Do you have a backup internet connection?

[Sarah_Jayne]

I would assume that most of us have an 'always on' connection but do you have a back up connection for when and if it fails?

On Friday night there was a fire in the basemet/garage area of my apartment block and it happened to be right where the phone compaies exchange box is and all of the wires and such were melted. So, we haven't had broadband at all since Friday and it maybe a few days yet.

Luckily, I have another phone line from a different phone compay whose stuff comes through a different area of the block. But that means I had to get of all things an AOL connection because it is the only dial up I could get without paying phone charges (no such thing as free local calls in the UK).

I can't believe after all these years I am back on AOL for a few days but it has made me think that I should have a dial up account somewhere as 'insurance'.

Do you have a back up connection?

[martinsc]

i know i should have one, but i don't

[teg0]

have the neighbor's wireless which is open and if all else fails have my cell's network.

[Iron Fist]

Why would I need one? It's not like having one would change anything in the meantime while my internet was offline.... maybe im stating the obvious by saying.. "Who cares?"

if my internet was to ever go down, i have like 20 others thats showup that are all open....MANHATTAN WIFI hahahahahaha

but in the last few years net only went down once for a few hours

[Sarah_Jayne]

Originally Posted by sharphead

Why would I need one? It's not like having one would change anything in the meantime while my internet was offline.... maybe im stating the obvious by saying.. "Who cares?"

Well, I don't know about you but I work online so having no connection for days or a week could be costly. I suppose not for those who have everything on auto pilot.

[The Duck]

yes, neighbors unprotected wireless ;-)

[Sarah_Jayne]

Originally Posted by LilBro

if my internet was to ever go down, i have like 20 others thats showup that are all open....MANHATTAN WIFI hahahahahaha

but in the last few years net only went down once for a few hours

Yeah, it doesn't happen often. The last time I can remember it being down for more than a couple minutes was a few years ago and that was also fire related...bunch of pyros here.

[D]

Unless it's from a network that I'm hosting items that others are dependent on, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

When that bridge comes, options will present themselves, I'd imagine - as they did for you. I mean, if my car breaks down - I go rent a car. I don't have a back-up car standing by "just in case."

With things like members areas, tours, etc... I think that you can never be too cautious, though.

[CDSmith]

I'm on a cable modem. My backup would be like yours... dialup.

But my cable company would send a guy out to set me up with a new cable modem in a matter of days if something happened. They wouldn't want a 10 year customer of theirs switching over to the phone company's DSL now would they? :D

[AriaGiovanni]

It's called Starbucks...since they are popping up all over the world it makes it easier too when I travel.

[Sarah_Jayne]

Originally Posted by D

Unless it's from a network that I'm hosting items that others are dependent on, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

When that bridge comes, options will present themselves, I'd imagine - as they did for you. I mean, if my car breaks down - I go rent a car. I don't have a back-up car standing by "just in case."

With things like members areas, tours, etc... I think that you can never be too cautious, though.

Yeah, I get that too...though trying to find anywhere at all to get an AOL disc was impossible. Not to mention when we went to the PC store and asked if they have modem cables and were looked at like we were asking to buy a record needle. At least we have the cable now for next time once this is over.

You don't have a backup car but most people have break down cover or a roadside recovery company they pay...not sure what the internet version of that would be.

[Sarah_Jayne]

Originally Posted by AriaGiovanni

It's called Starbucks...since they are popping up all over the world it makes it easier too when I travel.

While there are many Starbucks in London, my area is a bit too 'hood' to get one.

[kowalsky]

Now I realize that I need one. Last week there was a problem with my connection and the service suport took 4 day coming to this office. During those days I had to work at home... fuck it.

[kowalsky]

Now I realize that I need one. Last week there was a problem with my connection and the service suport took 4 day coming to this office. During those days I had to work at home... fuck it.

[Brad Gosse]

I have a fairly expensive fibre line with a 99.9% uptime guarantee.

I used to have both Cable and DSL at the office but this one connection beats them both for speed and reliability.

[fris]

have 2 dsl connections, cable connection, and a modem

[Iron Fist]

Originally Posted by Sarah_MaxCash

Well, I don't know about you but I work online so having no connection for days or a week could be costly. I suppose not for those who have everything on auto pilot.

Well I guess being down for a week would be aggravating for sure. I'm in Canada so our connections are pretty solid anyways, if there is downtime, we count it in minutes, sometimes hours but days? Wow...

[candyflip]

We have Time Warner's RR for our main line and a backup DSL connection as well. My girlfriend works from home, so they cover the cost of the main connection and I get the backup.

We can also use our cell phones connected to our laptops using Sprint's wireless broadband. Haven't had to use it much these days, but it does work well and has come in handy.

[Emil]

My neighbor have a Fonero-router so I can use that if I have to.

[CDSmith]

Originally Posted by Serious Business

have 2 dsl connections, cable connection, and a modem

Now that is serious business.

[Sarah_Jayne]

Originally Posted by sharphead

Well I guess being down for a week would be aggravating for sure. I'm in Canada so our connections are pretty solid anyways, if there is downtime, we count it in minutes, sometimes hours but days? Wow...

As I said, it is days because there was a fire in the part of the building where the phone connections come into. So, all of the phone cables, etc for the entire apartment block from that phone company (British Telecom..so most people have it) have been melted by the heat. It isn't normal to be down this long at all.

[gideongallery]

not a back up but a second node
it setup as a fallover when traffic is congested or slow on my primary
and since it is that new portable internet service from bell i can take it with me when i go anywhere which is really cool

[NinjaSteve]

I have a 'laptop only' rule. So my backup connection is a cafe. I've used it before, works decent if you have a corner area.

