Anyone use Roadrunner?

[WOWZY]

We're getting this service in our area in Feb. and I was wondering how fast is it? I currently connect @ 32K with my slow landline.

Any Pros and Cons would greatly be appreciated.
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'99 2500HD Quad Cab 4x4, Intense Blue Pearlcoat, Fully loaded w/Agate leather interior, 5-speed, 4. 10 Limited Slip, Skyjacker Leveling kit, Heckethorn Nitro 9000 shocks w/dual End to End steering stabilizers, 35x12. 50x16. 5 BFG/AT KO's on 9. 75x16. 5 Eagle 589 Aluminum Wheels, 9004 Cool Blue's, Silencer Ring removed, Fog Lights relay pulled, No muffler, No resonator, 4" straight pipe, Northwest Customs Stainless Steel Rocker Panels, Steel Horse Stainless Steel Nerf Bars, K&N Filter,Custom POWEREDGE W/HOT Programs 60/80/100+HP, Grover Air Horns, Autometer Ultra-Lite Gauges. <font size=-2>

[This message has been edited by WOWZY (edited 12-18-2000). ]

 

[Shelby Griggs]

I have talked with several people using this recently, or at least I assume it is the same, provided by the local cable TV service. About $200 to get set up, and then something like $35-$45 per month for service, depending on whether you have TV service or not. From all reports it is very fast, does not tie up a phone line, and you are always on line. I would seriously consider it, but I am on the road a lot and hate to pay for a separate dial up service. I have heard of a few up scale hotels now offering ISDN or DSL lines with Internet access provided. That would work, but most of the time, I am lucky to find a room with an extra jack for a dial up modem. I may still get it anyway, I have about had all I can take of dial up lines. Most web sites, this one included are pretty slow on dial up, and most web page designers are adding more junk, rather than less, very little consideration for any users that don't have a blazing fast connection. If you have a dedicated modem line, and could eliminate the line by going to cable, it will be about a wash on the monthly fees. I would still need to keep my modem line, as it is also one of my business lines, so no cost savings.

Shelby

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2001. 5 2500 QC LB 4WD, ETH, DEE, 3. 54 gears, Laramie SLT, Camper Special, Trailer Tow, Travel Convenience Group, Power Driver Seat, Alarm System, Remote Keyless Entry, Fog Lamps, Cab Clearance Lamps, HD Transfer Case, Bright White with a Gray Interior. Built 09-15-00, took delivery on 10-06-00, 1749 miles as of 11-25-00. Custom aluminum work body / flat bed. Coming soon: E-Brake and gauges.

 

[Oil Man]

I'm on Roadrunner and have been for about 1 year. It's great. No waiting for dial up and it's really fast.

Kevin

 

[HC]

If you don't have a "firewall" software running, BUY ONE. They are an absolute must with any system that leaves your 'puter hooked up 24 hours per day.
My system monitors "hack" attempts, and rejects anywhere from ten to 20 each week. I've heard one of the best is a product called BlackIce that can be bought at http://www.networkice.com/
Even with this, I often unplug the cable from my machine when not in use, but maybe I'm just paranoid... (no, you're not paranoid if they REALLY ARE out to get you!)

 

[dmurdock]

Roadrunner is excellent if you spend a lot of time on the computer. If you have more than one, check out www.linksys.com and look for the befsr41 router. Plug up to 255 (theoretically) computers together and use the same cable line (you are dividing your bandwidth though). Best of all, no need for port monitoring software as mentioned above, your computer DOES NOT SHOW UP on any port scan attemps, because this is a true hardware firewall. If only one computer, I would strongly recommened zone alarm (free, I believe)... it monitors different "ports" on your computer for repeated access attempts then temporarily shuts them down if a threshhold is met. Also, install Netbui, and bind it to all services with the exception of your ethernet card... then remove all tcp/ip attachments from everything except your ethernet card, this will give you an added level of protection.


Go here to have your computer "attacked" (a test attack) for free... could be eye opening.
http://grc.com/default.htm

also another useful link
www.homepclan.com



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'01 Eth 3500 dually, no mods planned except maybe an amsoil filter & guages. See My Truck and also be sure to read What tools & methods to use for an easy 1st oil change!!!
"Be happy you don't get all the government you pay for. " -W. C. Fields

 

[Koa Man]

I have Road Runner and would never go back to a phone line. No waiting to connect and very fast. I have the McAffee on line virus program which has weekly updates. It says update will take approx. 5 mins. with a 56K modem. With Road Runner it takes about 8 seconds. If you download Netscape or IE, normally about a 2. 5 hour download on a phone line, RR will do it in about 15 minutes.

 

[JConley]

I have Road Runner, and it is great. I want to re-emphasize the need for a firewall program if you are on RR. I get about 10 or more hits a day from people port scanning my computer. Keep in mind that this has nothing to do with viruses. This is just people on the Internet looking for open ports to hack into your computer. One of the best products to protect your computer (it is free for personal use) is Zone Alarm at www.zonealarm.com

This program basically hides your computer from the Internet. I also recommend using this program is you have a dial up service.

