IBB Ripwave problems

Zaphod

Ardent wrote:

Are you saying that that's what you have to do in order to get broadband access with IBB? Leave the modem on 24/7? That should not have to be the case.

That's what I had to do for the first two weeks to establish any sort of connection. I asked IBB Tech Support if it was OK to leave it on and the reply I got was if it works, fine!

More recently, it looks as though IBB have boosted their signal, as both the signal and quality meters have increased (I left the modem in exactly the same location thoughout) and I can now get a connection 30 secs or so after turning on the modem any time during the day or night.

WaitingForIBB

Nooooo! My ripwave tested fine so I just can't get a connection. :mad:
I'm screwed now cos that was all I could get. Apparently I was on the rte transmitter, I had thought there was one in Lesson street but that isn't for ripwave. I asked if it was possible to test it with a different transmitter but she said there was no real point.
*cries*

Ripwave

WaitingForIBB wrote:

Nooooo! My ripwave tested fine so I just can't get a connection. :mad:
I'm screwed now cos that was all I could get. Apparently I was on the rte transmitter, I had thought there was one in Lesson street but that isn't for ripwave. I asked if it was possible to test it with a different transmitter but she said there was no real point.
*cries*

Where do you live?

WaitingForIBB

I live at the north west end of ranelagh. I had a look at their coverage maps and I wasn't actually covered by the rte northwest transmitter at all. I was covered by the digital hub east so I rang them up and told them that. They guy rang me back and said I was on a roaming setting and the rte one was the best I could get but it wasn't good enough. That's that i guess.

Ripwave

WaitingForIBB wrote:

I live at the north west end of ranelagh. I had a look at their coverage maps and I wasn't actually covered by the rte northwest transmitter at all. I was covered by the digital hub east so I rang them up and told them that. They guy rang me back and said I was on a roaming setting and the rte one was the best I could get but it wasn't good enough. That's that i guess.

When you say that you can't get a connection, are you getting a flashing red light on the unit, or do you have a solid red or amber light, but can't get your PC to connect properly?

fiachs

ok reading through this is worrying me I applied online for ripwave, and although the online form told me I wasn't in the coverage area, I got an e-mail from support saying that I was just on the edge, and that they were confident that I'd be able to connect, which is great. (Had a look on coverage map, blue edge line literally rests on top of my building)

But I'm worried because of all the problems people have had with reception. My flat is in the basement, with all the signal problems associated. I don't know much about the technicalities of 'things' but I know that the stereo gets great reception in the living room, as do mobile phones. Signal is perfect on windowsill, which is where modem would be living.

So can anyone tell me - am I a fool for thinking that I'll be able to get ripwave?! It's my only broadband option... Thanks!

Moonbeam

You really have nothing to loose,
You get it it works then great.
You get it it doesn't work then it goes back to IBB

Blaster99

Ripwave sort of works like mobile phones; it's using an algorithm to recreate a distorted radio signal. Problem is of course that the Ripwave cell size is a lot larger so the coverage isn't as universal as it would be with a mobile phone.

If you have a reasonably clear view of the IBB transmitter from your windowsill then it should work. And it might work in other conditions too. The fact that you get good mobile reception is encouraging but might be completely irrelevant depending on the location of the mobile mast.

Give it a shot and see how you get on.

Ripwave

fiachs wrote:

So can anyone tell me - am I a fool for thinking that I'll be able to get ripwave?! It's my only broadband option... Thanks!

Nobody really knows - at least not here on boards. I managed to get a usable signal from 3 Rock all the way in Leeson Street, in a window that faced north, away from 3 Rock. That was a 3rd floor window, but it must have been working off reflected signals, so it might have worked okay on the ground floor too, but I didn't get a chance to try that.

Ardent

Ardent wrote:

I agree. That would make much more sense. But I have to re-iterate again, there are no signal problems in my premises - it was all working dandy on Wednesday night of last week.

I live on Marrowbone Lane which, looking at the Ripwave coverage map, seems to slap bang in the middle of the coverage of the two Guinness transmitters. Aaron (very helpful dude at IBB support) put me onto both Guinness 1 (which I was originally on) AND Guinness 2 on Thursday evening. No joy.

(Yesterday evening, in an act of severe desperation, I went into the Guiness Storehouse and plugged in in there (very friendly staff there!) and that didn't work either.)

