Broadband

Started by Arthur_Friend, October 07, 2013, 04:12:53 PM

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Syferus

#30
A prepaid Three mobile sim with the All You Can Eat data bundle you get by topping up by 20 Euro is the best value by a mile. Just put it in the most useless Android phone you have lying around. If you need more than a hotspot, get a regular router that allows you to plug in the phone as a 3G/4G modem. I know Asus' support this but I'm sure most modern ones do as well.

It's way better value (you still have the phone credit on the sim, which can be spent on a bunch of different things like a Spotify subscription or Android apps) and if you're technical enough not to be scared by the process you never have to worry about data caps.

Main Street

#31
Quote from: lfdown2 on February 15, 2018, 11:32:17 AM
looking some advice - I purchased a mobile broadband router (O2) recently and as i had thought I am getting speeds 10x my BT broadband, only issue is the range within the house. Have any of you used a mobile router in a home/workplace that you could recommend?
As others have said, get a decent 4G modem. However the wifi signal from a decent 4G modem  can be crap. My first solution was to connect the 4G modem, via a long ethernet cable, to a modem wifi router placed somewhere more convenient in the house. A suitable 300Mbps wifi modem can be bought s/h online market or in charity shops,  a dime a dozen.


I was in Ireland last sept and checked out the available options for 4G LTE broadband for a friend.

The best I came across was with Three
http://www.three.ie/online/data/contract/
Huawei B525   -  Modem free. with 3 broadband Two - 18 months   contract

http://www.three.ie/online/data/contract/huawei-b525-black/priceplan/
click on  the line  <3 broadband Two - 18 months>  (not the select button)
and in the Java pop up page
3 broadband Two
monthly charge  Eur 30
  30gb - 750GB

I live outside Ireland and have to use 4G.
I have a 4G Huawei B315 
When I got it first, I had no indoor or outdoor LTE antenna,

I had to place it in a room by a west facing window to get any decent connection.
The ethernet connected desktop got 70Mbps, wifi speed was similar in the room, but faded quickly around the house.
I chose to get an outdoor LTE antenna
a. I wanted to free up the 4G modem from having to be in that location
b. I wanted more speed
c. I wanted to be sure of more speed in rush hour. It's a capitalist type system, the guy with the biggest antenna goes to the top of the queue to suck the available 4G signal.

I bought a directional antenna with a 10m cable.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00D1VXZ3E/ref=pe_3187911_189395841_TE_3p_dp_1
It was dead simple to erect. Speed went up to 110 /120 Mbs, I assume that's the max I can get from the provider.
The 4G modem's wifi performance remained weak, even if it was now better located in the house.The wifi signal would drop off inside a bedroom some 10m away, with the door closed.
But I already had my broadband wifi router, in fact 2 of them, so it was easy to fix that issue.

Later I got the mini mobile Huawei 4G modem, it cost me about Eur5 p/m, to add it on to the same 300gb plan. I love it. I carry it around with me and can connect  phone/ tablet/laptop online, anywhere in the service area.
I would not use the mobile device as a sole modem for home use, only unless there was no other.

Main Street

#32
Quote from: Fionntamhnach on February 16, 2018, 11:01:40 PM
3's current offer of 750GB of data a month for €30 is on the face of it a steal, but I wonder how good it is - from what I know 3's mobile network in the south is the slowest of the three in terms of data speeds compared to Vodafone & Eir. If a lot of people locally are using 3 for their home broadband with such a generous data allowance, I can see such connections getting chocked easily during peak times.
There is a paucity of information re 4G modem services  on the provider websites in the south.I get the impression they won't offer the service if you live in a good broadband area.
From my basic experiments over a few days, the 4G signal strength varied from poor to moderate in Louth and Monaghan, that's why I'd regard an ext antenna as compulsory for home use.

Re Three's prices,  I think the Eur30 is for the basic 30gb/month package and rises incrementally.
It would probably be expensive for anything over 300GB.
Mostly I don't stream live content as it would just eat into my 300GB quota. I just reserve live streaming for the special sport event, GAA games and the CL/El games and generally I'd download media content the old fashioned way.

QuoteWould agree that 4G home broadband should not be the first port of call if possible for most people. If you can get a decent speed/service from a landline provider through ADSL, VDSL, DOCSIS (Virgin Media) or Fibre to the Home/Building then they should be more preferable.
I meant that if you have to use 4G, then get the proper 4G modem and not to depend on the limited mobile 4G modem for home use.

