Quick question re: UPC

FungiWalsh

Hi folks,

I'm looking into getting UPC broadband when I move to Cork City next month, and I noticed a line on their website that's confusing me slightly:

Important Notes

Chorus ntl advises that this service is only supported when one PC operates with one modem.

It's in the "What Do I Need" section of their 10Mb service info page.

Am I being dense, or does this mean that only one device can access the internet at any one time? It's quite clumsily phrased, so I'm not sure. It seems ridiculous, but I figure there's no harm in making sure!

Thanks!

A Cable modem will generally only have 1 port.

But with a simple 4xPort Router alongside will allow multiple Network devices.

FungiWalsh

cisk wrote: »

A Cable modem will generally only have 1 port.

But with a simple 4xPort Router alongside will allow multiple Network devices.

*sound of penny clattering to the ground*

Oh, so the "one modem" it refers to is actually what the router is plugged into? And the "one PC" can be the wireless router that comes free with the 10MB connection? And I can have all my devices connected to that wirelessly?

calex71

FungiWalsh wrote: »

*sound of penny clattering to the ground*

Oh, so the "one modem" it refers to is actually what the router is plugged into? And the "one PC" can be the wireless router that comes free with the 10MB connection? And I can have all my devices connected to that wirelessly?

thats not a penny it's a whole euro's worth of the little copper blighters dropping Spot on once the wireless / router is connected you can connect other pc's no problem,

I gos like this, cable from outside to grey box inside , cable from grey box to white box (4 port ethernet /wireless router)

FungiWalsh

calex71 wrote: »

thats not a penny it's a whole euro's worth of the little copper blighters dropping Spot on once the wireless / router is connected you can connect other pc's no problem,

I gos like this, cable from outside to grey box inside , cable from grey box to white box (4 port ethernet /wireless router)

Ahh, excellent, cheers. I feel like I'm going to have to carry out some form of penance for being so black-hole dense. Or I could just blame UPC, for their comically hamfisted phraseology. :P

One more question, actually! I'm not particularly au fait with this cable broadband malarkey, having only had DSL in all my years of using broadband. I'm in the midst of searching for a flat in Cork, so what do I need to make sure the flat has, in order to ensure I'll be able to avail of cable broadband? Does it come through a normal phone socket, or what?

And also, is it safe to assume that any building in Cork City (that has the features within the answer to the question above) has access to the service? The streets listed on UPC's availability check seem to be plucked at random from a map - in particular, they don't list the city centre street on which the flat I'm currently looking at resides.

Thanks for your help, it's much appreciated! I just want to avoid the nightmare scenario of renting an apartment and then finding out that I can't get decent broadband!

ozt9vdujny3srf

It comes in over the television cables (coax). However just because there is coax from upc running into your house, doesnt mean it supports broadband yet. You'll have to call UPC and ask them on an address by address basis. Don't use the availability checker on their website, because it lies!

edit: 2500th post w00p!

FungiWalsh

Hi lads, quick update for ye and another question.

I've scheduled for UPC to come and set up the broadband next Tuesday (I called them and they said that, according to their records, the apartment is already wired for broadband). Now, the woman I was speaking to said that the technician might need access to the electricity box for the building. The reason she gave was something along the lines of "in case there's no power going to the port" (sorry if that makes no sense, she was quite vague about it). Now, my question is thus: the cable port in the wall already has Freeview coming through it, so does that mean it's OK in terms of power for broadband? I only ask because I won't be in the city again until next Monday night, and I'd like to, if at all possible, avoid the hassle of getting the key for the box from the estate agent.