Update: Well, after much ringing during the week and statements from IBB support, I finally got through to a very helpful chap this afternoon who there and then decided to end my misery and go down and test the modem I had returned. It was faulty. What a relief. I'm getting a replacement next week and I'm hoping that'll be the end of it.

Moral of the story: ring them often to remind them you still exist!

Ardent

fiachs wrote:

So can anyone tell me - am I a fool for thinking that I'll be able to get ripwave?! It's my only broadband option... Thanks!

If it was me, I'd ring them up and apply for Ripwave anyway. In the event that sales don't think you'll get coverage in your area, convince them otherwise, do mention the coverage map (you should be able to pick it up), don't mention the basement flat. When you get the modem give it a whirl. If it doesn't pick up a signal, return it to them for testing and you'll get a refund if it's ok.

Johnny Versace

To everyone who has had all these problems... did IBB refund your subscription charges for the time you were offline?

I jst got my modem but all I can get is the flashing red light and no signal (and I'm in Dublin city centre...)

ballooba

Johnny,

Which high site are you on?

Do you even get an intermittent connection?

I think I might ask if I can try 3 rock today.

Johnny Versace

ballooba wrote:

Johnny,

Which high site are you on?

Do you even get an intermittent connection?

I think I might ask if I can try 3 rock today.

I'm not sure which site I'm on. How would I know???

No intermittant connection...

AARRRGH.

fiachs

ok, thanks for the advice. I'll give it a shot anyway and see what happens!

ballooba

IBB have now put me on 3 Rock, Guinness 1 and RTE NW to see if I get a signal off any of them.

Fingers crossed.

Ardent

Got my replacement modem on two days ago, the ethernet version. I gave it a whirl yesterday evening.

After about an hour of flashing red, I got a solid amber light and I was away. Download speeds of around 50k/s. No problems like I had with the last one.

The only thing is, whenever I turn the modem on it takes a long long time (usually an hour) to get a solid light - does anyone else experience this, is this normal?

Ripwave

Ardent wrote:

Got my replacement modem on two days ago, the ethernet version. I gave it a whirl yesterday evening.

After about an hour of flashing red, I got a solid amber light and I was away. Download speeds of around 50k/s. No problems like I had with the last one.

The only thing is, whenever I turn the modem on it takes a long long time (usually an hour) to get a solid light - does anyone else experience this, is this normal?

I've never experienced a delay of more than 30 seconds before the signal "locked on".

What happens if you move the modem around the house, and try it in different locations? It's a lot like a mobile phone in this respect - you can get a "6 bar" signal in one corner of a room, and a "2 bar" signal in the opposite corner of the same room.

Ardent

Ripwave wrote:

I've never experienced a delay of more than 30 seconds before the signal "locked on".

What happens if you move the modem around the house, and try it in different locations? It's a lot like a mobile phone in this respect - you can get a "6 bar" signal in one corner of a room, and a "2 bar" signal in the opposite corner of the same room.

I had it out on the balcony on a chair outside my apt all evening and it took an hour or so to lock on. When I brought it inside (a couple of feet from where it was on the balcony), I noticed the amber light change to red and the signal strength in the diagnostics tool decrease dramatically.

The previous modem (USB version) would lock on after 30 seconds or so when it was working.

Ripwave

Ardent wrote:

I had it out on the balcony on a chair outside my apt all evening and it took an hour or so to lock on. When I brought it inside (a couple of feet from where it was on the balcony), I noticed the amber light change to red and the signal strength in the diagnostics tool decrease dramatically.

Are there any other windows in the apartment? A window pointing the "wrong" way might still pick up a stronger reflected signal than a window that might seem like a more logical choice. Try plugging it in in every socket in the apt, and see if it works better anywhere else. It'll only take a few minutes, and the worst outcome is that you won't find a better location.

(I took a quicktime movie with my digital camera one night showing my Ripwave modem going from green to amber to red and back to green as I moved the modem up and down and left and right in the kitchen window).

spongebob

Lovely stuff Ripwave, were the neighbours all watching you at the time ?

M

Ardent

Ripwave wrote:

Are there any other windows in the apartment? A window pointing the "wrong" way might still pick up a stronger reflected signal than a window that might seem like a more logical choice. Try plugging it in in every socket in the apt, and see if it works better anywhere else. It'll only take a few minutes, and the worst outcome is that you won't find a better location.

