What Are the Best Internet Access Options for Rural Areas?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on internet access options for rural areas, highlighting the limitations of dial-up, satellite, and Verizon MiFi services. Users report dial-up's maximum speed of 56kb/s and a 200MB daily limit for satellite as inadequate. A T1 line is mentioned as a potential option, but its high cost of $450 per month is prohibitive. Suggestions include exploring high-gain WiFi antennas for sharing connections and using DSL Reports to identify local providers.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of internet connection types (dial-up, satellite, DSL, T1)
  • Familiarity with high-gain WiFi antennas and their applications
  • Knowledge of local internet service providers and their offerings
  • Basic skills in using online tools like DSL Reports for service comparisons
NEXT STEPS
  • Research high-gain WiFi antenna setups for long-distance connections
  • Explore alternative wireless internet service providers in your area
  • Investigate the feasibility and costs of installing a T1 line
  • Utilize DSL Reports to compare local internet service providers and their performance
USEFUL FOR

Rural residents, internet service seekers, and anyone exploring options for reliable internet access in low-connectivity areas.

ƒ(x)
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I was just wondering what my options are for internet access.

Things I've tried:
Dial-up (unlimited monthly data WOOHOO! but at the max speed of 56kb/s it's only 14MB...)
Satellite (sucked tremendously, 200MB daily download limit)
Verizon mifi (currently using, still pretty bad, 5GB download limit)

My house is close to town but on a hill, so the companies don't want to lay cables. As far as I know the only other option is a T1 line (the line to my house already exists), but that costs upwards of $450 a month.

Anything ideas for better internet?
 
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Dsl?
 
fss said:
Dsl?

Nope. When the company installed the lines they used something to boost the voice quality, but that something also prevents dsl.
 
The route a military base uses for it's cables goes right alongside the border of my property.
 
ƒ(x) said:
Dial-up (unlimited monthly data WOOHOO! but at the max speed of 56kb/s it's only 14MB...)

5000 Bytes/Second*3600 Seconds/Hour*24 Hours/Day*30+ Days/Month=13 gigabytes.
A second phone line is often inexpensive and you get 26 gigabytes.

Or find a friendly person in town who is line of sight from you, you split the cost of unlimited internet access, you put a high gain wifi antenna at each end carefully aimed at each other and see if it works. Some people get surprising distances with fairly simple equipment.
 
Cable internet?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cable_Internet_providers#United_States

If you punch in your zip code at DSL Reports, you can get a list of providers in your area. Then hop on over to the forums and figure out what service / saturation is like in your area with the particular providers.
http://www.dslreports.com/
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Verizon mifi is your best option until dsl or cable becomes available. It might be worth checking to see if any other wireless services are available. Dialup is just too slow.
 

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