Tag Archives: how-to

Broadband ISP: How Slow Can You Go… And Still Be Moving Forward?

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After a recent move, I’ve had to re-evaluate the way I connect to the Internet. Before the move, I had DSL. It was pretty dreamy for a couple of years. It was especially nice after having survived with a satellite ISP for three years prior to the DSL connection.

The satellite was much faster than the old back-roads country dial up that I had – which topped out at 24K and often refused to work at all if there was a heavy dew. Rain didn’t affect it much, but dew and heavy humidity would knock it out completely.

Now I’m back looking at ISP options and was appalled to learn that my new city has a single ISP provider with a monopoly – and that provider sells out the service to other ISP providers – which keeps the prices inflated. In the first month on the “city” DSL I had two days of complete outage and other times of extreme creeping-slow service. My “country” DSL was bullet-proof. It was a much better product. With the latest move, I started looking for other options.

Satellite ISP: It’s Not All “Dishy”
I was seriously considering getting a satellite again – just so I can stay mobile. I could get it attached to my RV and pumping it out wirelessly from there for use inside the house or outside in my mobile office. I could take it with me when I moved back to the farm or stay connected while I did some traveling. It would be a final solution. It would be perfect!

Then I did a bit of research…

My former satellite service (on the farm) had stared to slow noticeably just before I moved to the location where DSL was available. I thought it was just me… that I’d become even more impatient than usual. But my favorite online speed test (http://performance.toast.net/) proved that wasn’t the case. It really WAS slower.

Now, according to user groups and forums web-wide, the continued overselling of satellite bandwidth without adding any additional infrastructure has created a “slower than dial up” status for many subscribers. (Slower than dial up at broadband prices? No thank you.) And the equipment is not cheap. Incidentally, the satellite dish I had two years ago is no longer “supported” by the ISP, so I’ll have to reinvest over $1200 to get what I already have replaced to hook up to satellite again – if I don’t want it mounted on the RV. Mobile mounting really shoots the cost up.

Cable is Constricted
Cable, the other local option, is experiencing the same issues as satellite – at least in my market. Although not as dramatic as what’s happening with the Satellite ISPs, cable is being speed-throttled because all users in a geographic area share a common bandwidth. The bigger the subdivision, the more pronounced the problem, but even the less populated areas are noticing a speed and service lull according to my techie sources in town.

Maybe, since I work primarily during the day, my cable wouldn’t be too choked. The children would be at school and the majority of adults would be at work – using their company’s ISP – so maybe I could rearrange my work schedule a bit to facilitate better upload and download speeds for client work.

But, the fact is… I don’t want to. I want to have full and unfettered access to the Internet any time I get the urge. I’m spoiled. I’m demanding. I want fast Internet access!

Wringing Out the (Cell Phone) Waves
I used my wireless 3G cell phone SIM card in my computer during the transition period while DSL was being hooked up two months ago. It wasn’t a pleasant option. It was better than no option, but only marginally. I could work, but the speed was frustratingly sluggish and I had to abandon any attempts to perform multi-media downloads (which I do often — when I have the capacity). And the cost per month for this sub-standard data option? $60 over and above my cell phone plan, the cost of the “aircard” and let’s not forget taxes.

Wireless Webs Aren’t Woven in Kentucky
Here, there’s no news of the in-town wireless LAN options that I read about in other, more progressive, communities. It is my understanding that they also get throttled, but at least the cost is commensurate with the service. Many areas are offering community wireless LAN access for free or at an extremely low cost. A few of those available worldwide are listed here: http://wiki.personaltelco.net/index.cgi/WirelessCommunities.

Alternative Options… It Costs HOW Much?!?!
The only other option I’ve investigated is a pricey one. There is a business-quality dedicated satellite ISP that doesn’t get “choked down” via overselling – at least that’s what the company representative tells me. But the snag is the cost.

I called a “business satellite specialist” and was told that my bill will come in at $13,000 for the installation I’d need to run a business quality dish on my RV. And then there is the monthly fee, ranging from $179 per month up to $599 per month. PER MONTH! This is not a viable option for most small business owners, IMHO. It’s not viable for me right now.

If you are interested in learning more about mobile (read expensive) options for business, visit: http://www.mobilsat.com/ or http://www.groundcontrol.com.

In conclusion, I see no real options other than DSL (which currently has me on the back end of a 12-day wait for service) or taking my chances with the bandwidth available through cable. Even DSL is subject to dramatic fluctuations in quality of service, depending on where you live.

I live in Kentucky, a state ranked 32 in the line-up for ISP onramp and download speeds. Rhode Island, the top ranked state, is over five times faster than South Dakota, nearly ten times as fast as Alaska and is over three times as fast as my own state. Check out the broadband statistics on your own state.

With the current lack of viable options and an ever-increasing demand for Internet access I can only imagine what it will be like in a few more years as the lag in the infrastructure and broadband service in the USA becomes even more evident.

According to current reports, the median download speed in the USA is just under 2 megabits per second, whereas in Japan, the median is over 60 megabits. Discouraging isn’t it? How will those of us who work on the web in the states compete online with substandard broadband?

It’s a serious concern for those who live and work online. It’s time to push for real alternatives. Not later, but now.

Stupid Human Tricks: Extending the Range of a Remote With Your Mouth

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I was talking with a client this morning, and got the best chuckle of the past two weeks. He informed me that he was recently told that he could use his mouth to amplify the signal from his car remote.

He said that he gave it a try this morning and holding the device on his chin, and with an open mouth, the range was dramatically extended. I nearly had a stitch in my side I laughed so hard. (I think he was offended.)

