# How long can you survive without access to the internet?



## Grace Elliot (Mar 14, 2011)

OK, I took out a deal for mobile internet via a dongle so that I could go on holiday and still have access to the web. 
Horror of horrors! It didnt work. 
After 2 trips to Ryde and a wasted visit to Newport (the Vodafone shop is closed for refurbishment) and 2 irate phone calls to my so-called-service-provider I was no nearer getting online. 

Day 1 without the web I was annoyed and a little inconvenienced, day 2 - I was getting tetchy, day 3 and I'm down right irritable and not enjoying the holiday at all because of it. 
It took the purchase of a pay-as-you-go dongle and my 14 year old son's help to get me online. 

I'm amazed at the stress I felt and the lengths I went to, to get back online and yes, I now realise I am addicted!!!

How about you?
Can you honestly say you are happy when deprived of the internet? Is it a blessing or a curse? What is the longest time you've gone without cracking?


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## msdanielle28 (Jun 12, 2011)

For me it is one of those things I'm pleasantly content getting on the internet here and there so there has been a two week span when I did not go online. Although this could be weird I can have nothing to do or don't at all need to go online but say for some reason the power goes off or I am having trouble with the internet company which I do and the internet is down I get all frustrated and want it on as soon as possible. But it should not matter right cause I have nothing to do on there anyway. huh  My mind works like this. Usually by the evening I'm looking online to check on things, pay bills, check accounts, and usual email or two, and see what wealth of information awaits me that evening. So for me I can go without it but it is an inconvenience when I need it especially if it is down. Just knowing it's not working is the problem for me.


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## Harry Shannon (Jul 30, 2010)

Thanks to the Blackberry I'm addicted to emails and checking CNN if bored, so not very long. Sigh.


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## B Regan Asher (Jun 14, 2011)

I think I would go into cardiac arrest without the internet for a significant period of time.  A couple times a year my internet connection goes down at which point I start convulsing a frothing slightly from my mouth.


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## Adam Kisiel (Jun 20, 2011)

Depends of what I am doing. If I am going windsurfing, I do not think about it at all.


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## MrPLD (Sep 23, 2010)

About 1 hour... usually... depends on how occupied I am in "real life"   Doesn't help that all my normal business comes through email/chat.


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## MoonlitDreams (Apr 15, 2011)

I can go a couple hours (if I am kept busy) but after that I start getting testy and I get that itch to go check on things. 

I'm definitely addicted too, and being an Indie Author makes it WORSE. Not only do I need something to write my "brilliant" ideas down when they hit me, but now a notebook won't suffice, because I also must check on my "publicity machine"  lol  That is to say, Facebook, twitter, Wattpad, e-mail, and the plethora of other social networking I do!  

*taps a vein, plugs power cord in*


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## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

A surprisingly long time.  When we go on vacation in the very near future ( ) I'll be going ten days without the internet.  Of course, it's vacation, with plenty of other things to do.  But, in general, I find without a computer nearby I don't even think about it.

Dawn


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## Amy Corwin (Jan 3, 2011)

Forever.
In fact, there have been weeks when we've had a power failure that I've regretted the electricity coming back on. It's so nice and quiet and you can relax, go bird watching, play with the dogs, talk to your significant other, and read a nice book.

Or my favorite, play Scrabble. 

It's like a weight lifts from my shoulders.


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## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

Amy Corwin said:


> Forever.
> In fact, there have been weeks when we've had a power failure that I've regretted the electricity coming back on. It's so nice and quiet and you can relax, go bird watching, play with the dogs, talk to your significant other, and read a nice book.
> 
> Or my favorite, play Scrabble.
> ...


Exactly. I find myself stressed out on the computer. Of course I'm addicted to it, so I have to have a power failure or a pc free vacation to get me off of the stupid thing. Obviously I can't stay off of it for too long because that's how I sell my novels.

Dawn


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## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

I'm in a condo and have DSL connection.  Last year because of some work being done near the building, AT&T underground phone lines got cut!  No internet!!  (I thought it was going to be for at least a day, but it wasn't very long.)  Then I remembered . . . my 3G iPad.  Whew!


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## anne_holly (Jun 5, 2011)

This is one of those questions that gives me anxiety when contemplating being without internet, but when actually without internet, I am usually fine - a lot happier, actually. I think getting away is good for me, really. I get obsessive if I spend too much time online, and I am prone to fixate on the computer when it's in the room. I have a WiFi laptop I can use wherever there is open WiFi and a PC in my office on campus, but other than that I am without mobile internet access away from my home. Those breaks are important for me, I think. It's not healthy to be "reachable" all the time, IMO.  

