Tech: Uk wireless broadband

Subject: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 10:23 AM

Our wireless router died suddenly a few weeks ago (well it was on most of the time for two years). Our ISP is orange (formally freeserve then wanadoo) and we have been getting tired of the lack of speed and sometimes availability so think the time has come to change. We have looked at Skys See Speak Surf package but wonder if anyone here has had dealings with them or if anyone can recommend an ISP.

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 10:28 AM

Well I happily use BT Internet Jane, and have had no problems with it.
Giok

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 10:30 AM

Sudden thought, Tesco provide ISP as well, and it is or was based on BTInternet. Don't know if that is the case since they became BT Yahoo though.
G

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: Dave Earl
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 10:32 AM

Jane

Are you on the Orange "Talk" package?

I migrated from Freeserve through Wannadoo and so on and my current wireless setup works fairly well (two desktop p.c.s and a laptop wirelessly networked and herself uses her work laptop off the same connection.

It all seems to work well enough for me.

Dave

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 10:45 AM

No this is just a straight internet provision costing £27.99 a month (new customers pay only £19 and get a wireless modem thrown in whereas we had to buy our own.) We are now having to use the wired modem on the main computer and can access this wirelessly o the kids pc and my laptop but the connection cuts out frequently and the signal is not strong in the evenings.

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 11:05 AM

We are finding orange very slow, and on an evening it keeps cutting us off in the n=middle of a posting. Since the wireless router stopped, we're using the fastest PC as an Internet Gateway and the broadband router gets cut off by Orange, then can't connect again.
It reminds me of just before Freeserve got taken over. They had got too many customers for their servers to handle all at once.

The Sky package sounds good - essentially less than we are paying, it gives high spec broadband plus free evening and weekend phone calls and a standard Sky Telly package thrown in for nothing.
We are just wondering if there is a catch - how reliable is the broadband? We have no interest in paying for telly extras such as the sports of films. Don't have time to watch the stuff on standard free digibox. What we don't want to do is change suppliers and then find the new one is out of its depth.

We would also be interested to find out which alternative providers to avoid. How good or bad are BT, Tiscali etc.?

Quack!
Geoff.

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 11:13 AM

We went Sky after getting thouroughly cheesed of with NTL. Think of going for a higher spec package though - If you go for the top broadband package there is no installation charge and free calls all the time, including some international ones, is only £5 extra.

Rather that £28 we now pay around £35 but the service is excelent. Don't forget you do need a BT line.

Cheers

Dave

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: s&r
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 11:52 AM

Jane - it looks as though you can go to Orange the unlimited package for 19.99 as I read the blurb on the Orange home page. It's what we use and it's fast and reliable in our experience

Stu

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: redsnapper
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 12:10 PM

I find BT reasonable and totally trouble-free.

RS

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: Rasener
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 01:20 PM

Go to this website where there is a help forum for Sky.
http://www.skyuser.co.uk/forum/

You need to make sure you can get it first. I know I can't.

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: Andy Jackson
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 01:40 PM

Why does Virgin never seem to get a mention? I have been with them for ages, they offer a choice of packages, I have NEVER lost a connection and they filter virus and stuff as well.
The radio bit is another whole can of worms.

Andy

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: Bru
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 01:51 PM

I've been using BT as as provider for business and domestic use since they started supplying the service (9 or 10 years ago).

I've never had any serious moans with them, and neither have I had a breakdown with the service. However - I do live on the outskirts of a city and use the same exchange as two major banking businesses. Probably that helps maintain a good service.

Whatever other provider you use - unless they use a cable connection, they'll be using BT's lines and cabling to your house.

I've not had any problems with the wireless side of broadband when I've used it, but I happier with cables.

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: gnomad
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 02:28 PM

Like Andy [MM] I have been happy with Virgin: equipment was delivered as described & worked as it should. The service has also been fine.

To use an overused comment "It does what it says on the tin."

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: Geordie-Peorgie
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 03:30 PM

Aah must be the only one who's been robbed blind by BT.

The system works up tiv a point but their accounts department is ludicrous.

They've been charging me for BT Broadband, BT Wireless broadband AND Surf & Talk - I found out about three months ago and it's great fun tryin' te get me money back.

They now say I owe THEM £300 - But they can't tell me how or send me a statement to show this - Apparently I'm even paying for a hub-phone I never asked for or received.

It's like banking with Barclays - Ye find you're paying for stuff you never asked for or received!

WATCH THE BASTARDS - They're all thieves

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 03:34 PM

Seems you're right Stu, wish I'd realised before but may well give it a go now.

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: s&r
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 03:49 AM

Jane - I went down a similar road to you, and was quite unhappy, but didn't fancy the hassle that people seem to get in changing ISP. The whole change to unlimited was easy, and we're changing the BT landline contract since all Ireland calls and minland calls are free with a webphone. The whole business should save us about £40 per quartter

Stu

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: Anne Lister
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 05:16 AM

We too are with Virgin and have been very happy with it.

Anne

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: sian, west wales
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 06:45 AM

I was with Homecall but I think it's now changed to Pipex. I pay something like £25 a month plus £9.99 line rental for unlimited Broadband and free UK calls (any time). Seems to me that I tested my Broadband speed at one point and was getting a lot faster service than I was actually paying for ...

sian

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 12:19 PM

Thanks for all the help. We have decided to go with the Orange Unlimited for the next 12 months and then think again about a complete change.

