1. Buying a modem is much cheaper in the long run just like renting your phone versus buying your own. With that said I just read that a newer cable modem that allows for faster upstream is available soon.

2. That is a pretty good price but these models may be coming down in price due to the faster ones coming soon.

3. As far as I know you only need a USB connection for those models but I have never used one as I have a NIC.

4. Your current software will work fine.

5. Yes dialup is always available as a backup. My cable has never been down for more than a few hours.

6. Keep asking good questions especially to your prospective cable provider.

Joe

Another place to check out for cable broadband info is:

http://www.dslreports.com/

They have provider reviews as well as specific forums that you may find very insightful.

Hope this helps.

RikkiM

i have to disagree on that one i only had to pay once for the modem and its still considered as a rent .the diff is i got mine replaced by the cable company when it broke and i think thats an advantage

well your right but how long does warranty last 2years tops

dimension 4300
256 mb ram
p4 1,5 g
60 gb hd
dvd
cd-rw
hk speakers
still running me lol
geforce 3 64 mb

enjoy wrote:
1) rent one this way you'll be able to always have the best one avaliable and if it goes bad you'll have it replaced

i disagree. if you buy a modem from a venerable company (i.e. one that you have heard of and are familiar with), then normally you should get a warranty with the modem. if you have a warranty and it breaks, they can replace it free of charge im sure.

Wanted Specs:
Dell Dimension 4300
Pentium 4 @ 1.6 GHz
512MB 133 MHz SDRAM
16x DVD-ROM
24x/10x/40x CD-RW
20GB (5400 RPM) HDD
10/100 Network Card
HK-395 Speakers w/ woofer
32MB nVidia GeForce2 MX Graphics Card
Sound Blaster Live! Sound Card

vetriguy wrote:
- Hi,
-
- My free year of Dell|Net by MSN dial-up is about to
- run out (Hurray!), and I'm considering trying AT&T's
- Broadband Cable Internet service since they are
- offering six months at $20/month to start. I have a
- few questions though:
-
- 1) Should I buy or rent the modem? I read
- somewhere that renting makes more sense because the
- national standard hasn't yet been established, and I
- could wind up owning one that is useless, whereas
- the service provider would be required to provide a
- proper modem. On the other hand, a friend said I
- should buy one because it lowers the monthly bill.
-
- 2) Best Buy has the Toshiba USB modem model
- #PCX1100U for sale for $149.00. Is that a good
- price?
-
- 3) Toshiba says their USB modem does not require
- the installation of any cards (NIC and/or ethernet)
- in the PC. Is that true? (This is a stand-alone
- home PC.)
-
- 4) Will the free versions of InoculateIt Antivirus
- and ZoneAlarm that I already have running work with
- cable broadband, or will I need to buy the upgraded
- versions?
-
- 5) If the cable goes out, can I still use a dial-up
- as a back-up?
-
- 6) Anything else I should know before I take this
- step?
-
- Thanks for any insight you may offer,
-
- Richard
-
- Dimension 4100
- Pentium III, 933 MHz
- 20GB Ultra ATA-100 Hard Drive (7200 RPM)
- 256MB 133MHz SDRAM
- Windows ME
- 17" M781s Monitor
- 32MB NVIDIA TNT2 M64 AGP Graphics Card
- 48X Max Variable CD-ROM Drive
- QPS Que! 16x10x40 CD-RW Drive
- Soundblaster 64V PCI with Dell Jukebox
- harman/kardon Speakers
- V.90/56K Telephony Modem for WindowsME-Sound Option
- QuietKey Keyboard
- MS Intellimouse
- Xerox Docuprint M750 Inkjet Printer

1) rent one this way you'll be able to always have the best one avaliable and if it goes bad you'll have it replaced

2)explained in 1

3)most of the usb modems require software but i can't tell you a 100% on this one

4)they work just fine

5)yes and no yes if you have a usb cable modem and no if you have a cable modem thats installed internally

6)no you should have made it a year ago lol
you'll see broadband is a new internet experience you wont regret it

i understand that usb modems don't work well with cable. if you can use your own modem that is great, it will cut your bill in half. but some companies like roadrunner will not let you use your own modem (so they can fleece you).

nt = No Text

Joe

I bought my modem. I've had it over a year, and I've moved across town without encountering problems. I figure I would have more than paid for the cost of the modem in rental charges by now.

I don't know of advantages or disadvantages to a USB modem VS. a network-card type so I'll leave that to someone with more experience in those matters.

A network card is ridiculously easy to install, however...

I use the free version of ZA, and I'm sure the AV will work just fine. No problems there.

I still have my dial-up modem installed, but I currently don't have a service. If you don't need the slot and can find a very cheap/ free ISP in your area, then having backup isn't a bad idea. I've never encountered a service blackout of more than a couple of minutes in the year and a half I've been using broadband however.

One last thing... I'll never go back to dial up!

