Do not get directway, I spent 3 months researching the 2 main systems Direct Way and Star Band. Direct way is terrible, there both not the best option, if you can do anything DSL cable, do it. But if your stuck like me, Star Band is by far the best. I never read a good review on Direct Way and every installer I talked with said I will install but I will not guarantee it. Star Bands C/S has been stellar, just really helped a lot.
Star Band just had a "problem" with one of it's birds and there C/S went out of their way to get user switched to another bird if they wanted or wait for repairs and free dial up dial service for year. Some waited and about 3 weeks ago
the I 7
I switched birds and was down 1 day, the cost of equipment is a bit spendy about $700.00 for the dish cable and modem, I got the 480 which is a modem and a router built in one. The previous modem 360 mostly for PCs was clumsy for macs, you would have to have a PC and link off the PC to get connected. The 480 is plug and play
Star Band is in bankruptcy and has been there a while, but the recovery plan looks good and they are moving along towards a new bird to take care of the increasing traffic.
http://www.starbandusers.com/cgi-bin/ub/UltraBoard.cgi
Thats a site dedicated to users of Star Band, should be able to log on free. There is a lot of messages in the last 2 months due to the bird strike but you can get the idea. The upload is not good and download 500k to 1 meg for $79.00 a month. If you need more speed they will give you a option of higher price. I just paid the cost of the equipment up front, They will let you stretch it out for 2 years if you want.
Another cool thing, you have to have a person with installers permit set you up. Well on starband is the lessons and the test, so you can do your own installation after passing the test and getting a installer number. Save about $300.00 to 400.00 bucks. Plus make a few bucks here or there, I suggest a investment of sat aligner. The signal is not like Dish TV and the birds are close.Get one that will ID the bird. Please do not go Direct Way. Write OL if you need more info.
I am in Cal. S.D. the most wired place and I could get nothing. I could but SBC owns 50% of the line, it's 50% full. To fulfill an order SBC has to do it even if it's a different company. I was 2,500 away from the box. I had the phone guy out here, SBC and he was on the pole and I asked him to do a DSL check. Oh ya it's singing he said, but make sure they send someone out, don't go by the test on your computer, it's the same one they use in the office. No use, SBC would not dispatch a DSL line checker for any other company.
Good luck Geoff
On Jan 24, 2005, at 9:13 PM, Dennis B. Swaney wrote:
Anyone here using this system for broadband access? -- Sincerely, Dennis B. Swaney
"Windows is a command-line OS with a GUI shell while Mac System 10 is ... oh, never mind."
-- The iMac List is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and...
Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | - Epson Stylus Color 580 Printers - new at $69 | & CDRWs on Sale! |
Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html>
iMac List info: <http://lowendmac.com/imac/list.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[email protected]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/imac-list%40mail.maclaunch.com/>
--------------------------------------------------------------- iPod Accessories for Less at 1-800-iPOD.COM Fast Delivery, Low Price, Good Deal www.1800ipod.com ---------------------------------------------------------------