[Barefootsies]

Yes I do.

I have a 5M d/l cable connection that is primary. But I also have a T1 on my other computer(s), and for a back up.

Which I have needed on occasion a few times a year. Money well spent.

[rowan]

Originally Posted by Brad Gosse

I have a fairly expensive fibre line with a 99.9% uptime guarantee.

I used to have both Cable and DSL at the office but this one connection beats them both for speed and reliability.

Does the SLA cover circumstances outside of their control, such as a fibre cut halfway along the route? Is it a penalty or just a "... up to x% of monthly fee" type compensation?

(Just curious, no need to answer if it's confidential... I'm just trying to provoke some thought )

[Scott McD]

I don't have a backup, but the thought of using AOL again is enough to make me think about it...

[rowan]

I've been hunting for a backup solution myself, wireless is really the only option since there's no cable, and anything phone line based such as a DSL or analog modem is likely to run the same path as my main line. Unfortunately wireless is very expensive and very limited in my area... there's no option to pay as you go, you pay $xx per month regardless of whether you use it.

I run servers in my home office, while they do not provide essential/time critical services having them down for more than a few hours is probably not a good thing.

[DateDoc]

I have a cable connection I use most of the time. Two backups - DSL and an Air Card. Then of course there is always dial up but if the DSL is out 9 times out of 10 the phone is too.

[Star 69]

nope I don't have a backup internet connection

[Violetta]

yeah: Wardriving!

[stev0]

I used to have a DSL line for backup, but my cable is pretty reliable so I got rid of that.

[DaddyHalbucks]

I have a backup, thinking about getting a second backup.

What are the national dialup providers besides AOL? Are any free these days?

[CurrentlySober]

Same as many of the above...
I would just use a neighbors connection, if an emergency... So many of them are unsecured, I can pick or choose...
So no big deal really...

[AdultB2B]

I could really use one here in Bangkok. Despite the fact that I pay almost 200 dollars a month for a fast connection (the alternative is real bad) it isn't always that dependable.

[Bro Media - BANNED FOR LIFE]

i got 2 laptops and the local laundromat has free wireless for customers, i'll just take a load of laundry and use the innet there, $1.50 for unlimited inet, can't beat it

[d-null]

funny this thread came up, my internet just went down for 5 minutes or so and it drives me nuts when that happens

my backup when things get really bad is to grab my laptop and head to Starbucks (sometimes sitting in the parking lot if is the middle of the night and the place is closed)

$35 gives a one month unlimited pass and you can sign up instantly with a credit card at any hotspot, good deal and its good for any hotspot

[cezam]

yup... my crappy wireless is backed up by even more crappier gprs/edge on my cell network...

[Evil E]

Dial-up backup, but should get a second hi speed line eventually.

['So Fucking Money]

I'd just hit up the local coffee shop or go down to the college area. Free wifi.. Everyone got smart around here and put passwords on their wifi

[dready]

I've thought sometimes of getting one of those dual WAN routers. Then having DSL and Cable at the same time, and doubling the bandwidth.

[rowan]

For those of you stealing your neighbour's unsecured connections, you know that normal http (not https) URLs have no encryption, and send passwords and cookies in clear text? Even loading a single GFY thread should be enough to capture the relevant authentication cookies and allow someone to impersonate you.

Then there's more important things like sponsor logins......

[96ukssob]

i use my phone (connect thru bluetooth or usb cable) to either mac or laptop. ive considered buying a dsl line as a backup because the cable goes out here at least once a week.

[tony286]

I have charter yuck at my house and comcast at the office.so each is a backup for the other.

[tranza]

Yep, I do have a backup internet connection.

It's not as fast as my normal one..

[minniesoporno]

Right now I kinda of do I have Bell sympatico right now i am getting 3 months free, but I really like my rogers internet. so I am thinking sometime next month I will be returning my bell sympatico. they are both like 50 a month not really worth paying a 100 dollars for internet.

I don't forsee rogers go under but I do see it happening more to bell canada since they are DSL.

So I will stick with my cable internet I might shop around to the other ISPs out there later on. you never what could happen and since my livinglyhood is the internet I need to be connected all the time.

[Sarah_Jayne]

I can't tell you how happy I am to finally have my broadband back. It took them four days but they eventually fixed it today.

[D]

Originally Posted by Sarah_MaxCash

You don't have a backup car but most people have break down cover or a roadside recovery company they pay...not sure what the internet version of that would be.

Good point.

Still, even those without AAA can either try to fix it themselves or call information and get the number for a local towing company, if need be. The problem (regarding autos - and for those "in the know") isn't with convenience so much as it is with cost... an auto club makes sense because even getting or locking your keys in towed once a year pays for your auto membership.

With an internet connect, the convenience is still there without the cost being so much a factor.

If push-came-to-shove, I'd probably call netzero and drop the $10 or whatever, and be hooked up within 30 mins... anything _but_ AOL. :-)

I can understand having redundant connects in one's life... personally, I can access from school, from work, from home... from starbucks... maybe bum a cellular card from work, if need be... but to maintain a back-up connect for the sole "just in case" something happens that affects my main home connect... seems a bit overly cautious...

Again, unless your hosting something that other people depend on from that network... in that case, redundancies of redundancies are never out of order, imho.

[baddog]

My Verizon Wireless card makes for a perfect backup.

[BVF]

my neighbors have an open wifi...if not that, I can use a kinko's internet card that I got from an employee with around 900 minutes access on it.