Topic: The Broadband Speed Pissing Contest

[Ben S]

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Only issue I have had so far, I could not get a UPnP device (my cctv) to work through the eero. But, I think this is actually to do with Skys hub, as it doesn't have a proper bridging mode. I have had to do a double NAT config and go direct into the sky hub with the UPnP device.

Ahhh ISP supplied crippled hardware should be consigned to the bin. I've still got my old Openreach VDSL modem that used to be supplied with FTTC before they built them into routers.

The problem comes when BT want their shitty "smart" hub back and you have no idea where it is.

Must remember where I put the shitty now/sky router in case they ever want that back...m

[UntouchableLuis]

Not defending them but there’s limited ways to proactively monitor several million devices, many of which will be switched off at the mains by customers when not in use.

It seems there is an outage in the L18 area, they text me saying the engineer booking is cancelled as it's a network problem and they're apparently fixing it as we speak. Fingers crossed I can go back to watching mind numbing television soon.

[Craig S]

Ahhh ISP supplied crippled hardware should be consigned to the bin. I've still got my old Openreach VDSL modem that used to be supplied with FTTC before they built them into routers.

The problem comes when BT want their shitty "smart" hub back and you have no idea where it is.

Must remember where I put the shitty now/sky router in case they ever want that back...m

I have been meaning to replace it, but think it needs one that can auth to sky with DHCP 61. One of the things on the list to do since moving house, that I have not got round to yet. Not even researched which ones are compatible yet.

I had the same a while ago with Virgin and their set top box. Couldn't find where the tv box was, as I was using a *ahem* modified set top box.

[Ben S]

Yep, Sky use DHCP option 61. Can highly recommended Mikrotik. Cheap as chips and every feature you could ever want in a router.

[Claire.]

M9 Plus 3 pack on offer on amazon for £196 - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deco-M9-Plus-coverage-Antivirus/dp/B07WRDR22H?ref_=Oct_DLandingS_D_e029c89b_2&th=1

[Ben S]

Do they do WiFi 6? If not I'd probably skip them. Happy with WiFi 6 performance on my X50's.

Not sure I'd trust TP Link with their dubious privacy but probably safe enough using them as access point only.

[Claire.]

Alright show off no wifi 6 on this, that's on the next gen models. I've had the M9 plus for a few years now, just access points and I can't think of the last time I've had issues, it was constant before and I went through all kinds trying to extend the network for the Ring to work properly.

I was looking for a single pack to solve another issue I've given myself but think I can sort it with a switch and not being a lazy c*nt.

[Ben S]

Wifi 6 is stupidly fast and the X50 is at the budget end of the Deco range but I'm more than happy with its performance.  I think this local speed test is limited by the gigabit port on my server...
Shame I can only get FTTC...

[Claire.]

Very nice! I still only have virgin as a viable option but I’ve seen work going on in streets not far from mine doing work for fibre so hopefully they’ll finally have some competition soon.

[red_Mark1980]

If you get good service from Virgin but hate their customer services and only want to keep broadband - have a look at their business service, absolute night and day.

I'm not self employed but they were happy enough that it's business use as I'm perm WFH.

I just can't deal with them. Spent about 30 minutes on the phone with them this morning explaining that I can't be bothered with them anymore.

I was offered more discounts blah blah blah.

Three's 5g is delivering more than they promised, more than Virgin and at a lower cost.

Best of all I think it just needs a power socket so I can move it round the house and I think it would work if we go away from the house.

[stockdam]

I just can't deal with them. Spent about 30 minutes on the phone with them this morning explaining that I can't be bothered with them anymore.

I was offered more discounts blah blah blah.

Three's 5g is delivering more than they promised, more than Virgin and at a lower cost.

Best of all I think it just needs a power socket so I can move it round the house and I think it would work if we go away from the house.

Anybody have any experience of Three 5G for the home?

[red_Mark1980]

Anybody have any experience of Three 5G for the home?

That's what I'm on. £24 a month, it's even cheaper if you sign up to a two year contract.

Speeds sometimes close to 500Mbps

[stockdam]

That's what I'm on. £24 a month, it's even cheaper if you sign up to a two year contract.

Speeds sometimes close to 500Mbps

So you’d recommend it versus a fixed line providing 5G coverage is good.

