WhiteFence High-Speed Internet Information

One of the busiest categories on WhiteFence.com is the high-speed Internet category. With more broadband choices and plans than ever, consumers looking to save money while getting the best possible download rates around have a multitude of options available to them.

The problem with all of these choices can be an overload of information at times. I know that trying to decide between certain broadband types can be a bit tricky, especially when you've got Cable and DSL, each with their own benefits and speeds. Below, we've put together a list of WhiteFence's best resources on high-speed Internet. Hopefully, browsing these pages will help you figure out everything you need to know to make your high-speed Internet decision.

High-Speed Internet Comparisons

Broadband vs. Dial-Up
Cable vs. DSL
High-Speed Internet Plan Comparisons

General High-Speed Internet

High-Speed Internet Providers
High-Speed Providers in My Area
How to Choose the Best Internet Speed
How to Get Satellite Internet Access
What Is Broadband?
What Is Cable Internet?
What Is DSL Internet?

Provider Deals

AT&T Internet Deals
Comcast Internet Deals
Verizon Internet Deals

Choosing Secure Passwords Online

If you're anything like me, you get freaked out every time you hear stories of online security failures. Whether it's people getting their e-mail or Facebook accounts hacked, I just can't help but get a little more paranoid, wondering if all of my passwords could be compromised just as easily.

For the most part, I try to keep my passwords fairly complex while still easy to remember. I also don't use the same password for every single site I access. While these are fairly basic online security procedures, I'm sure there is much more that I'm unaware of.

That's why it's a good thing that Mozilla put out a recent video titled How to Choose Strong Passwords. It's got a handy guide to helping you choose passwords that are easy to remember, extremely secure and also different for all the sites you visit. It's definitely worth checking out if you're unsure about how secure your online accounts are.

Feel free to share your own thoughts about Internet security in the comments!

Has Broadband Become a Utility?

Back when the Internet first became a reality for home use, it seemed like a bit of a luxury. Sure, there were practical applications such as researching a paper for school or e-mailing a relative, but there were plenty of other more practical ways of accomplishing the same goals.

Slowly but surely though, Internet service became a necessity for most people and made the jump from luxury to utility. As it did, we required faster and faster speeds and so began the age of broadband. Again, at first broadband seemed like a bit of a luxury, but now it almost seems like a necessity. So, has broadband become a utility as well?

I think it has for my family, at least. Sure, lots of broadband applications like gaming and movies are not exactly necessary for day to day life, but pause for a second and imagine your life without broadband. You wouldn't be able to watch those videos of your nephew that just got uploaded to YouTube without buffering for hours. You wouldn't be able to easily download files from work when at home. Uploading pictures to Facebook would take so long you'd have to plan it in advance. I can't imagine any of that any more than I can imagine life at home without water or gas service!

What do you think? Has broadband become a utility? Let us know in the comments.

Ready to start comparing high-speed Internet options in your area? Head over to our broadband center and enter your address now!

City Highlight: Moving to Cleveland

Every month, we try to highlight a city to show savings-savvy consumers how they can save money. Whether people are moving to a new place or just looking for deals for where they live, we hope these prove to be useful for shoppers that are trying to cut down on their monthly expenses.

This month, we take a look at the great city of Cleveland, Ohio. There are lots of great specials to be had with a Cleveland zip code at the moment, especially if you are trying to lock in a natural gas rate just before the temperatures start plummeting.

Here are some of Cleveland's best deals!

Natural Gas

• If you want to get a low natural gas rate before it gets too cold, check out Vectren Source natural gas service. You can find a low variable rate plan that starts at only 5.828 cents per therm.

Bundles

• AT&T; is letting you save money with phone and high-speed Internet bundles that start at $29.20 per month. This deal can help save you up to $180 on your bills!

High-Speed Internet

• Order lightning fast Internet from the folks at Cavalier! You can get up to 8.0 Mbps download speeds for the low price of $39.95 per month!

TV

• DIRECTV is offering their Choice XTRA plan for as low as $34.99, which will also net you 3 free months of Showtime and Starz.
• DISH Network is running a special for the America Top 120 package, which has over 120 channels for only $24.99.