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98 QC 2500 2WD 12 Valve Automatic, 3. 54 Mag-Hytec transmission pan. No silencer ring. Wrap around black Grill Guard (BIG solid steel one. AFC controller adjusted, Mopar mud flaps, Camper package, 2001 Tow mirrors, Cat ran away, No Muff

Go Aggies!!!

 

[d90boy]

I have DSL and roadrunner and roadrunner kills my DSL. I'm supposed to be able to achieve 1. 5Mbps and have never seen over 700kbps on tests from www.2wire.com with DSL. At the same time i can get 3-4Mbps with roadrunner and have seen over 5mbps in the wee hours. I'd definately go with roadrunner without hesitation. Oh another thing, it took about a month to get DSL going, and only 3 days to get cable.

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2001 3500 QC 4X4 black sport, ETH & everything else except 4. 10s Properly valved, improperly pumped.

 

[LandShark]

I've had RoadRunner for about a year now. Down time averages about 1 hour per month (mostly email problems). Speed is great; about 400k! Installation was free.

Only thing I don't like is that Time Warner forces you to subscribe to at least 'basic' cable and also adds a $10 surcharge if you don't subscribe to at least their 'standard' service. I was a DSS satellite subscriber and the DSS picture quality is far superior to cable and had better programming, service and pricing.

 

[Pete Peterson]

Roadrunner is great!!! If the puter is on your hooked up. look into "ZoneAlarm" its one
of the best firewalls on the market and it is FREE to home use. Pete

 

[Pete Peterson]

I also use a NETGEAR Gateway Router# RT-314 and have all my computers on line. Pete

 

[WOWZY]

Great info fellas!!

I looked into DSL and chunked that idea out the window because I felt that I would still be at the mercy of my 20yr old land line.

The cost will be $50 a month since I don't have cable and $40 if I was already a cable customer. I asked the lady on the phone how much was "basic" service and she said it was $10. 00 . So I'm gonna get the basic cable service and that will give me my local channels on my DISH Network satellite.

That will work out pretty good since my Dish Network 5000 reciever,integrates cable channels within its own channel line up.

OH! and best of all, since the Roadrunner service is new to this area, the complete installation is FREE!!

 

[Koa Man]

Wowzy,
you will be real happy with RR. But like Conleyjo stated, BE SURE you have a good firewall installed.

dmurdock,
thanks for the link to the "leak test. " I tested my firewall on it and it passed.

 

[Archive]

Even the best firewall can not stop someone who knows what they are doing. If someone truely wants into your PC, they'll get in. Firewall or no firewall.

 

[WOWZY]

I have been told that with RR your connected all the time and that's where the main problem lies if you leave your computer on all the time.

I run a great program for those like me who make alot of mistakes on their computer and wish they could correct them. It's called "GO BACK" by Wildfile and it let's you revert your hard drive back to a point in time before you made the mistake. Since I have this program and make mistakes from time to time, I make it a point to shut down my computer everytime I get through using it, so I have many places in time that I can revert to without losing much.

Since I never leave my system at idle, am I less likely to be affected by Hackers?

 

[Koa Man]

I know that no firewall or in fact any security system can stop a expert hacker from gettng in. Even MicroSoft, NASA and the Pentagon have had their computers hacked, but most hackers won't spend any amount of time trying to get in a personal computer. They are more likely to spend hours trying to get into a corporate or government computer. A firewall will just prevent someone who is searching for an open computer.

I also run the GoBack program and it has saved me a few times like when my daughter deleted my entire Word Perfect address book by mistake. Went "back in time" 15 minutes and presto... entire address book back.

 

[dmurdock]

wowzy. . roadrunner isn't "special". . the concerns listed above about "hacking" concern anyone connected to the internet, wether their connection is via cable,dsl, or an old fashioned dial up modem. Providing network security is part of what puts food on my table (and diesel in the RAM!), and as long as you have file and print sharing turned off (the default) and don't have a personal web server running (default), you shouldn't be concerned. I have 4 computers at home that are connected to the internet 24/7, and I have never had a problem in over 4 years (I've been using roadrunner since the beta stage here in cedar park(austin)). If you plan on having more than 1 computer hooked up, read my post above about the linksys router. If you just have one computer, read my above suggestion (about file/print sharing,etc. . ) and you'll be fine. Contrary to popular belief, a "home" computer is infinitely harder to "hack" into than large corporate systems due to the required vulnerability a large company has. Additionally, large companies (and small ones too), have static ip addresses, basically the address for the computer never changes. I don't know about other cable providers, but roadrunner uses dynamic ip assignment, so every time you turn your computer on, you get a new address (from the huge bank of addresses they have reserved in their network for users). So, even if someone did find your computer bent over and exposed, after you turn it off/on, it will have a new address and this "hacker" won't be able to find you because your at a different "address" than you were the last time he found you.

Good luck, you'll dig the speed!

 

[rich m]

after what always happened to Wile E. Coyote, I don't want anything to do with a roadrunner #ad
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