Finally getting 21st century internet. Have q's

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The phone company of a nearby small town has reached out to our location and in going to be bringing in fiber optic lines. They have several plans/bundles available and no data caps (HUGE YAY!!!, coming from someone who had always had LOW cap limits).

My questions are about speed and what it will do and a router that will accommodate the newfound speed/data.

First- the plans are 8mbps, 12mbps, 20mbps, 30mbps and I think a 50mbps. I spoke with someone who already has this provider's fiber and supposedly at the 8mbps, they can surf the web and watch Netflix simultaneously. Not sure if that's on HD or not? In your experience, will the 8meg be enough, or should we splurge and opt for the 12, 20 or above??? The goal is to be able to surf the web- say watching HD youtube videos and be able to watch Netflix or equivalent at the same time.

Next is the router. Currently I have a Cisco Linksys E2500. Will that suffice and handle the required throughput? Is there better (more speed capacity and security) for less than $200.00?

Thanks for taking the time to reply!
 
8mb should do what you want. You can always upgrade with just a phone call right? I have no idea about the router. I have [censored] att uverse. It is fiber connected to old deteriorating phone lines.
 
You need at least 5 Mbps for Netflix HD, and I would imagine similar bandwidth for youtube HD videos, so if you want to watch both simultaneously then 8 Mbps is not going to be enough.

Your current router should be fine unless you are noticing some performance issues.
 
Originally Posted By: The_Eric
First- the plans are 8mbps, I spoke with someone who already has this provider's fiber and supposedly at the 8mbps, they can surf the web and watch Netflix simultaneously.


It's probably 100 times faster then what you are used to.
 
Interesting speed choices, we have cable internet, baseline from our provider is 20 Mbps, our package is at 150 Mbps - no caps. Shouldn't fibre optics systems offer higher speeds?
Seeing how fast 20 Mbps ran when I had it, I would go with that as baseline. Just my 2 cents.
And I would test it to check on speeds and ping at www.speedtest.net.
Looking for sub 20ms ping and the speed at your rated choice of speed.
 
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5 pricing tiers? Wow.

Spectrum cable offers 2 tiers here.

You didn't mention the upload speed on any of the tiers that is important also.

Does the provider lease a modem/router combo or do they provide it for free?

You may be better off using their modem router combo if it is dual band, unless they charge you a rental fee for it, then go get your own.

Any dual band router is fine for most home situations. I have a cheap TP link from amazon and like it just fine.
 
Originally Posted By: The_Eric
The phone company of a nearby small town has reached out to our location and in going to be bringing in fiber optic lines. They have several plans/bundles available and no data caps (HUGE YAY!!!, coming from someone who had always had LOW cap limits).

My questions are about speed and what it will do and a router that will accommodate the newfound speed/data.

First- the plans are 8mbps, 12mbps, 20mbps, 30mbps and I think a 50mbps. I spoke with someone who already has this provider's fiber and supposedly at the 8mbps, they can surf the web and watch Netflix simultaneously. Not sure if that's on HD or not? In your experience, will the 8meg be enough, or should we splurge and opt for the 12, 20 or above??? The goal is to be able to surf the web- say watching HD youtube videos and be able to watch Netflix or equivalent at the same time.

Next is the router. Currently I have a Cisco Linksys E2500. Will that suffice and handle the required throughput? Is there better (more speed capacity and security) for less than $200.00?



By any chance, are you talking about service from Windstream? If the answer is yes, I will have more to say.

I hope that "fiber optic lines" really means fiber to YOUR HOME, but I doubt it. It might mean fiber to the node that serves your location...which is better than no fiber at all. I would suggest choosing the fastest speed that fits into your budget. Once you begin using the faster speed, you'll wonder how you ever got along without it. I happen to be satisfied with my 12 MB DSL, but any visitors that come here complain about how slow it is compared to the 50 or 100 MB that they are used to. I won't make a guess about using your router.Some providers make you rent their equipment and it could be a combo modem/router.
 
Originally Posted By: AVB
8mb should do what you want. You can always upgrade with just a phone call right? I have no idea about the router. I have [censored] att uverse. It is fiber connected to old deteriorating phone lines.

You're right, I could- just trying to learn anything I can about it.


Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
You need at least 5 Mbps for Netflix HD, and I would imagine similar bandwidth for youtube HD videos, so if you want to watch both simultaneously then 8 Mbps is not going to be enough.

Your current router should be fine unless you are noticing some performance issues.

