NTL Upgrade

Scruff

and what are the uploaod speed going to be? what do you need for decent VOIP?

UberNewb

Snake Plisken wrote:

So how will the firmware upgrade work with say a 120 Modem? Will it be automatic or will I have to call tech support to complete it?

Snake

So how will the firmware upgrade work with say a 120 Modem?
Yes

Will it be automatic or will I have to call tech support to complete it?
It will be automatic

fatherdougalmag

NiSmO wrote:

This post has been deleted.

Well take the opportunity to grill the engineer about (a) when the upgrade/s is/are happening and (b) what the speeds will be.

Looks like the engineers are the only viable source of info.

Madong

fatherdougalmag wrote:

Well take the opportunity to grill the engineer about (a) when the upgrade/s is/are happening and (b) what the speeds will be.

Looks like the engineers are the only viable source of info.

most are only contractors they are as much in the darkness as we are........

paulm17781

When I got my 1.5Mb installed engineer said "It will double after Christmas" He was right (though a few months off ) I just wish we would get this one...

maquiladora

paulm17781 wrote:

When I got my 1.5Mb installed engineer said "It will double after Christmas" He was right (though a few months off ) I just wish we would get this one...

1.5mb?

paulm17781

maquiladora wrote:

1.5mb?

Oh dear, NTL max used to be 1.5Mb. Then they upped in to 3Mb.

maquiladora

paulm17781 wrote:

Oh dear, NTL max used to be 1.5Mb. Then they upped in to 3Mb.

Ah, its good to be unaware of such slow times :rolleyes:

PauloMN

According to what various NTL agents and engineers have told people here:
3mb --> 9-10mb
2mb -->5-7mb
1mb -->3mb

Got NTL installed just this morning. Asked the guy about the upgrades, he said they're due sometime in February; they're upgrading all the old modems to the 250 model. I was given a 250.

He wasn't sure about the speeds but suggested they were going to 5Mbps, 7Mbps and 9Mbps. Not bad.

Also if your PC is conveniently inconvenient to a TV point (if ye know what I mean!) they'll give you a wireless router and wireless USB network key.

paulm17781

PauloMN wrote:

Also if your PC is conveniently inconvenient to a TV point (if ye know what I mean!) they'll give you a wireless router and wireless USB network key.

Wireless USB??? Bad NTL, no biscuit.

Ethernet is more reliable for networking. I have no idea what the performance difference is but one is designed for networks the other is designed for convinience.

bk

Given that NTL are replacing older modems, which are capable of going up to 5m, it should be blindgly obvious what is about to happen.

I find it funny people calling 1.5m slow. I remember when IOFFL was first formed, we were fighting for 56k always on. Ah how times have changed*

* Yes there are unfortunately still many people who would love to get even 512k BB.

Clinical Waste

paulm17781 wrote:

Wireless USB??? Bad NTL, no biscuit.

Ethernet is more reliable for networking. I have no idea what the performance difference is but one is designed for networks the other is designed for convinience.

explain?

PauloMN

explain?

I think he is just stating his preference for a direct Ethernet connection to the router. Fine, of course a direct connection is better, but given I was already using wireless on my DSL with an ADSL modem router I couldn't use with NTL, I'm happy with the free wireless router and USB key.

In any case, I'll eventually run a direct Ethernet connection down to the router from this PC. It's just nice to have both wireless and 4 Ethernet ports available.

paulm17781

Clinical Waste wrote:

explain?

USB uses CPU. Ethernet does not.

Ethernet is a networking medium. USB is not (i know it can be used for this).

Ethernet is faster.

I am going by the logic that there are wireless ethernet cards, which I thought NTL would supply.

fatherdougalmag

USB is a bus. In a similar way to PCI is a bus. Must be the convenience and economic factors that they're going after. Cracking open a PC means more work for the engineer and probably more scope for breaking something.

paulm17781

fatherdougalmag wrote:

USB is a bus. In a similar way to PCI is a bus. Must be the convenience and economic factors that they're going after. Cracking open a PC means more work for the engineer and probably more scope for breaking something.

I would say you are right. I have just heard of people having problems with wired USB connections that went away when they used wired ethernet, often on the same router.

maquiladora

Just gave NTL a quick call to see if there was any news on the upgrades. The guy honestly didn't seem to know too much, he said marketing still have to decide on stuff, but he did say it will be in Feb and like everyone else he had heard about 10mb, but thats about it.

joolsveer

I had my ntl connection installed today. It's a breath of fresh air having almost 3MB after IBB. The engineer said that upgrades will take place next month.