Phone

• Sage Telecom has great deals on home phone, starting at just $19.99. This well priced package will give you unlimited local calling as well as 200 free long distance minutes.

Some of these prices and specials may vary by area, and may change at a future date. To find out what you can save, visit WhiteFence and enter your address to get started!

Tips for Better Wi-Fi Connectivity

In our new wireless age, it seems that we still somehow manage to get a few wires crossed from time to time. Have you ever been in a situation where you've followed all of the instructions for your wireless router, and still can't seem to get the thing to work? I know that I've had those moments where I want to pull my hair out because for some reason, whether I'm not getting a great signal or can't even find the signal at all, things just don't seem to be acting the way they're supposed to.

Well apparently this is a common problem. Which is why super tips site Lifehacker polled their users and came up with this great list of home Wi-Fi troubleshooting solutions. It actually runs down a handy list of user-submitted ideas, and some of them are things I had never considered before. While it's mostly common knowledge to stay away from channel, phone and microwave interference, the idea of using a router in your attic for one story homes is a great one, and would certainly help cut down on obstructions to your connection.

To read this list in full, be sure to head on over to Lifehacker. Does anyone else have any Wi-Fi troubleshooting tips? Any frustrations? Feel free to share!

WhiteFence's October Deals

Here in Houston, the change to the fall season doesn't always mean immediately cooler weather. Last year, the mid 90s heat stayed the same all throughout the month of October, giving us no real reprieve from the sun's hateful beams. However, this year, it actually feels legimitately like fall, seeing as how we are experiencing some of the best weather we've had in all of 2010. It's a nice reminder that summer is officially over.

While our focus on the blog might have been the summer of savings, the chances for you to find great deals are still all over WhiteFence. Here are some of the best deals for October:

• Get three FREE months of Starz and Showtime with select DIRECTV plans.

• Receive a $50 gift card with select Green Mountain Energy plans.

• Reward yourself with $40 in bill credits with select Georgia Natural Gas plans.

• Get $240 back plus $5 off per month for 24 months with select Verizon bundles.

• Get AT&T high-speed Internet for as low as $14.95 per month.

• Save $45 per month or get a $200 reward card with certain AT&T U-verse bundles.

As always, these promotions are subject to change and are true as of the date posted. Really, the best way to ensure you catch one of these deals while they last is to enter your address and see just what's available where you live. Don't miss these fall savings!

How to Save Money on High-Speed Internet with WhiteFence

It's hard to imagine life these days without high-speed Internet service. You'd have to wait hours to download large files, suffer through endless buffering when watching videos and you wouldn't be able to play games online. While you may need broadband, you certainly don't need to be paying to much for it.

With all of the different Internet providers and types of Internet service available today, chances are you probably have the opportunity to save on your broadband bill. That's where we come in.

WhiteFence is the nation's leading site to compare, connect and save on broadband service. Here's how it works:

• Head to our Internet center and enter your address. We'll search a database of the top brands in the country and return a list of providers and plans available at your location, including cable, DSL, satellite and fiber-optic options.

• Compare the available plans on price and features such as download and upload speeds, included e-mail accounts and web storage to find the right plan at the right price.

• Take advantage of special promotions our providers offer such as gift cards, cash back and monthly savings.

• Bundle your Internet service with home phone and TV service for even more savings.

• Order your new service directly on the site and lock in your new low price.

Looking for more information on choosing an Internet provider? Check out these helpful links:

• Choosing the Right Internet Speed (Video)
• The High-Speed Internet Features That Really Matter
• High-Speed Internet Showdown: DSL vs Cable vs Satellite vs Fiber Optic

Chattanooga, Tennessee to Get the Fastest Internet Service in the US

Looking for the ultimate in high-speed Internet? Move to Chattanooga. By the end of the year EPB, a local utility company in the city of 170,000 will be offering an Internet plan with a download speed of one gigabit per second.

To put that number is perspective, a broadband speed of 10 megabits per seconds considered pretty speedy today. This new plan is 100 times faster than that. It's fast enough that you could download an entire HD movie in a matter of a few minutes. You'd never have to deal with buffering ever again!

