AT&T High Speed Internet

[OverEasy]

Hi all,
* I don't know much about anything computer*

When HSI became available out here in the woods I signed up for the $14.99/ mo special. My year has gone by and now all of a sudden I have AT&T Yahoo HSI Express for $29.99/mo, minus $10 discount = $19.99/mo. I didn't do anything.

Before I call AT&T, I need some advice. They have a Basic HSI with 768Kbps download, @$14.99/mo. The Express has 1.5Mbps download @$19.99/mo. I guess that's what I have now?

1) I have a tiny copper wire that goes about 1/4 of a mile down the road to the bunker where the fiberoptic starts.
2) When I download something big like the CDNN catalog the box that pops up during the download says I'm downloading @ 180KB/sec and it drops down to 160KB/sec.

Should I:
A) Tell them I want the Basic @$14.99/mo and try to save $5/mo?
B) Keep the Express @$19.99/mo and keep my mouth shut?
C) Get somebody to look for a problem with my computer because it only downloads @ 160KB/sec?

Regards, OE This stuff is passing me by! I still listen to cassette tapes and watch VHS movies and I don't have a digital camera.

[3dfxMM]

160 KB/sec is approximately 1.3 Mbps so you are getting close to your maximum already.

[Mithras61]

Actually,

D) You're getting what you paid for (don't confuse KB and Kb).

Just so you know, 160KB is 1280 Kb per second (1 Byte = 8 bits), which is about 1.5Mb (if you subtract packet overhead - the data that tells sequence order, destination, source and so on). If you are happy with the speed, stay where you are. if you can live with it being half as fast (nope, not gonna make that joke ) for 3/4 the price, drop back to the Basic.

[Dan20703]

Keep the express. That's what I have, it's worth the $5 for twice the speed =)

+1

[OverEasy]

Thank you all!!

After reading your posts I learned that I know less than I thought I did.

I had no idea that KB and Kb were not the same. I never can remember whether "mega" or "kilo" is bigger.

Way back when in Jr. high, they tried to switch my class to "New Math". We didn't have a text book, the teacher made copies of handouts for us. She didn't know what was going on and I never figured it out. Some stuff about "less than, more than, equivalent to"? That's why I ended up as a business major instead of an engineer.

Anyway, I love my computer it gets me on the internet. But I have no idea how it works. When I took computer science we were using a machine that punched holes in cards and the computer read the cards.

Thanks again! I'm straightened out now until the next computer problem.

I think I'm going to go shoot. I understand that and I like it too!, OE

[Keith B]

I had no idea that KB and Kb were not the same. I never can remember whether "mega" or "kilo" is bigger.

Glad you like your DSL service, since that service is my teams responsibility.

Just as an FYI, Mega is bigger (Mega = million, Kilo = thousand.)

[Kalrog]

Just as an FYI, Mega is bigger (Mega = million, Kilo = thousand.)

And then there is giga, tera, peta (in that order).

I had to help a friend learn some networking stuff the other day. Just be thankful that you aren't trying to teach a right brained person how to do network addressing and subnetting in binary (although I don't know how in the world you would do it in decimal - and he was trying). And he wants to get his CCNA...

[rm9792]

160 KB/sec is approximately 1.3 Mbps so you are getting close to your maximum already.

Also, just because you were downloading only 160k doesnt mean it is your connection. There are multiple connections and servers involved and you will download at only the maximum of the slowest point. Example, if CDNN can onlyupload to you at 32k then thats what you will download at. Your connection speed is irrelevant. Where you having higher speeds comes into play is multiple downloads.

[cyphur]

Just as an FYI, Mega is bigger (Mega = million, Kilo = thousand.)

And then there is giga, tera, peta (in that order).

I had to help a friend learn some networking stuff the other day. Just be thankful that you aren't trying to teach a right brained person how to do network addressing and subnetting in binary (although I don't know how in the world you would do it in decimal - and he was trying). And he wants to get his CCNA...

I'm just waiting til IPv6 goes mainstream - thats when the headaches start.

[KC5AV]

Yeah, then we all have to start counting in hex.

[cyphur]

Yeah, then we all have to start counting in hex.

Hex doesn't worry me as much as how many people will screw up the notation, making things difficult for us network engineers.

[KC5AV]

Yeah. It always comes back to the user in the end, doesn't it?

[Kalrog]

I'm just waiting til IPv6 goes mainstream - thats when the headaches start.

True. And the fact that your IP address will change based on your NIC (right - some MAC address component in the IP address). Wow. Very tough.

[flintknapper]

Keep the express. That's what I have, it's worth the $5 for twice the speed =)

Yup,

16 cents a day!

I lose more than that every time I sit on the couch.


Keep it.