Broadband question.

[JDarvall]

Hello,

Got a question about broadband I was hoping someone could kindly answer.

I've got dialup and it seems to take forever. Heard all this talk about broadband speeding things up imensely, and I was wondering ......will it improve things even if I have an old computer. Actually I don't even know if it is old.

This is what I've got.
Windows 98
HP 6511
500 Mhz processer
4 mb shared video memory
8 gb hard drive

What you think, is it worht getting broadband ?

Thanks
Jake

[Cliff Rogers]

How much system memory?

Broardband will speed up you internet but... your PC will need to have a USB or a LAN socket to connect to the Broardband modem.

Make sure you have one our the other & let the supplier know which one you have.

[ozwinner]

This is what I've got.
Windows 98
HP 6511
500 Mhz processer
4 mb shared video memory
8 gb hard drive




http://www.ubeaut.biz/chuckle.gifhttp://www.ubeaut.biz/chuckle.gifhttp://www.ubeaut.biz/chuckle.gif

Sorry but I couldnt help it......
Send it to a museum.....:p

Al

[Fat Pat]

Buy a new "Box" for $600. i.e. keep all of your peripherals, and you will be AMAZED at what broadband can do.

It's fecking fast, I just got it myself.

Go for it!

[Gumby]

http://www.ubeaut.biz/chuckle.gifhttp://www.ubeaut.biz/chuckle.gifhttp://www.ubeaut.biz/chuckle.gif

Sorry but I couldnt help it......
Send it to a museum.....:p

Al

Old or not, it will still run broadband. It's all about modem speed really and even old machines are up to it for the most part. What you have now isn't slow because of your computer, it's because of the dialup. Get BB.

[Auld Bassoon]

http://www.ubeaut.biz/chuckle.gifhttp://www.ubeaut.biz/chuckle.gifhttp://www.ubeaut.biz/chuckle.gif

Sorry but I couldnt help it......
Send it to a museum.....:p

Al

I thought much the same, but didn't want to upset Jake:)

It surely is an ancient piece of kit though:eek:

Jake mate: old tools are GOOD. Old computers are JUNK!

With BB it'll be faster on the 'net for sure - but will it run the current browser versions, and security / firewall stuff - I doubt it:(

I know: priorities, priorities - at least you're on here and contributing mightily:) for which, thanks:) :)

Cheers!

[antisense]

With the specifications of you computer running windows 98, the computer would presumably be running relatively ok..

I'm sure it takes a while to open internet explorer or outlook express etc, but the main thing to consider here is the speed at which you can download data (ie your connection speed).

Everything you veiw on the web is simply a series of code that is interpreted by your internet browser before it is displayed as a nicely coloured web page or whatever. Before a web page can be displayed, the components of that page such as the HTML code, and any images that comprise the web page must first be downloaded from the internet to your machine.

For this reason, connection is the key element.

Broadband would be HEAPS faster than 56k modem. I can guarantee that you will see a vast improvement in web page loading times.

The main thing to be wary of when signing up for broadband is to avoid long term contracts. Go for six months initially. Also, avoid accounts that have a download limit of say 200MB. You will likely exceed this and then have to pay excess usage costs which are ridiculously high.

Anyway, hope that helps :rolleyes:

[Grunt]

Which ISP was discussed at length in this thread (http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=20927&highlight=Internode)

Termite originally went with Telstra but they stuffed him around so he went with Internode.

[Termite]

Which ISP was discussed at length in this thread (http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=20927&highlight=Internode)

Termite originally went with Telstra but they stuffed him around so he went with Internode.
And bloody glad I did too. If I thought that I wouldn't be accused of spamming I'd tell you what a fantastic ISP they are. But I won't.:D

[Bodgy]

You must get broadband. When we put on ADSL it ended up the same as the dial up in $$. Can't see how you have managed your Forum activity with dial up. Like the others say get a bit more memory if poss. What you do on the Net is not that processor intensive.

Re an ISP I went Peoplesoft after much research. No problems www.people.net.au (http://www.people.net.au) We've got a few notebooks (kids, HI work etc) all connected up wirelessly. Even with a couple surfing speed is still fine.