The one exception, recently, is when I went to see Harry Potter; I was playing hooky from deadlines and other work, and I sneaked out to the movies. I got clammy wondering what was in my inbox. But, then the movie started, and I forgot all about the net. It was wonderful for a change.

I am lucky in that I have religo-cultural reasons to spend 24 hours a week away from the computer - it sucks when you are facing deadlines, but I find the weekly radio silence is quite refreshing.


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## JETaylor (Jan 25, 2011)

When I'm out and doing things - it doesn't really impact me, but when I'm home, I'm plugged in all the time.  I do have that gotta know what's going on affliction too.  I can go a couple hours, then I have to check in.  It is so much worse since I started this writing gig in 2007.  Before I could go days without checking email and be content to just hang with family and friends and read - I read A LOT.  

Now with the Kindle, at least I'm a bit more comfortable going periods of time without internet access as long as I have my books or stories transferred there to work on.  

I often wonder what I would do if the entire infrastructure broke down.


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## hamerfan (Apr 24, 2011)

Without the internet? I can go several weeks, easy.
Without my computer? Two days is too long.


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## Sharon Red (Jul 23, 2011)

Oh lord, I can say it would be not long at all!


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

I once went 18 months w/ no internet.  Now a days, I can go for vacations and not have the internet and be fine.  For me, it really is all about what I'm doing.  If I'm @ home, then yeah, I do want to be online, but if I'm on vacation or hanging w/ the fam, then it's not that important.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

Not long.  If I don't have my computer, I am checking Facebook and other things using my phone.


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## PatrickWalts (Jul 22, 2011)

I pay all of my bills online so losing internet access would present a serious problem for me.  That being said, I'd really like to get a computer without internet access to set up in one of the spare bedrooms so that I can write without the temptation to check my Facebook every 20 minutes.


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## NapCat (retired) (Jan 17, 2011)

Internet is a necessity in modern life......it has replaced our dictionaries, encyclopedias, cookbooks....we have instant communication, instant news and weather. Many of us rely on it for our personal finances and business dealings. Not to mention one can travel the world, visit museums and exotic places. Entertainment of all genre is available.

That said, we must remember to "unplug"..........."real life" is pretty cool; we don't want to miss that !!


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## tsilver (Aug 9, 2010)

A couple of days


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## anne_holly (Jun 5, 2011)

PatrickWalts said:


> I pay all of my bills online so losing internet access would present a serious problem for me. That being said, I'd really like to get a computer without internet access to set up in one of the spare bedrooms so that I can write without the temptation to check my Facebook every 20 minutes.


I use my laptop to work on, since I don't have WiFi in my apartment. This gets me away from the internet (which is on my PC at home). I find this useful to cut down on the umpteen million "I should just check..." impulses.


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## spotsmom (Jan 20, 2011)

Before I got addicted to Kindle Boards and chat, I could go for days without the Internet.  I only got WiFi in the past few months, so when I had dialup I just waited until I got to work and used it very limited there.

I don't need to be on (or check) Facebook for days and days...  And I certainly don't need to be checking (or answering) my phone while out with friends!  I feel sorry for people who have to be checking/receiving things during meals.  If it's kids, their parents should put a halt to it (along with using the thing during school classes).  I can't understand some people.  I'm one of the people who thinks that answering a phone is entirely optional.

If I got stranded (and didn't need the GPS locator), I could go along just fine for a long, long time.  That's because I know my chat friends would put out an SOS for me!!


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## cc84 (Aug 6, 2010)

A few days, a week at the most. I use my BlackBerry to check Facebook and whats going on in the news. So that lessens the need for the computer but if i go longer than a week then i'm not happy. I can't imagine what people did before the internet


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## Grace Elliot (Mar 14, 2011)

I feel hugely reassured by that there are so many other dependant addicts out there! I cant believe I have got like this - I am the most un-tekky person you could imagine, but I just love checking FB and responding to emails. Obviously, I need to get out more...


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## Tris (Oct 30, 2008)

I am usually fine and could go on for long periods of time if I'm occupied by a trip or something.  However, I had to switch to another ISP recently because my old one got taken over by a larger company and provided such a poor connection.  Then my new ISP didn't bother to tell people "oops, modems and wifi routers are on back order", so I was a week without which was brutal.  Now I'm connected via cable on my laptop, but still waiting for my wireless router (which I really need).  I too have a Blackberry, but it doesn't help much when you are trying to pay bills via online.  I get charged for using the automated phone lines.

Tris


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## Jordan Parkes (Jul 16, 2011)

Unless I'm on vacation (Where I have a strict no computer policy) I can barely last a day. 

I am an internet marketer when I am not writing so naturally I can't work if the internet goes out.

A few months ago I lost access for a week and was ready to organize a protest.


