The Boards.ie Explainer: FTTH and You

Sue de Nimes

Just out of curiosity, what are people with 1Gbps connections doing to actually connect to their router at that speed with?

eddiem74

I got EIR 1GB FTTH installed today and this is all I am getting from a work laptop wired directly to the existing F3000 router. I assume nothing can be done to improve that, so should request EIR to downgrade the package I am on?

ECO_Mental

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117858828#Comment_117858828

The ping seems high as well for FTTH, dont throw the baby out with the bath water just yet....Im no expert but I had gigabit BB for a number of years and I used to test it all the time and you do not get 900+mbps all the time so wait and see give a few days as least and test at different times etc

eddiem74

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117859982#Comment_117859982

Fair enough but FTTH is a dedicated line right, so I would expect some consistency in speed, not saying constant 1GB but more that ~200Mbps if I am paying for 1GB.

Cyrus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117861785#Comment_117861785

Try another device and try something with fast wireless close to the router to see what you got. That seems off as the other poster said the ping is way too high.

dam099

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117861785#Comment_117861785

Its not fully dedicated, you are still sharing with other customers on the same split as you (2.5Gb between up to 32 customers on the original GPON). Usually that wont matter though as no customer is likely to be saturating 1Gb on a constant basis so day to day expectation would still usually be to get the full 1Gb.

As others have noted something seems off, your ping does seem too high. What type of laptop is it? Some reports here before of some Dell's having preinstalled support software that interferes with high speed connections. Also try another ethernet cable, maybe you have one that's slightly off.

Failing that I would always try to resolve the issue with customer support before downgrading, why assume there is nothing they can do, it could just be a fault they can fix.

eddiem74

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117861818#Comment_117861818

That test I shared was from my work laptop connected to the router via ethernet cable.

I have tested with my Android Pixel phone using the speedtest app and have gotten variations between 300-600 Mbps down and usually ~90 up with a ping <10ms

Cyrus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117862866#Comment_117862866

if you are getting 600mbps down on wireless then there is an issue with your ethernet connection, given its a work laptop there may be software installed that is crippling ethernet peformance.

is it dell by any chance?

https://www.dell.com/community/Networking-Internet-Bluetooth/New-Inspiron-15-slow-wired-and-wireless-Internet/td-p/5166868

eddiem74

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117862296#Comment_117862296

Thanks for the Info/explanation.

I am using a work laptop, Lenovo Thinkpad, a couple of years old running windows 10. I spoke with our internal network guy to verify networking software, etc is not affecting speed test. He said some might a little so gave me a method to do the test but it was still 2-300Mbps, although some random tests later today hit 400 temporarily.

I spoke to Eir tech support, they said my install is still not showing as complete on their system, and it has a target date of completion tomorrow so I should wait until that date passes. Although I fail to see what anybody else is really doing at this point, but perhaps I am being unfair?

BArra

are you connected to your work vpn when testing?

eddiem74

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117862895#Comment_117862895

Sorry I think my other reply overlapped your question. Its a Lenovo Thinkpad and our internal network guy gave me a link to do a speedtest, which on a few occasions got me up to 400ish.

eddiem74

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117863216#Comment_117863216

My network guy said we are not using VPN, but there is Zscaler and Global Protect (to be removed soon) installed. The speed test link he gave me was from Zscaler.

dam099

Still sounds like its something on your Work laptop slowing things down or you are relaying through their network when testing the speed.

Do you have personal laptop/desktop computer you can test with or a friend with a laptop you can borrow?

600 Mb on a phone suggests you were maxing the limits of a phone on WiFi so good chance your wired connection would be fine on another device.

If you have no devices can make use of the full speed and are not running a lot of devices with heavy bandwidth requirements simultaneously then a downgrade might make sense anyway and save a few quid.

BArra

yeah agreed with dam099 suggestions, lastly check speedtest from speedtest.net and choose eir as the server, dont use eirs speed checker or zscalers

Julez

Hi All, I tried searching, but couldn't find the answer.

My 500mb Virgin Media contract is up soon and FTTH is available in my area so I'm probably going to try switch up as it'll work out a lot cheaper FTTH 500 mb service. Just wondering in terms of FTTH... does it matter who I go with? Vodafone, Eir, Sky etc... will they all be using the same line and technology? Would there be any difference there? Should I just choose best value?

