Christie, I am still dial-up. I can get pictures if there aren't too many at one time, but long threads where several add pics, I just give up.

I doubt if I will ever have high speed out here.

I am on dial up also. I used to have a problem with long threads with lots of pictures, but with my new computer it is better. If there are too many pics to load at the first try, I refresh and the rest come on. Of course it requires some waiting, but I go do something else that needs to be done. In a way it is a good thing, otherwise I would be spending even more time 'here' ! :-)
I don't think there will ever be high speed here, either.

Might check the setting of your modem. Some have selectable speeds from 1200bps up to 50+Kbps. If you have a variable speed modem, your connection speed is usually determined by the service provider and isn't always the maximum operating speed of a dial up connection
Be aware also, that GW is one of the slowest websites on the internet to load, text and/or pictures. On most websites, I can load a full screen photo in less than 5 seconds, here it is a waiting game sometimes and I always run at a line speed of 50-55Kbps.
To keep your hard drive running at maximum speed, it's a good idea to periodically dump the internet cache files, clean out the cookie jar, including the spyware cookies and defrag the hard drive. The spyware cookies takes a seperate program to eliminate. You can download one from the internet for free. I have tried several and settled with Ad-Aware SE, that seems to be most effective.

Since I'm never in a rush anymore(comes with old age),a dial up connection serves me well enough, even though DSL and Broadband are both available here.
Rb

I don't have High speed either and pictures are slow but like razorback i'm not in a hurry. I do get rid of cookies regularly.
vickie

Several of you mention 'age'. I will be 74 this month. Are any of you older?
I have 'all the time in the world' because of my age/ailments, and my even older DH and his ailments. This all keeps me close to home, and rather inactive. Sooo, the slowness of my computer doesn't usually bother me.

Marian, I'm 66 with health problems. I manage fairly well. Am having to restructure my big flower beds to a more manageable form somehow.I'm
working on it. depression and severe anemia makes it hard to get started sometimes but that is what i need to do to help the depression.
vickie

I'm 54 with lots of health problems too but I still work full time. I have been off since the 1st week in September with some serious back problems and am off to see the surgeon Dec. 11. I hope I get to go back to work, I need to!

Nancy

jaceysgranny, my mother has severe back problems as well, she had to go see a nueroligist in Tulsa by the name of Wilson, he performed 2 surgeries on her, everyone is talking about what a miracle worker he is, she is suppose to be able to ride again once she heals (last surgery was Dec. 11) if you need a good one check him out.

Marian, I am 67. So far, health is pretty good, at least no Drs. yet. I do have arthritis (my diagnosis) in my knees due to standing on concrete during the dairying years. Glucosamine has helped me tremendously. I feel like my time is pretty much my own; so even if High Speed was available, if it cost a lot, I wouldn't have it.

You can use the Tips below to increase the Internet speed....

how to increase download and upload speed
1.go to run
2.type gpedit.msc and click OK
3.go to Administrative Templates - Network - Qos packet Schedule
4.double click on Limit reservable bandwidth
5.click enabled.
6.change 20 to 0
7.click OK
8.restart computer
9.go to Ip-details.com
10.test your upload and download speed.
11.compare before and after.
HAVE A TRY ON IT!

Here is a link that might be useful: ip-details.com

We have DSL and I HATE IT! Half the time it isn't working right, takes forever to load, fails to respond, etc etc etc. We have had the AT&T serviceman out here multiple times and when he leaves, it works fine--for a week or so, then it's back to its old tricks and we have to call again. And everytime it storms, it goes out.

When our contract is up, we are thinking about getting a Galaxy tablet computer that we can take anywhere, and also acts as a wifi hotspot so you can still get internet on your PC. Both of my brother and sister-in-laws each have one and they love it. We'll get rid of our land line phone and DSL line, we don't really need a land line anyway as we both have cell phones and nobody calls on it anyway except political calls and sales calls. The more I think about it the better I like the idea.

PC's are on their way out anyway, before we know it they will be as obsolete as 8-track tape players, lol!

This is an old thread. I don't have dial-up anymore thank goodness. We finally got rid of our land line. We mostly used it to find our cell phones anyway. lol

DSL is not available here and we didn't want satellite so we signed up with a rural wireless company called Total Wireless in Republic - but it now says Total Highspeed (Nixa) on my monthly invoice so it either changed its name or was bought out. They put an antenna on our roof to pick up a signal from their towers and it's pretty dependable except when there's a build-up of ice on the antenna.

There are other companies that provide high speed internet to rural areas where DSL is not available even people out in the boonies. You can search for "wisp" or rural wireless in your county/state.

Christie, when I had to call recently she said they "sort of merged". I recently increased (doubled) my speed to 526 for an additional $10 so I could see videos. If I don't see an appreciable difference I can just cancel. They do it all from their end, no house calls.

I had mine just automatically added to my credit card.
think that was my only choice back then.

I sure have been pleased with the service.

I used to get a lot of housework done when I had dial-up, no doubt about that. It's been years but I'm still in the habit of simply not bothering with videos even though my speed is fast enough now. Old habit die hard, I guess.