In article , PAMNO
(N2EY) writes:

In article , Alun
writes:

The cheapest satellite Internet access in the US is Starband, which is
$40/mo for 768k speed. However, the combined cost of equipment and setup is
$600!!! This is why I still have dialup, no other broadband being
available. It is possible to find the equipment used (some people sell it
when they get DSL or cable in their area), but the setup fee is still $240.
That's not a typo, it's $240 for setup, not $24.

When DSL first appeared, there were substantial setup and equipment fees.
They
have pretty much gone by the wayside now.

In my case I think both DSL and cable are available on the other side of
the street!

?? How wide is your street?

Or do your utilities run behind the houses, as they do here?

One friend suggested I should get Wi-Fi and link into one of my
neighbours, paying a cut towards their broadband bill. He knows someone
who linked their house with their business premises by Wi-Fi, but says they
lose the connection when it rains!

Lot of new 802.11() systems that are a lot more robust than earlier ones.

IEEE 802.15 and IEEE 802.16 standards are for metropolitan
systems using wireless access.

Complete specifications are available to the public for download
at no charge.

The colloquial term "Wi-Fi" is for wired systems using other IEEE
802 standards.

LHA / WMD

(Len Over 21) wrote in
:

In article ,
PAMNO (N2EY) writes:

In article , Alun
writes:

The cheapest satellite Internet access in the US is Starband, which is
$40/mo for 768k speed. However, the combined cost of equipment and
setup is $600!!! This is why I still have dialup, no other broadband
being available. It is possible to find the equipment used (some
people sell it when they get DSL or cable in their area), but the
setup fee is still $240. That's not a typo, it's $240 for setup, not
$24.

When DSL first appeared, there were substantial setup and equipment
fees. They
have pretty much gone by the wayside now.

In my case I think both DSL and cable are available on the other side
of the street!

?? How wide is your street?

Or do your utilities run behind the houses, as they do here?

One friend suggested I should get Wi-Fi and link into one of my
neighbours, paying a cut towards their broadband bill. He knows
someone who linked their house with their business premises by Wi-Fi,
but says they lose the connection when it rains!

Lot of new 802.11() systems that are a lot more robust than earlier
ones.

IEEE 802.15 and IEEE 802.16 standards are for metropolitan
systems using wireless access.

Complete specifications are available to the public for download
at no charge.

The colloquial term "Wi-Fi" is for wired systems using other IEEE
802 standards.

LHA / WMD


The point is do something cheaper than the satellite. Anything really
intended to work a block away probably wouldn't be.

In article , Alun
writes:

IEEE 802.15 and IEEE 802.16 standards are for metropolitan
systems using wireless access.

Complete specifications are available to the public for download
at no charge.

The colloquial term "Wi-Fi" is for wired systems using other IEEE
802 standards.

LHA / WMD

The point is do something cheaper than the satellite. Anything really
intended to work a block away probably wouldn't be.

One of the higher decimal number IEEE 802 Standards is for up
to 30 miles range. That might be a "Texas block" to some, but
most cities aren't 30 miles across. :-)

I have some of those 802 Standards but I'm not going to bother
with looking up any details for the regulars in here. Those (nearly
all PCTAs) will just tell me to go to the ARRL website for "a good
read." :-)

If you want the link to free IEEE 802 standards downloads, send
me e-mail.

LHA / WMD