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Question

WiFi Question

Jan 2, 2015 5:51AM PST

Hey guys,

We have AT&T DSL internet and AT&T landline. $100+ monthly.

We have DISH but its not connected to the internet or anything. $67 monthly

We have 3 iPhones with 10 GB of data. $200+ monthly.

However - we don't have WiFi. Best Buy recommended we buy the 802.11N AT&T wireless router with DSL modem.

Will that give us WiFi for our laptop (Toshiba Satellite), DISH, and iPhones?

Also - any thoughts on how to reduce the monthly expense?

thanks for any feedback!
beegee

Discussion is locked

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Answer
One by one.
Jan 2, 2015 7:01AM PST

1. If your ATT DSL box has ethernet ports (almost all do) you can add WiFi with what they call a WAP or use a common 20 buck router as a WAP. Some routers like the TP-Link TL-WR702N defaults to Access Point mode so at 20 bucks on Amazon you can get WiFi going without having to deal with changing the DSL router.

2. Dish. http://www.dish.com/entertainment/ pegs this as mid to best package. If cost is an issue, just cut it to the bottom offering.

3. That sounds like a deluxe phone plan. Next month Ting will have GSM and you can ask about Tmobile coverage in your area. My wife and son's phones average about 19 to 27 bucks a month (both are Android smart phones.)
Bob

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Answer
not much you can do
Jan 2, 2015 7:41AM PST

how much of the phone data is used at home? if not much then there really is not much you can do to decrease cost unless you get rid of dish and package everything through at$t. If you are paying rent for the modem, then the router/modem combo may be good. However if you are not paying rent for the modem, then just pick up a router by itself. Not sure why you need a land line if most calls are using the cell.

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" Not sure why you need a land line if most calls are using"
Jan 2, 2015 4:56PM PST
" Not sure why you need a land line if most calls are using the cell."

That's a very good point. They wouldn't even need Magic Jack if using wifi with the cellphones when at home. I like having a lot of phones spread around the house myself so I don't have far to go nor carry a cellphone around. The way I have my Magic Jack setup is to also feed signal to the house wiring, so I have about additional 4 phones to the four DECT6 phones. Most anywhere is 2-3 steps to a phone.
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Like the others have said the
Jan 7, 2015 10:44PM PST

phone may or may not be need but also At&t offer a 3 way plan with TV, Internet and phone. If you have to keep you landline you may get a better deal by adding Uverse and dropping Dish. Typically all the TV providers offer huge discounts for the first year then the 2 year prices go up.

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Answer
FIOS in the area?
Jan 2, 2015 4:50PM PST

Some other provider like Xfinity? My internet and phone service cost me less than $60 per month. The reason is because I use VOIP with a Magic Jack in combination with a DECT6 four phone type system. I have the combo modem/router/wifi with the service. All cellphones can connect for savings through my wifi, if I share the code key with that phone. I personally pay $100 per year for 1000 hours on a Tracfone (mainly for emergency or travel use) and that's all I need for me. Anything else can be email or my homephone "leave a message". My 3 daughters have and pay for their own shared plan, the two older added the younger sister still at home.

If I was a renter, I'd make sure the next place I moved had a fiber optic provider. I have two such providers, Verizon and Comcast/Xfinity. One does fiber to the house, the other is fiber to the pole and cable to the house.

Your ripoff is this;

We have AT&T DSL internet and AT&T landline. $100+ monthly.


DSL is used as an excuse to double charge for the same line service. On FIOS, phone service comes free now. I bet they charge you twice on federal line charge too, so that keeps the govt happy and off their backs.

Satellite's not always so great, depending on weather and satellite locations, but I think I'd go with them for both internet and TV, add a Magic Jack that plugs direct to LAN port on router, (after set up with computer USB), dump Verizon phone and DSL and write them why, demand they bring in FIOS.

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Answer
I think you do have WIFI
Jan 7, 2015 10:39PM PST

Typically with At&t DSL internet they install a modem wireless router. I would look at your original paperwork and ti should have your SSID and password. The SSID is the name of your wireless network. This is WIFI and WIFI differs from the 3G, 4G and 4G LTE in phone and tablets as you just pay a monthly fee and it doesn't matter how much data you use.

Dish is satelite technolgy which is good for TV but below par for internet as far as speed. Basically you receive data via the satelite and you would send data through an analog phone line.

Your I phone are 4G LTE which uses a SIM card or another technology depending on your provider. This type of internet is available in phones and tablets. The advantage this technology has is the internet connection is internal and as the device moves you don't have to connect to a WIFI network to get to the internet. But it's subject to dead spots.

Like I said you already have what you need. What the Best Buy told you you needed was the DSL Internet modem/router you already have. Some internet companies only give you a modem which will only connect to the internet with a wire connection but I've had friends with at&t DSL and they use modems with the router build in. But to verify that I would call At&t and they will verify everything and get you up and running with now further cost. Well that is if they don't try to sell you a higher speed internet.