cox@ home - buy modem or rent?

[bdog]

Cox@home cable modem service is finally available in my area. They are telling me that I can either buy a cable modem from them for $250 or rent one for $15 a month. Which is the better route? Can you buy cable modems elsewhere for cheaper? If I buy one is it going to be outdated soon?

[jad1097]

I don't have an option to rent one with intermedia@home. How much a month is it including the rental? I pay $45 +tax and $10 for basic cable.

If you plan on keeping cable acess for more than 14 months it is worth it. I don't see it being outdated since the cable modems are not used to their fullest potental. I think they are rated at something like 20 or 30Mbps.

YOu can get more info @ http://www.cablemodeminfo.com/

[rrick31]

so is a cable modem a bnc network card.i had heard that some where.i am little fuzzy in this area.thanks

[jad1097]

Also if you move it will need to be reprogramed. I say this because when I moved they brought me a new one out and told me this. They also told me if I tried to connect it to the cable at my new place I would fry it and have to replace it. I did try to connect it and never had to pay for a new one but the old one did not work at my new place.

[Toadman]

My @home service is $44.95/mo to rent the Motorola Cybersurfer, $29.95 if you own the modem.

[Gutter Ball]

That's strange, my modem is included in my monthly fee of $29.95 Canadian! I also received free installation. I guess each @Home provider is different?

[Jal]

I pay $34.95/month Canadian for @home

Modem included. Free Installation

[bdog]

You all are lucky. I am going to have to pay $45 per month which includes rental of the cable modem. I also get charged $119 for installation. I guess these guys know that they have a monopoly in our area. Oh well. I get it installed at 8:00 tomorrow morning.

[Toadman]

Yep, Monopoly here as well. No DSL stations within 10 miles

[Jal]

BDog: Don't let them touch your computer. This will affect your install cost.

For my area anyhow.. Installation for $150 = Cable line run, and installation of the kit.

Free if you install the kit yourself, they still come to run the cable and check the signal.

Kit is a CD (Don't install it), and a Nic card.. If you can do the card install yourself, save yourself some $$ All the IP info you need to setup your network neighbourhood is on the work order.

I heard many horror stories when they install the CD Software. Even if you get them to install the Nic, keep the CD away from your computer http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

(Here in Toronto at least)

No matter , you will love Cable.. Welcome to the @home zone.

[jad1097]

@homes latest software is 2.0. I don't use any of their ****.It took their tech about an hour to get the NIC installed in my 486 and he whined the whole time about how slow the POS was. We only paid $50 for installation. The ***** did not leave me anything! Not even drivers for the NIC. I had to go to the store and buy another NIC and return it after I copied the drivers one night. Anyway the card cost about $70 so I think I got a good deal.

You do not need any of their software as long as you can set up the NIC. Their homepage is http://www and that will take you to it. Make sure you get the tweaks from http://www.speedguide.net/ they do help.

When I moved they had some guy drop off my modem and he told me the tech would be out latter that day, he never showed. After three calls to @home I finally got someone who could give me our new IP address and the rest of the new settings.



[This message has been edited by jad1097 (edited 05-01-2000).]

[Toadman]

You really only need your assigned Computer name (CXxxxxxxx) and your workgroup "@home" to get up and running. have the installer write down your NIC IP as well as client IP. Installed mine 3-4 times already, and kept the same static IP. AS soon as installer is out the door, install zonealarm and A TCP receive patch (http://navasgrp.home.att.net/tech/cable_dsl.htm) http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[bdog]

Thanks for all the replies. I have got my nic installed and am wanting to get everything set up before they get here. I really don't want them touching my computer. Do I just set up the nic to get everything from a dhcp server or what?

[Gutter Ball]

Bdog, you'll like it. My service isn't really stable(tons of router problems = lost packets :/) But when it works, it's fast fast fast! I agree with Jal, don't use their CD, you can just change the settings in your current browser. The @home assistant isn't so great anyway http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif My cable modem install was a horror story...appointment was for Jan.5th 2000, the modem didn't get up and running until mid-Feb. http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/frown.gif The installers were very incompetent! Oh, and I'd back up your system before they put the network card in. I had to restore my system after the tech came and messed it all up! After the network card went in, TCPIP and all the other network stuff wasn't working properly(the tech installed "the latest files/drivers" whatever!) so I had to restore and install the thing myself. Who knows...maybe yours will go without a hitch http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[Rookie]

Hi Jal, what kinda horror stories from using the @home cd?
I just got mine, comcast put in a nic and gave me @home 1.7

am fiddling with the net settings, e.g. you don't need the @home assistant ect.

@home puts in the following files that aren't necessary to go online:
repsh module
tgshell module
ahshell

got those filenames from Enditall version 1.0.0.33 from Zif-Davis

and regcleanr 2.7 from Jouni Vuorio www.saunalahti.fi.jv16/ (http://www.saunalahti.fi.jv16/)

anyother files installed from the cd that aren't necessary to go online?
Thanks

[Jal]

Rookie: When they got hold of my computer and installed the CD (1.2 at that time) It messed up my IE. Constant system lockups, and I ended up wiping the system, and reloading everything.

I have heard of 2 others that ended up formatting to save some time. Also others with the system working fine, hate to see the @Home header on top of their IE.

I'm a bit of a freak when it comes to loading stuff on my PC. I keep it as clean as possible, and hate any junk that gets loaded on it.

Bdog: You are all set, get ready to fly! You will never look back. Errmmm you might go to hotmail though, cause @home mail servers are real nasty for downtime and losing mail in transit. The settings you need for your Network Neighbourhood should be on the work order when they come.

[mattheadfat]

shaw@home for me and it's 39 bucks canadian a month, free network card and the modem rental is included. also, with my service if i can get a friend on @home and use me as a referal, i get a free month

[Jal]

RutRow... Not heard from Bdog since.


Wonder if Bdog got curious and peeked at that crappy @home CD..


POOF! Up in smoke