Thanks!

vibe666

sorry to tell you, but ntl don't do *freeview* so you've been robbing their tv service since you moved in, unless you pay a monthly tv bill from them?

not really your fault though if you didn't know and they didn't send you a bill.

what usually happens is, when someone moves out, they cancel their ntl and ntl put that apartment on alist to get the plug pulled the next time an engineer happens to be out at the site, but until then it will stay working.

of course, now you have your broadband being connected the tv signal will stay on even if you aren't paying for it as it all comes down the same cable and to have the broadband on, they have to provide you with tv as they can't stop it, even if you're not paying for it.

not that i would be advocating stealing tv, just letting you know the story.

oh, and the one pc mone modem thing just means that that is all they will support, not what will work, so if you have your pc directly connected to the modem they will support that, but if you have the modem connected to a router with half a dozen pc's on it and they're not able to get on the net, you can whistle for it. or call their "advanced" support number who might try and help just long enough to get some money out of you for the premium rate call.

FungiWalsh

Huh. Honestly, I did not know that! I literally just got the keys yesterday. It's odd, though, as it's the first letting of the apartment, and there's a small LCD and a Freeview box mounted on the wall. And the ad that the apartment came to my attention through advertised Cable TV as a selling point. The TV isn't that big a deal to me, but I shall have to investigate!

Also, I take it from your post that the TV activity on the port means that the engineer won't require access to the building's electricity box?

Thanks for the help!

lambchops

FungiWalsh wrote: »

Also, I take it from your post that the TV activity on the port means that the engineer won't require access to the building's electricity box?

The only thing to do with electricity is the plug for the modem and router if you have/are getting one.

vibe666

FungiWalsh wrote: »

It's odd, though, as it's the first letting of the apartment, and there's a small LCD and a Freeview box mounted on the wall.

that might be something entirely different then, i was just going by my own experience at an apartment i used to live in, but it sounds like you might have something else going on there, although i have no idea what that might be.

maybe someone else could advise who's seen something like that before?

dub45

vibe666 wrote: »

that might be something entirely different then, i was just going by my own experience at an apartment i used to live in, but it sounds like you might have something else going on there, although i have no idea what that might be.

maybe someone else could advise who's seen something like that before?

Surely the letting people or landlord should have filled the op in on this?

FungiWalsh

dub45 wrote: »

Surely the letting people or landlord should have filled the op in on this?

I guess they should have, but no. Not entirely, anyway. I just asked him what the box was when I was viewing the apartment, and he said it was (quote) a "Freeview" box. From the quick look I had at it yesterday, it had the four BBC channels (in all their regional varieties), Film4, More4, E4, Channel 4, and a plethora of shopping/religious channels, among others. Like I said, I'm not too fussed about it, so I didn't press the issue when I was viewing the place.

At least it sounds like I won't have to go to the trouble of getting the keys to the electricity box. Thanks, folks!

Onikage

Sounds like a FTA satellite box (not to be confused with freeview, cable, FTV or freesat)

FungiWalsh

Onikage wrote: »

Sounds like a FTA satellite box (not to be confused with freeview, cable, FTV or freesat)

Yep, from a quick Google, it looks like that's what it is.

vibe666

that'll *probably* (maybe) be totally unrelated to ntl then, so you might need make sure your apartment block maintenance guy/super is around to let the engineer into the service room in case he needs to get in to do some patching.

FungiWalsh

vibe666 wrote: »

that'll *probably* (maybe) be totally unrelated to ntl then, so you might need make sure your apartment block maintenance guy/super is around to let the engineer into the service room in case he needs to get in to do some patching.

That'll be in the electricity supply box, will it? Or somewhere else?

vibe666

not sure, it depends on the apartment block.

in mine there was a little room next to the lifts that had all the utilities in it, but it may not be the same for every apartment block. best to speak to your super, or the management company if there isn't someone on-site all the time.

FungiWalsh

UPC guy was here this morning, and couldn't install the broadband. Signal from the TV port wasn't strong enough. It looked like the building used to be wired for Chorus, but they killed the connection when the building was being re-fitted. Ho hum.

Are UPC the only company that will do a broadband-only service? If so, any recommendations as to which company would be the best choice? I was looking at BT's prices, is their service any good?