Madong

joolsveer wrote:

I had my ntl connection installed today. It's a breath of fresh air having almost 3MB after IBB. The engineer said that upgrades will take place next month.

hummm seems to be the consensus.......... but when next month............ the beginning would be great!

Clinical Waste

paulm17781 wrote:

USB uses CPU. Ethernet does not.

I am going by the logic that there are wireless ethernet cards, which I thought NTL would supply.

as in PCI? Also not ethernet. Would this not suffer similarly?

andrew163

paulm17781 wrote:

I am going by the logic that there are wireless ethernet cards, which I thought NTL would supply.

There are such things as Wireless==>Ethernet bridges (err.. think WiFi aerial with an ethernet cable coming out of the back them) but they cost a small fortune last time I checked.

Also, USB is simpler from a customer's point of view. (I've heard people complaining that they can't use broadband because their "new fat phone line that came with their broadband modem" doesn't fit into their old dialup modem...)

paulm17781

andrew163 wrote:

Also, USB is simpler from a customer's point of view.

I would agree with that. I would just prefer to use Ethernet for it's purpose over USB. I never actually thought about wireless on a desktop tbh. It only really appeals to me as a laptop option.

PauloMN

paulm17781 wrote:

I would agree with that. I would just prefer to use Ethernet for it's purpose over USB. I never actually thought about wireless on a desktop tbh. It only really appeals to me as a laptop option.

Ethernet is my preferred option also, but I do use a laptop in the house as well as my desktop, so given the choice of a modem and no router at all or a modem and a wireless router/USB key at no extra cost, I took the latter.

That's all I was saying really.

The_B_Man

wait, so NTL will give you a wireless router if ur TV is far away from ur PC? since when?

we had NTL in since dial up then got bumped up to cable. we had to get my uncle out to wire a wire up the front of the ohuse, thru the attic and into the kitchen before the NTL fella would come out and stick the box beside the computer. we now hav the box in behind the telly and an identical box on the wall the the 120 modem sticks into. NTL actually told me da that they wouldnt be able to install it unless we got the wire put round to the back of me house. something fishy bout that. is it a new thing or just not a tallaght thing?

Aquos76

I have NTL BB and they also provided me with the wireless equipment. They also supplied the same to atleast 3 mates of mine who got connected up after me/. The trick is to tell them that your main pc is a laptop and that you cant be confined to one room with the laptop

bk

andrew163 wrote:

There are such things as Wireless==>Ethernet bridges (err.. think WiFi aerial with an ethernet cable coming out of the back them) but they cost a small fortune last time I checked.

They aren't expensive, I have the excellent, Asus WL-330g Wireless LAN Pocket Access Point. It is a small box (pocket size) with one ethernet port, it can act as a bridge or wireless AP.

It costs €61

It can be used with Xbox/360, TiVo, or any other ethernet equiped device to add 802.11g WPA wireless ability. Or it can be used as a portable wireless AP (and every companies security nightmare). Great device I highly recommend it:

http://www.expansys.ie/product.asp?code=119806

christophicus

kind of off topic but you were discussing something similar.Will they be able to use an operational cablelink tv point for the broadband,or will they have to change it?

paulm17781

christophicus wrote:

kind of off topic but you were discussing something similar.Will they be able to use an operational cablelink tv point for the broadband,or will they have to change it?

I think they generally change them. They did when I got TV installed. I think they only do it for branding.

fullerand

Mate of mine had NTL installed today. The technician told him that the upgrades are going ahead for next month. The 1,2,3 Mb products will become 3,5,7 Mb respectively. No word on upspeeds or caps tho

ROVER

paulm17781 wrote:

USB uses CPU. Ethernet does not.

Ethernet is a networking medium. USB is not (i know it can be used for this).

Ethernet is faster.

I am going by the logic that there are wireless ethernet cards, which I thought NTL would supply.

I got Ntl 3mb line in before Christmas with wireless router and USB connection. For general surfing it is fine but I notice if I use Skype or online games I can lose connection for 5 - 6 secs is this a limitation of the USB connection. If so how much would it cost me to buy a card instead of the USB?