Clearwire for VOIP and P2P

geecee

Hi All
I know there have been similar threads to this already and i have been trying to get an answer on those already... but to no avail... so here goes:

CAn anyone tell me definitavely if the following will work on Clearwire:
-Bittorrent
-E-Mule
-Blueface
-Skype
-Voipstunt

I'm not a download Junkie, but i still like to be able to download "infomercials" and trailers every now and then on P2P networks.

I require the VOIP as Eircom claim they are unable to install a phoneline until July at the earliest....

Clearwire have a 1 year contract and are way overpriced for what they offer, but they would seem to be the only option that i currently have in the Development that I'm living (the communications blackhole known as Castleforbes Square!)

But before i sign up for them I'd like to know do they really block all these ports as some users suggest?
Or have these people just been blocked for been download wh0res?
Thanks in Advance!

Blaster99

I will comment on the ones I've used:

Skype: It works poorly, possibly because it's a P2P app. Lots of break-up.

VoIP: You need to use the G.729 codec with SIP or you can use AIX with any codec (the last time I tried). You need to ask Clearwire to enable VoIP or it won't work at all. When it works, it works poorly in my experience.

The best bet for a phone would be to sign up with 3. They have pretty decent call bundles for a mobile operator. Voice over Clearwire is not likely to be a happy experience.

Yggr of Asgard

Here is what I suffer:

-Bittorrent
I just tried a while ago and I was unable to get anything working

-E-Mule
Sorry no experience.

-Blueface
50% of the times the caller can't here me. However Blueface support put me on a different SIP Proxy (linked via INEX) and it's now 90% working. However that is a test of Blueface so sometimes it's down.

-Skype
Calls via Skype, forget it, lousy at best, a mobile phone has better quality.

-Voipstunt
Sorry no experience.

For surfing between 0600 and 1800 and a direct VPN connection (once Clearwire put priority on my traffic) Clearwire is good, surfing after 1800 or when it's raining forget it.

ricey

For people who want to use bittorrent and there ISP is
capping, blocking or doing anything to slow it down try
get utorrent from here www.utorrent.com and use the
protocol encryption feature thats in prefrences > network
> protocol encryption & set it to forced then tick the
"allow incoming legacy connections" box and apply the
setting. That seems to work for a lot of people who have
torrent problems also make sure them ports are opened and
you have a green light and that the torrent you are leeching
has proper seeds to give you good speeds.

Also use a funny port like 27548 or something like that.

Ludo

I dont know what has changed but P2P has been working on Clearwire for a week or two now. Looks like they have are allowing it although still throttling it.

jor el

The only one's I've tried on a Clearwire connection were emule and bit torrent. Neither worked. In fact, we couldn't even download the .torrent files, Clearwire seem to be able to block them.

To describe Clearwire in a single word, useless.

Ludo

jor el wrote:

The only one's I've tried on a Clearwire connection were emule and bit torrent. Neither worked. In fact, we couldn't even download the .torrent files, Clearwire seem to be able to block them.

To describe Clearwire in a single word, useless.

Yep..up to about two weeks ago you couldnt even download the .torrent file. Since then however it does actually download and BitComet can connect and download linux distribs etc etc. However it is REALLY SLOOOOOOOOW. They must be still throttling it.

I suspect this is a deliberate ploy by Clearwire so they can't be accused of blocking any traffic when people go to cancel their contract.

Yggr of Asgard

ricey wrote:

For people who want to use bittorrent and there ISP is
capping, blocking or doing anything to slow it down try
get utorrent from here www.utorrent.com and use the
protocol encryption feature thats in prefrences > network
> protocol encryption & set it to forced then tick the
"allow incoming legacy connections" box and apply the
setting. That seems to work for a lot of people who have
torrent problems also make sure them ports are opened and
you have a green light and that the torrent you are leeching
has proper seeds to give you good speeds.

Also use a funny port like 27548 or something like that.

I just tried to run this and it works

Speed is not the best (arround 16 k/bs) but at least it is working.

Thanks ricey!

Ludo

I can just picture Clearwire engineers reading this thread and then scurrying around the NOC trying to block all this ASAP.

geecee

Hi all
Thanks for the answers so far...
So far it seems to be a mixed response!

I'm loathe to sign up for a 12 month contract and to be stuck with a crap service when i know I'll probably have real BB options within 3 months...

Do they just send you out the modem in a box for self install or do you have to do an engineer install?

What about with the 2Kbps service... Is in 2K or closer to 1K..
I notice on theri website "... Also consider ClearPerformer - twice the speed for the same introductory price of €29.95 for the first six months! Switch back to ClearFreedom at any time at no charge..."

So i guess yo'd be mad to go with the 1Kbps service at all for the first 6 months!

Anyone have much experience with cancelling Clearwire? What are they like for cancellations?

michaelanthony

I cancelled clearwire within the 1 week cooling off period. It took 3 months to get a refund. And that was after going through comreg.

Ludo

It is self-install. Simple stuff. Plug it in and go.
If you get this (don't do it) then definitely go for the 2Meg service for 6 months.
I did this and rang up the day before the 6 months was up and downgraded to 1Meg then.
I was onto them this morning though and they told me I had not been downgraded at all which I find hard to believe as my service went to **** after I downgraded.

If you care to wait until monday I can let you know how I get on cancelling with them as I will be doing it then. I have mentioned it to them before about cancelling and they said it isn't a problem and that I wouldnt be charged. Others have already done it alright.

geecee

Despite the advice above I decided to take the plunge and order clearwire today... I thought it couldn't be any worse than Ripwave... But i was wrong!

