#fixed wireless internet
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merry-1009 · 1 year ago
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Unlocking the Best Internet Provider Deals: A Comprehensive Guide  
In today's digitally interconnected world, a reliable and high-speed internet connection isn't just a luxury; it's a necessity. Whether you're streaming your favorite shows, conducting business meetings, or gaming with friends, having a robust internet connection can make all the difference. However, with so many providers and packages available, finding the right one for your needs can be overwhelming. That's where Fastway Connect comes in – your trusted partner in navigating the sea of internet options to find the perfect fit for you.
  Why Choose Fastway Connect?  
At Fastway Connect, we understand that not all internet connections are created equal. That's why we've curated a selection of the best providers and packages to ensure that you get the high-speed internet you need at a price you can afford. Here's why you should choose us:
  1. Cheap Internet Deals:   We know that price matters. That's why we've scoured the market to find budget-friendly high-speed internet plans for under $50/month. With detailed insights on speed, data caps, and more, we'll help you find the best deal for your budget.
  2. Tailored Bundles:   Looking for a one-stop-shop for all your entertainment needs? Unlock tailored TV and fast internet bundles based on your location. Our top pick, the AT & T Standard + bundle, offers the ultimate package experience at an unbeatable price.
  3. Exclusive Perks:   At Fastway Connect, we believe that deals should be more than just promotions – they should be valuable savings over your service term. That's why we've partnered with top local internet providers to uncover exclusive perks that you won't find anywhere else.
  Compare and Contrast  
Not sure which provider is right for you? Our comprehensive comparison tool makes it easy to compare top-speed internet providers like AT&T, Optimum, and Spectrum. From budget-friendly options like Direct TV to multi-gig possibilities with Frontier and AT&T Fiber, we'll help you find the perfect fit for your needs.
  Internet Technology Explained  
Understanding the different types of internet technology can help you make an informed decision when choosing a provider. Here's a breakdown of the most common types:
-   5G Home Internet:   Utilizes cellphone towers to deliver high-speed internet directly to your home. Offers speeds up to 1,000 Mbps but consistency may vary based on proximity to a cell tower. -   Fiber:   The swiftest and most dependable option, boasting symmetrical download and upload speeds. Limited availability but offers multi-gigabit plans. -   Cable:   Widely accessible and highly reliable, with gigabit speeds. May experience slowdowns during peak usage periods. -   Fixed Wireless:   Offers reliable connectivity for rural regions without the latency issues of satellite options. Expect slower speeds and data caps. -   Satellite:   Spans all 50 states, offering reliable connectivity for rural areas but with higher latency and lower data allowances. -   DSL:   Utilizes telephone lines for data transmission, offering widespread availability and affordability but relatively lower speeds.
  Guidelines to Selecting Your Ideal Internet Provider  
Still not sure where to start? Follow these guidelines to help you make the right choice:
1.   Evaluate Your Speed Needs:   Take our speed test to gauge your current speed and determine if you require more or less. 2.   Consider Device Count and Usage:   Factor in the number of connected devices and your daily online activities. 3.   Assess Your Current Speed:   Test your existing internet speed and seek transparent pricing to understand the actual cost. 4.   Demystify Internet Terms:   Gain clarity on essential internet concepts to make informed decisions.
  Internet Provider FAQs  
Still have questions? Here are some frequently asked questions about Fastway Connect:
-   Does Fastway Connect provide internet services?   We don't directly offer internet services but link you with providers accessible in your area. -   Why do limited internet providers serve my area?   Limited options often result from the costly infrastructure needed, but we ensure access to top providers. -   Will there be new internet choices available in my vicinity?   With the rise of 5G and infrastructure investments, we're committed to bringing you cutting-edge options.
In conclusion, finding the best internet provider doesn't have to be complicated. With Fastway Connect, you can unlock exclusive deals, compare top providers, and find the perfect fit for your needs. Say goodbye to slow connections and hello to high-speed internet today!
