davis_square | Local alternatives for ISP/wireless

Entry tags:

internet,
utilities

Local alternatives for ISP/wireless

Dear Square,

I just bit the bullet and got a MacBook, and want to set up wireless in my apt. I was going to get it via the same Evil Empire through whom I have my cell service, but my initial attempt to do so got snarled in bad phone menus and bureaucratic kabuki.

I'm wondering if there are any good local alternatives out there anyone would recommend?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You're going to have to get a cable modem through whomever you (duh) get your cable. I had a friend send me a wireless router that she fixed up, but you can try newegg.com because I strongly doubt craigslist or Goodwill will be helpful. Although, I'd have to find out exactly what my friend did since she set up the network name and password for me. Feel free to message me if you need more help.

Oh, and I'm a recent Macbook convert. Best laptop I've ever owned :-)

I'm very happy with SpeakEasy DSL. They're not local by any stretch (originally based out of a Seattle coffee shop, but now they're owned by Best Buy), but they have very reliable good service and customer-friendly policies -- run whatever you want, connect to work without technically violating your contract, no secret data transfer caps, and so on.

that's Speakeasy, no StudlyCaps. Sorry; got used to EveryThing being ThatWay on the InterNet.

StudlyCaps--hahahaha. thanks for the giggle.

If you don't mind spending more money, Apple's Time Machine (combination wireless router and automagic backup drive) doesn't suck anymore.

I know Comcast and RCN both offer cable internet service in the area, with RCN being cheaper overall, but I've also heard from their current customers that their service stinks. So are there any other services people want to rave about? (Besides Speakeasy DSL). I also hear Verizon FIOS isn't much cheaper and has major customer service problems as well.

I've got RCN - internet only, can't speak for TV/voice. I'm pretty happy with it - the service is very reliable. One the rare (once, twice a year) occasion that the connection goes out, there's usually a message on their voice menu that says they are having problems in the area and are working to fix it, so there's no need to even wait in line and talk to a human.

They offer fixed IP service (for an extra $20/month which is kind of steep) which means running servers is ok, and they don't mess with your traffic.

RCN is definitely cheaper than Comcast. They are also a much smaller company.

My only beef with them is that they play the same stupid game as Comcast with promotional rates - the first year is cheaper and you have to call and threaten to switch to the competition to retain your promotional rate beyond that. There should be a law against that ;)

Thanks! Very helpful info. I have Comcast's 6-month promo rate and wanted to switch to RCN's promo rate after that but had qualms about their service from stories from a few grad school friends. Might just go for it now then!

I've found both RCN and Comcast relatively reliable and faster than Verizon DSL. I got about 18MB on Comcast and currently get 10MB with RCN. But RCN is cheaper.

I had good luck with Verizon FIOS when I lived in the burbs, but FIOS is not available in either Cambridge or Somerville -- and not likely to be offered anytime soon.

Yep. Not sure why Verizon does not get FIOS here ASAP. There are a lot of high-tech customers who would get it... Unless the competition has a better product already in place.

Count me in on the "RCN works fine for me" chorus. I've been a satisfied RCN cable model customer for 10 yrs.

they don't mess with your traffic

At least on the non-static-IP service, I have experienced two kinds of traffic tampering:

One, their DNS servers return an ad-laden search results page for domains that don't exist, rather than returning NXDOMAIN as they should. If you "opt-out", you don't really -- they just switch to faking your browser's "server not found" page. See also: An outrage - RCN now senses your User Agent and fakes a 404 page that looks like your native browser one (even when opted out) [Pics Inside].

Two, all web traffic goes through a transparent proxy. The proxy detects Firefox quick search requests (the kind you get when you type some terms into the address bar) and redirects them to another ad-laden search page. There does not appear to be a way to opt out of this, but you can modify the URL that Firefox uses to avoid it.

These are both pretty standard (if shitty) practices for consumer ISPs, and I still prefer RCN to Comcast on the traffic tampering front.

RCN actually applied a discount to my account this year after my promo ran out -- I was surprised, as I was getting ready to call to "cancel." Still higher than the promo, but about $35 less than "standard" rates.

They do have an annoying redirection system for failed DNS queries that was screwing up my VPN for work. Calling and asking them to turn off "PaxFire" will get it switched off free on your account.

I have RCN for internet and I'm mostly happy with it. They're doing some sort of traffic shaping that is interfering with my bittorrent client (and messing up my share ratio, since I can D/L but not U/L. But I've read that Comcast is doing the same thing now.

If you're not getting uploads at all, something's wrong -- I believe they deprioritize BT uploads but don't block them nearly as heavily as Comcast. Are you sure your BT client is getting through your router properly? I had to put a port forward on mine, the autoconfig never worked.

Turn AirPort On.
Check for open networks.
Connect.

Some people leave their WiFi etwork open as a matter of principle (you know, to share), especially in densely populated parts of town with lots of techie students.

I must chime in here that the "jump on an open network" worked for me for quite a while, as well. But I got my own, also RCN, internets-only (I have no need for cable, and my cell is thru Verizon). I have found it fast, reliable, and now possibly cheaper than I thought since I didn't realize I could try to get my discounted rate back!

Are you on one of those "6-month cheap than expensive again" deals with RCN?

In October is when my $14 off promotional discount was discontinued. So now I am paying the full $50/mo for "Mach Five Modem Service" 5 mbps, their second lowest internet-only service, which seems to be fine for my needs.
Do you think I can just call and threaten to switch? I guess I can give it a go, even if I don't follow through.

Just to note, and maybe this woulda happened with any company, but when I moved from a housemate situation with RCN serving our landline and internet in my name, to my own place where I just wanted a new internet account, it was a surreal, 8-month long nightmare to get them to sort out my new account with the account I had left. All we wanted was for the old account to switch to a new name, one of the remaining housemates. Nothing else changes. Then I could take my name and open my own new account. Truly, it seemed that all they had to do was change one field in a database somewhere, to new housemate's name. NO!
You would not believe the ordeal that ensued. A bizarre amount of faxed and hardcopy paperwork, proofs of identification such as faxing licenses going to who knows where (some fax machine in the hallway of some RCN corridor) switched accounts, never getting the same person to follow through, etc was ridiculous. If I hadn't left my housemates on friendly terms it could have been a nightmare for them, since I kept receiving their forwarded bills for months - and when that finally ended it was only to consolidate their charges onto my bill!
I guess RCN could have/should have said: "you must close your account and have your housemate open a new one in her name. Then you take your name and your account number to your new address." But they didn't, and we didn't do that since it seemed like an unnecessary and more costly route (they shouldn't be penalized with 'new' account fees).
But, uh, other than that - love 'em as the best of the offerings!

Although they are only as local as the Yankees, Bway.net (http://bway.net) is an independent DSL ISP with good reputations for customer service and privacy protection. Bit-for-bit, they're more expensive than cable.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Local alternatives for ISP/wireless

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Cable options in the area?

RCN works fine for me

Re: RCN works fine for me

Re: RCN works fine for me

Re: RCN works fine for me

Re: RCN works fine for me

Re: RCN works fine for me

Re: RCN works fine for me

Re: Cable options in the area?

Re: Cable options in the area?

Simplest short-term solution:

Another fan of RCN , all things considered

Re: Another fan of RCN , all things considered

Re: Another fan of RCN , all things considered

One warning about RCN with multiple housemates

no subject