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 12:36 PM

NTL has always been fine for us. And now it's Virgin Media the same applies.

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: LesB
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 01:15 PM

Mrs Duck, Have a look at Plus Net reasonable prices & I have found it a good service.
Cheers
Les

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 09:35 PM

"insist on payment by credit card which cannot easily be stopped"

I have dealt with such idiots by 'losing' my credit card, and having the bank issue a 'replacement'. OK, a bit of a temporary nuisance for a few days, but if they keep on trying to take the money out, technically it's a 'theft'.... :-) and then the credit card company guy in India has to deal with the ISP guy in India - probably over morning tea in the same office in India.... :-)

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: Sue the Borderer
Date: 05 Jun 07 - 07:24 PM

All that talk of India brings back the awful memories of when I lost my Broadband connection earlier this year (not wireless) Two months and 49 calls to India later (plus supposedly 3 new modems, one of which never arrived) I got back on line.
Not a good experience! Yet I'm still with Orange - only because I haven't decided on a different ISP. I want one whose call centre is not based in India. Any suggestions?

Sue

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: dermod in salisbury
Date: 06 Jun 07 - 06:42 PM

Odd or what? Occasionally I contribute to a thread and do not discover until I post that my 'cookie' has vanished (again) so I appear as GUEST. My Guest post has now vanished from the thread, even though two subsequent posts have noted the comments. Is this some new moderator policy? If so, spell it out, somebody please.

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 06 Jun 07 - 09:11 PM

Posts labelled just "GUEST" now may be deleted - possibly even automatically - thanks due to much grievous hassle with anonymous posters playing nasty games - that's now Mudcat Policy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One thing that should not be overlooked with broadband packages is how much you can download before either your speed is restricted or you get charged for 'extra monthly bandwidth use'.

I have measured my thruput, and I use a minimum of 1Gb a month, just for mail, Mudcat, and other basic things. If I start getting music downloads, or much other stuff, I will need at least 3Gb - maybe up to 6 Gb if I start using Linux - as a 'new version' update could easily be 6 Gb.

A while ago I got an offer from Dodo - 70 Mb a month before extra charges - extra with most ISPs is usually charged at about 20 cents a megabyte!

I note for you a flyer from Optus -

"Broadband from just $19.95 a month" - with "up to 300 Mb downloads!" (other packages are far more expensive)

the "up to" fine print is interesting - it's really 100 Mb. Full stop.

The 'extra 200Mb' is a "YES Allowance" - only for use between 12 midnight and 12 noon daily - but you must be a 'bundled customer' - have your phone with them too! and remain within the 100 Mb normal allowance for the billed month - If you exceed the "YES allowance", usage counts towards the normal billed monthly data usage.

!!!

Watch the fine print!

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: dermod in salisbury
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 04:22 AM

Good point. And thanks for update on guest posts.

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 05:39 PM

Well new modem arrived yesterday and new wireless network is now up and running - so far at a fair speed!

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: Dave Earl
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 05:48 PM

So how "unlimited" is your Orange package turning out to be Jane?

Dave

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 06:05 PM

It's a bit soon to tell yet, Dave. I only started to get it all set up this morning. Had to start out with a hard wired ethernet connection because Internet explorer wouldn't connect to the control setup in the box. I didn't find out where on the installation CD they had put the extra "do it manually and know it's been done right" instructions until I was wired in.
I later unplugged the ethernet and got the wireless bit sorted, but I've only just got the third (oldest) computer configured for the new wireless connection.
In a few days the Voice-over-internet bit of the magic box should get activated and we should be getting a spare phone number. If I read their website correctly I think it gives us FREE outgoing calls to UK land lines and also within unspecified "fair usage" to a stack of other countries. We will see what transpires.
Quack!
Geoff.

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: Dave Earl
Date: 07 Jun 07 - 06:16 PM

Yeah I had to do the hard wired thing to set myself up.

My Orange setup is generally OK but I do find I need to reboot the Livbeox more often than I would like,

Dave

Subject: RE: Tech: Uk wireless broadband
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 08 Jun 07 - 03:19 AM

BT Internet operates a thing it calls "cleanfeed". If you try to connect to a site that is on a banned list, it won't connect you, and in stead of telling you so and why, it tells you "404 site not found".

It ALLEGES that it does not take your IP address when it does this, but it's very odd that it can publish statistics of how many attempted hits it has banned in a month if what it says is true. I therefore believe that if you try to access a banned site, "they" know who you are.

This is SUPPOSED to be about stopping access to kiddiporn, and if that's all it is, then all well and good - but the list of banned sites is provided by a government body. I bet it also covers alleged "terrorist" sites too, which has many grey edges as an area.

Now what if a totalitarian government (we'd never have one of those, would we?) decided to ban sites of other political parties or of organised dissent to its policies?

THat's why I abandoned BT. I now use F2s which is also cheaper and the helpdesk is here in the UK and the people are intelligent and helpful. It's not been so good since Pipex took it over, but it still beats BT hands down.

I migrated to it with my own modem-router (wired, I don't trust the security of wireless) but they will supply you with a modem if you want.