Internet Options...wireless or sattelite internet

[ksumn1]

Hi. I ought a laptop for school a couple of weeks ago and it doesn't come with an internal modem. We have dialup so I'm getting an external modem for it, for home inernet usage. We have another older, heavy laptop and an older PC that is very slow but used by the kids for schoolwork, etc. My new laptop (a Dell mini 10v) is mine to use for school. I'm a college freshman and needed something more portable than the 7 lb monster I'd been lugging around.

I can use the college's wireless for internet useage at school. At home, we have dialup. Other than that I have to rely on free wifi hotspots if I *need* to connect to the internet while out and about. I'd like to take some online courses at school and with 2 DD's who cheer and play basketball and softball, so DH and I are considering updating our Internet. DSL is NOT an option. We live in a rural area so our only choices are a sattelite connection (Wildblue and HughesNet are 2 that offer coverage in our area) and Wireless. We currently have AT&T cell phones and home phone service, but our cell phone coverage is not good (poor reception) so we're considering a Verizon data plan. And in May 2010, we're changing cell phone carriesrs to Verizon also.

I need advice. I've started doing research on the Sattelite and the wireless Internet options. I'm leaning toward the Wireless option, since I'm on the go so much. Dh would rather do Sattelite so we will have a faster connection at home for all of us. However, he works out of town, Sun-Thur and the hotel offers free wireless so he has Internet access himslef during the week. I have class Mon, Wed, Fri so the only days the Sattelite would get used is primarily weekends. Which happens to be the time when we're gone because of ball games so I think wireless is the way to go.

So, anybody want to help me out?? WWYD? I see the pros and cons of both ideas, but wonder if anybody can give me good or bad about eiter options. And of course, I'd like to spend as little as possible. (Which is why we'r esticking to dial up for now and not actually changing for a few months ntil we can find the best deal)

 

[Fire14]

I'm in same canoe as you with dial up etc. I have verizon wireless as my cell and recently got a high speed modem thingie from verizon. It is not super big and works great for me. It's a bit bigger than thumb drive and plugs into USB. I pay 59.99/mo for 5GB which I've never gone over. I will try and find info on website for you if you like. I personally got mine at Costco, they had some deal where thru instant rebate I got device free and got activation fee refunded thru rebate. and I had 30 or 90 days to test it out.
I used it on road to a dismeet end of may and it worked great. Usec it up in MI at Bros house and had no issues. Am excited to try it at WDW.

 

[Rpsemont]

Hi!

I live in a rural area, too. OUr local govenment office had satellite for a a couple years before dsl became available. I was not impressed - espcially given the cost at the time which was about $100 month. I have had verizon wireless for almost two years. I only considered getting it after our cell reception was consistent. (For the longest time, you could only talk on your cell if you were standing in the middle of the driveway, or one small area in the kitchen)
While I don't like the $60 fee, I love having verizon wireless. They have a large coverage area. I can take my computer almost anywhere (Northeast, orlando) and have internet access. When I'm in an airport, I'm told the connection is much more secure than through an airport hot spot or paid service. There have been times we have driven 3 hours from Western Mass to New Hampshire, and I've been on line the WHOLE time. In hotel I don't need to worry about paying for internet service.

Have you asked your local phone carrier when or if they might get DSL. I know here in MAss, there was a big push by the governor to get the rural areas better access. DSL became available in our area about a year ago, but since I'm on a two year contract, I have to wait until it expires in November. Not sure what I'll decided. I really love the verizon wireless, but I can get a DSL with speeds twice as fast as our home verizon wireless for half the cost.

 

[Fire14]

Hi!

Have you asked your local phone carrier when or if they might get DSL. I know here in MAss, there was a big push by the governor to get the rural areas better access. DSL became available in our area about a year ago, but since I'm on a two year contract, I have to wait until it expires in November. Not sure what I'll decided. I really love the verizon wireless, but I can get a DSL with speeds twice as fast as our home verizon wireless for half the cost.

I personally think if/when I could get DSl/high speed thru other meand I would go that route just because it would be cheaper to router it and no worries of going over but than I can see myself keeping the verizon thing too for traveling.

 

[ksumn1]

May go with the wireless route. We lost our house in a house fire last Tuesday so Sattelite OR DSL (IF we could get it) isn't really an option at the moment. We're staying with family who has dial up and my sister is ALWAYS on the phone or the Internet and it's killing me. I've been able to check email, do schoolwork for a grand total of 1 hour since Wednseday. We planned on switching phones to Verizon anyway next year so it sounds like a good option.

 

[Local_Girl]

May go with the wireless route. We lost our house in a house fire last Tuesday so Sattelite OR DSL (IF we could get it) isn't really an option at the moment. We're staying with family who has dial up and my sister is ALWAYS on the phone or the Internet and it's killing me. I've been able to check email, do schoolwork for a grand total of 1 hour since Wednseday. We planned on switching phones to Verizon anyway next year so it sounds like a good option.

Sorry, no opinions on which choice to make but to you for losing your house in a fire! So sorry that happened to you and your family...I hope no one was injured and you will be able to move on.