Internet Options?

So I am getting a home computer for Christmas from my family (YAY!!)

So I called my local provider and got some options from them, I was wondering if someone could tell me which is the best option to get?

Starting with the modem, do you guys rent yours, or own? The lady suggested that I look around and buy one, cuz its a lot cheaper than renting one forever (renting from them is $10 a month, buying one is $69.95 w/ a 1 yr warranty)

Their connections are: (slowest to fastest - these are not dial up either)

384K for $17.76

1.5 meg speed for $25.95

3. meg speed for $29.95

4 meg speed for $39.95

Is there really that much difference between all the speeds?

Any help would be very helpful! Thank you!!

Unless you do a lot of data transfers (i.e. telecommute, website design where you'll upload and download files from an FTP regularly), you don't really NEED the highest speeds. You will see a difference between the speeds, but the question really is - how much speed is worth the money to you?

I would go with the 1.5 or 3 MB speed. That is plenty fast enough, and not very expensive.

I say definately buy your modem. They are cheap enough. I also agree about the speed too. You can always try the cheapest one and upgrade. Btw, congratulations on the new computer!

Is it a brand new computer? If it is it should have a modem in it? I bought my computer in 2004 and I didn't have to buy a modem.

Originally Posted by KatieLV

Is it a brand new computer? If it is it should have a modem in it? I bought my computer in 2004 and I didn't have to buy a modem.

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Dial-up modem, yes. High speed modem, no.

Originally Posted by Deb25

Dial-up modem, yes. High speed modem, no.

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Ok I'm following you here but 384K connection, is that high speed?

Originally Posted by valanhb

Unless you do a lot of data transfers (i.e. telecommute, website design where you'll upload and download files from an FTP regularly), you don't really NEED the highest speeds. You will see a difference between the speeds, but the question really is - how much speed is worth the money to you?

I would go with the 1.5 or 3 MB speed. That is plenty fast enough, and not very expensive.

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I was thinking the 1.5 speed-its not that expensive at all!!

I have cable which is the fastest besides T1. I pay $40/month but I also do alot of downloading and peer 2 peer....its worth it to me

Don't any ISPs offer free modems? I got mine for free when I switched to DSL. (I use AOL, but the DSL runs through t-online).

Originally Posted by jcat

Don't any ISPs offer free modems? I got mine for free when I switched to DSL. (I use AOL, but the DSL runs through t-online).

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Not sure about that-I am pretty cluless about modems and such!

I use SBC/Yahoo & the DSL modem was free after rebates.

Originally Posted by jcat

Don't any ISPs offer free modems? I got mine for free when I switched to DSL. (I use AOL, but the DSL runs through t-online).

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I have 4000mps down and 360mps upload speeds here through Comcast. Let me let you in on a little secret though, you'll NEVER SEE THOSE SPEEDS online as MOST IF NOT ALL website cannot supply that bandwidth. So there you are paying for HS access and yet only getting a fraction of it in the real world. What this amounts to is the GRAND BS story that the cable companies do not want you to know about.

So why do I have it you ask? Because I needed the faster upload speed because I create websites which are graphic heavy in nature. I have yet to find a website though that matches the download speed that Comcast promises.

Ciao!

Originally Posted by valanhb

Unless you do a lot of data transfers (i.e. telecommute, website design where you'll upload and download files from an FTP regularly), you don't really NEED the highest speeds.
I would go with the 1.5 or 3 MB speed. That is plenty fast enough, and not very expensive.

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Either of those should be fine. Congratulations on the new computer!

Hmmm I have cable and they gave me the modem free.. any service I have had cable with always has... might want to check into it. What services are in your area?

I would definitely buy the modem, they will most likely last a lot longer than 1 yr.
I have had mine for 3-4 yrs. and never had a problem with it.

The speed, ehhh, go for the lower priced, you can upgrade, but sometimes they will not let you downgrade.
I pay $40. a month for cable modem.

I would probably go with the one in the middle, and if you find it's not enough, you can get the bigger one.

You could get wireless internet and not need a modem, but you need to buy the receiver that sits in top of your house or on top of a tower in your backyard. That's what we've had for about 5 years now, but we don't pay for it because my roommate is the CTO there. I don't know how fast it is, but whenever I go to other people's house and check my mail or see them browsing, I'm like GOSH, COME ON!

The only things I think you'd need it to be super-fast for, is if you're playing graphic-intensive games, or uploading/downloading a lot.

Originally Posted by clintsworld

I have 4000mps down and 360mps upload speeds here through Comcast. Let me let you in on a little secret though, you'll NEVER SEE THOSE SPEEDS online as MOST IF NOT ALL website cannot supply that bandwidth. So there you are paying for HS access and yet only getting a fraction of it in the real world. What this amounts to is the GRAND BS story that the cable companies do not want you to know about.

So why do I have it you ask? Because I needed the faster upload speed because I create websites which are graphic heavy in nature. I have yet to find a website though that matches the download speed that Comcast promises.

Ciao!

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God, I know. I have Comcast (yes, folks, that;s $57.95 a month) because we have no other options here, other than for my to buy a phone line and use dial-up or DSL. Which, considering that I'd be paying for that phone and my cell/mobile, was actually more expensive. But yeah, you never see those speeds!

I just wrote a long reply and it disappeared... so lets try this again.

I have 5mps down/640kbps up and it was pretty fast until I added another computer and 2 broadband phones, so we are upgrading to 10mps down/1mps up, but as clint said, you rarely get those download speeds anyway. The 10mps is $60 Canadian and as we run the business from here is a write off anyway and I work from home a fair bit so upload files all the time.

But as far as general browsing, 1.5 should be fine and you can always upgrade if you want to.