Subj : Wireless Broadband Query
To   : All
From : Ed Vance
Date : Tue May 15 2018 12:01 am

Howdy!,

I have Basic DSL Service with AT&T.

They have been sending me letters about their Advanced Digital Network.

From what I can guess by what I've read is they may be putting Fiber Optic
lines in my area.

The letters mention a Wi-Fi gateway and to me it sounds like the Telephone
Company is changing their DSL Internet Service to a Broadband Modem/Router
(as in Cable TV) which I learned is like using a Party Line instead of
having the Twisted Pair Private Line I now have with their DSL/Telephone
Service.

I don't use Wi-Fi at all.

When I purchased my last AIO Printer/Scanner the first thing I did after
plugging it in and turning it on was to Disable Wi-Fi on it.

One time I was at my Brothers home and connected my Notebook using a
CAT-5 cable to the Cable Router he uses.

I did notice a tremendous increase in Speed while I was using his gear.

He has an iPhone that can use the internet through the Broadband Router's
Wi-Fi connection.

What I would like to know is if AT&T changes me from Wired DSL to a Fiber
connnection, can I disable the Wi-Fi SSID broadcast since I have no need
for it.

PLUS - I don't want anyone using their gear through the connect I pay for.
I never used any of my neighbors Internet Service, and I don't want others
using my Internet Connection and slowing it down.

IIRC, Everyone who subscribes to Cable-TV Broadband Internet are ALL on
That One Wire going back to the Cable Companies equipment, and when very
many Subscribers are using Broadband, the Maximum Speed they advertise
isn't able to be used by anyone.

My folks didn't have a Telephone in our home until the 1950's, but we
had a Private Line, not a Party Line.

I remember picking up the Telephone handset at my Grandmothers home and
hearing someone already talking on it.

Grandma told me she paid less for on her Phone Bill because she had a
Party Line connection.

The new Price AT&T's letter mentions is a little less than what I'm paying
for DSL now.

A year or so ago something caused an A.C. Power Failure in my area.

I could use my Telephone to Call someone or Answer Calls because there are
Lager Batteries in the Telephone Company Exchange to supply Power to the
telephone lines.
As long as the Phone Lines are up I can use my Telephone.

One of my Neighbors who has Phone, Broadband and Television through the
Cable Company, couldn't use their Home Phone, Watch TV or get on the Internet.
They used their Cell Phone to make Calls while the A.C. Power Lines was OFF.

I would have to have a UPS connected to their Broadband Router if the A.C.
Power Lines failed if They change my Service.

RIGHT NOW I CAN CALL THE ELECTRIC COMPANY IF THE POWER LINES FAIL, SINCE
AT&T'S BATTERIES SUPPLY POWER TO MY TELEPHONE.

I would be out of luck as my neighbor was if I didn't have a UPS to supply
temporary power to AT&T's broadband modem/router.
The idea of me paying for Electricity to power AT&T's gear causes the
Scotchman part of my heritage to grimace.

I have my computers connected to a UPS in case the power goes out so I can
Shut Windows XP Down properly when a A.C. failure happens.

I've never tried using my desktop computer on the UPS to see how long I
could use it.

But Windows doesn't like SUDDEN THINGS TO HAPPEN.  Does it?

As I asked above, Can the Wi-Fi part of a Broadband Router be turned OFF
by me?   Thanks for reading.


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