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## KathyGleason (May 5, 2011)

I get really antsy with even a full day away from the Internet. Which is especially weird considering I was probably one of the last people to fall under it's spell!


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## Amera (May 22, 2011)

Scientifically speaking, 26 minutes.


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## Val2 (Mar 9, 2011)

I am climbing the walls after a day - very sad, isn't it?


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## Grace Elliot (Mar 14, 2011)

Amera said:


> Scientifically speaking, 26 minutes.


Impressive!
I'm currently accessing the internet on a pay-as-you-go-dongle and getting twitched about how much credit is left on it...and will I know before it cuts me off...and if it cuts me off first then how do I access the internet to pay for more browsing time. Argh!


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## Vegas_Asian (Nov 2, 2008)

However long it takes me to get to Starbucks. I love my word feud

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk


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## rayhensley (Apr 16, 2011)

Not sure. But the idea of being forced away from Facebook and emails and YouTube sounds quite liberating lol.


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## hakimast (Jul 23, 2011)

Not very, I have stuff I need to get done


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## Grace Elliot (Mar 14, 2011)

Latest update on internet situation....dongle purchased from supermarket working like a dream HOWEVER I'm not getting nearly as much writing done as before I solved the problem. Dang! Some people are just never happy!


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## LaRita (Oct 28, 2008)

Since we got an internet TV, I don't think I'd do well at all....am pretty much addicted to streaming video from Netflix, et al.  It's amazing to think that when I was a child we'd barely heard of computers, much less the internet in every home!


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## Guest (Aug 12, 2011)

I went two weeks at the end of May/beginning of June after my open heart surgery, and just went another week (little over, I think?) after my stroke.

But only forces of nature can keep me off more than a few days willingly.  Sometimes I take a break from the world at the lakehouse and just read, sleep, and attack the man unit.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

spotsmom said:


> I'm one of the people who thinks that answering a phone is entirely optional.


Of course it is! (Provided it's your personal one and not an office phone.)

I survived for about 32 years without the internet... now I could do it again, but my phone bill would go up! And I'd need a couple of newspaper subscriptions. And more stationery and stamps. And newer reference books. On the plus side, I wouldn't waste as much time....


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## Vegas_Asian (Nov 2, 2008)

Then I will never be able to play scrabble. 

There is also the issue of school related stuff. I have been using Word since 1995. That's since first grade. And my family got internet a couple of years after that. The nightmare. Lol
Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

Vegas_Asian said:


> Then I will never be able to play scrabble.


Scrabble is on the internet? 
At my house it's in a box.


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## Hadou (Jun 1, 2011)

I'd probably do ok.

So, maybe 3 or 4 hours.


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## teeitup (Nov 1, 2008)

I would imagine if the service was unavailable for any length of time (storms, line failures), I would probably get somewhat antsy just because it was unavailable.  During a major snowstorm in Feb, it was kinda refreshing to get the power flashlight out, get comfy on the couch and read!!  Last year, I had to spend a lot of time at my folks on weekends and they have no computer and their main TV was out, with only a little one in a back bedroom, and I was more upset by the inconvenience of trying to catch up on news than I was on missing the computer.  However, if I'm home (I'm single), it is a welcome crutch for socialization and just plain having fun, plus convenient necessities of bill paying and catching up on what's going on in the world quickly.


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## JeanneB (Aug 31, 2009)

Unfortunately, I am totally addicted.


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## zeus (Aug 15, 2011)

Grace Elliot said:


> Can you honestly say you are happy when deprived of the internet? Is it a blessing or a curse? What is the longest time you've gone without cracking?


No. 

Definitely blessing. You can meet new people all around the world, search for information, learn, etc. It's a great thing.

One day.  Maybe less.


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## herocious (May 20, 2011)

I think the more relevant question for me is: How long I can survive _with_ access to the internet?


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## JETaylor (Jan 25, 2011)

I might be finding out the answer to this question in the next day or so...thanks to Irene.   

We will see what the wind brings.  Hope all you out there south of New England are safe and hunkered down.  Prayers for your safety are enroute!


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## Shayne Parkinson (Mar 19, 2010)

If I'm away from home and keeping busy, I don't really miss it. We spend three weeks in Europe a couple of years back, and didn't have 'net access at all. A year or two before that we were on  a three-day hike, plus the day either side to get there and back, so five days in total, and definitely no 'net. I didn't miss it all all then, as I was walking all day and pleasantly exhausted in the evenings. 

If I'm home, in my regular routine, I miss it after an hour or so - usually when I want to look something up!


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## JeanneB (Aug 31, 2009)

I am going to be finding out tomorrow when the hurricane hits.  I could access AT & T on my iPad, but I am going to see how long I can go without it.


