Comcast "High-Speed" Internet

[Ksyrup]

Anyone here have Comcast for internet access? If so, is the connection fast and reliable? Does this sound like a commercial?

The reason I'm asking is because I've had satellite access for the past 2 years. I spent the money for it because when we moved to our house in 2001, the only internet connection we could get was by phone line, and it topped out at 33.6K. At the time, we had Time-Warner for cable instead of Comcast (due to an odd trade where Comcast traded our subdivision to T-W for a subdivision in Philadelphia and a township to be named later) and they had no interest in putting internet in our area. So, I ended up spending about $800 for a satellite ($600 of it spread, interest-free, over 12 months, which is the only way I would do it), which currently resides in the middle of my backyard.

Anyway, short story long...Comcast took over our cable about a year ago and finally gave us internet access. I have yet to switch because I get good service with DirecWay, but I'm considering it for a couple of reasons:

1. I'm going to be getting a laptop in the next 6 months and want to go wireless. The satellite modem I have would require a connection through my desktop, which would have to remain on at all times in order for the wireless to work. DirecWay has put a new modem with a USB port on the market, at the cost of $425 ($225, if I send them back the old modem and agree to a 15 month service commitment) which would allow me to go wireless directly from the modem, without the use of my desktop.

2. The price is comparable - $60 a month. However, DirecWay has a "fair access" policy that limits how much I can download at one time. In my experience, if I wanted to download a file over 150-200 MB at high speed, I am unable to do it. At a certain point, based on their calculations, they shut you down to a crawl until about 6-8 hours pass. They are now offering, for $90 a month, a plan which supposedly allows greater access, but I'm not sure it is worth it. Especially when I read this (hxxp://www.centredaily.com/mld/tallahassee/business/7829418.htm).

3. I'd prefer not to have a satellite in my backyard, although it pleases me to no end that my next-door neighbor, who is the biggest asshole in the world, complained about it, and there is a federal law/regulation that prohibits homeowners' associations from doing anything about it. If the only place you can get reception is from the middle of your front yard, they can't do a damn thing about it. I'd almost consider leaving it up just to piss him off...

So, this is a long story about nothing to ask - what has your experience been with Comcast? Based on my situation, what would you do?

[RendeR]

I had comcast for about a year after ATT sold our region to them. the service was fast and reliable. I don't recall ever having a serious outage of more than a few minutes and that only maybe twice.

screw that satteilite crap, get cable if you can't get DSL.

[CraigSca]

I live in an area that doesn't have DSL or cable. I was pretty much up a creek and decided to go with DirecWay myself until I heard that the latency involved made many online games impossible to play. As I understand it, DirecWay spoofs and does some kind of compression so data is downloaded quickly but can't provide two-way communications the same way (it's just physically impossible). Therefore, online games that demand many small packets at full duplex suffer when used with DirecWay. Ksyrup, have you found this to be true?

Fortunately, I called my local Radio Shack asking them if they had any advice for high speed Internet in the area. Oddly, the guy I spoke with sells his own wireless package. They have a series of towers in the area accessed via a small antenna attached to the house. I can get any linespeed I want (I went with 512kbps) and I can direct-connect to any router (I chose a wireless one and that works much better than I had hoped as well). The reliablility was awful at first, but the past few months, it's been just as good as our old DSL at our previous home. I think it works great and love to see the competition in that sector of the market.

I know it didn't really answer your question about Comcast cable, but if you're looking for alternative solutions there may be some out there.

-Craig

[CraigSca]

dola

Let me also preface my previous post by saying I HATE cable. The way they continually up the prices of their service because of lack of competition irritates the hell out of me. I've been a happy DirecTV customer for years, and refuse to cave in to Comcast's advantage of packaging services.

I personally would only use a cable company's internet service if there were no others available.

[chinaski]

Comcast is surprisingly fast and CHEAP. I pay 17 a month, I get great downstream speeds at 500K+ and a decent 35-40K upstream. I just moved into a new house and this is my first expereince with broadband, previously i lived in a house with a T-1 and i really dont miss it as much as i thought i would. If you dont run your own servers or host alot of PC games, you'll never notice the change in upstream.

Most definitely dump the satellite, even if its for DSL; but i highly recommend cable i-net.

As far as wireless goes, i have a Microsoft wireless base station thats hooked into my cable 'modem'. From there i have a 4 different computers spread about a 4000 square foot house and it works flawlessly. The whole setup is pretty cheap too. Dlink wireless network adapters are only 40 bucks, and the base station was 80.

If/When you call Comcast, make sure and ask the CSR what install/signup specials they have running or if they plan on having any soon. They will most definitely know, as they usually know a few weeks in advanced what specials are coming down the pike.

hope that helps.

[JasonC23]

I have Comcast (like someone above, I had AT&T Broadband when Comcast bought it), and I have yet to have a problem. Well, that's not completely true...I did have the problem of my service suddenly not working at all, but it turned out that the gardening service my townhouse association employs decided to trim the cable modem wire along with the bushes. What service!!


