Does anyone else here use dial-up for internet connection?

[Pen]

Or am I all by myself still trying to home school etc. with only dial-up?

[Guest]

I used dial-up until recently and will go back to it when my adult son moves out.

 

It helps to have some familiarity with the command line. Lynx for the WTM forums, Alpine for email, and Newsbeuter for RSS feed are my personal favourite web apps.

 

If you absolutely must use a GUI, Dillo and Sylpheed are much faster than the alternatives that are designed for broadband users.

[Tsuga]

All I can say is... you can use a wifi plan from a month-to-month phone plan for $50 as your unlimited talk, text, and data with the mobile device as your hotspot. In case you decide to look at data...

[kiwik]

I don't think it is an option here anymore.

[pitterpatter]

Can you actually use the internet (really use) with dial-up? I can't imagine it with all of the streaming content on darn near every site these days. Has it improved since the early days? Do you turn off your images? I'm intrigued. We live in the "country" and finally got broadband when a neighbor installed a personal tower last year (love it). We had to deal with a mobile connection for several years before that, which wasn't horribly awful until our wireless modem died and we had to switch companies/contracts (we had been living on a discontinued plan and was off-contract). We went from unlimited to metered at that point. THAT was painful.

[Amira]

Are you using dial-up by necessity or by choice? We've had to use it at times when there has been nothing better, but it's not even much cheaper in a lot of places. It's a very different experience using dial-up and it's hard for me to homeschool with it. I couldn't do it now with the online classes my two oldest are taking. I can live without almost everything, but a decent internet connection makes up for so much. I sincerely hope we don't move to a place where dial-up or very limited Internet is the only option again.

 

If you've chosen that option and it works for you, great. But high-enough-speed internet goes on my short list with a washing machine, a shower with hot water, and a heating system that doesn't involve wood or coal. It comes ahead of plumbing in the kitchen, indoor toilets, and air conditioning, if I have to choose.

[purplejackmama]

Oh good grief, NO! I would stab my eyes out. I have zero patience. None. Zip. Zero. Zilch.

[melmichigan]

We don't even have dial-up around as an option here.   :willy_nilly:

[fraidycat]

Honestly, I didn't even know dial-up still existed.

[Mergath]

I haven't used dial-up since I was a kid.

 

Are you referring to DSL? That uses the phone line.

[reign]

I didn't think it was still available!

[Pen]

Cannot do multiquote.  Oh well.

All I can say is... you can use a wifi plan from a month-to-month phone plan for $50 as your unlimited talk, text, and data with the mobile device as your hotspot. In case you decide to look at data...

 

 

Edited: I am sorry if my initial reply if you saw it  was bothersome to you.  

 

I would strongly prefer I statements or a question.  For example, "Can you get a plan that would use a mobile device as a hotspot?"  or, "In my area people can get a wifi plan from a month-to-month phone plan for $50 as  unlimited talk, text, and data with the mobile device as their hotspot."

 

 

That suggestion, while it may be an option everywhere you have been, is not an option here.  

 

[Pen]

I used dial-up until recently and will go back to it when my adult son moves out.

 

It helps to have some familiarity with the command line. Lynx for the WTM forums, Alpine for email, and Newsbeuter for RSS feed are my personal favourite web apps.

 

If you absolutely must use a GUI, Dillo and Sylpheed are much faster than the alternatives that are designed for broadband users.

 

 

Wow.  I don't understand all this!  Never heard of the various things from Lynx to Sylpheed.  

[Pen]

Can you actually use the internet (really use) with dial-up?

 

\\\only minimally

 

I can't imagine it with all of the streaming content on darn near every site these days. Has it improved since the early days?

 

 

\\\ no or not much  ... harder to get things as sites "upgrade" and make themselves inaccessible.  For example, we used to be able to mostly use Duolingo from home on dial-up.  Now cannot.

 

 

Do you turn off your images?

 

\\\\  Yes.  Unless I specifically want them and then turn them on briefly.

 

I'm intrigued. We live in the "country" and finally got broadband when a neighbor installed a personal tower last year (love it). We had to deal with a mobile connection for several years before that, which wasn't horribly awful until our wireless modem died and we had to switch companies/contracts (we had been living on a discontinued plan and was off-contract). We went from unlimited to metered at that point. THAT was painful.

