Question: Thank you for your response. What I need is a new dial up or high speed connection. I must leave the [deleted].edu server, or whatever server I am on. However, my email for business will stay applicable (I think). I am not familiar with any as I have been on this connection for 8 years. At best viewing I’m looking at PeoplePC or Windstream, or even AOL. I must also have a local dial up connection. Since I live in the Boondocks this is difficult to sort out. Any suggestion could help. I must decided in the next couple days to be disconnected from the school server.

Thank you for your response.

- Julie, March 4, 2007

Answer: Hi Julie, remember that “internet service” and “email” are two seperate things. For example, once you “dial up” and connect to the internet, say through the telephone number that [deleted].edu provided to you, you are free to visit the http://www.gmail.com or http://www.hotmail.com website and get a free email address.

Using your existing internet connection, go ahead and set up a free email account. Three popular sites are Yahoo.com, Hotmail.com and Gmail.com (Google). You can set up and access this email address from any computer in the world. Try something like first_lastname@yahoo.com where “_” is an underscore, a trick to get your name if otherwise not available as an email address. Also try firstlastname, first.lastname with a “.” or variations with f.lastname@yahoo.com and so on.

The advantage of a free email account is that you’re not locked into any one service. You can also upgrade to $19.95 per year, no monthly fee, for additional features such as more file storage space if needed. Then, set your [deleted].edu email account to automatically forward emails to your new free account.

Since you’re in a rush, you might want to expirement with NetZero Free Dial Up to get yourself connected from home. If you are not planning on using the internet that often, see if this service meets your needs. After you register a NetZero email address, you can use that one or again, auto forward the NetZero email address to your free yahoo.com email address. You decide which email address you tell people about. As you continue to shop around for dial up and high speed internet, have comfort in knowing you have your free yahoo.com email address to pass out to people.

As for high speed internet access You might want to visit the website of your local telephone and cable company in place of using our Check Availability. Type you telephone number into their sites as a double check of availability. If you can’t qualify for DSL access nor Cable internet access, then you’ll have to decide between Dial Up internet and Satellite.

Some cell phone companies have internet access provided throught what’s called an AirCard. I just did a quick search on Google for “aircard florida,” but you should call your cell phone company or check competing websites for pricing and connection speed details. Pop the AirCard into the side of your laptop computer, for example, and load the installation software provided by the wireless phone/internet company. AirCards are getting faster, but remember that if your cell phone reception is bad where you are now, then chances are the internet connection through an AirCard might be bad as well. Monthly fees will be similar to that of Cable internet.

I’ll leave you with these thoughts. Let me know if you need more help.

- John

Thank you for your help. I will ponder these next few days.

- Julie