# free internet access **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 11, 2000, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-access/6507 "2000-01-11T16:37:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5e9695/32.png) [@bda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bda)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-access/6507/1 "2000-01-11T16:37:00Z")
hi . .i had aol and got tired of the $21.95 every month. now i have ifreedom and altavista at zero every month. thats been great for the last 6/7 weeks . . ie . . easy access . . few bumps . . since last friday im lucky to get online with either . . much less stay online for more than 15/20 minutes before i get disconnected. anyone here have good/bad stories/recomendations about free or low cost internet? i just want access; no big software downloads; no martha stewart/entertainment tonight/happy aol crap content . . just a portal . . newsgroups would be nice . . minimum or free? . . . thanks ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-access/6507/2 "2000-01-11T16:57:00Z")
Generally, you get what you pay for. Juno is better for email, its free, and doesn’t connect to the net when your using it but a local phone number. ---
**Author:** ![bda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5e9695/32.png) [@bda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bda)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-access/6507/3 "2000-01-11T17:01:00Z")
i have a yahoo page/email . . doesnt anyone out there just give a open port to the web; ie . . no content crap? ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-access/6507/4 "2000-01-11T17:02:00Z")
You can get free DSL (including free installation and a free modem) if you sign up now at [www.freedsl.com](http://www.freedsl.com) I was considering trying it out, but I’m not wild about the idea of having their banner ads flashing around in my face the whole time I’m on line (I find them to be somewhat distracting). But I imagine, with it being a DSL line, there’d never be any concern about disconnects since you’re supposedly connected 100% of the time your computer is turned on. Besides, it’d be considerably faster. * * * “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” - Anne Frank ---
**Author:** ![bda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5e9695/32.png) [@bda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bda)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-access/6507/5 "2000-01-11T17:05:00Z")
thanks for the tip . .whats dsl? . . ---
**Author:** ![SoulFrost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@SoulFrost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoulFrost)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-access/6507/6 "2000-01-11T17:09:00Z")
I’ve had _damn_ good luck with WorldSpy. It’s free, has a local access number out here in the sticks, and (best of all) it has NO ADS! On top of all that, it doesn’t disconnect me, no matter how long I’ve been “idle”, and my connection speeds are every bit as good as my old ISPs were. The only drawbacks that I’ve found are: 1. It’s very new, and it has a couple of bugs, but nothing serious. Often, it shows a blank screen for a long time. It’s working, but it doesn’t TELL you that it’s working. 2. I have to start NetScape first, THEN start WorldSpy (vivilink) or it won’t connect–took me a couple of hours to figure that one out. I don’t know how well it works with MSIE or Opera. 3. The client for it is almost 9 Megs (and I’m a little suspicious about what it all does–but I’ve hexxed it and ran process viewers on it, and nothing seems to be amiss.) -David ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-access/6507/7 "2000-01-11T17:29:00Z")
To bda: From the [freedsl.com](http://freedsl.com) site > [@](#): > > A Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) delivers high-speed Internet access using existing copper telephone lines already installed in hundreds of millions of homes and businesses worldwide. With DSL, consumers and small businesses take advantage of having a dedicated, always-on connection to the Internet. What this means to you…no more having to dial-in to get connected. DSL provides broadband speeds of up to 8Mbps; that’s at least 50 times faster than conventional dial-up connections. Read through their page and check out the “What is DSL” link for more information. * * * “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” - Anne Frank ---
**Author:** ![bda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5e9695/32.png) [@bda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bda)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-access/6507/8 "2000-01-11T17:31:00Z")
much thanks . . handy . . shayna and soulfrost for sharing your thoughts ---
**Author:** ![bda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5e9695/32.png) [@bda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bda)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-access/6507/9 "2000-01-11T17:36:00Z")
the freedsl certainly seems worth checking out . . what the hey . . put masking tape on your screen . . over 90% of the flashing banner! ---
**Author:** ![Who\_ME](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/2bfe46/32.png) [@Who\_ME](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_ME)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2000, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-access/6507/10 "2000-01-12T05:15:00Z")
Try [Webcombo.com](http://Webcombo.com) I have been with them for one year and only they have only been down one time for six hrs. ---
**Author:** ![eggo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@eggo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eggo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2000, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-access/6507/11 "2000-01-12T05:27:00Z")
\>\>\>\>the freedsl certainly seems worth checking out . . what the hey . . put masking tape on your screen . . over 90% of the flashing banner!\<\<\<\< just go to [www.shareware.com](http://www.shareware.com) and search for “window manager” and you will find a program called “hack it” which will give you complete control over ANY window that is running, you can minimize it, tell it to run in the background, realy do anything you want to it. i use it for netzero (another free net provider) btw, Soulfrost, do you have a url for that worldspy? it sounds pretty good. eggo ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2000, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-access/6507/12 "2000-01-12T06:34:00Z")
Agreed, free is one of my favorite 4-letter words that begins with f. I’ve been using NetZero for about 6 months. The banner is obnoxious, even when I move it to the upper right corner. It was a bit buggy for a while, but they’ve since upgraded, and it seems to run smoother. I have to be at the screen every half hour to click the Resume button, or it will shut me off. I’ve used Juno e-mail for a while longer. Their most recent upgrade includes free web access. They also have a banner, but it’s not as wide or as bright as NetZero’s. There’s no automatic shutdown, either. Also, it flags me when I have e-mail. It seems a bit buggy, though: after being on a while, I sometimes get error messages from Internet Explorer. When this happens, it’s just a matter of time before every page I click on can’t be found, and I’ll have to start over again. And during our recent rainstorms, I couldn’t get a line. Without the bugs, I’d like Juno better than NetZero. Right now, I’d rate them about even. NetZero takes longer to connect. Soulfrost, how did you connect through WorldSpy? On the control panel internet connections, when I look at ViviLink’s dial-up settings, it says “do not dial”. How am I supposed to get through, if it won’t give me a phone number? Eggo, thanx for the link. I’ll try it. * * * “You needn’t think those gray hairs are any sign of wisdom; it’s only a sign that your system lacks iron. I advise you to go home and swallow a crowbar.” – Mark Twain ---
