Usability of RoadRunner
Written: Nov 08 '99
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Product Rating:
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Pros: very fast, frees up phone line, no need to dial in (instant access), no busy signals, good customer service (repairs),
Cons: not 100 times faster than dial up (don't believe all the hype), lengthy installation, high cost, possible security hazards, shared connection (so transfer rates suffer as more users sign on), not available everywhere
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| webword's Full Review: Road Runner (includes MediaOne) |
I've been using RoadRunner for about 3 weeks now. I'd like to give you my reactions to it while my memory is fresh on some of the issues. In particular, I'll talk about my installation, subscription, and usage experiences.
I'm a corporate Webmaster and I hit the web for several hours every night. So, folks were shocked that I didn't subscribe to this service earlier. As you probably know, dial up service can be a real hassle. Busy signals, slow loading pages, and all sorts of disruptions. My friends and colleagues convinced me several weeks ago that I had to have RoadRunner. I gave in to their advice. And, I have to admit, I was enticed by a killer deal from the local cable provider (Time Warner): a $5 installation and 3 months of service for $1 per month. This is the best deal they have ever offered. I'm frugal, so this was the thing that sold me on the subscription.
In case you don't know, RoadRunner is cable modem access to the Internet. The promise is that it is much, much faster than any dialup connection. The advertisements make bold claims such as "it’s 100x faster than dial up!" Other such propaganda is spread thick in the media.
I called Time Warner (my local RoadRunner provider) to set up an appointment. The representatives were friendly but they were confused about the various packages available. The cost associated with the service depends on about a million different variables, and they had a hard time presenting this information clearly. I had to prompt them again and again about the unclear options I had to choose from.
Before getting RoadRunner, I did not subscribe to cable. Now I have both cable and RoadRunner because it is cheaper to do things this way than subscribing to RoadRunner alone. This is odd, but as I said, their offerings are confusing.
The installation process was surreal. First, you have to meet the cable installation representative and go over floor plans and cable paths (e.g., location of your computer in relation to your television). The rep then strings cable and drills holes as necessary. Next, about an hour later, the software installation representative visits you. My software rep had some troubles (and I had to help him troubleshoot), but he was friendly enough. He was not from Time Warner or RoadRunner, instead he was from a local computer repair store. The process took over 4 hours. I was told that this was not typical, but I have my doubts. My point here is that the setup process isn't trivial. All in all, things went smoothly but I lost an afternoon. Also, I should note that due to demand, I had to wait just about a month before these reps could come set up my account.
Now, I'm sure you have heard about how cool cable access is. And, if you have it, you probably love it. Cable access is cool because it is fast, it keeps the phone line free, and you don't have to deal with busy signals and related dial up problems. I like it best for the convenience and ease of use. Once it is set up, you turn on your computer and launch your email and your browser without a problem. No dialing, no waiting, no problems. It is something I am glad I have.
Regarding customer service, it was down one night for about 1 hour. I figured out something was wrong and called the cable company to find out what was going on. They asked for my area code and proceeded to get the problem fixed in about 10 minutes. Given the reputation of the cable company in general, this really impressed me. The customer rep was very courteous too.
But...
RoadRunner simply is not 100 times faster than dial up. It is very fast, but it isn't *that* fast. True, there are times when it whips up pages, and there other times when its speed shows, such as when you are uploading and downloading large files via FTP. It is also great for streaming media and Java applications. I listen to net radio all the time now. But, overall, it isn't 100x faster than dial up. Even with a ripping machine and RoadRunner, other servers on the Internet slow things down. With RoadRunner, it is unlikely that your connection is the slowest part of the chain. You are limited by bandwidth and server constraints beyond your control. Life on the web can only be so fast.
I've heard that there are security issues with RoadRunner. When you are on the service, you are basically on a shared network (LAN) connection. This means that during peak periods, you have less and less of the "pipe" to call your own. Perhaps more importantly, I've heard of problems with other folks in your geographic area being able to see (and access) your drive since you are on a network. For this reason, you'll probably want to invest in a proxy or firewall package. Better safe than sorry.
The cost is a bit high for RoadRunner and that is the primary reason I did not subscribe earlier. Every month a bill will come in for over $55 (which includes cable and RoadRunner). This is cheap compared to other places around the country, but it is still a lot of money to spend each and every month. Actually, I'm told that I'll get two bills; one from RoadRunner and the other from Time Warner (if this is true, it is really dumb).
If you have a home network, you’ll pay about $10 for every extra connection. That is, for every computer jacked into the cable line, you’ll have to spend more money. Also, RoadRunner is sold for personal use, not business use. This is true even with a small, at-home business.
Finally, be sure to closely review your service agreement. There is some very interesting legal wording in their agreement. They watch your activity more than you might imagine and they supposedly “own” some of your content. While much of this wouldn’t stick in a court of law, it is something to consider. My brother had a problem with them about some news group postings he made and this issue came to light. This might be worth considering before you take the cable plunge.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
webword
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Member: John Rhodes
Reviews written: 24
Trusted by: 89 members
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