[red_Mark1980]

So you’d recommend it versus a fixed line providing 5G coverage is good.

It works for me. Granted it's been about two weeks but I've noticed no difference from my Virgin Media connection.

TV's, phone, WFH three or four days a week.

Neither of us are gamers so can't comment on that I'm afraid. The speeds are much higher than what three promised or displayed on their coverage checker.

We live quite close to Birmingham and my 5g on my phone when I'm out and about has been excellent.... obviously if you're in an area where it's not as good then you may run into speed issues I suppose

[Henry Gale]

Anybody have any experience of Three 5G for the home?

I've had it for about 2 weeks and it's been dreadful. Their coverage thingy said I had good 5G service but it never flashes blue for 5G. Gave them a call and the said my local transmitter is a bit fucked and they are doing maintenance. I've got 2 weeks left to decide if I keep it so hopefully they fix the transmitter so I can test it properly.

[PaulF]

We've started using Starlink for our rigs at work, replacing traditional satellite (VSAT).... can confirm ping is around 50ms, down from about 6-700ms. That's where Starlink shines - its a massive improvement for people whose only option before was satellite.

Geek question. Is starlink not satellite?  Or are you just differential between old satellite plans and new starlink ones.

[Elmo!]

Geek question. Is starlink not satellite?  Or are you just differential between old satellite plans and new starlink ones.

Yeah basically.

Starlink uses low earth orbit satellites (and a LOT more satellites) and therefore has much lower ping times (and because less contention on each satellite bandwidth is a lot cheaper). The amount we pay in each location per month for VSAT (old school satellite) is well into 5 figures and that's for much lower bandwidth than you can get on Starlink.

[stockdam]

Thanks for the replies on my question. 5G is being introduced into my area soon and I appreciate that the connection needs to be good otherwise a cable connection would be better.

[Danny Singh]

Just signed with Virgin Media for the M125 package but will be doubled as I'm on o2. I'm a new customer at Virgin so it's £20 setup and £26.50 a month.

Are there any better deals online as the rep said if i find anything, they will match it?

Thanks

[Claire.]

There is the comparison site for it - https://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/

[duvva 💅]

Seems to be £90 cashback via quidco which would make it about £13.50 / month. Bargain.  Mines gone live today.

Have you got Now Broadband wasnt 100% sure from this post. Just interested to hear how it’s going?

Edit: Also I’ve seen they use old Sky Q hubs with only 2 Ethernet ports.

Does anyone know if I’d be able to use some kind of switch/splitter to increase the number of ports and would that have any effect on speed etc?

I also have a Sky WiFi booster currently, does anyone know whether this would work with the Now hub. I would presume not usually but as they’re more or less the same company and the Now hub is just a Sky Q hub rebranded I wondered if it might?

In fact would I be able to use both the current Sky hub and WiFi booster on Now?

[Claire.]

No idea on the sky hub/booster thing but you can get a switch, yeah.

[duvva 💅]

No idea on the sky hub/booster thing but you can get a switch, yeah.

Thanks Claire

[Ben S]

Have you got Now Broadband wasnt 100% sure from this post. Just interested to hear how it’s going?

Yes. Absolutely no different from BT Fibre 2 I was on except for being a lot cheaper. Can't comment on the hub though,  it's in its box, unopened.

[duvva 💅]

Yes. Absolutely no different from BT Fibre 2 I was on except for being a lot cheaper. Can't comment on the hub though,  it's in its box, unopened.

Cheers for responding, sounds like you’re happy with speed and reliability so far? Are you using a hub/router you’ve bought yourself then?

With Sky (essentially the same equipment) I need the additional WiFi booster for upstairs despite not living in an especially big house.

I’m hopeful if they don’t want the stuff back I can use them, but be good to know if I could use other equipment if the Now stuff isn’t great.

[Ben S]

It's fine. It's basically Sky in effect so service will be pretty much the same.
I'd never use ISP supplied equipment, mainly as its all shite. My setup is..
Xyxel router in bridge mode for VDSl modem > mikrotik router > Deco X50s for WiFi.
Mikrotik does pretty much everything you could think of although wouldn't recommend it if you don't have an understanding of networking etc.

The decos can act as a router rather than dumb access points, I think they also do DHCP option 61 which sky use for authentication.