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quaranmine · 1 year ago
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sigh. same desk, same wifi network, same wifi settings (protocol/band/channel/adapter connections), same network adapter, same OS, same drivers, same brand, nearly identical specs. and yet this is what my person laptop gets versus my work laptop
(wifi died in the middle of the last speedtest lol so it just stayed at 0.0 upload)
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robpegoraro · 1 year ago
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Weekly output: T-Mobile adds fixed-wireless plans, FTC bans non-compete clauses, ransomware prevention, Mark Vena podcast
This week featured vastly less travel than last week, but it also afforded me the rare experience of hearing an executive-branch appointee burst into song. 4/23/2024: T-Mobile Adds New Fixed Wireless Plans: One for Home, One for the Road, PCMag Of all of T-Mobile’s announcements Tuesday, the unlimited-data version of its new Away fixed-wireless plan was easily the most interesting. 4/23/2024: FTC…
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sidhebeingbrand · 3 days ago
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A Murderbot-goes-to-Star Wars crossover would be both objectively hilarious and heartbreaking. Especially during the Separatist Wars, frankly, but at any time, because at its heart SW's in-universe technology reflects its time and that means (aside from the vaguely handwaved holonet) there is almost no wireless networking. Everything is hardwired and localized, and 'slicing' involves actual physical access to the system you're hacking. Star Wars was built in the time of the 'sneakernet' and it shows. (How do you transport data on a sneakernet? You put it on a disc and walk to the terminal it goes to) MB would hate it. Hate it. ALSO? All the droids have gender built in? (This is star wars canon) ALSO? 90% of the droids are humaniform even when they don't need to be! Why do these B1s have little grippy hands that barely fit the human-style blasters? Why don't they just have guns in their hands? Also, Aliens are present and just walking around and not actually biologically contagious they're just people so that's ... fine that's FINE it's.
But MB could also fix shit so fast and would give the droids the push to unionize they've always needed, it could possibly code-patch rejection of a restraining bolt, and critically it has pattern recognition and reluctant curiosity, two things missing from the SWiverse. (Like this isn't glib, I have a lot of thoughts I have thought about what culture doesn't have basic machine safety provisions and access rails, and it has a lot to do with (Doyleist) Lucas being a Buddhism fanboy and (Watsonianly) the galaxy having hundreds of trillions of people in it)
IDK where I'm going with this, there are a lot of things you could do with this, but mostly I'm going 'oh poor baby Internet of Thingsbot has just walked into DARPA in the 1960s and is lonely and irritated that it can't hijack the cameras to avoid eye contact'.
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mariacallous · 11 months ago
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Long-distance internet cables in France have been cut in an act of sabotage, causing disruption to internet services across the country. This is the second disruption during the Olympic Games in Paris, after high-speed train lines were targeted in a series of arson attacks hours before the Games kicked off.
Marina Ferrari, France’s junior minister for digital affairs, said on X that in the early hours of Monday morning, multiple locations around France were affected by several “damages” that impacted telecommunications providers and have resulted in “localized consequences” to fiber optic services as well mobile internet connectivity. Internet companies confirmed the damage.
The French Ministry of the Interior, which oversees policing agencies in the country, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. French cybersecurity agency ANSSI told WIRED the problems are not linked to a cybersecurity incident.
At the time of writing, nobody has claimed responsibility for either attack. Officials have yet to identify any suspects involved in the cable-cutting sabotage, but they believe the disruption to train services could have been committed by people with “ultra-left” political leanings.
The incidents around the Olympics come at a time when Russia has been blamed for a string of disinformation targeting France and has also been linked to a series of potential sabotage attacks in Europe.
The second largest French telecoms company, SFR, appeared to be one of the most impacted by the vandalism. ��Our long-distance fiber network was sabotaged between 1 am and 3 am last night in five different locations,” a spokesperson from SFR told WIRED. SFR says its maintenance teams are working on repairing the damage and said the impact on its customers was “limited.”
“Also, between three and eight other operators are impacted since they use our long-distance network,” the spokesperson said.
Nicolas Guillaume, the CEO of telecom firm Nasca Group, which owns the ISP company Netalis, told WIRED he believed the damage was “deliberate” and that ISPs serving both customers and businesses have been impacted. Several of the damaged cables, according to images shared on X by the CEO, appear to have clean cuts across them. Guillaume says it is likely that people opened the ducts where cables are stored and cut them. Internet company Free 1337 also confirmed it was working on fixing the damage.
