Posted by Jenny_CA on 12/11/06 2:22pm
Msg #165265

So you have back up computers and printers

does anyone have back up internet service? I had cable and dsl and it did come handy at times. We are now moved in into our new home and so far have Comcast cable only, debating on the DSl. Although not tech savvy also wired for wire-less in the house.

Reply by Larry/Ca on 12/11/06 2:35pm
Msg #165268

If my phone line/dsl go down I'm out of business. Have thought about that but backup opions are very expensive. Anyone know of affordable wireless internet. Always thought l that I could go to starbucks, save the docs instead of opening them then go home to print. This would not work where the docs are printed from a server.

Larry

Reply by Teresa/FL on 12/11/06 2:51pm
Msg #165273

I use T-Mobile for wireless access $29.99/month

It's not as fast as cable or broadband access, but it's faster than dial-up and I can use it anywhere T-mobile has service.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 12/11/06 3:29pm
Msg #165281

Couldn't you just save it to your desktop (i.e. save vs. open), then run it from there when you went back to your office?

Reply by MikeC/NY on 12/11/06 4:12pm
Msg #165290

** Always thought l that I could go to starbucks, save the docs instead of opening them then go home to print. This would not work where the docs are printed from a server. **

Couldn't you use something like PrimoPDF to "print" them to a file in that case, and then actually print them later?

Reply by Margaret_FL on 12/11/06 2:50pm
Msg #165272

That's where the mobile office pays off. During the hurricanes we lose power a lot. I once was without power for 2 weeks. I worked out of my car in front of my house. We even pluggied in the refrigerator into my power inverter. It has come in handy more that once

Reply by Gary_CA on 12/11/06 5:12pm
Msg #165295

Sattelite, dial up, Verizon and Starbucks...

I'm quite mobile so I've got a few choices. Up in the mountains so the main internet is via Sattelite... but that's unreliable when it's raining... got a dial up number I can use in a pinch. When I'm out and about I use wireless at several coffee houses... my new Treo can act as a modem and get me internet anywhere there's cell phone (not at my house)... so I've got a few options.

Reply by John_NorCal on 12/11/06 9:50pm
Msg #165319

I don't know Jenny, you're only about 45 miles from me, my Comcast has been very reliable. Only when we've had a power outages from storms like last year was I out of service. But then so was everybody unless you had a back up generator.

Reply by David Kral on 12/11/06 9:59pm
Msg #165322

Find a friend/Kinkos

If you have cable. Find friends that have DSL. Explain when the problem may occur and ask in advance to use there PC/access in a pinch. Send to a yahoo or google account. Download files to a USB drive. Bring them home and print. Or take a small printer and paper with you
say a Brother 1040. Good in a pinch $70 on sale. Very portable.

Also, check with Kinkos and around. I believe Kinkos trys to have its own backbone system.

Keep in mind you are doing this in crisis mode.

Reply by Tess/ME on 12/12/06 8:01am
Msg #165347

Back up came in "handy"

a couple of times this past year for me. Time Warner (used to be Adelphia) is not the best in the world in my area and has let me down a few times when the weather was bad. I had AOL for so long I forgot about it almost until the system was down and I needed to get docs for a closing. I did the old fashioned sloooowww dial up on AOL and although it took a while it still saved the day for me. I've thought about just cancelling it and saving my 11.95 a month, but until my cable company shows me I can truly trust them I'm keeping the back up. However, guess you "city folks" don't have those problems. I remember when I lived in Arlington, VA the cable never went down and if it did someone was there within the hour to get it up and running again. Here in rural Maine we can't count on any of those things.

Reply by Kate/CA on 12/12/06 10:06am
Msg #165362

I had my DSL go down last week, actually it was the internet to the DSL Verizon, somebody program something wrong, took from Thursday morning until Tuesday afternoon to figure out what they had done. I have Yahoo dial up so was able to still print. When your DSL goes down it doesn't mean the regular phone line goes down. I called and got credit for being out of service, a free month plus some.

One thing I did find out, the dial up prints faster than it did before I got DSL. Use to sit for 45 minutes waiting for the down load.