So, in an effort to find something, ANYTHING on the web about this… I did a search. And I found this little video. I’ve quit laughing at my client now, but I’m still not sure I’m ready to stick a remote to my chin and let my mouth gape open in public. I mean, SERIOUSLY, as if it isn’t difficult enough to appear to be a normal human being on a daily basis without this demonstration!



Boost Car Remote With Skull – video powered by Metacafe

Your Office Technology: Just Enough or Too Much?

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As remote professionals, we are required to maintain a rather “high-tech” office with leading edge tech tools, programs and equipment. Often, we get “caught up” in our technology. If we are bitten by the tech bug, we can end up with a bundle of these tools that cost us more time than they save. Something as simple as buying a new cell phone requires research, time and sometimes hours of programming. Ditto for a new “land-line” phone system for a business.

How do you determine what’s “just enough” and what is “too much” where office and technology tools are concerned?

Needs Assessment

Once a year, you should assess your current “mission critical” programs and hardware to determine if you need to upgrade or replace them. It’s a good idea to do this before the end of your fiscal year, to expense out what you need on the old year, or to know that you need to hold it for the upcoming business year.

Remember that if you upgrade or replace, there will be a learning curve. Even what appear to be “simple” upgrades will impact your productivity and the amount of time required to turn around projects in the immediate future. Don’t replace mission critical software and hardware during your busy season. Schedule these changes when you will have time to acquaint yourself with your new gadgets and gizmos.

Software Purchase Considerations

First, you should only buy software (and hardware) you actually need to provide the services you offer. For example, don’t buy the latest version of “Dreamweaver” unless you already are a web designer/web programmer or you plan in the IMMEDIATE future to learn this new, complex software program.

Our industry is filled with the best intentions to learn new skills which require new tools. Don’t purchase until you have the time, the money and the desire to take on a big new educational leap and can honestly sacrifice the billable hours to do so. If you buy it now and it’s a few months before you can muster up the strength to begin learning it, your program will be the “old” version.

Alternative: Online Options

Consider lowering your investment in software by utilizing online alternatives like Google Docs, Backpackit, or Zoho rather than purchasing and installing all the software you need.

  • Lower cost (usually free)
  • No installation or upgrades needed
  • Uses most common file formats
  • Most allow you to save your personal documents on your own computer
  • Storing them online means you can access your files from anywhere

Warning: Read the privacy policy carefully for any online service providers and beware of storing sensitive information online on someone else’s server.

Alternative: Open Source Options

Consider the plethora of open source options for paid software programs you currently use. I’ve found several extremely useful and high-performance open source programs: Gimp for image manipulation and Open Office for basic productivity programs and WordPress for my blogging engine. (These actually crash less often than the “big name” programs I used before.)

  • Cost is either low or free
  • Updates are also low or no-cost
  • Security on these “group effort” program are pretty good
  • Programs tend to be stable once they are listed as non-alpha/non-beta versions

Warning: Regular updates will have to be done on open source options and some (but not all) require a higher level of technical expertise than the commercial versions.

Hardware Purchase Considerations

When purchasing a new computer, resist the temptation to buy the “latest and greatest” model. Unless you are in a high-tech niche where the clients or the industry requires cutting edge equipment, you will save hundreds of dollars and many hours of your time each year if you drop back one (or more) steps from the top of the line.

Personally, I find the pricing “sweet spot” for a new computer at one or two generations back. This is usually a machine that has been on the market for a few weeks or even a few months and has been recently “trumped” by the next shiny model. The prices are cut to clear out the old and make way for the new and the only sacrifice is usually a tiny bit of CPU speed (which you probably won’t notice unless you are handling multimedia projects) and maybe a new flashy feature or two.

Going one or two steps back also retains the value of the computer for you as a user and prevents the need for a near-future replacement. I would not buy a computer model that is more than 7-8 months old, however. Technology becomes outdated too quickly to invest your time and energy into tweaking a new system with all your software and your personalized settings if you are going to be replacing it in less than a year or two.

Recognize that “one device to do it all” options are great, but are usually more expensive and will require more time to learn than simpler options. So, if you don’t need all of the extra bells and whistles, avoid the fancy stuff.

Maintain What You Use

Do not update your software to the latest version immediately. Do so only as you must to keep your security levels high and to stay in step with the version the majority of your clients are using. Deciding NOT to be on the cutting edge will save you money and it will save you time. It will also ensure that you don’t become one of the many unsuspecting and unpaid beta-testers for newly released (and usually extremely buggy) software.

  • Run regular diagnostics and maintenance programs on your computer
  • Update your adware/spyware/anti-virus programs and run full-system scans religiously
  • Create regular, timely backups (at least once a week — preferably daily)
  • Get critical security updates for your software and operating system
  • Use a firewall, use strong passwords, don’t share your business machine with family members

When working in our industry, a solid working system that’s a little older is much better than the latest and greatest that crashes in the middle of a project or makes you burn the midnight oil to figure it out before you can begin your next workday. Keep your perspective and remember that technology is supposed to serve you and simplify the way you work. If that’s not happening, you may want to re-evaluate your tech tools.

Technology is great fun for the geeks among us, but it can absorb big chunks of what SHOULD be billable time during your workday… so proceed with caution, consideration, and care.

A Fix-It-Yourself Resource for Technology, Tools and Gadgets

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If you have a problem with a particular product or gadget and you can’t find the information you need on the manufacturer’s site, you now have a resource to help you troubleshoot.

www.FixYa.com is an Israeli website and how-to community with the desire to be the world’s largest support community and online knowledgebase. FixYa hopes to bridge the gap between an increasing lack in manufacturer support and customer demand for technical assistance.

Personally, I’ve already bookmarked this resource and may even hop over there later and write a few “how-to” articles to help support the community myself! In the meantime, check it out for your own techie/geek quandaries.