you use inside your house/on your local network
just has greater range to hit the ISP's tower

 

[dsity]

i still don't quite get it.....dsl has those ethernet cables....would the wireless provider provide you with a modem, stick it in your pc, that connects to the antena wireless-ly on your house...and that to the..ISP?

 

[FoBoT]

the ISP technician comes to your house and surveys (checks for signal) to make sure you have line of sight (LOS) to their tower
if so, they put up an antenna, like someone who is into short wave radio might have. they might attach it to your roof or barn roof or ask to put up a pole, like a flag pole to stick it on the end of
the cable from the antenna goes into your house and plugs into a "modem/router" box , very similar to a wireless router you might buy at Best Buy

the box has one or four ethernet ports for you to plug computer into, just like cable or DSL

 

[amdskip]

I do all the computer work for a local boat shop and they have wireless internet like you are considering. It works great for them and they have a router splitting it up to 4 different computers.

 

[Techno]

Thanks guys.....

I am favoring one of the two ISP's I talked about. This company says I can get 1.5Mbs/384K at all time where as the other company says I can "burst" up to 1.2Mbs. I probably won't have to pay that much for the hardware as this company has hardware packages (and price difference between each) for short, medium and long range. I am 6 miles from the head office (long range) but I know what matters is how far I am from there tower. In talking to them, they said w/o looking up in the computer, one of there towers is next to the Zephyrhills Airport which is only 3 miles from my house. So I shouldn't have a problem getting short or medium range equipment. The hardware cost doesn't matter to me much as before my only option i was going for was Satalite and that is $600 for hardware and $100 per month. Plus Satalite does not support VPN and that is a must as I work for a Bank.

I will go that route..... thanks again!