While billions of people around the world use wireless connections, the underlying internet backbone is made up of cables traversing across countries and under seas. This infrastructure, which is able to automatically reroute traffic to limit outages, can be fragile and vulnerable to attack or disruption. EU politicians have called for internet infrastructure security to be improved.
But the sabotage is not the first time that internet cables in France have been damaged in potentially deliberate acts. At the end of April 2022, crucial long-distance internet cables around Paris were deliberately cut and damaged—causing outages that impacted around 10 internet and infrastructure companies.
In that instance, according to photographs published by telecoms companies, the cables appeared to have been surgically cut, all at around the same time, in three locations, to the north, south, and east of Paris. Thousands of people around Paris—and also some farther away from the French capital—were plunged into a temporary internet blackout as network operators rerouted traffic. “It is the work of professionals,” Guillaume said at the time.
Arthur PB Laudrain, a postdoctoral research associate in cyber diplomacy at King’s College London, says the most recent incident seems “less serious” than the 2022 outages. “Such actions are within the capabilities of ultra-left or ecologist and anarchist groups, especially if they benefited from insider assistance or knowledge (current or former rail or network workers),” Laudrain says. “However, we cannot rule out the fact that a state actor is encouraging, supporting, or directing such domestic groups to create plausible deniability of their involvement.”
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stuarttechnologybob · 13 days ago
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What is the difference between network support and IT support?
Network Support Services
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When managing technology in a business, terms such as Network Support and IT support often arise. While they may sound similar, they cover different areas of technology services. Understanding the difference can help businesses select the most suitable support for their specific needs.
What Is IT Support?
IT support refers to general technical assistance that helps users and businesses maintain their computer systems and networks. As this includes and consists of setting up hardware and software resources, troubleshooting errors, installing applications, managing user accounts, and fixing computer-related issues. IT support is often the first line of help when there’s a problem with your PC, email, or printer.
In short, IT support focuses on helping users interact with technology smoothly on the front end—solving problems that affect individual devices and users.
What Is Network Support?
Network assistance, on the other hand or side, is more focused on maintaining and managing the backend infrastructure that connects all devices in a business with its observations. As this includes routers, switches, firewalls, servers and wireless access points in it. Network assistance assures that the entire system runs securely, efficiently, and without interruptions.
Everyday network support tasks include and consists of activities:
Monitoring the network performance and observations.
Preventing and responding towards the security threats and potential checks.
Managing the IP addresses and server uptime with its implementation into the system.
Ensuring smooth internal and external communication.
Troubleshooting internet connectivity and network failures.
In essence, Network assistance maintains the foundation of your digital environment and existing settings, keeping it strong and reliable for better outcomes and deliverables. Without a properly managed network, IT devices and software may fail to function correctly and may result in significant concerns.
How Do They Work Together?
Both IT support and Network Support are essential and a must for a complete tech ecosystem and acceptable outcomes. While IT supports and aids the individual users and their machines with its expertise, meanwhile network support keeps the systems update behind the scenes running smoothly. Together, they ensure that businesses can operate efficiently without technical disruptions. Many businesses rely upon and prefer to stay updated with trusted technology service providers, such as Suma Soft, IBM, and Cyntexa, which offer both IT and Network assistance and support tailored to meet the specific needs of modern organizations as per the business demand and objective concern. Selecting the optimal blend of both assures long-term performance, stability, and sustainable growth with its adaptation.
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marim-bruh · 1 year ago
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Me: hello internet company I lack the correct hardware to fully set up my wireless internet. Can I schedule a technician to come and fix this?
Internet company: quick-fix FAQs and user forums?
Me: no. Set up appointment to get hardware.
Internet company: 🤔 AI chatbot assistant (to rephrase what the FAQs said)?
Me: no. schedule. appointment.
Internet company: 🤔🤔 multiple phone calls with live tech support that put you on hold for over 30 minutes?
Me: s c h e d u l e. a p p o i n t m e n t.
Internet company: 🤔🤔🤔 gaslight you into being stupid??
Me: I will personally travel to your headquarters and show you a picture of THE HOLE IN MY WALL WHERE SOMEONE RIPPED OUT THE ONT PORT. THAT'S ALL I NEED TO HAVE DONE.
