[MR] Need technical advise

[Doug Dougherty]

Hi Chris,

Hope this helps :-). Responses inline below.


On Jun 23, 2011, at 10:03 PM, Chris Harrop <chrshrrp at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Hello, I've a question about computers I hope someone can help me with.  I'm 
> frequently having my cox internet service fall off to come back later.  The 
> disruptions vary in time.  It's very inconvient.  Is there a better form of 
> service?

First, make sure any wired connections are tight, cable modem to coax for example.

When you have the outage try powering off and back on the cable modem, if you have a wireless device attached to cable modem try just power cycling that first. If that fixes the problem you could try swapping that piece out.  

Before you replace the wireless device though you could go into the settings and try different channels. Usually the defaults are crowded and that causes problems.  

If there's no wireless device and thus you have your computer plugged into the cable modem by ethernet cable, then get a new cable modem. Of course after making sure there were no loose connections causing the problem ;-)

This used to happen to me all the f*in time with Comcast out in Centreville, VA. I got a new cable modem and life was good until the wireless router (Linksys) got flaky.  More troubleshooting later and I bought a different brand (Dlink) and life was good again.

Eventually, I moved into Arlington and we got Verizon FiOS for phone, Internet, and TV.  I've been delighted with it and highly recommend it!

> I'd like to have my TV and phone by internet which I hear you can do now.  Magic 
> Jack for phone, other providers for cable by internet?  How much broadband 
> would we need to supply up to 6 TVs at one time if need be?  How do you make 
> sure you won't keep having interuptions of internet at the worst times?

You dont quite get your TV via Internet yet.  Lots of places online via search engine to read about how stuff works :-)  BTW have you seen off air digital television?  Cable companies are about to go the way of dialup Internet in my opinion!  I compared it to DVD and think its better and its free!  

I'll spare you a rant about cable TV and image quality, but suffice it to say you paying out the a** for what you can get free and of better quality. Oh and around DC there's like 40 digital channels available.  We get everything we watch in our house except for a couple of cable only shows (Good Eats, and MythBusters) and I can usually find those online too. A good antenna is a must though.  And to clarify, we have both off air and FiOS, but are dropping FiOS TV (only TV) shortly when the new antenna is in :-)

Advice you've already gotten about signal splitting is solid, use the minimum amp though to make it work.  Over driving the signal can cause its own mess.

I can't speak to Magic Jack, but requiring a computer be on seems like a deal breaker unless you're only making very infrequent calls.  Other services use your regular phone handset, for example FiOS or Vonnage.  When I priced it all out last a FiOS bundle made best sense.

One thing you do need to be aware of is that internet phones, voice over IP (VoIP) does NOT provide 911, or E911 service if the power is out.  Yes so do have battery backup, etc, but its not like plain old telephone service (POTS) where the phone company powers the phone line.

What this means is if there's no power, and thus no Internet you can't make an emergency call. Needing this is rare but if you do it could save a life.  That said our experience here in the DC area is that we maintain cell coverage even during power outages.  Also there is a firehouse within walking distance of our house.  So our family has decided not to have a POTS line in the house.

> Much appreaciate any help, this is a mundane subject, but the answers will make 
> it easyer for us all to expericance "the dream"

Good luck!

-- Tostig

> Chris Harrop
> Referral agent and business broker for 
> Westgate Realty. Office 703-208-9999. Cell 703-894-7129 and 571-722-7587.  
> Serving the Washington D.C. metro area.
> ========================================================================
>                   The Merry Rose Tavern at Cheapside
>    List Info: http://merryrose.atlantia.sca.org/
>  Submissions: Atlantia at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org
> Subscriptions: http://seahorse.atlantia.sca.org/listinfo.cgi/atlantia-atlantia.sca.org