Hope this helps,
Ed Liberatore

According to Best Buy the Toshiba warranty for parts is five years. Looks like this modem also comes with some potentially useful software, as well.

Still researching my options,

Richard

Dimension 4100
Pentium III, 933 MHz
20GB Ultra ATA-100 Hard Drive (7200 RPM)
256MB 133MHz SDRAM
Windows ME
17" M781s Monitor
32MB NVIDIA TNT2 M64 AGP Graphics Card
48X Max Variable CD-ROM Drive
QPS Que! 16x10x40 CD-RW Drive
Soundblaster 64V PCI with Dell Jukebox
harman/kardon Speakers
V.90/56K Telephony Modem for WindowsME-Sound Option
QuietKey Keyboard
MS Intellimouse
Xerox Docuprint M750 Inkjet Printer

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the input. Sharing with another computer won't be an issue for me, but it's good to know that information. Am leaning strongly toward buying the modem. The price seems about as good as I'm going to find, it has a five-year parts warranty, and comes with some software that may be useful at some future time (like if my "grandfathered" free InoculateIt ever disappears).

Thanks again,

Richard

Dimension 4100
Pentium III, 933 MHz
20GB Ultra ATA-100 Hard Drive (7200 RPM)
256MB 133MHz SDRAM
Windows ME
17" M781s Monitor
32MB NVIDIA TNT2 M64 AGP Graphics Card
48X Max Variable CD-ROM Drive
QPS Que! 16x10x40 CD-RW Drive
Soundblaster 64V PCI with Dell Jukebox
harman/kardon Speakers
V.90/56K Telephony Modem for WindowsME-Sound Option
QuietKey Keyboard
MS Intellimouse
Xerox Docuprint M750 Inkjet Printer

One disadvantage of the USB model is that if in the future you want to share the cable internet connection with another computer or computers in your home, your only option will be to use internet connection sharing software. While it works, it is less reliable than using a hardware sharing solution like a cable/dsl router, and it has the further disadvantage of having to have the computer that connects to the cable modem running when any other computer needs internet access.

As for renting vs. buying - don't hold your breath for newer/faster cable modems/connections - they are having a hard enough time keeping things in business with the current network setup. You will acheive a significant cost savings in the long run if you buy the modem outright.

Steve

Richard

From my experience:
Cable doesn't recommend the USB modem. I use the Toshiba PCX1100. My cable company doesn't give me a preference, I have to use theirs. You have to have an ethernet card to use cable. Five minute job to install, cost less around $10. Never buy a modem until you talk with your ISP to see what they require.
Free versions of anti-virus and zone alarm work just fine.
After using cable you won't wish to use dial up every again.. even for backup! I have had cable for 6 months, never needed a backup, it's never been down. Our cable is very reliable.
Good luck


Dimension 8200 @ 1.8GHz
In Service 12/06/01
512MB PC800 RDRAM
40GB, ATA-100, 7200RPM, HD
64MB NVIDIAGeForce2 MX Graphics Card
1024 DigitalSound Card
10/100 PCI Fast Ethernet NIC
21 in. P1130 Trinitron Monitor
16X/10X/40X CD-RW Drive
Windows XP Home
Toshiba PCX1100 Cable Modem
IE 6.02, Netscape 6.2
Zone Alarm
God Bless the USA

I realize this is not the network forum, but I couldn't resist the opportunity. Is there an appreciable difference in cable modem performance using Ethernet vs. USB? Roadrunner says no. Is the 3 Com 3C920 Integrated Fast Ethernet Controller ( 3C905-TX Compatible ) still an issue (worthless) ? Has anyone been using the RCA DCM 245R cable modem; if so, is it better than the Toshiba PCX1100? Sally Please forgive my cutting in here!



Message Edited on 01/29/02 08:32PM by Sade7

- 3) Toshiba says their USB modem does not require
- the installation of any cards (NIC and/or ethernet)
- in the PC. Is that true? (This is a stand-alone
- home PC.)

For what it's worth I've got attbi right now and am renting an RCA USB cable model plugged into the USB port (hub, actually)--haven't had any problems yet, very fast.

- 4) Will the free versions of InoculateIt Antivirus
- and ZoneAlarm that I already have running work with
- cable broadband, or will I need to buy the upgraded
- versions?

Yes, the free ZoneAlarm works great. As for antivirus, I've heard many times that Norton is the only ticket, but don't know myself.

- 5) If the cable goes out, can I still use a dial-up
- as a back-up?

Good to keep the modem hooked up if you ever use it to fax, also--you can't fax w/a cable modem.



Dimension L550r
Win98 SE
384 MB SDRAM
80GB Seagate Barracuda IV HD
40GB Maxtor DiamondMax Plus HD
Samsung SD-608 DVD-Rom
ATI All-in-Wonder 128 32MB PCI
Creative Sound Blaster AudioPCI 64V
Aztech MDP3880-W 56k PCI Modem