Fastest Dial-Up ISP?

Simpler Times · #1 01/30/07, 12:30 PM

I figure there is no better place to ask this question than here. We live in the boonies (by choice of course) and the only Internet we can get other than satellite is dial-up. I have used AOL for years but am so frustrated with the constant "upgrading your software" interludes and the obnoxious advertising. I'm also frustrated with the $25 price tag. ALL I want is an access point to the net and a decent speed. I have web-based email established already and I use Mozilla as a browser and sometimes IE. I've never used AOL's browser. I recently tried the local provider and it is slow slow slow. So, does anyone on here use NetZero, People PC or some other ISP that is nationwide that they are happy with? What kind of dial up speeds do you get?

jlxian · #2 01/30/07, 01:33 PM

We use People PC and it is adequate. It is less than $15 a month (maybe $9.98?). But I think dial up is dial up is dial up. Ours is slow, we rarely try to log on to anything that involves a video. I am not familiar with the ins and outs of dial up and what affects the speed --- I just figured it had to do with the phone connection. If there is a FAST dial up ISP, I'd love to know about it and hopefully someone here will have that information. I'm glad you asked the question.

jimarh · #3 01/30/07, 01:35 PM

We have been on sisna.com at our house with two computers signing on for over 6 years and love it.

Cheap, realiable, and good support when you need it. We dial up at 56 speed.

fantasymaker · #4 01/30/07, 02:54 PM

can you get cell service?Cingular internet is asfast as fast dial up on its slow days and nearly DSL speed sometimes ...but about$59 or 79

m39fan · #5 01/30/07, 06:10 PM

We use Sysmatrix.net and have been happy. We were at $6.95/mo but they've just had their first increase in 7 years, we now pay $8.95. The best part is there's no need for added software to bog down or take over your machine (AOL and PeoplePC come to mind). This also means you can hook up ANYTHING - Mac, Windows, Linux, etc. We dial in at 28.8K no matter who we go with due to the phone lines here at the house and under ground, so why pay more? We have never failed to get and keep a connection, first time everytime.

HTH,
Mike

FreightTrain · #6 01/30/07, 07:23 PM

ive had good luck with ATT internet service used with ATT coverage on the landline...

net zero was fast but it boots ya offline after a set time... dropping them was a PITA too and i believe the operator was in India

right now im rural and using chilitec http://www.chilitech.com/ and lov em.. havnt been time booted once

free-2-b-me · #7 01/30/07, 07:36 PM

I use localnet.com Have had it for 6 years . I have the accelerator and it is pretty good . I pay a toal of $135.00 a year . My connection speed ranges from 19500bps To 33000bps . Most of the speed depends on your phone lines . I have a 56k modem .
I have used 2 of the local dialup services and the stunk (always getting disconected or extremly slow). Localnet has been good . I can only count a few times over the last 6 years that I have had any problems . I have had more problems with the phone lines causing trouble.

Alice In TX/MO · #8 01/30/07, 08:03 PM

If you have a small local phone company like we do, ask if they are also an internet service provider. Local is always better.

HermitJohn · #9 01/30/07, 08:20 PM

Yuck, probably dont want PPC or NetZero. Personally I'd even pick AOL over those two since AOL lowered price to $9.95. My ex has AOL and the two local numbers they offer here are as good as any, better than many. Course I use Linux so could connect without AOL software. There is a 3rd party linux program called Penggy that mimicks AOLs proprietary connection method. Penggy works great.

Saying that, there are lot better choices than AOL. Go to www.freedomlist.com and they have huge list of available dialup isps. Right now I am using one called www.erweb.net. Ten bucks a month for unlimited connection. On the ball customer service also. They even offer a 15 day free trial period and no hassles to cancel. I have to say lately my connection occasionally sort of goes dead where my connection software still shows me connected but I cant surf. If I hang up and reconnect, then I can surf. Not sure what thats all about and if it continues I may change providers. And I apparently am in a local area that can get wireless broadband which may be practical for me and would mean no more dialup needed. I still havent looked into it. Not even sure their representative could get up my driveway to check if I could get the microwave signal. Summer probably better time to look into it.

WolfWalksSoftly · #10 01/31/07, 03:41 AM

I have had excellent results with Toast.net.
No extra software to track you with..just a simple dialer.
It comes with an accelerator (seperate download but free)
And costs just 9.95 a month. I almost never get booted off-line and am very pleased with their product.

www.Toast.net

Westwood · #11 01/31/07, 04:43 AM

Really, the speed you connect at depends on the condition of your phone line. Out here in the sticks, I was really impressed that our phone lines were buried cable and should be fine. The PROBLEM is that rather than increase the pairs in this area, they put splitters on the lines to handle the new phone load. That's all well and good for phone connections, but it limits internet speeds to 22.2 on what would easily have been a 56K line without the splitters. Luckily, the local ISP invested in wireless technology. We get a wireless signal between that's between Tier I and TierII DSL speed WAY out here where it's 30 miles to anywhere.

Cindy in KY · #12 01/31/07, 05:10 AM

I had dial-up for years before DSL came way out here. You can search for a modem string (secret code) that will make your computer dial up fast each and every time. Mine dialed up at 56K every time (56K modem). It works!

I would put my PC make and model # & modem strings into google, and would find lists of different codes to try in my modem settings. Sometimes you have to try several to get one to work for your computer. After dialing up, put your mouse by the little computer by the clock and see what speed you're dialed up at. If still slow, (28 is way slow) find another code, maybe have to re-start and try again. This really works for dial up. Even the phone guy couldn't believe I dialed up that fast......

I had MSN for years and a really nice tech guy told me about them.

Liese · #13 01/31/07, 05:28 AM

We are using Access550, it is now $6/month. When I was checking different providers I noticed that they listed the same phone numbers, so my thought was " if I am dialing up on the same number why pay a higher fee, the speed can't be any greater". However where I am the lines are old, I have a hum that they have not been able to clear up-the service guy said "everyone around here has a hum". They are now offering Broadband Lite at $20/month but it's hard to justify spending $240/yr for something I am getting at $72. Yes, it's slow and I lose connections...oh, well.

Cindy, thanks for your suggestion I am going to try it out. Liese