From o2 with disgust....

[hells bells]

Hi all, a newbie here!
I have recently joined IDNet and my connection goes live on Tuesday! I'm really hoping that I get a good connection with these guys (and gals!) as I've been getting disappointing speeds and connections ever since I joined o2 on their access package 8 months ago.
Last week, after months of complaining they finally admitted that the problems I'd been having were due to over congestion on the line and they surrendered the MAC without penalty as there was nothing that they could do for me!
My boyfriend has been with IDNet for about 8 months now and he has had absolutely no complaints with the service so I thought that it would the sensible thing to try them out for myself!

Anyway, this is just me saying Hiya and How are you all doing! Can't wait for Tuesday! 

[Glenn]

  Hopefully it will be a smooth ride for you on Tuesday HB

[Ray]

 

[Steve]

     Certainly you won't see any congestion between your local exchange and IDNet.

[hells bells]

Thats what I'm hoping for! I'm barely getting a broadband speed here! 

Thanks for the welcome all, I get the feeling I'm going to like it here! 

[Glenn]

If you like food, you certainly have.

[Simon]

    Hopefully, it won't be Hell for you here. 

[colonelsun]

Hi hells bells
I was on the Sky Connect product, identical to O2 Access, essentially a rebranded BT product. It used to take 10 minutes to download a simple JPEG and getting anti virus updates crashed my browser...things were that slow...almost dial up.

With IDNET i've never had a problem, no complaints whatsoever.

If IDNET were a woman we'd have married long ago.

[Rik]

I didn't know how much you cared, Dave.

Welcome to the happy place, HB.

[hells bells]

Thank you for the welcomes everyone! It does seem like a really happy place to be in and I can't wait until I get connected tomorrow! 

[quandam]

Hi hells bells
I was on the Sky Connect product, identical to O2 Access, essentially a rebranded BT product. It used to take 10 minutes to download a simple JPEG and getting anti virus updates crashed my browser...things were that slow...almost dial up.

With IDNET i've never had a problem, no complaints whatsoever.

If IDNET were a woman we'd have married long ago.

Ditto! Welcome (other than the marriage bit!)

[zappaDPJ]

I also came to IDnet from the O2/Be network because of congestion issues. I hope your switch over is a seemless as mine was 

[colonelsun]

I didn't know how much you cared, Dave.

Welcome to the happy place, HB.

Rik, i'm just an ISP whore.

[Rik]

I thought you were a groupie.

[hells bells]

My last evening on o2... No change to normal really! (Ping is good though! LOL!)



IDNet tomorrow!! 

[Steve]

Hopefully you end up with something like this

[hells bells]

Well, its passed 6pm on my migration date and I've not had the email to say that I am live on IDNet. 

Not blaming IDNet though, it'll be those darned BT engineers! 

[Glenn]

Helen, put your IDNet logon details and password into your router, you may find it works.

[hells bells]

Does the router not come pre-configured so that I can just plug in and go?
I'm just concerned as it would mean that I have to uninstall my o2 modem, then install the IDNet one and potentially reinstall my o2 one again if I'm not on! :S

[Steve]

Well you would have to disconnect the O2 modem from the socket and then reconnect if there's no connection. I would hope the IDNet modem is preconfigured for your username.

[Glenn]

If you brought a router from IDNet, then yes it should be pre-configured.

[hells bells]

I did (its a netgear DG834) so hopefully it is! I'll give it a whirl now!

Thanks for your help guys! 

[gazzthompson]

Ex-02 customer, went from TERRIBLE speeds (couldn't watch youtube videos) to 5.5meg (my limit) constantly  can stream anything from IPplayer in highest quality without buffering. idnet is awesome, you made the right choice. 

[hells bells]

Back again.

Still convinced I've made the right choice. Unfortunately the migration failed yesterday and now I have to wait another week until I get connection (hopefully!!) 

Apparently my line can only support speeds of 1 Meg (this is according to BT broadband checker today but I'm inclined to look again tomorrow to see what they say then as it changes each day! LOL!

I'm not expecting speeds of 24 meg (or anything remotely near that truth be told!) but I do want a stable connection that has a reasonable speed in and out of peak time!

Roll on the 10th and hopefully I'll be over on IDNet!!