Anyway, I've had no problems with Comcast and would recommend them to anyone for broadband Internet access.

[SirFozzie]

Let me echo JasonC's story. They recently doubled our speeds, with no increase in price.

[StormcloudCreations]

I use Comcast cable internet and it works perfectly. Fast and reliable, and very reasonably priced in my area (about $40 a month). I could never, ever go back to dial-up again.

[Ksyrup]

Cool. Thanks guys.

CraigSca,

I don't participate in online games, but I imagine that is true. I sometimes have to log on to my office's citrix server and the latency problems are apparent when doing something as simple as typing an email. It's not a concern for me, though, since I spend very little time doing that kind of stuff.

[Pyser]

i pay $45 for comcast high speed, its fast and reliable.

their digital cable on the other hand....how can it possibly cost so much??

[JeeberD]

Ditto. Very fast, and it's much more reliable than when I had Charter a couple of months ago...

[Radii]

comcast was also very reliable for me in the Atlanta area when I had it. I have DSL now and it's just as reliable, but I hate bellsouth more than I hate cable companies, so I'm disappointed that I can't get cable modem...

[rjolley]

I've used Comcast Internet in Maryland and here in Kansas. In Maryland, the service was excellent. Never had any major issues, fast connection, rarely down. Here in Kansas, the service has been spotty at best. I dropped them once for bad service and got DirectTV DSL (one of the companies they bought) and that worked fine. When I moved to my new place a couple of years ago, and after DirectTV DSL shut down, I switched back to Comcast and had to call monthly to have them fix one issue or another. I got credited for it, but it was such a hassle that I finally canceled everything Comcast and got DishTV for tv and YahooDSL for internet. Great move, as the DSL service has been great.

By the way, why do people think DIrectTV is so much better than DishTV?

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by rjolley

By the way, why do people think DIrectTV is so much better than DishTV?

NFL Football package.

[JasonC23]

Originally Posted by rjolley

By the way, why do people think DIrectTV is so much better than DishTV?

For me, NFL Sunday Ticket and (here in the Chicago area) more available local channels.

[j51]

When I had Dish a fart in the wind would cause it to lose the signal, with Directv I can only remember it going out once for a few minutes.

Also if you're a current Comcast internet subscriber call them and ask for their special rate. You'll get $19.99 a month for 3 to 6 months depending on how long you've been a customer.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Ditto for Comcast here, too. No problems. Always up, always fast. Happy happy.

Haven't needed to try to contact customer service yet, so I can't vouch for that at all. Basically there have been no problems, and any information I've needed has been (suprisingly) easy to find on their website.

[Ksyrup]

If I am going to buy a cable modem (I guess the first question is, should I? Comcast charges $3 a month to rent), is there something in particular I need to look for? Is one better than another? What separates cheap modems from more expensive modems?

[Gallifrey]

I have Comcast cable, and it is great. I get T1 speeds.

I bought my modem, it is cheaper in the long run. Check the Comcast site for a list of modems they recommend. I got mine for around $70. In two years of having cable, I have saved money already.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

If I am going to buy a cable modem (I guess the first question is, should I? Comcast charges $3 a month to rent), is there something in particular I need to look for? Is one better than another? What separates cheap modems from more expensive modems?

Definitely rent. They are known to have reliability problems and through renting, you can get a free replacement just by going to one of their offices.

[JHandley]

I bought mine from Comcast and they replaced it when it went bad.

[kingfc22]

Originally Posted by chinaski

Comcast is surprisingly fast and CHEAP. I pay 17 a month

17 DOLLARS!!!! Where do you live? I pay $45 for my Comcast.

And yes it is fast and reliable and I would never ever go back to dial-up, but $17. That just ruined this internet session for me.

[chinaski]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

17 DOLLARS!!!! Where do you live? I pay $45 for my Comcast.

And yes it is fast and reliable and I would never ever go back to dial-up, but $17. That just ruined this internet session for me.

lol, sorry!

I guess i should have mentioned i only have internet access from them, i dont pay for cable tv.

Im in Oregon.

[ISiddiqui]

He is saying he pays $45 for his cable modem service (as do I)... are you saying you have dial up with Comcast or $17/month for cable modem service?

Comcast cable is great stuff, btw.... really fast.

[chinaski]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

He is saying he pays $45 for his cable modem service (as do I)... are you saying you have dial up with Comcast or $17/month for cable modem service?

Comcast cable is great stuff, btw.... really fast.

No, Comcast doesnt offer dial-up service. I have cable internet from comcast for 17 a month.

[kingfc22]

Originally Posted by chinaski

No, Comcast doesnt offer dial-up service. I have cable internet from comcast for 17 a month.

Me so jealous.

[ISiddiqui]

I have cable internet from comcast for 17 a month.

How in the Hell did you pull that off?!

[chinaski]

heh, i dont think i pulled off anything... i just asked for the latest special, and for no cable television and thats what i got.

if you can live without cable tv, then its probably the same price in your neck o the woods.

[ISiddiqui]

Ah, the latest special!!

I thought that was your regular price!