Dial-up

[SARGE]

I built my parents a unit they used at their Sears store in June and put Win7 on it. Store closed and now Mom has the screamer at home and only has dial-up. At least now she has chunked the HP and Compaq junk I kept running all these years. I understand Win7 doesn't make nice with dial-up. Is it the modems, and if so, what can I get her? Btw, I built a unit everyone here would love to have and to have it suffer dial-up rankles me. All she can get.

[glc]

Does the computer have a serial port? If so, take one of your old Supras out there and try it. I betcha it will work.

[strollin]

I've never tried setting up a dialup connection in Win 7 since I no longer have a landline at my house but don't think there is an issue since there is still the ability to create a DUN connection. Where did you get the info that Win 7 doesn't play nice with dialup?

As glc said, if you hook up a modem, it should work.

[glc]

As long as Win 7 recognizes the modem.......

Doing a bit more research, this may be a problem. I looked in the Win 7 64 bit add modem list, and the only devices are the standard modem types. Standard 56000 may not work.

On the Zoom site, their 56k serial modems only work with 32 bit Windows 7. You may have to buy an internal or USB modem that specifically has drivers.

[SARGE]

I was told by my local lady geek who has her shop. Was getting a new modem for Mom's HP or Compaq, I forget. I know it was running Vista which was slow even though I'd maxed out Ram. She said to put XP on it and when I asked about Win7, is when she said a conflict. I used an Asus P7H55-M Pro, Win7 32-bit, Home Premium and a WD black. No serial port anyway and I am not scrounging up a board with one plus Ram, etc. Her line quality poor as well.

I'm wondering if an Ipad and use AT&T for cell service is the way to go? Or her new laptop with a usb thing to connect to AT&T cell tower.

[glc]

One of your Supras may work with 32 bit Win 7. A serial port card isn't expensive, and the Supra is sure going to work better than a winmodem on a crappy line.

Newegg.com - Rosewill Single Serial Port PCI Card Model RC-300

You could plug an AT&T USB aircard into a desktop.

[Tin]

The aircard should definitely be considered. A friend of mine lives out in the boonies and doesnt have any local ISPs to get broadband, so he got a Verizon USB aircard. He gets a steady connection of 3Mb down and 768Kb up.

[strollin]

If you go the cellular route, get one of the "Mobile Hotspot" devices which are a router and aircard in one that allows up to 5 devices to connect. That way the desktop, laptop, Ipad, etc... could connect all at once if desired. If there is 4G support in their area they could get really decent bandwidth.

[SARGE]

AT&T definately has service out there as all us kids use our cells there - first question store asked me. She suggested a "data plan", no cell service/phones required, and even sell me an Ipad and get it set up at store, then take it to Mom. $25 month for 2gb, $10 for each 1gb overage. I've never used one and wonder about a keyboard. If it's all this simple, my dreams have come true!!!!!! I just don't know how much 2gb usage is. She checks e-mail and banking only as connection so bad. BUT, if she gets this, she may use alot more. Is 2gb a bunch?

[Tin]

It really depends on her browsing habits. My friend and his wife are Facebook junkies and have the 5GB per month plan, which is a little high ($50), but they havent gone over as far as I know. If shes not downloading any larger files, 2GB should be enough. I use my phone all the time away from home, and I havent cracked 2GB yet.

[glc]

Why get an iPad when she already has a computer?

AT&T may have service out there, but is it 3G? If not, the speed will be no better than dialup.

[SARGE]

Originally Posted by glc Why get an iPad when she already has a computer? AT&T may have service out there, but is it 3G? If not, the speed will be no better than dialup.

How can her PC connect to wireless satellite? Modem? I thought that's what Iphones and Ipads do - wireless. As for 3g, will have to check on that. Her dial-up is terrible - says can take 15 minutes just to open a page. Probably getting 14.4, or less.

[glc]

It can connect with a USB aircard, the same thing you can buy for a laptop. It's not satellite, it's cellular.

