Your experience with AT&T cable internet?

[notfred]

Moved into my new apartment this weekend, but I have no internet connection yet. (posting from work) Anyway, what do you guys think about AT&T cable? It's $39/month, free install, and I'm supposed to buy the modem (although, they don't seem to say how much they'll sell me a modem for, can't find it on thier website anywhere).

I also have the option for PacBell DSL, but I can't check availability or anything because I don't have a phone hooked up yet, and they need the phone #. It's $49/month, with a $99 charge for the modem.

What are your opinions? I've never used cable before, and the DSL that my parents have is a WAY older plan... I mean, they even have a static IP, which pacbell doesn't offer anymore.

Cable looks like the best bet right now, so what are your opinions on AT&T?

(I'll post pictures of the apartment in a bit, as soon as my camera drivers finish downloading)

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Had them over a year and I recall them going down once recently. Other than that, I dont even think about it. Thats a good thing

 

[Fausto]

I've had it for about a year and have had no problems whatsoever.

Modems can be had very cheaply if you dig around a bit. Check the hot deals forum.

Fausto

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I have been pleased with mine. I was not impressed with my DSL experience, for whatever that's worth, compared to my excellent experience with two different cable providers.

 

[djheater]

AT&T's cable has been completely stable other then a couple of outage's during the @home > attbi.net changeover, which since I was reading up on it I expected and dealt with.

I had Ameritech DSL for over a year and had lots of outages.

That's my experience. I like cable.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

The only area that has frequent problems was New Jersey, and that was back when AT&T was a part of @Home. Mostly, it's just server farts, registration issues, and customer hardware problems. True outages are few and far between, but sometimes construction in the area or something gets optical cable disrupted by a back-ho or drilling or something.

Good luck, notfred.

nik

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Come to think of it, lemme give you some hints as to what to expect.

From what you're telling me, I take it that you're getting a discounted Basic Install? Where you buy the modem, they come over and hook up the modem, making sure the modem is connected to the network, correct? Okay, be careful. If you have trouble going through the registration process (you'll have to do that the first time you connect to register your hardware), and you call us to get help, most Tier1 techs will either give it a half-ass try before passing you up to Tier2. If you get to us, we'll give you one good solid try at getting through the registration. If that fails, the only choices we have are letting you continue to trouble shoot on your own (trying to get through) or sending a tech out to your house and upgrading you to the Premium Install (which will be a one-time $49.95 upgrade). Once you have been "upgraded" (

), it won't cost to have a tech out to help get you connected unless the reason you aren't connecting is your hardware or your software. Like... "um... I accidentally hacked my modem to little bits with a giant axe. Can I get a trouble call to fix it?"

Otherwise you shouldn't have a problem.

nik

 

[notfred]

How hard can it be to set up a cable modem? doesn't seem like it'd be any harder than say, configuring a NIC.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

coax -> modem

The two most popular cable modems have one of the following light configurations:

#) Object (possible avatar over the light)

1) Power (lightning bolt)
2) Cable (circle with a dot in the center, or target, or cross-section of coax cable)
3) PC Link (two solid lines with a doted line between them)

-or-

1) Power
2) Receive (RD)
3) Send (TD)
4) Online (RF)

With the modem unplugged, hook in the Coax cable and the ethernet cable. Plug the power in. You should get all three/four lit if the computer is on. The lights that you'll be most concerned with are Power and Cable or Power, Receive, and Send -obviously depending on what light configuration your modem displays.

If you've got cable light lit or receive and send lit, your modem is connected. As far as PC Link or Online lights, that's up to you. That will be all the farther that your install will cover. It will then be your responsibility to set the computer DHCP, make sure Client for MS Networks and TCP/IP are installed, that the NIC is installed (if you're using ethernet), or that your USB cable modem is listed in your network stack (if you're using USB). If you've got the NIC/USB drivers installed properly, you'll be online and going through the registration process. If not, I'll give you my cell phone number and help you walk through it if you don't want to call tech support. That way I can cheat. Well, not really, but you won't have to sit through being on hold, getting a clueless tier1 tech, being on hold for the transfer, and then actually getting work done with the tier2 tech. Let me know what ya need.

BTW... don't use USB if you can use ethernet. Ethernet is a MUCH better investment, even if you have to go out and buy yourself a $30 NIC. It will probably save you money and time in the long run. Say you format and reinstall Windows. If the USB modem is installed, it most likely won't work after the install and will take a registry edit to get Windows to even acknowledge the USB cable modem again. Screwy, but that's what happens 90% of the time.

nik

 

[notfred]

What modem do you recommend I get? I don't want a USB one, I dual boot win2k and linux, and I've got a box full of PCI NICs, so it's an external ethernet modem for me.

 

[Mill]

um... I accidentally hacked my modem to little bits with a giant axe.

LMAO

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Either Motorola or RCA.

For RCA, get either the DCM235 model or the DCM245 model.

For Motorola, get either a Motorola Surfboard SB4100, or the SB4200 (which is now compatible with the ATTBI network as of this morning. )

nik

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: ffmcobalt
Either Motorola or RCA.

For RCA, get either the DCM235 model or the DCM245 model.

For Motorola, get either a Motorola Surfboard SB4100, or the SB4200 (which is now compatible with the ATTBI network as of this morning. )

nik

Any advantage to one over the other three? If you were gonig to buy one, which would you get?
Also, when the AT&T installation guy comes by, he'll just hook up whatever modem I have (assuming it's compatible with your network)?
Oh, one more question: How long does it usually take between ordering and getting the installation guy out to the house?

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Well, I would buy a SB4100 or a DCM245. I don't think there's any advantages over either, really. I dunno about the signup>install, though. I've never had experience with it.

nik

 

[Smolek]

had it since Feb 2000 and had very few problems

 

[rgwalt]

I give it a thumbs up too. Installation is really smooth. They should have someone out within a day or two after you call. The tech will install some stuff outside, check the signal strength, and then hook up your modem. They will have to call in the modem's MAC address to register it with ATT's servers. After that, if there isn't any registration issues, you should be up and running within an hour or two. I would have the install done in the morning so you can spend the day trouble shooting if need be, and get a tech out the next day if absolutely necessary.

I've got a SB4100 modem and it works like a champ. Check the hot deals forum. You can get these modems for as little as $50, however the usual going price is to buy it in a kit and pay around $150.

Ryan

 

[Mill]

BTW, I meant to add my thought on AT&T cable internet. I had them when they were TCI@home in my area then ATT@home and then ATT Broadband. I always had a good bit of problems. My DSL has been a lot faster and more reliable. I did notice when it became ATT Broadband the service started improving. Pings went down and the modem actually would stay in sync the majority of the time. My biggest gripe was the price. It was 50 bucks for a 1.4/128 connection. I pay 39 now for a 1.6/384.

 

[FatAlbo]

No problems with it in the Seattle area other than the @home to ATTBI changeover. I've had it for well over a year.

 

[dakata24]

at&t has been great in fremont for me. miss the @home speeds. but im getting speeds close to the cap ~1400Kbps download/~240Kbps upload.

regarding the modems, only difference i see is that the motorola 4100 has a standby button.. i guess that could come in handy..

 

[Renob]

I love AT&T internet, my sis works for them so I get free broadband plus cable tv.

BTW the service has been great