Irvine Internet
I expect to be moving into my new apartment near UC Irvine shortly. (In fact, the movers are here today in Brooklyn to collect our belongings.) Who do people in Orange County recommend for basic home Internet for multiple users and computers?
The local cable provider is Cox. I think the local phone company is AT&T/Pac Bell. (Didn’t we break them up for a reason?) Presumably there are other DSL providers as well.
I want a provider who doesn’t bandwidth throttle BitTorrent, block the sites I can surf, or monitor what I do. A provider that won’t bend over for the RIAA, the Feds, or anyone else who shows up with a scary letter would be nice. I do not need a static IP or to run externally visible servers. Indeed I’d prefer a dynamic IP. I would like to run an open wireless network. What are my best options?
January 23rd, 2008 at 3:10 PM
I’ve always preferred DSL to cable, mostly because I hate the cable company with a purple passion.
One thing to note about SBC/AT&T/Pac Bell DSL is that the dynamic IP address plans include outbound port 25 filtering, so you can’t send SMTP email unless you use one of their blessed servers. The static IP plans do absolutely no filtering. On either plan you can absolutely run any server you want, with no bittorrent or other filtering.
Last time I checked, most cable companies are dead set against servers unless you get the “business class” service, which costs tons.
The rumor is that you can opt out of the port 25 blocking here: http://helpme.att.net/servabuse.php (check out the Abuse Type drop down, it has a “opt out of port 25” option.)
January 24th, 2008 at 6:32 PM
I use Cox, and they do well enough. I am rather hacked that they have moved to switched HD before there is a workaround for TiVo, but that is spillover angst from the cable side.
They filter port 25, and I would not bet against them sharing everything you have with the feds. But then, I cannot think of an ISP that I would trust to have that kind of courage anyway.
The chap here who can get FIOS from Verizon is very happy with it.
Scott
January 25th, 2008 at 12:56 PM
Sad to learn you are leaving the tri-state area.
Gaurav