Cyrus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117869173#Comment_117869173

I haven't noticed any difference in the suppliers so my advice is go for the best deal

Romero

Couple of questions, I am currently with Virgin Media 500Mb package contract ends at the end of next month and has jumped up to 76 Euros a month, I've checked availability of FTTH and I can sign up for it, and was seriously considering the One Big Switch deal with Vodafone and go for the 1Gb service. Now that deal ends at the end of the month so was going to sign up for it and run both in tandem (think you have 14 days cooling off) and make sure it's stable (need it for Work), but 2 questions

1) Can I delay transferring over my home phone number, until the Virgin contract is up or will I be stuck with a new number?

2) I am going to order an new Asus Wifi 6 Router and I know I can plug directly into that to bypass the Gigabox, or am I stuck with the Gigabox if I want to use the home phone number? Is there anyway around this?

TheDoc

Well after a pretty significant wait, (month on ESB alone) finally got my 1GB package up and running. Initial impressions are disappointing haha. Ping is great and all, but it seems to be hardcapping at 90mbps up and down.

Hopefully just the line bedding in or something, as everything just got done today.

ED E

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117938269#Comment_117938269

Check the ethernet cable between ONT and router. (assuming a 2 part setup is still the norm)

TheDoc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117947649#Comment_117947649

So got it sorted in the end. I have a DIY crimped cat6 running up a chimney, and I guess the crimping wasn't the best, Just replugged the cable and we are away.

Been utterly blown away with performance and speeds. Constant 990+ download and pings in games have dropped to sub 20. So happy with it.

The supplied router has been brilliant aswell, I've retired my Archer C8 which was actually a pain in the hole last two years as it would constantly forget my attached WD passport drive. Never thought an ISP supplied router would actually improve my setup.

I have a bit of a blankspot in the bathroom(where all the essential mobile phone reading takes place :D ) so looking at their mesh extension options.

Henry Ford III

I've ordered Voadfone FTTH as an upgrade on my existing FTTC. It's no Siro as that's no in my area.

I'm promised up to 500mbps as opposed to up to 80mpbs as is. Price is identical. Hopefully this works well......

The Ayatolla

Trying to remove my eir supplied modem and use my own.

Anyone know the PPPOE / Login credentials for eir FTTH?

On my new modem, I tried:

• Used eircom@eircom.net / broadband1 and VLAN tag set to 10 but no joy.
• I also tried selecting Dynamic IP, VLAN=10 and VLAN priority =1 but no joy.
• Also tried PPPOE and left user/password blank; VLAN=10 and VLAN priority =1 but no joy there either.

Anyone had any luck with it? Using a Deco M4 system which I've used successfully in place of Vodafone/Siro in the past via VLAN tagging and PPPOE.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118077561#Comment_118077561

I'm pretty sure you just use DHCP not PPPoE on Eir FTTH

The Ayatolla

My own TP-Link Mesh offers these options:

• Dynamic IP
• Static IP
• PPPOE
• L2TP
• PPTP
• DS-Lite

Tried using Dynamic IP, and VLAN = 10, but no luck.

Also tried PPPOE using the username/password and also tried with blank user/password but no luck either.

The Ayatolla

Dynamic IP only works if I connect by TP-Link to the LAN port of the eir Modem. No VLAN settings required there as the eir modem is in Bridge mode.

If I go from the TP-Link to the Huawei box on the wall, it doesn't work.

NBAiii

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118077561#Comment_118077561

The priority should be zero. Eir routers use DHCP (IPoE) as default but PPPoE should also work. The username and password doesn't matter, anything should work.

ED E

Are you setting the VLAN in the IPTV menu or elsewhere?

The Ayatolla

Screenshot_20211027-225425_Deco.jpg

Heres the VLAN settings page. I was ignoring the IPTV section.

I'll try the priority = 0, that might have been it. With Siro I had to set this to "1"

The Ayatolla

Priority =0 did the trick!

Thanks folks

Qrt

Right, I know the sticky says don’t order any services at the door, but some lad came to my door…

currently with Virgin but a bit fed up of the price, they won’t go down any meaningful amount… he was from Vodafone, anyway SIRO is on my road and I’ve been tempted for a very very long time, just a bit weary about the installation. Hallway has no power outlets and the kitchen wall has a power outlet on the outside wall, can they drill through the wall if there’s a power outlet closeby?