Was very impressed with the service received and it was dispatched and received this morning!

Thats the good part!

Brought it home and got it up and running and i was very impressed with the internet explorer speed and lack of packet loss (unlike Ripwave)

However it would appear browsing the web is all it is good for.

They have blocked all P2P protocols and will not unlock them (except uTorrent)
The have blocked Voip protocols
pcAnywhere doesn't work
IPSEC VPN to my workplace doesn't work

I spoke to tech support and they said P2P was blocked due to "traffic shaping" and because it was flooding their network.

I asked what the use of a 2 Meg connection and 20GB cap if we were not to be allowed to use it?
The only answer recieved was that P2P was blocked and wouldn't be unblocked.

Needless to say the clearwire box is being shipped back to its Mickey Mouse ISP in the morning!

geecee

geecee wrote:

They have blocked all P2P protocols and will not unlock them (except uTorrent)
The have blocked Voip protocols
pcAnywhere doesn't work
IPSEC VPN to my workplace doesn't work
Needless to say the clearwire box is being shipped back to its Mickey Mouse ISP in the morning!

To Update on thsi:
I have decided to keep the clearwire box...

Its absolutely despicable they way they block the traffic, but at least its the internet! (and whilst ripwave may allow P2P its internet browsing capabilities are practically non-existant)

Voip is now working (once i obtained the x-ten Pro softphone and chose the option to use the g.729 Codec) And i can sort of download torrents (using packet encryption)

Once Eircom or NTL are finally available in my building I'll ship the clearwire modem back from whence it came.

The packet shaping and port blocking is surely reason enough to cancel their 6 month contract...

Ludo

I have now packed up my Clearwire modem and will be shipping it back to them today. Have already rang them to cancel and ho hassle given about term of contract which is fair enough seeing as they are not providing the service I signed up for.

I now have a proper BB provider who does not block any traffic and can still give proper speeds for everything.

6 months of pain finally over at last.

jor el

geecee wrote:

The packet shaping and port blocking is surely reason enough to cancel their 6 month contract...

Don't be so sure of that. You already contacted them about these problems and they've explained to you what the limitations are. You've then accepted these limitations and kept using the product. You can't simply turn around in three or four months time and decide that it's no longer acceptable. If you want rid of it then do it now, otherwise you will have accepted the contract and it's conditions and may need to pay your way out if you cancel it early.

Ludo

Yes, that is enough reason to cancel the contract early simply because they are constantly tweaking their network to stop people from getting around the P2P blocking. This results in numerous other applications not working correctly every so often. This is unacceptable in a live network and all these changes should be tried out on a test network before being rolled out. They do not appear to do this as i have logged about 50 calls to them in 5 months due to applications breaking because of their changes.
The final straw came when an app broke recently and they fobbed my off by saying it uses P2P when I know that it doesnt. Even when P2P started working recently for me, this app still didnt work. This is unacceptable and is certain grounds to cancel as far as I am concerned.

to be honest they will probably be glad to see the back of me due to the amount of posts I put up here bitching about them

Griffinx

I too am having probelms with Clearwire & Blueface.

Im getting a message 488 not accepted here from SJphone and a similar message from x-lite. Clearwire have enabled voip.

Blueface suggested I use IAX which works but they dont support its use with an ATA.

Has anyone got Blueface, Clearwire and SIP working together..if so please tell me


Thanx

RangeR

I have used Clearwire and Blueface SIP quite successfully in the past. However, the last time I tried was about 2 or 3 months ago. Clearwires network changes with the wind so I can't say if my service is still operational. If I get a chance over the weekend, I'll give it another shot.

I'm using the Linksys router/ata that Blueface were selling at one time.

geecee

Hi Griffinx
Have you tried the G729 codec?
It seems this is the only one that Clearwire AKA Big Brother will allow you to use over their network...

Punchbowl

ANyone who has actaully had their P2P unblocked noticed a deteroration in service and speed? I'm very pleased with my Clearwire and save for access to P2P, it's the best BB I've ever had.. I have requested unblocking and they said they would but I'm worried my download speeds will suffer as a result

Ludo

My P2P has been working (VERY SLOWLY) for the last month or so without my even asking for it.
At the same time I downgraded from 2 meg to 1 as my six months was up. My service suffered obviously as a result (which I assumed was a result of the downgrading).

The then charged me the 2 meg service so I rang them to complain only for them to tell me I hadnt been downgraded. They said they would do it immediately. They charged me for the 2 meg again a couple of days ago so I rang AGAIN and they said I was STILL on the 2 meg and would downgrade me now...I cancelled immediately and posted box back.

My crappy service was not a reault of being downgraded as they never actually did it so maybe you are onto something there with the P2P theory.

Anyway moral of the story: if you try downgrading when your 6 months offer period ends...ring them the following day to verify that they have actualy done it. Then ring again to double check!

jayo2004

I have installed limewire on my brothers pc which has a clearwire connection and works grand also his girlfriend is from latvia and i installed voipbuster (free land line calls to a lot of european countries) and it works great. voipbuster and voipstunt are the same company so i would say that would work too each one just supports different countries that you can call..

Griffinx

Just got Blueface with Clearwire working after getting x-pro and switching on g729.

No response at all from Clearwire to my emails. They seem very selective about the bits they allow through their network.

Thanks for help.