So I have Internet access at home again which means regular updates on this site again. It also means I get to talk about said Internet connection for a bit because I’m happy with it.
Since I now have to pay a third party for Internet access I decided it was going to be done my way. One thing I didn’t like about my apartment complex’s Internet service was the inability to get a static IP address. This prevented me from effectively running a VPN server. Well I called all the ISPs that service my area (which is to say I called Qwest and Comcast) to find out what services are offered.
Qwest had shit speeds so I pretty much decided to ignore them from the get go. Additionally I’ve heard nothing good about Qwest from my friends. Comcast will only provided a static IP address for business accounts which is what I signed up for.
In the past I’ve only had DSL. Comcast’s business service is provided through cable so that’s a whole new experience for me. I’ve been running periodic speed tests (both during peak hours and non-peak hours) and so far have been averaging ~40 Mbps down and ~11 Mbps up. That’s quite a bit better than what I’m paying for so I’m impressed. Additionally my computer is now accessible remotely… at least once I figured out how to get my VPN server running correctly.
But yeah now for some advice. If you’re getting Internet service through Comcast just forget about the residential service and talk to their business department. The price for the lowest tier business account is the same you’ll be paying for the residential service after the six month introductory pricing and you don’t have to deal with the schmucks in tier one technical support (you automatically are bumped up to tier two). Likewise the business representatives can actually answer you questions (the lady in charge of the residential service in my area couldn’t tell me if they could provide a static IP address or not).
We’ll see how the next few weeks go before I give an official endorsement. But as it sits right now I’m pretty happy.