 

 

 

 

 

\\\ replies above

[Pen]

Are you using dial-up by necessity or by choice? We've had to use it at times when there has been nothing better, but it's not even much cheaper in a lot of places. It's a very different experience using dial-up and it's hard for me to homeschool with it. I couldn't do it now with the online classes my two oldest are taking. I can live without almost everything, but a decent internet connection makes up for so much. I sincerely hope we don't move to a place where dial-up or very limited Internet is the only option again.

 

If you've chosen that option and it works for you, great. But high-enough-speed internet goes on my short list with a washing machine, a shower with hot water, and a heating system that doesn't involve wood or coal. It comes ahead of plumbing in the kitchen, indoor toilets, and air conditioning, if I have to choose.

 

 

Pretty much necessity.   The only other potential option here is satellite, but others who have it say that with rain fade and latency there is a lot that it cannot do either and satellite is extremely more expensive here.  It is possible that we cannot even get that adequately due to lack of clear line of site to southern sky.  I am currently considering it though. If it were a lot less expensive I would just call them to do it, and then if it does not work well it doesn't but for our budget it is a hard call.

 

 

"It comes ahead of plumbing in the kitchen, indoor toilets"   Seriously?  How would you deal with bathroom and kitchen issues where you live?  Methinks you are somewhere where the weather is pretty nice and you've got clean outdoor water options?

[Pen]

I haven't used dial-up since I was a kid.

 

Are you referring to DSL? That uses the phone line.

 

 

No.  I am referring to dial-up, using a dial-up 56K modem and actually getting less than 10kb/sec. down, far less up.

 

DSL is not available as far out of the city as we are.  In the city it gets more than 10Mb/sec. down.

 

And it is very cheap compared to satellite option we have.

 

Big difference!

[Pen]

I didn't think it was still available!

 

 

Yes, it is.  Though not necessarily everywhere.  There are a few main providers.  It is still being supported for Windows 10, so I expect I am not alone in the world.  But I feel very alone in the home school world.

[brehon]

Cannot do multiquote. Oh well.

 

 

 

I hate it when people tell me "you" can this or that, making assumptions about what is available somewhere other than where they are. That is not an option here.

j

 

I'm quite sure no ill intent was meant. If it doesn't work for you, just explain that. Gracious.

 

We don't live in an area that has any internet connectivity, including old fashioned dial-up. We use satellite for our internet. And that's all we use it for, not for TV or anything else. It doesn't work great; it is, however, enough for our two oldest to take online classes. If that's not an option or you don't want to use it for whatever reason, then you may need to be satisfied with what you have until better options are available in your area.

[Pen]

We don't live in an area that has any internet connectivity, including old fashioned dial-up. We use satellite for our internet. And that's all we use it for, not for TV or anything else. It doesn't work great; it is, however, enough for our two oldest to take online classes. If that's not an option or you don't want to use it for whatever reason, then you may need to be satisfied with what you have until better options are available in your area.

 

I edited my reply to Tsuga.

 

 

I am glad to hear that satellite is working well for you for school.  May I ask what company you use and what sort of down and up speeds you get?  Are you in a dry or wet climate?  

 

A person I know who lives in the desert seems to get much better satellite internet than people in rain shadow are getting.

[brehon]

I am glad to hear that satellite is working well for you for school. May I ask what company you use and what sort of down and up speeds you get? Are you in a dry or wet climate?

 

A person I know who lives in the desert seems to get much better satellite internet than people in rain shadow are getting.

We use HughesNet. I don't think it's the best company; but, it's the one we use and (at least the last time we checked) it was the best value available. We are in a temperate climate, I suppose. In May and June I had a ton of rain and, although the TV reception was poor, the internet connection was fine. We do, however, get plenty of sun. As far as speeds go, I'm not sure. We have a certain amount available at the speed we pay for. Hmmm...that probably doesn't make any sense and I'm not sure I can explain it well. HughesNet (and, I assume, other satellite companies) have different plans similar to broadband or cellular companies. Because of the kids classes we opted to upgrade our plan. Does that make sense?

 

I don't doubt that people in arid areas get better reception.

