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Can anybody help us with info about good reliable Internet connection on the ridge...
We would so appreciate it...
Comcast wants $ 6000 to run a cable, Satelite wants 2 years commitment and is anyway not preferred choice..
And PoGo have an unknown time span to upgrade before accepting new customers....
We would love to hear from anyone out there with any alternative solutions...
We are near French Garden Farms..
Thank you so much...
All the best ,
Nidhi
707.829.9669
You can ask a neighbor who has Comcast with internet if they want to share. There are small line of sight transmitters available for $400-500 that then send the signal from their house to yours. Its a microwave signal. You both then share the monthly cost of service. So you both can save money over time.
It works pretty well according to some friends of mine. Now, if you are worried about microwaves, don't do it! :-)
You might also try contacting Fred Coffman at Motech . Last I heard, he was providing wireless internet in some rural parts of the county. There is/was also an internet co-op in the area, but I believe you need to be able to buy and set up your own connection equipment. Info here. If you have cell phone service where you live, most carriers also offer broadband internet.
Quote:
Posted in reply to the post by Bryan:
Other ways to get the signal from your neighbor could include wired connections to his/her system. A quick online look shows Cat 6 (copper) cable is usually rated for 300 feet. Or, the signal could also be converted to light and sent to you via a fiber optic cable, which could work over a much longer distance, or via a light beam traveling through air (sometimes called called Free Space Optics - FSO). Each method has advantages and vulnerabilities. I suggest advice from a technician who's familiar with all the technologies to help scope out the equipment that will do the job satisfactorily, considering the cost, distance, routing constraints, etc.Quote:
Posted in reply to the post by Bryan:
Have you looked into AT&T's 4G LTE? Even the 3G (if you can't get 4G) is pretty fast. BestBuy has various data-only plans for AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, etc. - see who has coverage where you are. The way it works is you get a little box that connects to the wireless data network, and then can either plug into your household LAN or be a WiFi hotspot. You then have a monthly bill to the carrier, which is very competitive with cable or DSL.
I have some friends that couldn't get cable or DSL where they were (north of Sebastopol), and were on CDS (because they had line-of-sight to Mt. St Helena). But the connection was spotty at best, and not very fast, and went down completely if there was any snow or frost on the mountain. They are now on AT&T's 4G and very happy.
Good luck!
Thanks Bryan...Quote:
Posted in reply to the post by CSummer:
Really appreciate your input!!!
All the best
Nidhi
Sonic.net is also way more local, less corporate than Comcast. They may be able to help and don't cap their speeds. It's $40 a month including phone I believe. We should all switch local and share bills via wifi.
Stronger together!
Nicholas