Thank's for the speed reference on what's required for HD.

The thing on the router is that I really wouldn't know if it was an issue- aside from not working.



Originally Posted By: Linctex
Originally Posted By: The_Eric
First- the plans are 8mbps, I spoke with someone who already has this provider's fiber and supposedly at the 8mbps, they can surf the web and watch Netflix simultaneously.


It's probably 100 times faster then what you are used to.

Boy that's no lie. The last... for ever (since we have gotten the Interwebz) has been frustrating to say the least. Slower than normal dial-up, then under-performing VZW 3G, then a crummy microwave provider, and now a 4th gen Satellite and flaky VZW 4GLTE. It's either been good speed, but low data caps, or abysmal speed and low data caps (like 10gig or pay through the nose for more- and it's still a Satellite with most of the problems associated with it). NOTHING has worked consistently good for long. It's always been hit or miss. Like now, I can use the phone as a 4GLTE hotspot, but one day it will plug along fine, the next I can barely watch anything (same issue with wife's phone). To top it off, I went with VZW's unlimited data plan to help crutch the low data cap satellite, but VZW later told me that once tethered to something the unlimited data becomes 10 gig!!!!!! GAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! Until now, there has been NO escape!




Originally Posted By: Danno
Interesting speed choices, we have cable internet, baseline from our provider is 20 Mbps, our package is at 150 Mbps - no caps. Shouldn't fibre optics systems offer higher speeds?
Seeing how fast 20 Mbps ran when I had it, I would go with that as baseline. Just my 2 cents.
And I would test it to check on speeds and ping at www.speedtest.net.
Looking for sub 20ms ping and the speed at your rated choice of speed.

Yeah, the speeds seemed low, but I didn't know enough to say. Is it possible that they have a legit reason? Can one provider's fiber run better than another? Can the through speed be a cost issue to the provider?



Originally Posted By: JustinH
5 pricing tiers? Wow.

Spectrum cable offers 2 tiers here.

You didn't mention the upload speed on any of the tiers that is important also.

Does the provider lease a modem/router combo or do they provide it for free?

You may be better off using their modem router combo if it is dual band, unless they charge you a rental fee for it, then go get your own.

Any dual band router is fine for most home situations. I have a cheap TP link from amazon and like it just fine.


Can't remember the uploads. I know the first couple of tiers has a 1meg upload speed.


Dual band router? Please explain.
 
Originally Posted By: GrtArtiste
Originally Posted By: The_Eric
The phone company of a nearby small town has reached out to our location and in going to be bringing in fiber optic lines. They have several plans/bundles available and no data caps (HUGE YAY!!!, coming from someone who had always had LOW cap limits).

My questions are about speed and what it will do and a router that will accommodate the newfound speed/data.

First- the plans are 8mbps, 12mbps, 20mbps, 30mbps and I think a 50mbps. I spoke with someone who already has this provider's fiber and supposedly at the 8mbps, they can surf the web and watch Netflix simultaneously. Not sure if that's on HD or not? In your experience, will the 8meg be enough, or should we splurge and opt for the 12, 20 or above??? The goal is to be able to surf the web- say watching HD youtube videos and be able to watch Netflix or equivalent at the same time.

Next is the router. Currently I have a Cisco Linksys E2500. Will that suffice and handle the required throughput? Is there better (more speed capacity and security) for less than $200.00?



By any chance, are you talking about service from Windstream? If the answer is yes, I will have more to say.

I hope that "fiber optic lines" really means fiber to YOUR HOME, but I doubt it. It might mean fiber to the node that serves your location...which is better than no fiber at all. I would suggest choosing the fastest speed that fits into your budget. Once you begin using the faster speed, you'll wonder how you ever got along without it. I happen to be satisfied with my 12 MB DSL, but any visitors that come here complain about how slow it is compared to the 50 or 100 MB that they are used to. I won't make a guess about using your router.Some providers make you rent their equipment and it could be a combo modem/router.