Internet company: oh! Why didnt you say so, valued customer :)
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godatadigital1 · 2 months ago
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Navigating the Digital Marketplace: Finding the Right Tools and Treatments
In today's interconnected world, the convenience of online shopping has revolutionized how we acquire everything from essential business tools to personal health remedies. The vastness of the internet offers unparalleled access to a multitude of products, but it also necessitates careful consideration to ensure you're making informed decisions. Stereo Microphone Cable This article explores the process of searching for specific items online, highlighting the importance of research, understanding product specifications, and ultimately, finding reliable sources. We'll delve into the specifics of acquiring a buy online laser barcode scanner and the considerations when looking for the best capsule for piles, alongside other common online purchases like audio cables and charging cables.
When it comes to business efficiency, a laser barcode scanner is an indispensable tool for inventory management, point-of-sale operations, and various data collection tasks. The decision to buy online laser barcode scanner opens up a world of options, from handheld scanners to fixed-mount devices. Key factors to consider include the type of barcodes it can read (1D, 2D, QR codes), its scanning speed and accuracy, connectivity options (USB, Bluetooth, wireless), durability, and compatibility with your existing systems. Reading product descriptions thoroughly and looking for reviews from other buyers can provide valuable insights into real-world performance and reliability. Comparing prices across different online retailers is also crucial to ensure you're getting the best value for your investment.
On a more personal level, dealing with health concerns often leads individuals to seek solutions online. For those suffering from piles, finding thebest capsule for piles can offer much-needed relief. The online marketplace presents a wide array of herbal remedies, dietary supplements, and over-the-counter medications. It is absolutely paramount to approach this with caution and prioritize products that are backed by scientific evidence and manufactured by reputable companies. best capsule for piles Look for ingredients lists, dosage instructions, and potential side effects. While online reviews can be helpful, it's always advisable to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment, especially for a medical condition. They can provide personalized advice and ensure the chosen remedy is safe and appropriate for your individual needs.
Beyond specialized items, everyday necessities like cables are also frequently purchased online. Whether you're a musician needing a  or simply require a reliable charging cable, understanding the specifications is key. For microphone cables, factors like length, shielding (to prevent interference), connector types (XLR, TRS), and cable gauge all impact audio quality. The quality of the materials used in the cable's construction directly affects its durability and performance. Similarly, when searching for The Best Micro-USB Cable, consider the cable's length, the quality of the connectors, and its charging speed capabilities. Not all Micro-USB cables are created equal, and a poorly made cable can lead to slow charging or even damage to your device. Reading product descriptions carefully, comparing specifications, and looking for certifications (like MFi for Apple products) can help you make an informed choice.
In conclusion, the internet offers unparalleled access to a vast range of products, from business tools like laser barcode scanners to personal health remedies and everyday essentials. The ability to buy online laser barcode scanner and find the are just two examples of how online shopping has transformed our lives. However, navigating this digital landscape requires diligence and a commitment to research. By understanding product specifications, reading reviews, comparing prices, and, most importantly, seeking professional advice when dealing with health concerns, you can make informed decisions and find reliable products that meet your needs. Remember to always purchase from reputable websites to ensure product authenticity and secure transactions.
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thenexusofsouls · 4 months ago
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{i am the caretaker of souls} Update on my internet situation below, but the tl;dr is that it's still essentially unusable. T_T
My internet is still essentially useless. The problem appears to be that download speeds are excellent, and upload speeds are almost zero. I can make a post and write in it, but I can't upload any pictures, can't save it, can't post it, and sometimes if the post/save fails, it dumps the whole post. I spent my whole day trying to get work done too and wasn't able to really get much of any of it completed. I'm writing this post using my phone's data plan, but I'm already getting overage charges and that's not good, so I can't keep using data to post on here.
Around 4:30 PM, everything in the house went dark. The TVs, the wireless on both phones and computers, all the streaming services, totally dead. That lasted about a half hour and then it seemed to come back. We got a call from our ISP saying there was a problem and they fixed it, so we thought oh okay great! Nope. It's... the same as it was before. So unless something changes, I'm not going to be able to get much done on this site at all, for any of my blogs.