We told you earlier this year about Google's plan to bring 1 Gbps fiber Internet to reality, but it looks like a this small Chattanooga-owned utility company, could end up beating them to market. They're not expecting much demand any time soon for the plan, though. When asked why they were bringing to market anyway, EPB CEO Harold DePriest said "because we can." Which is a pretty awesome reason.

So, what's the catch? Well, speed never comes cheap and there's certainly no exception here. The one gigabit service will run you $350 per month. Hey, it's still cheaper than a Ferrari.

High-Speed Internet Showdown: DSL vs Cable vs Satellite vs Fiber Optic

Back in the day, you only had one option if you wanted to connect to the Internet: dial-up. It was slow, hogged your phone line and constantly dropped the connection. On the plus side, it had those cool modem noises as you connected. I miss those.

Anyway, thankfully things changed and broadband became the standard way to connect to the Internet. With the arrival of broadband came new choices. Consumers can now choose between DSL Internet, cable Internet, satellite Internet and fiber optic Internet services.

When you compare providers with WhiteFence, you'll find packages from each of these types of broadband. Here are the pros and cons of each:

• DSL Internet – DSL is a big step up from dial-up Internet and was the first type of broadband on the market. While it uses your phone line, it does not keep your phone from working while you surf like dial-up does. With DSL you have a dedicated circuit, so no matter how much your neighbors are using the Internet, your speeds will remain steady. The downsides are that speed tends to taper off the further you get from the provider's base and that it is typically a little slower than cable.

• Cable Internet – Cable debuted after DSL and brought even faster possible speeds to the table. Prices are similar to DSL and are even cheaper in many cases. It's a little bit more complicated to install than DSL and can suffer from slow speeds during peak times. You don't have a dedicated circuit with cable, so if a lot of people in your area are using the Internet, you can see some slowdowns.

• Satellite Internet – Many people in rural areas don't yet have access to traditional broadband channels. For these people, satellite Internet is the only option for high-speed Internet service. While download speeds are pretty close to DSL and cable, upload speeds are lacking. For basic surfing this isn't a problem, but for gamers and people who upload files it can be a problem.

• Fiber Optic Internet – Fiber optic service is the new kid on the block. It's chief benefit is the amazing speeds you can get. It's the fastest option out there, so if you feel the need for speed, this is the way to go. That speed comes at a price though, as you'll end up paying a little more. It's also so new that not that many people have access yet. Check WhiteFence and see if you're one of the lucky ones!

Ready to compare, connect and save on broadband service? Head over to out high-speed Internet center and enter your address to get started. You'll be comparing offers from the top broadband companies in your area in no time.

City Highlight: Moving to Los Angeles

We all know that Los Angeles, California is the City of Angels, so naturally, everyone wants to move there, right? I mean, who wouldn't want to be near the epicenter of America's entertainment industry? If you want sports, you can check out USC football games or the Los Angeles Lakers, or even the Dodgers. On top of that, it's located in sunny California, which is statistically proven to be awesome.

It's true, Los Angeles has everything a mover could want in a new destination. That's why we've taken the time to put together a list of some of the best deals you can find in Los Angeles, to see where you could save money on your monthly bills. If you're moving or just thinking about switching, here are some of the best deals available to you:

Bundles

• AT&T; is bundling Internet and TV packages for as low as $49.94 per month for both services. This saves you as much as $528 over the course of 2 years.

High-Speed Internet

• Order blazing fast 7.0 Mbps Time Warner Cable high-speed for as low as $34.95 per month!

TV

• DIRECTV is offering their Premiere package for free for 5 months with the purchase of NFL Sunday Ticket for this season of America's favorite sport.
• DISH Network is running a special for the America Top 200 package, which has over 200 channels for only $39.99.

Phone

• Sage Telecom is letting you dial on the cheap with unlimited local and long distance phone plans starting at just $29.99!

Some of these prices and specials may vary by area, and may change at a future date. To find out what you can save, visit WhiteFence and enter your address to get started!