**Author:** ![Powers106](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@Powers106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Powers106)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2000, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-access/6507/13 "2000-01-12T14:54:00Z")
I’ve tried to get online using [Freei.net](http://Freei.net) but after spending about 4 hours downloading the program, I have never succeeded in connecting and getting a proper user name or local access number. The line is always busy or the computer fails to deliver a “local access phone list”. I could be doing something wrong but there aren’t any instructions (not much anyway) to see what I might be doing wrong. That worldspy sounds interesting though, as does DSL. ---
**Author:** ![bda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5e9695/32.png) [@bda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bda)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2000, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-access/6507/14 "2000-01-12T14:57:00Z")
think ill check them all out . . thanks to everyone for suggesting options! ---
**Author:** ![MadPoet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8c91f0/32.png) [@MadPoet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadPoet)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2000, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-access/6507/15 "2000-01-12T15:29:00Z")
First a quick disclaimer – anyone attempting to follow any suggestions I might give to people emailing me for technical support is responsible for their own gullibility. Now then… > [@](#): > > I’ve had damn good luck with WorldSpy. I had the “opportunity” to do tech support for Wordspy a few weeks ago. I was actually halfway tempted to start using it, since I have my own domain and don’t need the other stuff that usually comes with paid for internet accounts, such as webspace and email accounts. The system is still buggy, as is to be expected, but it works. It runs off of a java client for some reason, so it will require IE4 or Netscape 4.5. There are no banner ads, but it will direct you to their homepage when you first start it up. A small price to pay. I doubt it will be around too long… the free internet thing is going to die once the financial community starts realizing that these online buisnesses are hemmoraging money. Except the porno. Maybe I should start a online porno company that provides free internet access. Hmm. * * * [http://www.madpoet.com](http://www.madpoet.com) There’s a million fine looking women in the world, dude, but not all of them will bring you lasagna at work. Most just cheat on you. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2000, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-access/6507/16 "2000-01-13T00:17:00Z")
My brother’s a tech. Here’s what he said about the free DSL site: ``` It doesn't say how fast it really goes. There is a mention of 8 Mbps (mine is 1Mbps). In another area is says it would be the local dsl providers minimum speed...usually 384kbps and you pay for higher speed. Still real fast, and it's always on, no dialing in. Another problem (besides banners) is you have to buy a dsl modem...between $100 and $300, unless you get 10 other people to sign up..then the modem is free to you. A good deal if it is ``` ## around for a couple of years. “You needn’t think those gray hairs are any sign of wisdom; it’s only a sign that your system lacks iron. I advise you to go home and swallow a crowbar.” – Mark Twain ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2000, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-access/6507/17 "2000-01-13T01:48:00Z")
I suppose you could try and duplicate the situation I got into with a small local ISP. They offered $19.95 a month unlimited access, so I called them and asked if they’d go $17.95 a month if I paid a year in advance. The guy said, “Let me ask the boss.” After a couple of minutes on hold he came back and said they’d do it, so I faxed them my info and the account was there in about an hour. My company has another account with this ISP that’s billed quarterly and when I got that bill, I remembered I’d never been billed for my own account. So I called them and explained that I wasn’t getting billed and the guy (same one) asked me to fax my info over again. I did. Still no bill. Well, I think I know what happened. I suspect their bookkeeping was not setup for that plan and the bookkeeper or accountant put my stuff in one of those I’ll-get-to-it-when-I-get-to-it piles and I just fell off the radar. I used the account for a couple of years and then started getting a little uneasy, so I got other access together and quit using that account a year ago. Out of curiosity I logged on it about 6 weeks ago and it was still there. I talked to the guy at the ISP last week - no mention of the bandit account. It’ll probably stay active and unbilled as long as they’re operating. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2000, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-access/6507/18 "2000-01-13T02:53:00Z")
Costco has MSN for $12/month, way cheap. DSL is always on. What that means, is that people on the net can access your computer 24/7 if they want. Although you can put in some safeguards. ---
**Author:** ![NightGirl44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e68b1a/32.png) [@NightGirl44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NightGirl44)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2000, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-access/6507/19 "2000-01-14T04:40:00Z")
I’m computer stupid in that I can operate one but only on certain levels and DON’T know what half of the codes and abbreviations mean. What I’d like to know, also having AOL, who screws me for $26.95 a month because I use automatic checking withdrawal (they add a 5.00 surcharge if they MUST take the out of your bank.), is, do other providers have all of the cool stuff that AOL has, like news menus, sponsored chat, provide AOL sites for downloads, keywords, dictionaries, spell check in e-mail and so on, or would I essentially get a home page (or whatever) and have to dig up all of this stuff from the web? ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2000, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-access/6507/20 "2000-01-14T05:12:00Z")
I’m on a DSL (not a free one). It’s great in some ways - not having to wait for my modem to connect, not tying up the phone line, and incredible speed in downloading - but on the other hand the damn thing goes out a couple times every month and you can’t use it at all for a few hours. I don’t know if this problem is typical or if I just have a crappy provider … [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-internet-access/6507.md?page=2)