Hope your exchange can take ADSL.

[Harry72]

AT it'll run BB with ease...

My dinosaur is only a P3/600B with 98se runs no worries, the only things your PC may slow down on is things like flashplayer cartoons/films or winows media player.(a cheap video card and some more ram will fix it... go the flea markets/ebay prob cost less than 20 bucks)

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Go broadband. It will increase your 'net access speeds. When ya get enough coin, upgrade your box and you'll see better speeds again.

Natural order of upgrade. ;)

[JDarvall]

Thanks everyone

The computer I've got has 64MB 100Mhz SDRAM. Guessing thats system memory Cliff ?

Definetly get broadband then. 6 month plan.

Thanks

[Iain]

With the price of memory today, go bigger.
At least 256m but more if you can afford it.
I run 600g of memory and 1g RAM but I do a hell of a lot of video editing and download and forget for a while.
300g is under $200.

[Ianab]

Yup.. put an extra 256 mb of ram in the old beast, it wont cost much and will give it a new lease of life. Run Windows update to load all the security patches, and install AVG antivirus, ZoneAlarm firewall and AdAware (all free and fast to download once you have broadband).
If all you are doing is web surfing, email, digital photos etc then it will work fine. If you want things to happen in 1 sec instead of 5 secs, then splash out and get a nice shiny new machine.

If your machine doesn't have a network connection built in you should be able to get a basic network card for ~$15 new, more reliable / faster than using a USB connection to router.

BTW my spare PC is a 300mhz one I was given for nothing - now it's got 380mb of ram + a network card and runs XP with all it's extras fine. I does bog down a bit trying to play videos and fancy animations sometimes, but it's perfectly useable untill I repair my 'good' 800mhz machine. :o

The kids have purloined the best machine to play their games on :rolleyes:

Cheers

Ian

[Bodgy]

Mr Tripper. Very good point regarding protecting your machine once you're on broadband. You will immediately become a soft target. Unprotected the integrity of your system will last approximately 5 minutes, once you connect.

You must have anti virus, anti spam and a firewall. All such may be downloaded for free off the 'net.

Also read very carefully the fine print on the ISP offers. Particularly traffic and download limits and excess fees.

Don't be put off by any of this, the minor hassles are well worth it.

[meerkat]

if you can afford it upgrade, make it a chrissy present for you/the family.

Use the old one as a PC for SWMBO or the kids etc, a small network is good to reduce the arguments.

My dad is running 98 and connected to broadband, it took us both a while to get on :o but now ..... it's like using a dozer instead of a shovel its a huge difference.

Also consider a wirelesss network but if you do make sure you secure it otherwise people can get in real easy.

and don't forget protection, if it's not on it's not on... that is the firewall and anti virus of course :D

Andrew

[JDarvall]

Great stuff. The sort of Info I can relie on. Thanks again.

One more question.......is it true you can make regular phone calls while you are on the net at the same time with broadband. or do you have to install a second line ?

Thanks.

[Bodgy]

Great stuff. The sort of Info I can relie on. Thanks again.

One more question.......is it true you can make regular phone calls while you are on the net at the same time with broadband. or do you have to install a second line ?

Thanks.

Absolutely, part of what you get with the Adsl MODEM is a line splitter that plugs in to your phone socket and allows concurrent phone calls and internet actvity.

You may also wish to consider using the 'Net to make phone calls via yr PC (or a seperate 'Net phone). This is termed VOIP and is soon to become the biggest thing in telephony. Bit pointless for local calls, but HUGE savings for long distance, particularly O/S.

This is a big subject to discuss here, so suggest you get live on ADSL first then address this topic, if it is appropriate for you.

[anthonyd]

Go here (http://bc.whirlpool.net.au/bc-plan.cfm) to find the best boradband ISP/plan.

[kiwigeo]

Bit pointless for local calls, but HUGE savings for long distance, particularly O/S.



I get all local and interstate calls for 18c fixed price on my Internode VOIP service.

[Termite]

I get all local and interstate calls for 18c fixed price on my Internode VOIP service.

Yep, and if it's Nodephone to Nodephone, it's free.