PC Pals Forum
Technical Help & Discussion => Broadband, Networking, PC Security, Internet & ISPs => Topic started by: chorleydave on July 06, 2007, 13:57
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Well, after weeks of agonising over whether to get rid of my telephone and internet (as I only use both very lightly) I have taken the plunge and signed up to Tiscali, after talking to my barber while I was having my hair cut.
Currently, I am paying about £12.00 a month for BT Line Rental (as I won't pay that scum by DD) about £2.00 a month phone calls (I only ever use the phone at weekend and occasionally to make the odd evening call after work) and £17.99 to Orange for 1MB broadband with a 2GB/month limit, a total of £31.99 a month for something that I rarely use in comparison to most other people I know.
Today, I signed up to Tiscali Weekend talk and Surf for £14.99 a month. For this I will get Line Rental (no more scummy BT and their hidden charges / change of prices practically every billing period) free weekend calls (I currently pay 5p for up to a hour, but am only usually on the phone for less than a minute) and 2MB broadband with unlimited downloads. OK, there is a fair use policy which asks you not to use P2P to download during the hours of 6PM and 11PM, but on the very rare occasion that I do download anything massive I do it overnight while I am sleeping.
My barber has the same package and has never had any problems, so fingers crossed.
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That actually seems a good deal Dave and I might have use for it myself. Please let me know how you get on with it before I take the plunge.
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Will do, Clive. :)
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I'm with you on the direct debits, Dave. I don't mind paying by DD, if I choose to, but I refuse to be told to!
I hope Tiscali works out for you, and that they have improved since being the most complained about ISP on ISPr for a couple of years. It sounds like a good value package. :)
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Seems a good package Dave-I was thinking of either going with Tiscali on a package or Virgin, but decided to plump with Virgin.
I dont think the large number of complaints matters a jot, as Tiscali are among the largest ISPs, its the old story the more clients you have, the more complaints you are bound to get-the law of averages.
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yeah but what you need to know is the complaints per person.. thats the interesting and relevant stat.
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Seems a good package Dave-I was thinking of either going with Tiscali on a package or Virgin, but decided to plump with Virgin.
i did exactly the same thing........... my family are with tiscali and the only problem they have had is when one of them moved and they were of line for 4 weeks :ack:
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The broadband is now set up and has (touch wood) connected without any problems at all. The connection pack (modem, filters etc.) hasn't arrived yet, but I was able to create a manual connection using my Speedtouch (Wanadoo) modem without difficulty.
I'm just waiting for the telephone service to be transferred now and have had an email saying it should be in the next seven days.
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Glad to see your up and running Dave. I see your still useing a modem and not a router.
Ive also got my Virgin broadband up and running, but like you, Im still waiting for my phone package from Virgin.
Im still not convinced that a router is worth all the hassle in setting up when your on a single PC. Virgin supplied a Netgear router, but after frigging about for an hour trying to set it up to work with my static IP address, gave up, and went back to an old BT Voyager which works a treat.
With all the bother of forwarding ports, I find a router a bloody nuisance!
;D
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Have to agree, DG. I wouldn't bother going back to a DSL modem now, but there's no real benefit in using a router with a single PC.
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I cant see what you have against routers S and D :dunno:
Even if I only had one pc and not the two that I have permanently connected plus my new satellite receiver and a spare connection for any other pc or laptop that I may have to work on, I would still go for an ADSL modem/router over a plain ADSL modem.
Once its set up, which is usually less hassle than using a USB ADSL modem as you dont have to install any drivers, you dont have to touch it again unless you want to alter some security settings.
You have the extra protection that the hardware provides over a software firewall.
Often the connection is faster and more stable via a router.
They are often cheaper these days than a modem, in fact I havent seen any ADSL 2+ modems for sale yet so presumably they are being phased out, as the manufacturers know that the routers are better.
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I would have to agree with Sandra on routers being better than modems.
I have a much more stable connection with router. My speedtouch modem was a pain in the *rse.
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Hi Sandra and Lona.
Ive not got anything against routers, in fact I agree that the hardware firewall incorporated in them is extra protection. The problem seems to come when you use Peer to Peer progs such as uTorrent or E-mule etc. You then have to use a static address, which has to be set up on your PC and then start frigging about forwarding ports, all extra hassle which at my tender age (Lol) I cant really be bothered with.
I am myself useing a BT Voyager 210 Router now which is a doddle to set up. Its programmed to work with all UK ISPs, and a doddle to forward ports etc. A good piece of kit with a firewall and a switch on the back if you wish to switch off at night, which I rarely do.
Virgin supplied me with a free Netgear DG834G Wireless Router, which seemed impossible to set up with a static address-kept saying "The router requires the computer to be set for DHCP. The Wizard will reset your computer for DHCP"
What thats all about? Drove me mad!!
My point was that an ADSL Modem is simply "Plug and Play"
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Virgin supplied me with a free Netgear DG834G Wireless Router, which seemed impossible to set up with a static address-kept saying "The router requires the computer to be set for DHCP. The Wizard will reset your computer for DHCP"
What thats all about? Drove me mad!!
My point was that an ADSL Modem is simply "Plug and Play"
The router assigns each pc the LAN IP through the DHCP, this will not change unless you disconnect it and connect another pc to the router, so for all intents it is a static LAN IP.
An ethernet modem would be plug and play but the USB ones can be hard work to get installed becuase they need drivers.
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Hi Sandra
So are you saying that I have to set my PC to use DHCP and not set it for a static IP, as I did in the Voyager?
How do I use the Netgear for Peer to Peer then?
Thanks
Delgado
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When the router assigns the LAN IP you set the port forwarding to use the ports to that LAN IP address.
That will never change, unless you do as I said in my earlier post and change PCs connected to the router.
What can change is the WAN IP from your ISP, depending on whether you have a static or a dynamic IP, if you switch the router off and back on again.
This wont affect your P2P as when you connect to whichever service you use as its not WAN IP dependant, the ports will still be opened to the LAN IP that you set it to, so its no different in that respect to how a modem works.
Hope this clears things up :)
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Thanks Sandra
Might have another go with it then!
;D ;D
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Not quite sure about DHCP (or indeed, what it is!), but I also have a Netgear router, and as long as you set it to automatically get the IP dynamically from the ISP, it should sort itself out, DG. Try going into the router settings, and look on the Basic settings page. You should find, under the log in details, a tick button to automatically select the IP dynamically from the ISP. Try that and see if it makes any difference.
I agree about the benefit of additional security, but it does come at a price, as you do have to fiddle about opening ports, and allowing services for P2P networks. You also have to make sure that your P2P client isn't set to automatically select a new port each time it starts, or you will keep having to reset the router to the new port.
My point is the same as DG's, in that an ADSL modem requires very little maintenence, and is simple to set up. There are obviously pros and cons with each, but for a single PC, with no networking requirements, disregarding the security aspects (which a good software firewall will take care of), a router isn't essential.
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Thanks Sandra and Simon-
Got my Netgear Router working OK now-I didnt realise that the router assigned an address to my PC. My BT Voyager relied on me setting my PC to a Static address.
Got e-mule working on ports forwarded, but u-Torrent appears to work ok without forwarding a port, cant understand why that is, but thats computers I suppose.
:laugh:
Sorry Dave-we appear to have hijacked your post-how is your Tiscali connection now? Still ok I hope.
:D