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Hi, I need broadband. I was wondering if anyone here is a Cable worker or something and they can explain to me the technical stuff. Here's my story:
I was desperate for broadband. The house I live in is 20 years old, it's not new and it isn't too "in the middle of nowhere" I mean, I can see my neighbors houses from my house (2.5 acre lots or so) I guess you call it a "ranch" this is California by the way. Anyway, we didn't have Cable TV, so we got DishNetwork, and we couldn't get DSL or Cable Hi-Speed, so I got a dial-return satellite internet (which is the sux0rz) anyway, I was talking to my friend and hes like "dude, you can get Cable anywhere, it doesn't matter, just call the cable company and they'll install it" So anyway, half a mile away from my house is like a huge neighborhood, and I KNOW they have cable because I don't see any atennaes on their houses (to pick up local channels) and therefore they must also have cable hi-speed. So I called comcast, and he's like "we should be serving any house in your area, but your house isn't coming up on our computer", which I'm used to by now, but still awed. He said in 7-10 days someone will drive to our house and check the "signal strength" (for distance). If its strong enough I can get cable tv/internet ( I want the internet more!! ) and I got my fingers crossed. So can anyone explain what is meant by "signal strength" or explain more technical terms of how I can get cable etc. Thanks for your help and reading my post, which I know isn't very grammatically correct because I'm very tired and half-asleep, so thank you.
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Signal Strength in this case means how good the electrical strength and quality is where you live (on the TV cable). The longer the TV cable (shielded coaxial cable) is, the more interference and background noise you can have on that cable which would severly limit your bandwidth. Cable Internet is also not a dedicated line like DSL, it is shared with others around you, which means the more people are online and use it, the slower it will get. So, even if you qualify for Cable Internet, the signal quality could be so bad that it is virtually useless to you. Howver, this is usually just the case if you live several miles away from the next cable access point. A few hundred feet will not really make that much of a differance. But even if the signal quality is not that great, coaxial cable power injectors can be installed which would boost the signal strength back up.
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Thanks MadDog! I'm praying!!! Comcast gave me a reference # and to call them back in 7-10 days if they didn't call back! Hmm I wonder if I should try another Cable company?? I hope cable can come here! DO you know if Cable is under the ground or on the same poles as phone lines? Just curious. Thanks
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cable is usauly on the telephone line... (one reason for so much interferance) But i heard from a friend though that lives out where your nieghbor is 5 miles in any direction... (i live in kansas... :D ) but he said that he got a internet connection closer to DSL with a satelite... (direct tv etc...) don't have any specs, but it sounds like another option if it exists in your area and cable doesn't work out... umm lets see... hmm well i wish you luck!!!
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can u contact ur friend for specs Sci?