I'm not sure how they got their hands on fiber, or who they got it from, but it's Odgen Telephone. Not sure what the exact configuration is, but they are calling it fiber optic and whatever it is they are doing, they are running 100% new lines to everyone's door. We have no high speed wire type (cable or DSL) in our location. Only low quality phone wire that cannot support DSL or equivalent.
 
you menyioned dufferent tiers buy what's the pricing difference. if it's $3 difference maybe just upgrade.

i would agree though thst often you can always jusy upgrade or change. often they will credit you the differwnce for 3 or 6mo.

e.g. you get 8mb for $45.
12mb will cost $50 but they will credit you $5 for 6mo.

so you can go with the 8 and then upgrade later
 
I think there's roughly $20 between most of the tiers starting with, I think, 45/mo for the 8meg until you get to the big speeds and the price jumps are greater. I've lost the pamphlet otherwise I'd post the exact prices and speeds. There is also an additional $20 fee for us because we're not their customer and they claim to use it to cover the cost of all the burial/trenching/directional boring work to deliver fiber to an outlying area of approximately 100-120 people.
 
Fees are meant to be waived, so I wouldn't get too worried about it. If you're talking simultaneous usage to two devices, 8MB is fine. I had 6MB DSL at the end and could stream HD.

People (and marketers) probably emphasize speed a bit too much. If 8MB does everything you want it to 99% of the time, there's no need to pay more.
 
Found the pamphlet- tiers are as follows:

8m down/1m up is $55
12m/5m is $65
20m/5m is $75
30m/10m is $100
200m/20m is $330

Leaning towards the 12m/5m plan.
 
I'd hold my nose and get the 20m too. I don't do any downloading but I do plenty of streaming, which is just as data intensive. 30mbps is the plan I have and it's pretty good, 20mbps would be okay too if I had to use it - as long as it's an honest 20mbps and doesn't slow down to 2mbps during peak hours when everyone in the neighborhood is home and watching netflix.
Cable internet around here has a bad reputation for doing that. DSL proved a lot better.
 
Originally Posted By: The_Eric


Next is the router. Currently I have a Cisco Linksys E2500. Will that suffice and handle the required throughput? Is there better (more speed capacity and security) for less than $200.00?

Oh, I am really happy to answer this question.

Will that suffice?
YES
It is MUCH MORE than enough for your case. My router isn't nearly as good as yours, and I have 30mbps internet. The only deciding factor is how strong the signal is at the physical end of the range that you want to use it. If your network's wifi signal is good, which has nothing to do with your internet provider - then your existing router should do great for your new internet connection.

Use your router with confidence. And pocket the $200.
happy2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: The_Eric
Found the pamphlet- tiers are as follows:

8m down/1m up is $55
12m/5m is $65
20m/5m is $75
30m/10m is $100
200m/20m is $330

Leaning towards the 12m/5m plan.


Your thinking is correct. Go with the 12/5, best value for sure and I am sure based on your posts you will be thrilled with it.
Its not an end all decision, in time you may have a new service or solution that brings more competition to your area boy will you see rates change then. Also your not stuck with any speed in future years, you can always increase it but I think its insane to pay any more.
Your really not in the 21st century yet though. Just an FYI we always did just fine with 7/1 internet for the last decade but due to recent competition and UPCOMING competition plus a work requirement from my wifes company, we just recently now have Spectrum cable 100/12 @ $54.96 a month (we own our own modem and router)
Our electric co-op is now running fiber through their service area and we will have the option soon of 100/100 @ $49.95 ( I suspect Spectrum knows this and why our current pricing)
 
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Ps...

At the other end cable companies are getting desperate.
People cutting the cord from paying TV in record numbers (we did it 5 years ago) and they need to maintain their massive profits, they are doing this buy offering very fast speeds that no one really needs YET at higher prices and doing away with lower priced services.
So your stuck paying higher prices, true you get faster speeds but the internet companies know and are much more profitable as the average homeowner rarely uses the speed they pay for.

I say from experience, (its part of my business) most homeowner problems are not from lack of speed but from [censored] equipment and even worse set up of the router and modem. But the average homeowner thinks its their speed, so they pay more, instead of properly setting up the system.

An analogy = You can have a Ford Mustang with a super V8 engine and a Ford Mustang with a simple V6.
They race down the track but they almost finish the race at the same time.

So you ask whats up?
The Ford Mustang with the V8 had its emergency brakes on.

So when it comes to your internet, get that darn router off the floor or out of the TV cabinet or out from behind the TV, up and out high up in the open or if in a closet, the middle of the home and high up near the ceiling of the closet. Make darn sure the router is away from glass and metal objects.

Get the tangled mess of wires untangled (but do not snuggle them tight together), if you REALLY want to get crazy put Ferrite filters (simple snap on type) on all leads going into and out of the modem and routers and on all power lines near the system.

Google it

or click here
 
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