The 3 mbps is 3x as fast as the 1 mbps. If you're switching from dialup to broadband, the 1 mbps will seem lightning fast. But once you start doing more large downloads, watching videos, etc, you may find that it seems slow at times.

What's the price difference?

To get all 4 computers on at the same time, you need a router and all of the computers need network cards. If you don't want to run wires throughout the house, you can get a wireless router and wireless network cards for the computers. There are a number of USB wireless cards that you can use so you wouldn't need to open any of the cases if you don't want.

If you go wireless, make sure you use security (WPA is best if all the devices support it; if not, go with WEP).

Tell the cable company you have Four computers !!!
Tell them one is a laptop.

Hi bpgreen, the price difference is $10, $29.99 for 1mbp & $39.99 for 3mbp. Local cable company here in the sticks. No DSL available thru the phone company. I know most people get cable for the tv viewing, but we aren't big tv watchers, the cable company wants an extra $12 if we don't get tv. We are considering the digital phone & the high speed internet, (I like the 3mbp), no package deals for those items.
We have a router & ethernet cables to the four computers, all in one room in our current house. One computer for myself, one for my husband, the other two for the grand kids when they visit.
Sorry Mikie, no laptop yet. Husband & I try to do as much as possible for ourselves. Learning about different things stretches our brains, & saves $$$$. lol
So, will my current router & ethernet cables work OK with broadband?
I wanted to wait until we move to our new house to go wireless, there the plan will be two computers upstairs & two downstairs.
Thanks

For a $10 difference, I would definitely got for 3 mbps. If you've been on dialup, even 1 mbps will seem phenomenal, but e mbps takes it to a different level.

One thing to keep in mind about digital phone service is that if the power goes out, you lose the phone. If you've got a cell phone, it's less of an issue.

Personally, if I were going to drop my landline, I'd probably use Skype as my computer based service and use my cell as backup. Skype is free for PC to PC calls, and you can get unlimited in and out bound calls to the US and Canada for a few $ a month. One drawback is that it doesn't do 911.

If you already have a router and ethernet cables connecting the computers, it will probably work just fine with the cable modem. You may need to make some configuration changes in the router, but that depends on how the connection with the cable modem works (varies by cable company). It should be fairly easy and either the cable company tech support or the router company tech support should be able to help.

The cable company may even include that as part of the installation. In some cases, all they'll do is connect one PC and make sure it works, but they may be willing to connect the router. If not, you'll probably just need to connect the router instead of the PC, but there's a possibility that you'll need to change the IP range that the router assigns. You're probably either using 10.x.x.x or 192.168.x.x. If you're using 10.x.x.x and the cable modem has that as its outbound IP, you'll probably have to configure the router to assign 192.168.x.x (or the other way around if the cable modem and the router are both using 192.168.x.x).

Another thing that may require a change is logging in. Some cable modems are designed to log in to the ISP and the login information is in the cable modem. In other cases, it's done by the PC (or other device that connects to it). In that case, you'd need to configure the router to log in.

I think that if you and your husband were able to figure out how to configure the router and set up your network at home, you should be able to reconfigure it if necessary. It's only a little more involved.

My isp, when you tell them multiple computers and at least one wireless laptop will give you intitially a wireless router/modem . At least they used to... but only if they know when you order the service... otherwise they just send a single ethernet port router/modem.

Great info guys! Thanks

That Skype program sounds interesting, the price is right, free.
Yes, we have cell phones, so we would have 911 access, and I would like to cancel the landline service, but what about my fax machine? Is it possible to send & receive faxes with broadband?

The cable company wants $3.95 for Modem Rental, we plan to buy one & save that monthly fee. So if we forget the digital phone @$34.95 and get the 3 mbp @ $39.95+$12.00 Non-Cable Fee = $51.95, not too bad.
Joyce

There's several online fax services, might do a search.
EFAX is probably the best known.

fwiw, might want to look;
www.Ooma.com - voip, plugs into router.
www.magicjack.com voip, plugs into computer usb
www.voipbuster.com lots use this too

One drawback to Magic Jack is that you can't use it to call in to a conference call. It may have trouble with other calls that require IVR (press 1 for Yes or 2 for No etc), but I know it has trouble with conference calls (not trying to set one up, just trying to call in to one).