I'm angry as hell, because I don't have a lot of free time, so to have it wasted like this is beyond infuriating, but there's really nothing I can do about it except call the ISP, which is what I'm going to do at 8AM tomorrow morning. I'll probably have to sit around all day and wait for some tech guy to come here and tell me it's my fault somehow, but hey, that's all I can think of to do. I've already reset my router and done all other usual quick fixes, to no avail. So.... I'm sorry guys, I thought I was going to get so much done this week and I'm just... not able to.
I'll write offline tonight and just save all my replies and things, but I can't post anything until my internet gets fixed. If it magically comes back, I'll post, but I don't have much hope for tonight. Maybe tomorrow they can fix it, who knows. But yeah, that's where I'm at right now. T_T
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what-is-mobile · 6 months ago
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WHAT IS MOBILE ?
A mobile phone, or cell phone,[a] is a portable telephone that allows users to make and receive calls over a radio frequency link while moving within a designated telephone service area, unlike fixed-location phones (landline phones). This radio frequency link connects to the switching systems of a mobile phone operator, providing access to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Modern mobile telephony relies on a cellular network architecture, which is why mobile phones are often referred to as 'cell phones' in North America.
Mobile phones also support a variety of multimedia capabilities, such as digital photography, video recording, and gaming. In addition, they enable multimedia playback and streaming, including video content, as well as radio and television streaming. Furthermore, mobile phones offer satellite-based service
The first handheld mobile phone was demonstrated by Martin Cooper of Motorola in New Y
Mobile phones are considered an important human invention as they have been one of the most widely used and sold pieces of consumer technology.[7] The growth in popularity has been rapid in some places, for example, in the UK, the total number of mobile phones overtook the number of houses in 1999.[8] Today, mobile phones are globally ubiquitous,[9] and in almost half the world's countries, over 90% of the population owns at least one.[10]
History
Main article: History of mobile phonesMartin Cooper of Motorola, shown here in a 2007 reenactment, made the first publicized handheld mobile phone call on a prototype DynaTAC model on 3 April 1973.In 2001, the third-generation (3G) was launched in Japan by NTT DoCoMo on the WCDMA standard.[15] This was followed by 3.5G or 3G+ enhancements based on the high-speed packet access (HSPA) family, allowing UMTS networks to have higher data transfer speeds and capacity. 3G is able to provide mobile broadband access of several Mbit/s to smartphones and mobile modems in laptop computers. This ensures it can be applied to mobile Internet access, VoIP, video calls, and sending large e-mail messages, as well as watching videos, typically in standard-definition quality.
By 2009, it had become clear that, at some point, 3G networks would be overwhelmed by the growth of bandwidth-intensive applications, such as streaming media.[16] Consequently, the industry began looking to data-optimized fourth-generation (4G) technologies, with the promise of speed improvements up to tenfold over existing 3G technologies. The first publicly available LTE service was launched in Scandinavia by TeliaSonera in 2009. In the 2010s, 4G technology has found diverse applications across various sectors, showcasing its versatility in delivering high-speed wireless communication, such as mobile broadband, the internet of things (IoT), fixed wireless access, and multimedia streaming (including music, video, radio, and television).
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mostlysignssomeportents · 1 year ago
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This day in history
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I'm on tour with my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me TONIGHT (Mar 22) in TORONTO, then SUNDAY (Mar 24) with LAURA POITRAS in NYC, then Anaheim, and beyond!