[Amira]

Pretty much necessity.   The only other potential option here is satellite, but others who have it say that with rain fade and latency there is a lot that it cannot do either and satellite is extremely more expensive here.  It is possible that we cannot even get that adequately due to lack of clear line of site to southern sky.  I am currently considering it though. If it were a lot less expensive I would just call them to do it, and then if it does not work well it doesn't but for our budget it is a hard call.

 

 

"It comes ahead of plumbing in the kitchen, indoor toilets"   Seriously?  How would you deal with bathroom and kitchen issues where you live?  Methinks you are somewhere where the weather is pretty nice and you've got clean outdoor water options?

 

 

Seriously, because I've lived it, even in cold weather.  Outdoor toilets are easier to clean and I missed decent internet more that a toilet.  It got old to haul all the water in and out of the kitchen, and it wasn't potable, but not as old as internet that could barely manage to check emails.  It really did affect homeschooling and I felt a lot more isolated.

[melmichigan]

Yes, it is.  Though not necessarily everywhere.  There are a few main providers.  It is still being supported for Windows 10, so I expect I am not alone in the world.  But I feel very alone in the home school world.

I'm sorry that you don't have other options, and I can understand how you would feel alone in the homeschool world.   That speed is very limiting.

[Pen]

We use HughesNet. I don't think it's the best company; but, it's the one we use and (at least the last time we checked) it was the best value available. We are in a temperate climate, I suppose. In May and June I had a ton of rain and, although the TV reception was poor, the internet connection was fine. We do, however, get plenty of sun. As far as speeds go, I'm not sure. We have a certain amount available at the speed we pay for. Hmmm...that probably doesn't make any sense and I'm not sure I can explain it well. HughesNet (and, I assume, other satellite companies) have different plans similar to broadband or cellular companies. Because of the kids classes we opted to upgrade our plan. Does that make sense?

 

I don't doubt that people in arid areas get better reception.

 

 

HughesNet is one of our 2 options so I think I know what you mean.  You get a plan, and then, apparently, if you go over an allotment they slow you down for the rest of the month.  

 

Actual speed test, rather than theoretically what one can get, has been available to me (see, I am not saying what you can get, but rather what I have found we can get) by going to www.speedof.me .   It does not take long (as in a couple of minutes or so, faster if your speed is very fast, slower if it is slow, but even on our dial-up it only runs for a couple of minutes) and gives both a download speed and an upload speed.  Should you be interested in testing it, I'd be interested in the results.

 

What I have actually found trying that when I have been able to test systems can be surprising.

[kiwik]

It is strange how quickly we become dependant on things. I have only had an internet connection for 2.5 years and i would really miss it if i decided i couldn't afford it. I have a wireless modem attached to the copper phone network although fibre optic broadband is now available in my street.

[Pen]

It is strange how quickly we become dependant on things. I have only had an internet connection for 2.5 years and i would really miss it if i decided i couldn't afford it. I have a wireless modem attached to the copper phone network although fibre optic broadband is now available in my street.

 

 

Yes.  That is true.

 

I mostly manage fine with my dial-up, but if I got satellite, if it will work well, I might find that I had changed my life to fit that such that I would then be dependent upon it.

[Hunter]

Pen :grouphug:

 

All I have is my phone right now. I have different restrictions than you, but am restricted.

 

It's not so hard to get to free WiFi in the summer, but winter is going to be harder. Some of my closest WiFi spots are outside.

 

The world is converting to WiFi. People are not even going to be able to make coffee without WiFi. I can't use my new printer and scanner without WiFi. I'm thinking of selling them.

 

The closest library has a security guard that makes me really nervous. He acts like he is used to guarding trucks of food with a machine gun, and really resents having nothing but keys now. I have never seen anyone rattle keys so aggressively and actually aimed at people. And the air-conditioning must be set at 60 degrees.

 

I've needed a bit of isolation right now to get my head on straight, after the event in my life that resulted in me losing access to WiFi. I'm not sure I'm going to feel as content this winter. 3G signals here are strong. I think I'm going to save up for a 3G Kindle for this winter, so at least I can download a novel when I want one. When lost in a novel I don't feel so isolated.

[Hunter]

Pen, do you have TV? I don't.

 

I also don't have a newspaper subscription. And delivery is kind of messed up in my high rise building.

 

I can be so clueless about what is going on around me. People usually call me when something major is happening to update me. In the past I have been without WiFi and phone and TV and newspaper and that was a MESS. :lol: I have learned not to be without everything. I get incredibly disorganized.

