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SBC DSL: is it worth it?


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We're currently looking to upgrade our dial-up situation. SBC DSL is offering $27/mos for 1 yr.--$50/mos after that. My concern also, is if I do get my second pc working, can I just tell SBC to set me up with one of their free kit (for 1st pc) then I can then just network my 2nd pc to save some money on another kit which they are charging $50?...yes we are that cheap. :lol:

Anyone in the US tried this company and what are the pitfalls with DSL if any.

We are not at home a lot. So sometimes I wonder why we are even bothering. It like having 500 hi-def channel and not watching any.

Thanks for your opinion.

:thumbsup:

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OK here is what you do. While I don't have experience with SBC, I have run a network with my 2 PCs and both can access the internet. If you have 2 PCs with a network card already you have it half-way made. You get the kit from the company which should include a modem, filters, a NIC (hopefully) and quiet possibly a short piece of crossover cable.

To network the 2 PCs together only requires a router or hub (router is a better choice as it will have the NAT firewall) and 2 lengths of CAT5 straight through cable. Plug the PCs into the router and plug the router into the DSL modem (the crossover cable can still be used between the two of them). Instant network with internet access for both PCs.

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Some of the pitfalls with DSL are:

Slow speeds if telephone wiring in the house is old.

Filters tend to go bad.

Can't use certain cordless phones in the 900-1400Mhz range. Some pluses are:

And most DSL is a ton slower than cable. If it isn't it's expensive.

Also, you have to be with a certain distance from your telco's substation. Most DSL has to be within no more than 18,000 feet of the central office.

DSL is more secure than cable.

You aren't sharing a trunk line with anyone.

Can't really rate the price without knowing what kind of up/down speeds we are talking about.

Definitely wouldn't go with there networking kits. Get a Linksys starter kit at best buy for 69.00 which includes 2 NIC's, 2 patch cables, and a 4 port router.

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Thanks again guys!!!!!

I guess I know now, what to buy with my BestBuy Christmas gift card. :thumbsup:

I was going to hold off to buy Halflife2, but I figure, since I haven't got the pc to run HL2 NICELY, why bother.

Still got the same situation with the two PC, one is in the den, the other upstairs. My buddy and I gooffed around and "was" able to network the WinXPPRO (den) and Win98SE (upstairs) before. But now we "gooffed" again and their not connected anymore...must be an IP ADDRESS issue again.

@Wk I installed NIC cards on them.

@=UE=Phantom, is there a particular model for that router?

And as far as the phone goes, we got a 2.4Ghz Vtech, the base is next to the WinXPPRO, 1 satellite in the garage, 1 in the kitchen and 1 upstairs. You think they'll get affected?

I've been meaning to replace them with a newer model so I can have more satellite phones---wait thats dipping in my HL2 and SLI PC budget....F it! :o=

Would that router kit help with dial-up or just keep it separate from each other? The PCs is still hooked up directly, since its both are next to a phone line. I'm still getting the router since there's a good chance we still might get DSL service.

The house is a new construct. I saw double the speed on our dial-up from our older house. It was at 28.8, now I get 49.2 to 50.6 kbps.

Its the wife who gets irritated when she's downloading short movies. :rofl: I just d/l at work, if its a big porn file, I MEAN MOD FILE!!! MOD FILE!!! :shifty:

Semper Fi my brothers!

:thumbsup:

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Sounds like you just need the cable, router and installation kit from the ISP then. Question, is your house already wired with CAT5 cable? If so, that is a hugh asset in getting networked (ya don't have to drill holes in floors or walls)? It may look like a phone jack, just wider. If so. just plug the short patch cables from one PC into it and run another from the wall to the router. If done right, there will be a bigger box with several RJ45 jacks to go from the wall to the router and the router and DSL modem can be set elsewhere instead of on your desk.

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Get with me on the network issue, and the issue with your 98 and XP machines.

I can help ya un-goof that.

Also, if you are already networked, tell me what ya have already, and answer WK's question about the CAT5 being pre-wired, and I'll be able to tell ya exactly what to get and how to do it.

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I have 3-ports per room: phone/Cable tv/ CAT5. One in the PC room, family room (for future streaming pics/mp3s to stereo/tv, and finally to 2 rooms upstairs where the Win98SE is.

The network hub is in the basement where you just connect with a 1 to 2 feet of CAT5 cable my "frieeend" hooked up. There you "supposedly" can crossover everything according to the network sub-contractor.

Yeah WK, it "sseems" like I just need the modem for the DSL.

=UE= I can't do the networking yet. I unplugged the win98 pc for some spring cleaning. I didn't take a picture of the filter with the collection of one-year worth of dust...I didnt want to get further ridiculed :unsure: I just have not put it back yet.

But I will definitely email you when I'm good and ready. Thanks

thanks

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OK all you need are 2 patch cords the router and the DSL kit from the ISP. The router can get both PCs connected to create your LAN. As long as the TCP/IP protocol is set for your NIC on both PCs, the router should automatically see them. After you get the DSL kit, it would be just a matter of connecting the router to it.

BTW, the June issue of MaximumPC has a killer article about streaming music, videos and such over a home wired network inlcuding pics and wiring the house (which you already have had done). Run out and pick it up, NOW.

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Well, pick up the router and your DSL kit, and give me a shout.