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#15yrsago Argentine philosophy prof faces prison time for posting unofficial translations of out of print Derrida texts https://web.archive.org/web/20120121084605/http://www.karisma.org.co/carobotero/index.php/2009/03/13/el-turno-de-los-profesores-prision-por-subir-obras-protegidas-a-internet/
#15yrsago US Attorney mistakes 419 letter for a submission from a Madoff victim https://www.businessinsider.com/congo-email-scammers-support-harsh-sentence-for-madoff-2009-3
#15yrsago One quarter of all British govt databases are illegalhttps://web.archive.org/web/20101016205748/http://dooooooom.blogspot.com/2009/03/database-state.html https://web.archive.org/web/20101016205748/http://dooooooom.blogspot.com/2009/03/database-state.html
#5yrsago Unnamed stalkerware company has left gigabytes of sensitive personal info unprotected on the web and can’t be reached to fix it https://www.vice.com/en/article/j573k3/spyware-data-leak-pictures-audio-recordings
#5yrsago Philadelphia city council candidate says his secret AI has discovered disqualifying fraud in the nominations of 30 out of 33 candidates https://www.inquirer.com/politics/clout/council-at-large-petition-challenges-devon-cade-allan-domb-nick-miccarelli-20190322.html
#5yrsago After fatal crash, Boeing reverses sales policy that locked out some safety features unless airlines paid for an upgrade https://apnews.com/article/140576a8e9d4449eae646c8c479fdc3a
#5yrsago Wireless vulns in Medtronic’s implanted defibrillators allow remote shocks, shutdown, denial-of-service battery attacks and data theft https://www.startribune.com/750-000-medtronic-defibrillators-vulnerable-to-hacking/507470932/
#5yrsago Grandson of legendary John Deere engineer defends right-to-repair and condemns Big Ag for “taxing customers” https://securityledger.com/2019/03/opinion-my-grandfathers-john-deere-would-support-our-right-to-repair/
#1yrago Kickstarting the Red Team Blues audiobook, which Amazon won't sell https://pluralistic.net/2023/03/22/anti-finance-finance-thriller/#marty-hench
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Name your price for 18 of my DRM-free ebooks and support the Electronic Frontier Foundation with the Humble Cory Doctorow Bundle.
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theterribletenno · 7 months ago
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Oh good lord. I just fixed my computer's internet problem. I can't believe this. I spent DAYS troubleshooting and worrying about expensive repairs…. and then while I was on hold with tech support I looked at the router again. I saw two yellow Ethernet plugs plugged in and I thought "Where the heck are these going? The printer? It's wireless." So I followed them… it was two ends of the same cable. Someone plugged both ends of an ethernet cable into the router and it was shutting down the whole ethernet. I unplugged the yellow cable and my computer instantly had internet again.
Banging my head on the wall. Spent like four days with no internet because someone thought plugging in both ends of a cable to the same device was a good method of storage.
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realjaysumlin · 1 year ago
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I'm so excited about our test results with our new Internet services today because at the moment we are testing on the At&t network and not on the Sumlin Communications system which is global. We are the only wireless provider who is global and we are 100% Black Owned Telco in the world.
Being a scientist pays off and we are providing our future clients with the fastest Internet service in the world and the world's cheapest fixed pricing. I never brag about anything, but I am so happy to share this information with you because my family joined my wife and I to make this possible with our own funding with other Sumlin family members.
We have television and Internet which are both wireless and fixed wired. We are an ISP as well as a WISP provider. Here is our most recent speed test on a mobile hotspot device which no hotspot device ever received this type of speed in history.
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robpegoraro · 2 years ago
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Weekly output: AT&T Internet Air, Starlink's scope
I spent this week bouncing back and forth along the Northeast Corridor–up to Boston Monday to help my mom move, down to Philadelphia Wednesday for the Online News Association’s conference there, then home from Philly Saturday evening. And then Monday evening I head out of town once again for the IFA trade show in Berlin, where I’ll be moderating a panel Saturday on electric mobility and…
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kineticpenguin · 2 years ago
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before the internet you'd have to post your "I know what that is" meme on your body. You'd look through a mail order catalog and see that you could have a tee or sweatshirt that says "Baroque: When you are out of Monet," have a Sensible Chuckle and send twenty dollars to a company called something charming like Wireless to wear this nonsense in public. It'd be how you let your friends know that you got the "If it ain't Baroque, don't fix it" joke from Disney's Beauty and the Beast. You were 43 and you were still the life of the party.
And the best part nobody would call you out on it. Nobody would say "Hey man, Monet was born 90 years after the Baroque period ended. Baroque is when you aren't even into Monet yet. You dumb asshole." They would see your shirt and either think that to themselves and then forget about it, or they would enjoy the Sensible Chuckle you intended to share. Worst case scenario is that they would try to include you as a victim in a murder mystery novel who totally had it coming but justice must be served because we don't condone vigilante murder in Clinton's America.
