[UFO Chicago] chicago-area high speed internet

[Nate Riffe]

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On Mon, 3 Dec 2001, Rob Latham wrote:

> So it's a done deal and i'm moving to the chicago area within the month.
> I don't care about "good schools" or "nice neighborhoods".  But i do
> care about a fast internet connection :>  
> 
> Who should i stay away from?  who's good?  is speakeasy good in chicago?

Speakeasy is most definitely good in Chicago.  It was a mere 23 days from
the time I ordered to the time my modem first synched and it hasn't
unsynched yet (it's only been a month, tho).  Speakeasy has a local POP in
Chicago, so I get (/me checks ping time) around 20ms pings to the local
NOC.  Your closest POP there in Allentown is probably New York, so your 
bits are going a good ways via the ATM network before they even get to 
Speakeasy, and that's if you're going through New York and not Seattle, 
like all those unfortunate souls who don't live within the allowable range 
of a regional POP.

I just got spam from DirecTV DSL today, so I would recommend not 
patronizing them, and besides, my office has DirecTV DSL and it's been 
quite lackluster.  And with DirecTV your DSL provider will be Ameritech 
(see below).

I've heard varied reports on RCN.  RCN's bigass fiber network is laid
along the CTA Red Line, so if you're like me and Elliot who live within a
block or three of the Red Line, you can get pretty good service if it's
available in your building.  However, if you live a couple miles from the
Red Line like Paul and Mike, RCN service will suck.

Ameritech wastes IP addresses.  Ameritech uses icky PPPoE.  And on top of
that, they're the local phone dominance, so they have absolutely no
incentive to treat you right.

I can't say anything good or bad about AT&T Broadband except that they're
waiting for @Home to die so they can go into the ISP business directly.  
In the meantime service will probably be a roller coaster ride to say the
least.

A friend of mine has had a wonderful time with Interaccess, but then
again, he's got 24 pairs of copper running into his apartment and lives
about 200 feet from the C.O. (it's on his block).  How could one possibly
not have a good time with a moderately reputable (among geeks) ISP under
those circumstances?  Nonetheless, I've heard good things about 
Interaccess.

> they are pretty decent here in pennsylvania.  
> 
> heh.  and just so i stay on topic for the list, i want a solid fast
> connection so i can apt-get dist-upgrade my debian box and keep my
> netbsd-current synced up :>   There we go.. fast internet for free
> operating systems.   what do you say, gang?

I definitely recommend Speakeasy.  I'm quite happy with the service and 
the selection of packages they offer is pretty damn nifty.

- -Nate

> 
> Thanks
> ==rob
> 
> -- 
> Rob Latham                                        Allentown, PA USA
> EAE8 DE90 85BB 526F 3181                   1FCF 51C4 B6CB 08CC 0897
> 
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