# Tips for dial-up internet use **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 8, 2009, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-dial-up-internet-use/520497 "2009-12-08T20:37:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Translucent\_Daydream](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/translucent_daydream/32/16170_2.png) [@Translucent\_Daydream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Translucent_Daydream)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-dial-up-internet-use/520497/21 "2009-12-09T20:22:29Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > **TD** , do you not have access to cable TV? Apparently not. I thought I would, but the cable company pulled out of town so there isn’t a service I could hook onto. Its just Verizon or nada. There is some line of sight beamed internet, but the equipment is 200 bucks, and everyone says its super slow. Its also about 80 bucks a month, and you have to contract it out. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Translucent\_Daydream](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/translucent_daydream/32/16170_2.png) [@Translucent\_Daydream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Translucent_Daydream)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-dial-up-internet-use/520497/22 "2009-12-09T20:24:03Z")
> [@fervour](#): > > Have you considered wireless internet? I have Alltel wireless. It runs $61.26/month. Yeah, it’s more expensive than DSL, but it’s nationwide. Although it’s not as fast as cable or DSL, I just did a bandwitdth test and it came in at 1415kbps download and 412 kbps upload. However, the speed does vary according to the time of day. I assume that’s due to number of active users. Usually streaming video/audio performs acceptably. Sometimes not. > > I plugged in the zip, 75424, and see Alltel is not available. Alltel refers you to Verizon. Verizon has a 5Gig monthly limit while Alltel has unlimited usage. I find my usage usually runs about 5.5 Gigs—just enough to have to pay overage charges with Verizon. > > Prior to having Alltel Wireless, I had WildBlue satellite internet. It ran about $80/month. Anytime a storm came you could pretty much be assured that the internet would be unavailable (not the case with my current wireless). It also has a monthly limit but it’s much more generous, 17Gig download; I believe. > > If you can’t get DSL, I hope you can find some alternative to dial-up. Good luck. I thought about doing it through Verizon wireless as they have the best signal in the area, but the signal fades at night and thats when I do my home computer use… ---
**Author:** ![jacobsta811](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jacobsta811/32/2893_2.png) [@jacobsta811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacobsta811)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-dial-up-internet-use/520497/23 "2009-12-09T21:41:36Z")
You aren’t necessarily limited to the crappy signal you might get from a small antenna in your cell phone - if you can get EVDO service in your area at all you can buy larger/better antennas to hook into your cellular modem - ie something like this - [5Gstore.com, 4G/5G Routers, Antennas, Boosters, WiFi, IP Switches](http://www.evdoinfo.com/content/view/23/40/) I would say if you can get EVDO in your home at any time you should be able to get it all the time when you get the right antenna & positioning. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2009, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-dial-up-internet-use/520497/24 "2009-12-09T22:34:45Z")
Get [K-Meleon](http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/) and use it as your browser. It uses the same engine as Firefox does, but K-Meleon rocks. It’s a must for dial up. I had dial up for a long time and I didn’t mind it since I don’t download. But of course you can’t watch YouTube and such. If you just read the Intenet you can get by on dial up, which is pretty much all I do. But do get and install K-Meleon, it’s very lightweight and it’ll help your surfin’ ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-dial-up-internet-use/520497/25 "2009-12-10T00:03:52Z")
> [@Translucent\_Daydream](#): > > Apparently not. I thought I would, but the cable company pulled out of town so there isn’t a service I could hook onto. Its just Verizon or nada. > > There is some line of sight beamed internet, but the equipment is 200 bucks, and everyone says its super slow. Its also about 80 bucks a month, and you have to contract it out. > > :mad: You are literally dealing with a lightspeed delay when using satellite internet. It’s about 250 milliseconds, and then of course there is additional network delay. All I can say about dialup is make sure to minimize the demands on your bandwidth as much as possible and try to use the low-speed options whenever possible. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tips-for-dial-up-internet-use/520497.md?page=1)