[duvva 💅]

Ah ok, interesting to know, thanks for the replies. I’m definitely leaning towards Now for my Broadband as I can get the £90 back as well.

Except for me it’s 9000 points as part of rewards4racing scheme. I use it to pay for my Cheltenham tickets each year

[Trada]

I'm moving to full Fibre on the 11th september my speed right now is 30mb this will make it 160mb and it's only £2 a month more than I pay now £26.99

I didn't realise that the landline network is being switched off in 2025

[Ben S]

I didn't realise that the landline network is being switched off in 2025

It isn't. It's simply going digital https://www.openreach.com/upgrading-the-UK-to-digital-phone-lines

[Trada]

It isn't. It's simply going digital https://www.openreach.com/upgrading-the-UK-to-digital-phone-lines

so it's just like when TV change from analogue to digital

[Corkboy]

Question about mobile data.

I find that the mobile data on my phone in this particular place I go is crappy in the summer (barely 4G, download speeds of 3 or 4 mbps) when this place is full of summer people and their kids, but I was there recently and got excellent 4G, up to 70 mbps, and the place was very quiet, no tourists.

Is it as simple as lots of people sucking up the data in the air when the place is crowded or am I fundamentally misunderstanding the concepts here?

[S]

Question about mobile data.

I find that the mobile data on my phone in this particular place I go is crappy in the summer (barely 4G, download speeds of 3 or 4 mbps) when this place is full of summer people and their kids, but I was there recently and got excellent 4G, up to 70 mbps, and the place was very quiet, no tourists.

Is it as simple as lots of people sucking up the data in the air when the place is crowded and am I fundamentally misunderstanding the concepts here?

I don't know exactly how it works, but I'll just chime in that I live in Cornwall. My 4G is basically unusable in the busiest tourist spots in summer.

[jonnypb]

Question about mobile data.

I find that the mobile data on my phone in this particular place I go is crappy in the summer (barely 4G, download speeds of 3 or 4 mbps) when this place is full of summer people and their kids, but I was there recently and got excellent 4G, up to 70 mbps, and the place was very quiet, no tourists.

Is it as simple as lots of people sucking up the data in the air when the place is crowded or am I fundamentally misunderstanding the concepts here?

More or less.... The mast will be overloaded with users.  In the summer it would be like 100 other people people using your wi-fi connection at home and you then wondering why it's going slow.  When those 100 people stop using your wi-fi connection your speeds increase and go back to normal. 

There's a place in the Lake District where I get 5G, the other weekend when I was there it was super quick, the same location in the Summer and it was like using dial up.

[John C]

I'm currently paying BT for broadband and a phone landline which I don't need anymore. If I jibbed the BT monthly payment and sourced a new internet provider would I still be able to access my BT email address?

[Graeme]

I'm currently paying BT for broadband and a phone landline which I don't need anymore. If I jibbed the BT monthly payment and sourced a new internet provider would I still be able to access my BT email address?

You can continue to access it but only via a browser. It won't work via an E-mail client or App (unless you pay them £7.50 a month the privelage)

[John C]

Ta Graeme.

[BlackandWhitePaul]

I stumbled upon this quite by accident and thought some folk who receive any of 8 different benefits might be interested in this.

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/broadband/essentials-broadband

[Ben S]

I stumbled upon this quite by accident and thought some folk who receive any of 8 different benefits might be interested in this.

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/broadband/essentials-broadband

Or better yet pick a provider that isnt as shite as Vodafone..   https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/costs-and-billing/social-tariffs

Whether they are of any real value if you factor in general offers and cashback etc on standard packages is another matter.

[BlackandWhitePaul]

Or better yet pick a provider that isnt as shite as Vodafone..   https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/costs-and-billing/social-tariffs

Whether they are of any real value if you factor in general offers and cashback etc on standard packages is another matter.

A'hh okay.  I've never had Vodafone myself so have no clue if their internet is good or bad.  I'm with EE and happy enough with what I get for what I pay 

[TepidT2O]

We’ve got BT fibre to box.  75mbs. Plus phone line and bt sport.

It’s astronomically expensive.  Is there something we can get that will work the same and be cheaper.  Could get virgin but I’ve heard it’s terrible service.