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

I've gone one week without the net while on vacation a few times, on purpose. Honestly, I welcome the break, though I dread downloading all the emails when I get home. I've been using the net for promotion and learning and keeping in touch with friends for a long time, but I'm still not sure I want to use it 365 days a year. It's not so bad to take a techie break and pick up a paperback once in awhile. I don't even mind using a pencil and paper to work on first drafts of books. Of course, if I have a writing deadline, well then, that's different!! D


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## JeanneB (Aug 31, 2009)

The power was out for 2 days during Irene... I found out, I do have a real addiction...I kept wanting to open my laptop.  I bought a month's worth of AT & T for my iPad..and it didn't work.  Neither did the Verizon 3G on my iPhone.  BUT..we got thru the storm and that is all that matters!


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## Jack Wallen (Feb 9, 2011)

That's a tough one. One of my jobs is a technical writer, so I kind of depend upon it. I know...it's lame. Here in Louisville, KY we had an ice storm a couple of years ago that took out power for over a week. We bought a generator and one of the first things I did was (after getting heat going of course) was hook up wireless so I could work again.


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## JETaylor (Jan 25, 2011)

Lost power at 11am Sunday and the cable/internet/phone at 3pm on Sunday.  

Sunday night was excruciating.  Monday I went to work for a little bit but when I got home - we still didn't have either.  

Today I'm at my mother's house - and all hooked up. 

Addiction to internet surfing confirmed.  

Although playing cards with my kids and listening to the radio and reading my kindle made for a nice evening but I still felt a little lost without connectivity.


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## ◄ Jess ► (Apr 21, 2010)

Jack Wallen said:


> That's a tough one. One of my jobs is a technical writer, so I kind of depend upon it. I know...it's lame. Here in Louisville, KY we had an ice storm a couple of years ago that took out power for over a week. We bought a generator and one of the first things I did was (after getting heat going of course) was hook up wireless so I could work again.


My job also depends on the internet, so I can understand. If I didn't have access to the internet, I guess I could survive as long as my money didn't run out! We've gone without power for 3-4 days at a time and while I miss all the social things I do on the internet, I didn't mind too much. But yeah, I can't make any money if I'm not online.


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

Not long at all. I wouldn't be able to file game stories and I wouldn't be able to research books.


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## VictoriaP (Mar 1, 2009)

Apparently, my limit is "not at all".  Posting this from a boat in the middle of Puget Sound.


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## julieannfelicity (Jun 28, 2010)

We lost power during hurricane (tropical storm) Irene and I was going stir-crazy. I literally sat and twiddled my thumbs I was so bored. At one point I had to use real cards to play solitaire.

I can't imagine life without the internet . . . I'm an addict!


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## 16205 (Jun 8, 2010)

I've considered naming the computer _My Precious_. So, probably about 5 minutes.


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## Sharon Red (Jul 23, 2011)

Danielle Bourdon said:


> I've considered naming the computer _My Precious_. So, probably about 5 minutes.


Haha I love it


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## AnnetteL (Jul 14, 2010)

Depends on the day. If it's the weekend, I LIKE to have the Internet, but it's not critical. But as a writer, I can't really work (no contacting clients, no getting or receiving manuscripts or invoices or anything else). 

But I admit I'm a bit addicted. I went a couple of days without when I attended a conference last spring and the hotel's WiFi didn't work. I was losing my mind.


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## JETaylor (Jan 25, 2011)

At least I'm not the only one in the house that didn't know what to do with myself for the last 3 days.  My kids were going stir crazy from Irene - no power except that from the generator (we were better off than some around us with a generator) - no cable, internet or phone.  

I got really, really cranky.  At least I was able to pop onto my email quickly at work.  

But it's amazing how cranky it made me.  

Hope the next 'tropical storm' decides to miss New England this time.


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## Jill1228 (Aug 24, 2011)

I can't. I ain't even gonna front. When we moved, it was 2 weeks before we could get Internet. Thank goodness for my iPhone.


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## Cliff Ball (Apr 10, 2010)

I went a week and a half without the internet at the beginning of August when I went on a road trip from Texas to South Dakota to go to Yellowstone. I even took my Kindle with me thinking that maybe there would be some type of wireless around there, but there wasn't. Once you get into western parts of Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and eastern Wyoming, there's no Wi-Fi or 3G, at least none that I could pick up. The only time I could use the internet was when we stayed in hotels after spending 3 or 4 days camping out.  Man, that was a lot of e-mail that I had in my Yahoo mail!


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## caracara (May 23, 2010)

If it is a planned separation: (aka vacation out of the country) I can go 2 weeks, that I know of, have never had the opportunity to try longer.

If unplanned: Internet a day or so, as long as I can still read.  Texting? About an hour.


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