There is just a little more to it than making sure TCP/IP is installed, but nothing we can't handle with about 15 minutes worth of work, and I will also be glad to take you through router setup step by step, so that your network is nice and secure. :thumbsup::devil:

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In my newegg basket...OOOhhh Wk, I'm getting tempted to get the rest of my wishlist :o ...I'm being attacked by my credit card!!!!

:rofl:

So far:

A8N-SLI Deluxe

Athlon 64 3800+ Venice Integrated into Chip FSB Socket 939

Zalman CNPS7000B-AlCu LED

Corsair TWINX1024-3200C2PT (2x512)

MSI NX6600GT-TD128E Geforce 6600GT 128MB GDDR3 PCI-Express x16 (2x)

LINKSYS BEFSR41 10/100M Router - Retail

$1,121.20

OUCH!!!!! :wall:

possible substiture: CORSAIR ValueSelect 1GB 184-Pin DDR SDRAM Unbuffered DDR 400 (PC 3200) System Memory

= $85 :unsure:

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You need straight through cables between the router and PCs or in your case, the router and the walls and walls and PCs. Crossover cables may work, I haven't really tried it that way. The only place I have a crossover cable is between the modem and the router.

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That router from BestBuy is the same one I have. Ya may find it cheaper at Newegg though. $40 after a rebate is a good deal.

By the time you pay shipping, be about the same cost, plus he doesnt have to wait for it at Best Buy.

It won't work with crossover cables, but the router should come with 2 of them. If not, they are cheap enough.

Get them at Best Buy when you grab the router.

You will need three total. 1 t go from the DSL modem to the router, and then 1 for each of your PC's.

Edited by =UE=Phantom
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You guys are awesome!!! LOL The friend who does some networking agrees with =UE= and he has a feeling it may even delay shipping on my items in the Newegg cart. Personally, he's just anxious to play some LAN gaming :rofl:

I posted pics of that centralized hub in the basement. My friend said its not a router nor a modem so I still need to get a modem, its better than leasing $4/mos to SBC. He said he has plenty of crossover cables at work, he'll just give them to me free..WOOHOO!!!

pic galleries are here of my pc and how they are connected with the 3port: telephone/NETWORK/Cable. The Blue PC is the WinXPPRO (specs on my sig) (you play too much GR when you have a GhostRecon sticker ON THE WINDOW of your PC :D ) and the biege is the Win98SE...STILL not connected---missus is pushing me now to build that SLI PC (my tactic is working...mUUHHAAAHAHHAA) :devil:

thanks again as always

:thumbsup:

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You guys are awesome!!! LOL The friend who does some networking  agrees with =UE= and he has a feeling it may even delay shipping on my items in the Newegg cart. Personally, he's just anxious to play some LAN gaming :rofl:

I posted pics of that centralized hub in the basement.  My friend said its not a router nor a modem so I still need to get a modem, its better than leasing $4/mos to SBC.  He said he has plenty of crossover cables at work, he'll just give them to me free..WOOHOO!!!

pic galleries are here of my pc and how they are connected with the 3port: telephone/NETWORK/Cable.  The Blue PC is the WinXPPRO (specs on my sig) (you play too much GR when you have a GhostRecon sticker ON THE WINDOW of your PC  :D ) and the biege is the Win98SE...STILL not connected---missus is pushing me now to build that  SLI PC (my tactic is working...mUUHHAAAHAHHAA) :devil:

thanks again as always

:thumbsup:

You don't want crossover cables. They need to be straight through, even to connect your DSL modem to your router. Crossover cables are for a direct PC to PC network only. The send/Receive wires are crossed so the two NIC's can talk to each other. The router handles all the communication for the network, so you want straight cables for that.

Get two long enough to get your PC's to your outlets, with enough slack to move a bit. I recommend 15' enhanced CAT5. Not knowing distances from PC to wall outlet, leave yourself 5 feet of slack for moving the PC's to clean them, work on them, whatever. Always leave yourself some loop length.

For in the basement, get 6' foot cables, and you will need 3 of them: one for each outlet on the patch panel to go to ports on the router, and one to connect the DSL modem to the router. The modem will hook into the uplink port on the router. Then one patch cable will go to each appropriate RJ45 connector on your patch panel.

Once that is done, get with me, and I'll walk ya' through step by step setting up your router and PC's for either DHCP network(fastest and easiest), or static( a bit more work but not hard, and a helluva lot more secure).

You have my MSN, if not, PM me. Or if you'd rather, PM me for a telephone number or TS server address.

It should take no more than 30 minutes to talk ya' through, start to finish. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

PS....

We went through Newegg to build two machines here, and we ordered everything at the same time, and even next day shipping, and guess what: took the span of three days to get the stuff, and part of it was wrong.

While they were great about making things right, and I still use them religiously, allow time for mistakes, because they aren't perfect.

And I had ordered almost 2000.00 worth of stuff, with over 300 in shipping for next day, and it didn't happen, even having my order in by 10:00am, when their cutoff was 15:00.

They are great, but allow the time. That way you are pleasantly surprised.

Lookin' forward to hearing from you.

Edited by =UE=Phantom
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Wk and =UE=, I ordered the whole bag. Except I didn't get the modem to go with the router you guys suggested I should get. I hope I didnt screw that part up. What brand/model for the modem should I get? I can ran over to BestBuy/Circuit City/CompUSA/Fry's on Mon to get it. All are within 4-15 minutes away. Gas price down to $2.08 here and I drive a Corolla---Woohoo

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