 

I know I need to add something by winter. It's not winter yet, though. And who knows what could change before then.

[Pen]

Pen :grouphug:

 

All I have is my phone right now. I have different restrictions than you, but am restricted.

 

It's not so hard to get to free WiFi in the summer, but winter is going to be harder. Some of my closest WiFi spots are outside.

 

The world is converting to WiFi. People are not even going to be able to make coffee without WiFi. I can't use my new printer and scanner without WiFi. I'm thinking of selling them.

 

The closest library has a security guard that makes me really nervous. He acts like he is used to guarding trucks of food with a machine gun, and really resents having nothing but keys now. I have never seen anyone rattle keys so aggressively and actually aimed at people. And the air-conditioning must be set at 60 degrees.

 

I've needed a bit of isolation right now to get my head on straight, after the event in my life that resulted in me losing access to WiFi. I'm not sure I'm going to feel as content this winter. 3G signals here are strong. I think I'm going to save up for a 3G Kindle for this winter, so at least I can download a novel when I want one. When lost in a novel I don't feel so isolated.

 

Pen, do you have TV? I don't. 

 

I also don't have a newspaper subscription. And delivery is kind of messed up in my high rise building. 

 

I can be so clueless about what is going on around me. People usually call me when something major is happening to update me. In the past I have been without WiFi and phone and TV and newspaper and that was a MESS.  :lol: I have learned not to be without everything. I get incredibly disorganized. 

 

I know I need to add something by winter. It's not winter yet, though. And who knows what could change before then.

 

 

Can't multi-quote so I just stuck it all in one quote.

 

I know what you mean about being able to bury oneself in a good novel!  Would you be eligible for National Library Service to lend you audio-books due to your disability?  If so, they can send a machine which then takes cartridges they can mail to you with no need for WiFi.

 

 

We do not have TV either.  Nor newspaper subscription. 

 

We do have radios.  I highly recommend a radio as a way to get some news, and if you can get one not too expensively with good short wave, so much the better.  A small portable battery-powered AM/FM (no short-wave) radio can be gotten at radio shack pretty cheap.

 

On WiFi, I know that the world seems to be going that way, but it may not be a good choice.  It may be making people (and other creatures and plants) have problems without them realizing what the problem even is.  The USA can be very behind on things like recognizing (or at least being willing to do anything about) things like lead paint problems--and WiFi may be in the same category, with nearly all of Europe having far stricter standards than we do, and some places there taking it out of schools, libraries etc, with a move toward high speed wired fiber optic (which is probably comparatively a lot safer) instead.

 

I was actually thinking about posting the following link and seeing if others here might want to try to replicate the experiment using both identical parameters, and also with some variations:

 

 

Anyway, I highly recommend it to your attention.  http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Andre_sprog/English/2013/05/17/130946.htm

 

 

 

We had a bird make a nest on our electric Smartmeter and all the fledglings died.  My ds said  the mother bird died too.

 

We used to have bats in plentiful quantity and also swallows every summer (both are important to eating pests like mosquitoes). They are both almost gone, and the mosquito etc. population is huge now.  While bees, important pollinators, are way down.

 

Dependency, as kiwik mentioned, can be a very dangerous thing.  I mean truly dangerous in a real everyday life type of way.  As one gets sicker, one more and more needs the very thing that may be adding to making one sicker.

 

 

[JudoMom]

I haven't used dial-up since I was a kid.

 

Are you referring to DSL? That uses the phone line.

 

Oh, man.  That made me feel old. 

 

:lol:

 

I didn't even know dial up was still an option.  It would be hard to go back.

[Mrs. B]

Ummmm, what is dial up? :). j/k

[Hunter]

I couldn't access the link on my phone, but I've read a tiny bit about worries of so much WiFi in the air. And with so many of the signals locked, there is way more of it than necessary in some places.

 

I do have one very tinny radio. I should play around with it a bit and find a news station that comes in and figure out the schedule.

 

Isolation makes me disorganized and unprepared. That is my problem way more than socialization or feeling different. Well, at least in the short-term.

 

I can download audio books from the library onto my phone. Ebooks too, but the screen is a bit bright and small. I should probably try more audio books, but they are so slow. I like to speedread better, on something not too small or bright.