Wireless Internet Card | LaptopConnect cards - AT&T BusinessDirect® | Premier Business Center

[SARGE]

I know about satellite/tower; a brain fart b4 coffee. You'll be old someday yourself. I drove out there and my Iphone stayed on 3G. AT&T store not real helpful, just a bunch of young kids who seem impatient with an old fart asking questions. They show me their Ipad which they can set up right there, then take it to Mom and show her a few things and be gone. I asked about using her PC and they ignored me, said not good - that was 2 days in a row. Do I have to haul her PCs in to them or is their a disk? My Uverse is a direct connect and Iphone they set up at store. I'm rambling, but am new at this. AT&T just looks at me and says let them set up the Ipad. Sorry.

[glc]

Did you read the page I linked?

Go back to the store and tell them you want to buy a USB LaptopConnect card with a DataConnect plan. It will come with AT&T Communication Manager. The computer does not have to be brought to the store. If the store still plays dumb, call 866-429-7222.

[strollin]

As I said earlier, if you get the "mobile hotspot" from AT&T, which is a combined aircard AND router, your mom will be able to use it with her desktop, laptop, iPad or whatever. Also, there would not be a need for the AT&T Communication Manager software that glc mentioned, so less setup.

[Bob338]

Would that AT&T combo with router, enable use of it for a small home network?

[glc]

Yes, that's what it's for.

[Bob338]

Out in the sticks where I live, that may be the answer to my prayers!! Thanks.

I'm on a morphodite system now which relies on radio to a tower on a mountain, and then into regular telephone lines. Just barely faster than dial-up.

[glc]

You have to be very careful not to exceed your monthly bandwidth quota with a cellular Internet plan.

[Bob338]

Thanks again. I figured that might be a problem. My next learning experience will be to figure what I use and the relationship between my use and bandwidth as I have absolutely no concept. Saw a thread the other day on the subject, which only helped to let me know how little I do know!!

PS Don't want to hijack Sarge's thread so when I get stumped I'll post my own. I download a fair amount of financial data. The rest is 'cruising' about 6 or 7 forums and about 5 news sites. Not heavy at all, but maybe too much for an inexpensive connection. Also consideration for long distance telephoning and some international, that I get pretty cheap now from AT&T. I'd use Verizon if I can for the venture. I'll post another thread on the subject in a week or so.

[SARGE]

No matter the costs, the least hardware involved the better for me, thus says the situation. Teaching her to use a touchscreen would be a snap vs her consistent PC problems. All she has to do is hold the Ipad in her lap on couch, patio, etc. No mouse, no monitor, no card, no cords. I'll even buy me one so I can get used to it then tutor her over the phone when she has a snag. It's that big a deal for me. No matter how many times I fix her 3 PCs, there's always something wrong. Sick of fooling with it. Surely she can't screw up an Ipad????????

[strollin]

Originally Posted by Bob338 Out in the sticks where I live, that may be the answer to my prayers!! Thanks. I'm on a morphodite system now which relies on radio to a tower on a mountain, and then into regular telephone lines. Just barely faster than dial-up.

Check out Millenicom to see if they have coverage in your area. They offer cellular broadband with both unlimited and limited data plans, depending on how much data you use per month.

[strollin]

Originally Posted by SARGE No matter the costs, the least hardware involved the better for me, thus says the situation. Teaching her to use a touchscreen would be a snap vs her consistent PC problems. All she has to do is hold the Ipad in her lap on couch, patio, etc. No mouse, no monitor, no card, no cords. I'll even buy me one so I can get used to it then tutor her over the phone when she has a snag. It's that big a deal for me. No matter how many times I fix her 3 PCs, there's always something wrong. Sick of fooling with it. Surely she can't screw up an Ipad????????

Sounds like you really want to go with the iPad and are just looking for validation. If all your mom does is check email and banking then I'm sure the iPad would fit the bill. You'll need to go with one of the more expensive 3G models, a 16G 3G iPad2 goes for $629 on the Apple site.

2G of data would probably be OK unless she starts streaming movies, music or YouTube videos. Those kinds of things chew up a lot of data quickly.