Review by asciirider 
UPDATED: 1.8 years ago
member for 9.3 years, 1004 visits, last login: 24 days ago
 Chicago,Cook,IL
 $49 per month (6 month contract)
 about 14 days
 Ameritech
 "Reliable service, Steady speeds"
 "Other than Covad not bringing me out a network card, none"
 "Overall, a pretty good value"
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)
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After reading some of the reviews here, I thought I'd wait a couple months after getting DSL so I wouldn't have to append my verdicts.
I called Earthlink to order DSL as they finally had it available here in my part of Chicago around July 13th. The salesperson answered any questions I had and told me yes, you can still have your Earthlink email address, even thought the DSL will be provided by Mindspring, and that I can use Mindspring dialup access for free until the install (Main reason I waited on Earthlink for DSL was I didn't want to switch email addresses). Later that day, I get an email from Covad saying that Ameritech will be out in 7 days to do the line install.
7 days later, Ameritech shows up and installs the line. I get an email from Covad saying they'll be out in 7 days.
Another 7 days goes by and the Covad tech shows up on time, right in the middle of the time window. He hooks up the line outside, then asks where I want it installed. I show him, and says ok, and wires the jack in my room for the DSL line. hooks up an Eficient 5260 modem and no synch. I asked if it could possibly be because I ran this line up here myself when I moved the computer up here a year ago? He checks the splice in the line, reconnects it and tapes the exposed ends together and we come back upstairs, and the modem's synched. Now, for the only problem I had with Covad. He asks ok, where's your NIC. told him this computer's never had one, and Mindspring says it was included, according to his paperwork it wasn't suppoused to be, and he didn't have one as the order said NIC not required (Turns out it was a computer flitch between Earthlink and Covad, all orders the day I ordered were set that way for some reason). The tech makes some calls to other installers to see if they have any cards. None do. Tech tells me he can stop back tomorrow with one, or I could go out and buy one and have Earthlink reimburse me (which is the option I took, and they did reimburse me for it).
Now, after running to Best Buy and coming home and installing the card and the software. I couldn't connect. called tech support and was escalated to level 2. The support tech and I tried everything short of sacrificing small animals to the broadband gods, but nothing would work....They could send data to my modem with no problem, I could see the lights flash, but I couldn't ping the modem at all myself. Finally the tech got wise and asked me if I'd tried another slot for the card....I check the IRQ's and lo and behold.... was using the same one as my sound card was! Told the tech I'd try that and call back if it didn't work (called the tech back as he gave me his extention to thank him for all the help).
After installing the card, running the software to do DOS diagnostics on it first this time, I try to connect......At this point I'm expecting the worst.......it actually connects! as I already pre-tweaked my system, I do a speed test and I get about 1.25M/310K.
Since then, I've installed RASPPPOE instead of the Enternet software, and I'm able to use a videochat program I couldn't with Enternet because of the modem IPsettings vs. the actual Dynamic IP address.
All in all, I'd rate Earthlink 4 out of 5. I was happy withthem as my dialup provider for 2 years, and still a happy camper with their DSL. Since I got it I think I've had a grand total of 10 minutes of downtime.
ASCII
Update Jan 2008. After getting the runaround about my speeds constantly getting lower..and lower and calls to tech support didn't do a thing. After I hit a consistent 768 or so DL speed I switched to Comcast as ELN pretty much told me my line couldn't handle the 1.5 meg speed... funny it worked fine for 5 and a half years at that speed before.
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EarthLink
