[RFI] Internet access (Dave Harmon)

[Wes Stewart]

I struggled with dial-up for a long time.  At one time I tried a Sprint card (via a 3rd-party provider, whose name escapes me).  According to Sprint's coverage maps I should have had good service, but they lied.

My electric coop---one of the Touchstone Energy group---offers services from Transworld Network (TWN) and they offer Wi-Power, a Wi-Max system, but a mountain ridge between me and their access point blocked coverage.

I finally wrote to the CEO of the co-op and the next thing I know I got a call from Milt, N5IA.  Milt worked for another co-op for years in Eastern AZ and had built his own Wi-Max system in his community.  Wi-Power bought his business and hired him so he was now in charge of new services.  He found another existing 250' tower, 8 miles line-of-sight from me, (already owned by the co-op) and had an access point installed there.

Because of the construction of my house, flat roof, no attic, no basement, running new cable was out of the question.  I had one empty 1/2" conduit from the roof to a utility closet.  The Wi-Max receiver output (Ethernet) comes in through the conduit to a Iinksys Wireless-G router.

This has been nearly flawless for over a year.

So John, I think that you are on a co-op.  If I'm right, you might approach them to see if they can, or have given thought, to providing Internet service.

To your original question I can say that I don't foresee any issues, although I'm not familiar with Belkin modems.

I already had a wireless modem but opted to pay the few bucks extra for the one offered by TWN just to avoid finger pointing if there were any problems.  I suggest that you do the same if you go to WB. 

BTW, I have at least 3 neighbors that I know of who had WB and went to Wi-Power once I got us service :-)

Wes  N7WS


> From: "Dave Harmon" <k6xyz at sbcglobal.net>

> 
> My experience is that WB is far too expensive....and far
> too slow to be of
> much use.
> Can you get 3G in your area?
> I got it and it's the only way to go unless you can't get
> good cell tower
> reception at your location.
> Then....WB is likely the only thing else you can do.
> I have Sprint.
> 
> Dave Harmon
> K6XYZ[at]sbcglobal[dot]net
> Sperry, Ok.
> 
> -----Original Message-----

> 
> I will soon be dumping dial-up at the ranch for Wildblue
> satellite system.
> Will
> be going wireless throughout the house. The local Wildblue
> dealer stocks a
> Bekin
> wireless modem. Not many choices out here in my rural area
> unless I order
> something online. You guys that moved into the 21st century
> long ago help me
> out. Any wireless modems that I need to avoid? Anything
> else that I need to
> know
> to avoid problems?
> 
> John
> AE5B