Computer/Tech Questions

**Bobl** · August-07-09, 10:08 PM

Many of us, especially older folks, are not as tech savvy as we should be. I presume many on this forum are, and would not mind helping out.
My questions:
Can we use our AT&T 2Wire modem if we switch to Comcast wireless, TV cable, and phone service? Or will we need to acquire another? Which is recommended?

There will certainly be many more questions on this thread. Be kind, people!

ccbatson · August-07-09, 10:49 PM

No, you will need a new cable modem. None are particularly better than the others, and sometimes you are obligated to use the equipment that the cable company tells you to.

**Vic_doucette** · August-08-09, 07:20 AM

OK, here's mine:

I'm taking a class in the fall that will require me to save materials to a Flash drive at the end of each session. All the work will be done on Mac computers. I haven't used a Mac in about six years, but am pretty sure I can pick it up again quickly.

Are there specific Flash drives that are Mac-compatible, or will any Flash drive work as long as it is big enough to hold the material?

**gazhekwe** · August-08-09, 08:02 AM

Bob, Comcast has its own modem. Make sure they put it on your desk, not under it, because you will be burping that baby from time to time, and it sure is a pain to crawl under the desk to do it.

**Gannon** · August-08-09, 08:52 AM

Yeah the two devices use entirely different connections...it's been years since I bothered to look but the way the phone company and cable firms deliver their data to your house uses vastly different wiring and techniques.

Like Gaz says, keep it in eyesight from your computer chair, because you need to see those LEDs to know when to unplug the stupid thing to reboot IT!

As for the thumb-drives, Vic, I've been using them between my new MacBook and the old Dell without a hitch. Just make sure when you save a file it is in a compatible format, but that seems to increasingly not be an issue.

Cheers

**vetalalumni** · August-08-09, 10:56 AM

Thanks for creating this thread. I have no particular technical input yet, but appreciate good ideas [[this thread).

**Russix** · August-08-09, 03:11 PM

Flash drives are all USB and are universally compatible.
Comcast sells modems, but you are not bound to buying one from them. Any of these modems will work on comcast regardless of where you buy them from: http://media2.comcast.net/anon.comca...c/cmclist1.htm
When you get your own modem you just have to give them your MAC address.

**Bobl** · August-08-09, 09:55 PM

CC:
Thanks. One of the best attributes of this great country [[and this forum) is that we can all agree or not agree, and still be civil, and even friends. I appreciate the help.

Russix:
The link is very helpful. Thank you.

**vetalalumni** · August-08-09, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by Bobl

CC:
One of the best attributes of this great country [[and this forum) is that we can all agree or not agree, and still be civil, and even friends.

That is an excellent attitude. We share that value.

ccbatson · August-08-09, 11:49 PM

The flash drives are all universal regarding the Mac and PC difference...However, the software used to create the files may not be...that will be the question that must be asked.

**Vic_doucette** · August-09-09, 06:37 AM

Thanks to all.

I don't expect to be able to work on the stuff at home -- hey, that's what labs are for -- but at least I know what to buy now.

Thanks again.

**CornBot** · August-09-09, 08:01 AM

OK so maybe I won't feel entirely totally dense asking this question; ty for the 'be kind' request, bobl, because I do fear I'm more dumb than I pretend to be.

I presently have a landline and DSL. I imagine I would need to switch to cable or satellite internet in order to use a phone service such as MagicJack, or even Vonage, right? Can anyone tell me how this works?

cheddar bob · August-09-09, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by CornBot

OK so maybe I won't feel entirely totally dense asking this question; ty for the 'be kind' request, bobl, because I do fear I'm more dumb than I pretend to be.

I presently have a landline and DSL. I imagine I would need to switch to cable or satellite internet in order to use a phone service such as MagicJack, or even Vonage, right? Can anyone tell me how this works?

DSL should work for Magic Jack.

ccbatson · August-09-09, 07:57 PM

You maybe able to use dial up...if that even exists anymore.

Stosh · August-09-09, 08:05 PM

Originally Posted by cheddar bob

DSL should work for Magic Jack.

Check this site out, some info on DSL and Magic Jack

http://syix.info/joomla/the-support-...faqs/magicjack

ccbatson · August-09-09, 08:07 PM

Almost to good to be true...long distance costs are avoided for the most part however.

