Please help. I miss the Internet.

[aliwilliams]

I've had it about to here with my Internet. I don't do fancy shit; I check my email, download a song or two from iTunes, and sometimes want to watch something on Hulu.

But that seems to be beyond the capabilities of my computer/router/modem/service.  It's annoying to see a video on a blog at work, think "oh, remember to watch that at home," then get

Comments

[kate_the_agent]

I think we use TimeWarner (don't we all, like, have to in the City? Don't they have some monopoly?) and I really notice a slowdown when I'm working at home at 11am. But that "the internet is full" shit is crap. Before you switch services, since there might me nothing to switch to but Verizon, try this

[missfee]

we do have timewarner. one regular cable box, one dvr cable box, and the internet cost us $123 a month.

[rockmarooned]

Yeah, we do TimeWarner too, same stuff as the Kat(i)es for about the same amount, $120ish, and since moving to the current apartment I've pretty much had no trouble. There was maybe a day or two awhile ago when everything seemed to be going really slowly... but that hasn't happened in ages. Though I'm not on much from 9-12 so maybe there's a slowdown I don't see.

In my previous apartment, though, the connection would break off or get wonky all the time, and I'd have to do all of this resetting stuff. Since moving, I got a new router and that pretty much stopped happening.

I personally don't particularly trust Verizon and my limited experience with DSL (an office a bunch of years ago) has been that it's not as fast.

[aliwilliams]

That total, or before taxes/extra fees? We pay much more-and have a couple premium channels, but not THAT many.

Maybe Brookyln's cheaper. :(

[missfee]

that's the amount i write the check for every month. it hasn't changed more than $10 in years. we have no premium channels, so maybe they are mad expensive. you only have one cable box, right? your total shouldn't be much more than ours then even if you have premium channels. weird. i'd take a look at your statements and make sure something didn't become crazy more expensive or that you're paying for something you never use. derekh and i used to have hbo, but even then we didn't pay much more than i do now.

[aliwilliams]

I've looked at my statements before, looking for fat to trim, but I figured everyone else was paying the same amount for cable/internet/DVR (it appears as $9.95 per month for DVR service on your bill, yeah?), and didn't really want to ditch HBO and Showtime.

We don't even get phone service for the MUCH more we pay per month. Eff that! Calling TimeWarner today.

[aliwilliams]

Awesome. I was going to try the whole plug-into-connection thing sometime when my roommate didn't need the internet and I could find the appropriate cord, but you have many more troubleshooting things I can try. (Though my network is definitely password protected.) Whee!

Roommate's computer is slightly faster but still unable to, say, watch streaming video at night (right?), and I just realized hers has another gig of RAM. I don't really want to invest MORE into my computer-I feel like with such limited needs a base level should be ok for me.

If it's the router, I'm going to blame Cossar, who gave it to me. If I do need a new one-you been happy with your Airport?

[kate_the_agent]

I am really happy with my AirPort. I did have one crap out on me--spent a frustrating week troubleshooting, then just took it back to Apple and they gave me a new one. I've got an external hard drive and a printer networked to it, too. Wireless printing make me feel like I'm a computer GENIUS. It's easy to set up, too. Very Mac-y.
You shouldn't need to upgrade any hardware on your computer at all. Since the roommate is having the same problem, it's almost undoubtedly your connection. Routers die. I could just be time.
Don't forget. Since you use your internet at home for work, like freelance writing, write that sucker off your taxes. For reals.

[missfee]

life is much better with the new airport. however, it doesn't really work in my room, but i have no problem plugging in my laptop at my desk so that doesn't bother me. (the airport lives in kate's room.) just something to think about if you or sara work in your bedrooms.

[wmetoile]

Roommate doesn't usually have a problem with streaming video at night, for the record.