[Steve]

Not sure what modem/router your using but if you can dig out some line stats we should be able to give you some idea what to expect.

http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/frogstats.php#top

[hells bells]

Thanks for this Steve,

I followed the instructions for the Thomson TG585 v7 modem but the option for "details" does not appear in the options in the top right.

However the info in the link information for DSL connection it says this:
Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]: 448 / 1,472

When I test the connection on Speedtest/Think Broadband it shows 0.3 Download, 0.4 Upload. Good in comparison to my normal speed at this time!

[Steve]

Maybe O2 's firmware doesn't give the extra menus, obviously the syncs low but if thats as good as it gets you should in theory have an IP profile of 1250 and hopefully on IDNet expect downloads around 1Mbps . What we don't know what the downstream attenuation and target noise margin are and whether there is any scope for further improvement.

[hells bells]

I seem to remember on one of my many occasions that I needed to ring o2 that the technician mentioned that the noise on the line was about 42 db.
Its plugged straight into the test socket on the master socket with no phone or sky sharing the line. There is also no extensions as there is only 1 phone socket for that line.
Think broadband at off peak shows 1.2 down and 0.4 up. Its just peak time it goes to pot!! (Shame that I don't get on at off peak times isn't it?!)

[Glenn]

Helen, try http://www.vwlowen.co.uk/internet/files.htm#routerstatslite it says it works with your router, if you can get it working, it will tell you the noise margin

[hells bells]

Thanks for that link Glenn.

When it downloaded and extracted I ran it and all it showed was 0 decibels.
Sorry, I'm not too technically minded!

I am pretty sure however, that the techy there said that it was about 42 decibels.

[Glenn]

Helen, in the setup tab, you need to put the router login details, possibly admin + a password

[Simon]

Any idea why the migration failed, Helen?

[Steve]

Helen-- from O2 forum, note the super user account ,it may give the those extra details ,no idea whether it works or not

Accessing the Box

The router admin pages can be accessed via http://192.168.1.254.

To quote O2, "when you first receive your O2 wireless box it is set to a default username and password to allow you quick and easy access without any need for additional usernames and passwords". This means access to the Box is wide open so you are strongly recommended to set a password to restrict access. To do this go to "User Management" and next to Administrator choose "Change my password". You'll now be presented with three blank fields. In the first "Old Password" leave it blank, in the other two type your new password. After confirming you'll then be asked to enter your username and password. These will now be Administrator (note the capital A) and the password you've previously entered. You now have access to a number of functions within the router.

For the adventurous or those with a little more knowledge there is a hidden "Superuser" account. To access this log in to the router with username SuperUser (note the capital S and U) and password O2Br0ad64nd (thats digits 2064 and the first O and B being capital letters).

[hells bells]

You guys are absolute geniuses!! I logged in as SuperUser and here are my findings:

Uptime: 0 days, 2:52:01

DSL Type: G.992.1 annex A

Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]: 448 / 1,472

Data Transferred (Sent/Received) [kB/kB]: 0.00 / 0.00

Output Power (Up/Down) [dBm]: 12.5 / 19.0

Line Attenuation (Up/Down) [dB]: 23.0 / 43.0

SN Margin (Up/Down) [dB]: 9.0 / 15.0

Vendor ID (Local/Remote): TMMB / TSTC

Loss of Framing (Local/Remote): 0 / 0

Loss of Signal (Local/Remote): 0 / 0

Loss of Power (Local/Remote): 0 / 0

Loss of Link (Remote): 0

Error Seconds (Local/Remote): 0 / 0

FEC Errors (Up/Down): 69 / 46

CRC Errors (Up/Down): 69 / 0

HEC Errors (Up/Down): 56 / 0


Tim at IDNet didn't say why the migration failed. Apparently it doesn't happen often but obviously it does sometimes!
As its an ADSL+2 line connection it is required that I wait for 5 working days for the next attempt at migration.
I really hope it works this time, I'm desperate to get off o2! (Fingers crossed for the 10th of Feb!)

Thank you for all of your help and advice tonight! I am very grateful!
Helen.