**CornBot** · August-10-09, 05:33 PM

Well, seeing as how I already don't have long distance on my land line... I have basic phone service primarily to have the DSL. Now that Bomb-blast - excuse me, Comcast - has so graciously chosen to finally to chosen to bequeath my neighborhood with their internet services, I've been trying to figure out if one of their bundles would be more cost-effective than using two separate companies, as now. I think maybe I have a little trouble putting all my eggs in one mega-company basket and trusting my phone service to an as-seen-on-TV product.

**gazhekwe** · August-10-09, 05:55 PM

We have Comcast phone, cable and internet. There are glitches, but not more than we had with AT&T on the phone line. Every so often the phone and/or cable and/or net goes out. I think in five years it has happened twice that they all went at once. We have a cell phone to call for help, since of course the house line is out. Our bill for all three is $154/month and we have the second from the bottom level of cable service.

ccbatson · August-11-09, 08:59 PM

Yes, comcast is now in the DSL broadband business...it is a more recent offering however.

**Bobl** · August-21-09, 10:38 PM

Well, we recently began our Comcast Cable TV, Internet, and Phone service.
The laptop is working faster than with ATT, and the intermittent static on our phones has not shown up yet. This static has been going on for years, despite numerous complaints. We'll have to wait a few weeks to see if it is now truly gone.

Thanks for the help, all.

Your technically challenged contributor,
Bobl

ccbatson · August-22-09, 10:22 PM

I have had very good service with AT&T DSL for many years now [[and so far). Recent speed upgrades of speed via the fiberoptic pipeline trumps the speed of cable for data.

**gazhekwe** · August-23-09, 08:32 AM

Bobl, we lost our consistent phone static problems when we switched to Comcast. There is an AT&T line at the end of our street, in a business parking lot, that seemingly was the problem. It could never be fixed because the lot was always full when AT&T was willing to send someone to spend time with it. Comcast doesn't use those lines. So, YAY! no more static.

cheddar bob · August-23-09, 12:06 PM

Under no circumstances, whatsoever, should you ever take computer advice from ccbatson. In fact, do the opposite of whatever he says.

cheddar bob · August-23-09, 12:13 PM

Also, call comcast about any little problem you have and they will usually give you a credit on your bill or a free service. I've had a number of problems with them, but in return I only pay $145/month for internet, digital premier cable package with HD, the latino package, two HD DVR tuners, one standard DVR tuner, and I have HBO free until November. I'm hoping that Comcast will give me reason to bitch before November because I've started watching the series "Hung" on HBO and I'd like to continue getting it as long as I don't have to pay for it.

**Corn.Bot** · August-23-09, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by ccbatson

I have had very good service with AT&T DSL for many years now [[and so far). Recent speed upgrades of speed via the fiberoptic pipeline trumps the speed of cable for data.

I just dumped AT&T. We upgraded from their dial-up to DSL in early 2003, and at that time, experienced a measurable improvement in speed. However, my little neighborhood has evolved from retirees, snowbirds, and transient yuppie-dinks to young families with multiple computers, game systems, and phones. Inconsistent internet connections, line noise, static, and slow response times multiplied exponentially to the point where I could not pay my bills online from home. If the connection did not drop, a screen would so long to paint that the website would time-out before it was done. DSL got to be as bad or worse than dial-up was.

AT&T replaced the wires on the nearby main road last year, but after I had to request 3 service calls in 6 months, I asked the tech when we might be getting new phone lines. He said, "You aren't scheduled for new anything here. There are only 24 lines for these 12 houses. Even though this subdivision's wires are from the 60s and are brittle and failing, it's not a big enough plat for AT&T to bother with."

OK so I've had some form of AT&T phone service since 1973. So much for my misplaced loyalty. Comcast already had underground cable to my house for TV, so it was a pretty much a non-event to get internet and telephone with them, as well. Now I have zip-zap-fast internet and about a dozen features on my house phone that I never had before, because I did not want to pay the phone company for them; free national long-distance calling among them.

And yet I'm saving just about $40/month over what I used to shell out separately for an AT&T land line-DSL combo plus basic Comcast digital cable TV. Speaking from the experience of about 5 days of Comcast 'net and phone, I will happily tell AT&T to go suck a pickle. They are not worth bothering with, either.

I am still a techno-idiot, though. I tried to update my profile on this site with a new e-mail address, and screwed my info up so that I could not post under my original name. I ended up modifying my screen name to corn dot bot. So much for so smugly thinking I was all that.