Comments on: What is broadband and how can I watch Netflix without interruption? http://www.askageek.com/2009/06/12/what-is-broadband-and-how-can-i-watch-netflix-without-interruption/ Where Geeks Answer Your Computer and Tech Questions! Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:41:40 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: matt http://www.askageek.com/2009/06/12/what-is-broadband-and-how-can-i-watch-netflix-without-interruption/comment-page-1/#comment-9147 matt Sat, 13 Jun 2009 11:35:54 +0000 http://www.askageek.com/?p=3076#comment-9147 DSL plans from your phone company usually have contacts. You would be better off looking into getting inernet via your cable provider. You will probably want to rent the cable modem, which usually costs about $5 a month instead of buying the modem if you will only be using it for a few months. DSL plans from your phone company usually have contacts. You would be better off looking into getting inernet via your cable provider. You will probably want to rent the cable modem, which usually costs about $5 a month instead of buying the modem if you will only be using it for a few months.

]]> By: tlhead http://www.askageek.com/2009/06/12/what-is-broadband-and-how-can-i-watch-netflix-without-interruption/comment-page-1/#comment-9145 tlhead Sat, 13 Jun 2009 05:14:34 +0000 http://www.askageek.com/?p=3076#comment-9145 thank you!! you did answer my question I just dont think i worded it correctly...are DSL plans a month to month type deal or will i have to agee to contracts? I only need it for about 2 months or less. thank you!! you did answer my question I just dont think i worded it correctly…are DSL plans a month to month type deal or will i have to agee to contracts? I only need it for about 2 months or less.

]]> By: Mark http://www.askageek.com/2009/06/12/what-is-broadband-and-how-can-i-watch-netflix-without-interruption/comment-page-1/#comment-9139 Mark Fri, 12 Jun 2009 20:40:26 +0000 http://www.askageek.com/?p=3076#comment-9139 For some cheaper broadband internet options take a look at this site: http://www.dslreports.com/search For some cheaper broadband internet options take a look at this site: http://www.dslreports.com/search

]]> By: matt http://www.askageek.com/2009/06/12/what-is-broadband-and-how-can-i-watch-netflix-without-interruption/comment-page-1/#comment-9137 matt Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:35:43 +0000 http://www.askageek.com/?p=3076#comment-9137 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadband" rel="nofollow">Broadband</a> really just means a fast internet connection and currently that would include cable and DSL for residential customers. There are a few other options but those are the most available options right now. Your unlimited data plan on your Sprint phone is not really unlimited. If you read the contract it is limited to 5GB of data transfer. To put this in perspective this is probably 4 or 5 Netflix videos. You can connect your computer to your phone to use its data connection and that is called tethering. There is normally an extra charge of about $30.00 a month to use this ability on most networks. Depending on what phone you have, since you are on Sprint, it might be possible to do it without paying the fee but I would not suggest it since downloading video over the cellular network would be very very slow. I think you are getting confused about the wireless cards. There are two types of wireless cards. The first type is a wireless WiFi card. This would connect to a local area network, ie a network in your house. This network would then have to be connected to the internet via a broadband connection (ie cable or DSL). The other type of wireless card is a cellular wireless card. It is similar to tethering but instead of connecting your computer to your phone you would use a card or usb device connected to your computer to transfer data over the cell phone network. Again this would be very slow and prices usually start around $39.00 a month for a 2 year service agreement. You are in the same situation when a wireless cellular card that you are in with your phone, in that they say it is unlimited but it really is not. If you go over 5GB a month your phone company will either disconnect you, bill you for the overage, give you a warning, or possibly some combination of the two. The only solution you really have, to watch video at home on your computer, is to get cable or DSL at your house. Plans range from $19 a month on up. Some plans only include the modem while others include all the wireless networking you need. The good news is that the networking inside your house is something that you only pay for once so in the long run it is very inexpensive. I hope this helps a little. I am sure it does not answer all the questions but I hope it gets you started on your way to understanding this fun mess we call the internet. Broadband really just means a fast internet connection and currently that would include cable and DSL for residential customers. There are a few other options but those are the most available options right now.

Your unlimited data plan on your Sprint phone is not really unlimited. If you read the contract it is limited to 5GB of data transfer. To put this in perspective this is probably 4 or 5 Netflix videos.

You can connect your computer to your phone to use its data connection and that is called tethering. There is normally an extra charge of about $30.00 a month to use this ability on most networks. Depending on what phone you have, since you are on Sprint, it might be possible to do it without paying the fee but I would not suggest it since downloading video over the cellular network would be very very slow.

I think you are getting confused about the wireless cards. There are two types of wireless cards. The first type is a wireless WiFi card. This would connect to a local area network, ie a network in your house. This network would then have to be connected to the internet via a broadband connection (ie cable or DSL).

The other type of wireless card is a cellular wireless card. It is similar to tethering but instead of connecting your computer to your phone you would use a card or usb device connected to your computer to transfer data over the cell phone network. Again this would be very slow and prices usually start around $39.00 a month for a 2 year service agreement.

You are in the same situation when a wireless cellular card that you are in with your phone, in that they say it is unlimited but it really is not. If you go over 5GB a month your phone company will either disconnect you, bill you for the overage, give you a warning, or possibly some combination of the two.

The only solution you really have, to watch video at home on your computer, is to get cable or DSL at your house. Plans range from $19 a month on up. Some plans only include the modem while others include all the wireless networking you need.

The good news is that the networking inside your house is something that you only pay for once so in the long run it is very inexpensive.

I hope this helps a little. I am sure it does not answer all the questions but I hope it gets you started on your way to understanding this fun mess we call the internet.

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