Main Street

Quote from: Fionntamhnach on February 17, 2018, 01:04:03 AM
Unless I've read it wrong, the €30 a month package is now on a 750GB data limit, no longer 30GB.

^750GB promotion applicable to customers who signed up or upgraded on or after 15/01/18 on 18 month minimum term only.
You're spot on Fionn, you're obviously well used to disseminating the subtleties in the extra fine print  ;D

The 750gb offer to new customers is alluringly good but it's callous towards old customers. If I had signed up sometime  before 15th jan, I would be truly pissed at that new offer and complaining like mad.






lfdown2

Great, cheers all - plenty of info!

giveherlong

I'm in an area with no broadband available through the landline
Was looking at Bluebox but reports are that he service is down quite a bit
There is 4G O2 available but not throughout the house
Anyone experience of O2 broadband via 4G?
How would I go about distributing it through the house- I am wired for Cat 6, but is there a router with 4G broadband
What's the typical prices and is there download limits?

giveherlong

Thanks for the detailed response- much appreciated
Got the voucher through this morning so must look at those providers

LeoMc

Does anyone have any good recommendations for a reasonable 4-5 port unmanned switch which can support  3 x POE WIFI boosters.
Recommendations for Ceiling mounted POE WIFI boosters also gratefully accepted.

Helix

Hi,

Has anyone experience of Vodafone broadband in rural area. Moving into farm house in Laois and the local broadband spots are unreliable. Seeing Vodafone has decent coverage just want to know what they're like and is it worth 18 month contract. Cheers
It's hardly possible to build anything if frustration, bitterness and a mood of helplessness prevail

Taylor

Have had enough of shite broadband in the house in the North.

What is the best way to get it into the house?

Have been told fibre optic will be in by the end of next year but cant wait.

Is it better to get a SIM card and put an aerial up?

Is there any way to check before actually buying something?

extra time

Does anyone have or know anything about Fibrus broadband. They will be coming to my locality soon, and my contract with Sky is up soon.
Sky was cheap and suited my needs ok but is now going up from  £18 to £35 a month so i will be switching but need to find out about Fibrus.

JohnDenver

Quote from: extra time on October 09, 2020, 09:27:30 AM
Does anyone have or know anything about Fibrus broadband. They will be coming to my locality soon, and my contract with Sky is up soon.
Sky was cheap and suited my needs ok but is now going up from  £18 to £35 a month so i will be switching but need to find out about Fibrus.

Not 100% sure as they aren't in my area - but I think they won a big government contract to roll true fibre broadband out to different towns and areas in the north ahead of Openreach, which is welcome IMO.

From what I hear and read, you should be able to get 1GB speeds right to your home, and possibly a 50% discount on your first year's billing?

Smokin Joe

Quote from: Fionntamhnach on October 09, 2020, 01:04:06 PM
Quote from: JohnDenver on October 09, 2020, 10:03:39 AM
Not 100% sure as they aren't in my area - but I think they won a big government contract to roll true fibre broadband out to different towns and areas in the north ahead of Openreach, which is welcome IMO.

That's Project Stratum, which is intended to help fund the last 50k to 100k premises in NI that are identified as being the most difficult/costly to roll out FTTP to. Openreach are already claiming that they can now supply 50% of premises in d'north (residential & business) with an FTTP connection.

So is the suggestion that every premises in NI will have FTTP?
I ask as I am the last house in an exchange area and so have miles of copper to my property!!

armaghniac

Quote from: Fionntamhnach on October 09, 2020, 01:04:06 PM
Quote from: JohnDenver on October 09, 2020, 10:03:39 AM
Not 100% sure as they aren't in my area - but I think they won a big government contract to roll true fibre broadband out to different towns and areas in the north ahead of Openreach, which is welcome IMO.

That's Project Stratum, which is intended to help fund the last 50k to 100k premises in NI that are identified as being the most difficult/costly to roll out FTTP to. Openreach are already claiming that they can now supply 50% of premises in d'north (residential & business) with an FTTP connection.

Compared to the south, you rarely see fibre on poles in NI rural areas, and usually in near to town areas. I did post here before about some arriving on the outskirts of Cross' but it didn't get much further. There is a great need for improvement.
FTTP really makes a difference, I was visiting a friend who retired to his previous holiday home in West Kerry and he has 500Gb speed and a view of the Blasket islands, it is a life changer. if Peig had that she'd have written a different book.
If at first you don't succeed, then goto Plan B

Taylor

Have checked Fibrus and Openreach and none in the area yet.

Going to have to try a Sim of some sort.

Any advice on the best deal for this?