(I took a quicktime movie with my digital camera one night showing my Ripwave modem going from green to amber to red and back to green as I moved the modem up and down and left and right in the kitchen window).

I get what you're saying but unfortunately, being an apartment, all the windows face the same direction. I find the strongest signal to be got is out on the balcony.

Did you consider applying for a job with IBB? You're a damn sight better than some of their technical support staff!!

G|N|T

Ripwave wrote:

I presume from your Location (De Mountains) that you're connected to 3 Rock?

How about you, G|N|T?

Nope im actually in clonskeagh! but im off 3 rock! getting a perfect amber and speeds up to 50k!
When Ripwave works its brilliant, just some people are unfortunate to be in black spots.

Ripwave

Ardent wrote:

I get what you're saying but unfortunately, being an apartment, all the windows face the same direction. I find the strongest signal to be got is out on the balcony.

The old 2.4GHz gear used to have a removable antenna, and you could (in theory) replace it with an external cabled antenna. But the antenna on the 3.5 device doesn't seem to come off. I don't know what sort of antenna you'd have to use, but I don't think the "nomadic" nature of Ripwave is much of a selling point in Dublin, so it would be helpful if IBB would provide information about any alternative that might improve reception in these circumstances.

Did you consider applying for a job with IBB? You're a damn sight better than some of their technical support staff!!

Too much like hard work - just look at the abuse they get here!

G|N|T

Ripwave wrote:

The old 2.4GHz gear used to have a removable antenna, and you could (in theory) replace it with an external cabled antenna. But the antenna on the 3.5 device doesn't seem to come off. I don't know what sort of antenna you'd have to use, but I don't think the "nomadic" nature of Ripwave is much of a selling point in Dublin, so it would be helpful if IBB would provide information about any alternative that might improve reception in these circumstances.

Too much like hard work - just look at the abuse they get here!

You can take the 3.5 aerials off! theres kind of a groove on the aerial and on the side of the aerial.....line the 2 up and the aerial comes off. but dont forget theres 2 aerials bulit into the ripwave too. i suggest you try hang it from something! height is the best thing for a ripwave.

Ripwave

Muck wrote:

Lovely stuff Ripwave, were the neighbours all watching you at the time ?

This is Dublin, Muck - the neighbours have far better things to be occupying themselves with than keeping an eye on my kitchen window :-)

Fips

Ardent wrote:

Got my replacement modem on two days ago, the ethernet version. I gave it a whirl yesterday evening.

After about an hour of flashing red, I got a solid amber light and I was away. Download speeds of around 50k/s. No problems like I had with the last one.

The only thing is, whenever I turn the modem on it takes a long long time (usually an hour) to get a solid light - does anyone else experience this, is this normal?

I got exactly the same. I figured at first that I just couldn't get a signal, since I live in the shadow of that concrete monstrosity known as the Montrose Hotel, but that's only a few hundred yards from the RTE station. Left the box on during the day, and by the time I came back I had a solid red light, occassionally turning orange. I would try moving the box around to get a better signal, but as soon as I unplug it, I get a flashing red light again, and have to wait another few hours for it to get a signal.

I can't say much about download speeds/pings, but the connection seems to be solid enough, haven't had any timeouts or anything, and surfing is as fast as it is on ADSL etc.

sleur

Having similiar problems with my Ripwave unit. Received it Tuesday of last week. Turned it on, eventually got a solid red light, no IP addresses were being allocated. Did the whole reset proc., nothing. Ring IBB, they said they'll look into it. Rang Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday of last week, no satisfaction. Rang Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday of this week. On Monday of this week, some guy requested my MAC address so that it could be sent to 2nd level support (yeah right). On wednesday I was told the engineers are still looking into it. How long does it ****ing take to look at the server error log & see if my MAC address does appear or doesn't? Arse-holes.

Red Alert

Well I'm not a very happy camper with them today at all. My house (although the ripwave is at the back of my house) has direct line of sight to 3 rock. I've had no connection all day, only a flashing red light.

Rubbergirl

Eglinton wrote:

Also where can I get a battery for it? They seem to exclude a lot of info when ordering.

Hi There, any joy on sourcing that battery? Can't seem to find one any where myself