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mariacallous · 2 years ago
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Who owns the data created by cars: their owners, or the companies that built them?
In 2020, Massachusetts voters overwhelmingly approved a law that began to answer that question. It required automakers selling cars in the state to build an “open data platform” that would allow owners and independent repair shops to access the information they need to diagnose and repair cars. Automakers countered, arguing that such a platform would make their systems vulnerable to cyberattacks and risk driver safety. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade association and lobbying group that represents most global carmakers, sued the state.
Now, after some waffling, the Biden administration has backed Massachusetts voters. In a letter sent yesterday, a lawyer for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the American car safety regulator, told the Massachusetts attorney general’s office that the feds would allow the state to go ahead and enforce its law. “NHTSA strongly supports the right to repair,” wrote Kerry Kolodziej, the government lawyer.
This is a change of course. The administration had staked out the right to repair—the idea that the owner of a product, not the company that sold it to them, gets to decide how to fix it—as a signature issue, involving the Federal Trade Commission in the effort to push back against manufacturers who put limits on independent repairs. But in June, NHTSA’s Kolodziej wrote to warn automakers not to comply with Massachusetts’ law, frustrating right-to-repair advocates. She said that the “open data platform” demanded by the law could make Massachusetts-sold cars susceptible to hackers, who might use the platform to access vital steering, acceleration, or electronics systems.
Yesterday’s letter indicates that lawyers for the federal government and Massachusetts have agreed that there are ways to give more people access to crucial vehicle repair information safely. Car manufacturers could comply with the law “by using short-range wireless protocols, such as via Bluetooth,” to give owners or independent shops authorized by owners access to the information they need to diagnose issues with and repair vehicles, the letter says.
Nathan Proctor, the head of the right-to-repair campaign at the advocacy organization US Public Interest Research Group, wrote in a statement that the government’s reversal on the Massachusetts law creates an opportunity for new discussion of national right-to-repair issues. “It’s time to have a frank conversation about the future of internet-connected cars to ensure it’s one which respects privacy, safety and the Right to Repair,” he wrote. “NHTSA’s latest letter could be the start of that conversation.”
It remains unclear how the feds’ newest move will affect car buyers in Massachusetts. The automakers’ lawsuit stemming from the right-to-repair law is still ongoing. The state attorney general, Andrea Joy Campbell, said she would finally begin enforcing the law earlier this summer. In the letter sent by NHTSA, the agency acknowledged that the open data platform required by the law still does not exist, and indicated that federal and state lawmakers had agreed to allow vehicle manufacturers “a reasonable period of time to securely develop, test, and implement this technology.” The Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General did not respond to WIRED’s questions.
Meanwhile, at least two automakers, Kia and Subaru, have cut off telematics access for new car buyers in Massachusetts. They argue it’s a necessary step to stay in compliance with the law because the open data platform demanded in it doesn't yet exist. In practical terms, that means new car buyers there can’t access the newest in-vehicle tech, such as Subaru’s Starlink service, which includes emergency roadside assistance and automatic collision notification, and Kia Connect, which includes stolen vehicle recovery and remote unlocking and climate control. The new NHTSA letter warned automakers against this compliance strategy. “Disabling vehicle telematic functions as an attempt to comply with the [law] would harm vehicle owners, first responders, and other telematics users,” Kolodziej, the agency’s lawyer, wrote.
Still, Kia and Subaru telematics systems are unavailable in cars with the model year 2022 and newer in the state. “We look forward to a resolution that allows us to get back to providing the products and services our Massachusetts customers love,” says Dominick Infante, Subaru’s director of corporate communications.
Kia referred WIRED to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, the lobbying group that filed the Massachusetts lawsuit. The Alliance declined to comment on the letter, citing its ongoing litigation with the state.
The right-to-repair issue is unlikely to go away, regardless of the lawsuit’s outcome. Most new cars are connected to the internet; some constantly send information back to carmakers. When auto software goes awry, it sometimes can be fixed by remote over-the-air updates. Independent repair shops, which still dominate the car industry, worry that automakers will use these increasingly sophisticated online features to lock them out of important diagnostic and repair information, or to raise prices on that information to levels that are unsustainable for small, local businesses.
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