Do MAC codes ever change?

Desaan · Oct 19, 2012, 18:21:48

I have a MAC code from about a year ago and I am seriously considering jumping all over BT Infinity's fibre broadband package and I was wondering if I could just use that. It's hard to find reasons to stick with IDNET, I'm one of the many poor souls who live too far from the exchange to get any kind of reasonable speed, even on ADSL2. Now that fibre is on full roll out and available in my area (bonus that my cabinet is literally right outside my front door) it's become harder to ignore the jump from IDNET's 4mb/1mb to 30mb/9mb speeds that I would get according to the availability checker. The added bonus that they provide all equipment and no setup cost (would cost m £150+ currently) plus a cheaper monthly package is hard to pass up.

EDIT: I found out the MAC codes expire after 30 days.

Simon · Oct 19, 2012, 18:48:56

We like it when people answer their own questions.

Steve · Oct 19, 2012, 18:51:25

It's difficult to estimate how much your bandwidth requirements will change when you move to Fibre, obviously be aware of the change in contract length 1 year from BTw ie IDNet , Zen etc and 18 months for BT retail etc. Some suppliers will also provide a variety of upload speeds with only 2mb on some of the basic packages.

Desaan · Oct 19, 2012, 19:05:23

Yeah I explicitly checked every detail of the packages to make sure I was getting the right one. We have multiple heavy users here with me doing the bulk of the downloading, grabbing games on Steam/Origin etc. It's so painful downloading something when you know it's going to take 9+hrs. Unlimited was the obvious choice even though that particular package is for speeds that are probably out of reach for me (76 down 19 up).

I initially tried to do fibre with IDNET but the setup costs put me off

Niall · Oct 19, 2012, 23:25:32

What exactly is the deal with fibre? When I had an engineer around the other weekend he told me the only way I can get fibre is through BT. If that's correct, how to other ISPs offer it?

Oh yeah and he said my 7800n won't work with it. How is that true when others with fibre use this exact router?

Steve · Oct 19, 2012, 23:46:33

You must have got the same engineer I had to install fibre

psp83 · Oct 20, 2012, 01:28:57

Quote from: Niall on Oct 19, 2012, 23:25:32
What exactly is the deal with fibre? When I had an engineer around the other weekend he told me the only way I can get fibre is through BT. If that's correct, how to other ISPs offer it?

Oh yeah and he said my 7800n won't work with it. How is that true when others with fibre use this exact router?

7800n works fine with FTTC, just plug an ethernet cable in the EWAN port and then into the modem BTo gives you..

Log into the router, change the profile port to EWAN and enter your details... done.

Niall · Oct 20, 2012, 11:30:10

Quote from: psp83 on Oct 20, 2012, 01:28:57
7800n works fine with FTTC, just plug an ethernet cable in the EWAN port and then into the modem BTo gives you..

Log into the router, change the profile port to EWAN and enter your details... done.

That's exactly what I said to him. Clearly he was blagging his way through my questions as he wasn't trained in the fibre side of things. He actually said that when new technology comes out the BT engineers aren't trained or given training and have to figure things out themselves. Seems that fibre is another thing to be added to that list! I was asking him about fibre as cabinets are appearing a mile or two from here. For some reason, they've started installing cabinets at the far side of town first, rather than nearer to the exchange. I can't for the life of me figure out why.

Steve · Oct 20, 2012, 11:44:47

The people who live near to the exchange are most likely connected directly to it and are therefore currently unable to receive FTTC, saying that the FTTC cabinets in my area seem to start within 400m or so from it.

Lance · Oct 20, 2012, 11:51:25

Those further away will generally have poorer connections and therefore would benefit more from FTTC.

BT openreach have to install the FTTC connection and can be commissioned by any ISP to do so.

As has been said, the 7800N works fine on FTTC, it's what I use!!!

Niall · Oct 20, 2012, 12:24:37

Yeah, I actually bought this router, planning ahead quite some time ago!

psp83 · Oct 20, 2012, 13:28:07

Quote from: Niall on Oct 20, 2012, 11:30:10
That's exactly what I said to him. Clearly he was blagging his way through my questions as he wasn't trained in the fibre side of things. He actually said that when new technology comes out the BT engineers aren't trained or given training and have to figure things out themselves. Seems that fibre is another thing to be added to that list! I was asking him about fibre as cabinets are appearing a mile or two from here. For some reason, they've started installing cabinets at the far side of town first, rather than nearer to the exchange. I can't for the life of me figure out why.

They normally get business areas up and running first, they did here. then spread out from that area.

pctech · Oct 20, 2012, 22:19:25

Quote from: Niall on Oct 19, 2012, 23:25:32
What exactly is the deal with fibre? When I had an engineer around the other weekend he told me the only way I can get fibre is through BT. If that's correct, how to other ISPs offer it?

Oh yeah and he said my 7800n won't work with it. How is that true when others with fibre use this exact router?

Both bits are complete whoppers bit like BT failing to point out that Infinity is just their branding for the FTTC service.

Openreach lay the fibre for FTTP and FTTC installs and run the copper with the exception of Virgin or Hyperoptic but as far as I know now its available to all service providers.

As the second issue the 7800N has an Ethernet WAN uplink port so can connect to their modem.

Niall · Oct 23, 2012, 20:14:47

Quote from: psp83 on Oct 20, 2012, 13:28:07
They normally get business areas up and running first, they did here. then spread out from that area.

The odd thing is that the area they've started with has no business aspects to it. There may be the odd shop, and I mean about 7 shops in a few mile radius. The only thing I can think of is that there's a school that direction and if they come back into town from there, they'll pass another school, so may be their priority is the education side of it. Although they have their own networks.

Ah who knows? I just want fast speeds again as my connection is once again losing 3mb every few days. I'll be back to 6mb by the end of the week on my "faultless line"...

Yay, since I've posted that, my connection has dropped three times. Awesome. I love my flawless line.

pctech · Oct 24, 2012, 13:59:11

I suspect you've hit the nail on the head Niall.

The Government wants to connect all schools to fast connections.

Lance · Oct 24, 2012, 17:56:21

In Essex school broadband connections are not managed by BT so that wouldn't be a consideration here. It would only be a consideration to BT as well if there was financial benefit to be had regardless of government ambition.

Desaan · Oct 31, 2012, 12:20:24

Just finished my migration, sad to leave but I was on 4mb down and 1mb up until a few hours ago and this cost me nothing to set up....

Does anyone know if I'm still ok to use my IDNET email or will that be pulled out from underneath my feet?

I have used it as my main address for everything in the last 5-6 years, to change it would be a royal pain in the ass.

Rik · Oct 31, 2012, 12:35:55

It will get closed eventually.

Desaan · Oct 31, 2012, 12:36:57

Quote from: Rik on Oct 31, 2012, 12:35:55
It will get closed eventually.

Damn, best get started then

Rik · Oct 31, 2012, 12:37:56

Sorry.