[Steve]

Helen, The attenuation downstream is not that high @ 43, in an ideal world you should get a D/S of 6Mbps adslmax and 8Mbps adsl2+. The target margin of 15 shows that your exchange has interceded in an attempt to stabilise your connection,what you see is a reduced sync with low throughput. You yourself can try to eliminate any source of noise internal to your property and hope you find the culprit,start here-


http://www.idnetters.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=1904.msg31528#msg31528

[Rik]

1M, even on a very long line, would be rare these days, Helen. As Steve says, if you can dig out some stats, we'll try and second guess the checker for you.

[Glenn]

Like the ones 2 posts up Rik?

[Rik]

I had a bad night, man flu and a trip to the hospital.

[Rik]

What Steve said, Helen, just ignore me.

[Glenn]

I had a bad night, man flu and a trip to the hospital.

Hope you feel better soon

[Rik]

I'm just weary really, Glenn. The duty doctor decided he wanted a chest X-ray and ECG because of my history, I just wanted something to stop me coughing myself awake every hour.

[hells bells]

Get well soon Rik! When my fella was struggling with coughing before Christmas he was told that cocodamol is a cough suppressant. Not everyone can take it though.

My boyfriend is absolutely devastated at the prospects of getting a 6-8mb connection! He can only get 1.6 down and 0.7 upload on the line downstairs! There are a few reasons for this (its an old line with 3 points and plus there is the phone and sky to contend with as well!) He will be really jealous if I do get this!!

Thank you for all of your help! I can't believe that I've been on the boards for about a week now and I've had more help from you guys than I had for all of the 8 months I was with o2! I am very grateful! 

[Steve]

Yes get well soon,I wonder where you got that from? Incubation period,shall we say a week

Helen - a word of caution you'll only get that higher sync if you can get rid of the "noise" affecting your line,its not always possible but follow the help guide and hopefully it will be an easy solution i.e ring wire.

[Rik]

Get well soon Rik! When my fella was struggling with coughing before Christmas he was told that cocodamol is a cough suppressant. Not everyone can take it though.

It's one of the many things I'm not allowed, Helen, due to interactions.

Thank you for all of your help! I can't believe that I've been on the boards for about a week now and I've had more help from you guys than I had for all of the 8 months I was with o2! I am very grateful! 

Thank you for saying that, we like to try and solve problems and have a good laugh and natter together - I think it all starts with being IDNet customers, the company ethos kind f rubs off.

[Glenn]

Sounds like you have got something similar, to what I had last week, plus a cough. I was waking every 10 - 20 minutes throughout the night, from early Wed morning to Sat.

[Simon]

I've been waking several times in the night for the last week, and can't explain why. 

[Rik]

You stayed in bed all that time, Glenn? It must be spreading, Simon.

[Glenn]

You stayed in bed all that time, Glenn?

I wish, I was at work Wednesday and Thursday morning, my boss sent me home then.

[Rik]

My boss has that same sort of look on her face.

[Glenn]

 

[Simon]

At least you can't get the sack! 

[Glenn]

He may not be allowed in it either 

[Rik]

[Simon]

[hells bells]

Evening gents! 
I hope that you are all fending off "Man-Flu" successfully! 

On the line I am connected to, there is only one socket and I am plugged in to the test socket. I have tried numerous difference filters but the sync speed never changes. The only thing that I could change is the "flat" telephone extension wire from the back of the router to the filter. The wiring from the BT socket to where it leaves the house is only 6 foot long and there doesn't look like there is any electrical equipment or wires interfering with the signal.
Do you think that an I-Plate or disabling the Bell Wire would make a difference to the noise or sync speed? (as I really don't like giving any more money than I have to to BT!)

Thank you all again!
Helen.

[Steve]

The best fix is to get a filtered face plate not an iplate http://www.adslnation.com/products/xte2005.php If you've got the BT modern master socket its an easy swap. If you have no wired extensions from the master socket you shouldn't have a bell wire. A decent shielded RJ11 would be better than a flat cable and making sure that its only a short run from socket to router.

[Glenn]

A decent shielded RJ11 would be better than a flat cable and making sure that its only a short run from socket to router.

Like this http://www.adslnation.com/phpapps/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=135

[hells bells]

There is only about 6 feet of cable needed between the back of the router and the adsl filter.

I'm going to have a look into this tomorrow.

Thanks again for this!