Broadband problem continues

[quidsup]

After two phoncalls and two promises that my line would be fixed Im still stuck on slow speed

So I phoned up BT today to have another moan.

Well to cut a long story short they denied there was a problem on their side, despite their own speed test showing I was down on speed, the callcenter agent said the problem must be with my computer and I should contact my supplier.
OOOO If ever there was a wrong thing to say!!! I told her I have a six core computer and I built it myself. (didn't mention about Linux)
So I asked to be put through to cancellations. She asked why I wanted to cancel, so I said this fault was unacceptable and their download limits were too tight. She wanted to run a line test and would call me back.

10 Mins later she called back and confirmed there was a fault on my line (really? :^O) she then put me through to the supervisor. He told me it had been transferred over to the network repair team with an urgent escalation and it would be fixed within 48 hours.
I was kind enough to say the agent was ok but the problem was with their system.

Literally within a minute of putting the phone down I got a call from the Network repair team. 😮 They wanted to do more tests so I had to disconnect everything.

They called me back again 30 mins later and asked me to reconnect everything. Did that but the broadband didn't come on.
It came on again a few mins later at the same slow speed.

Hopefully everything will be fixed by monday?


This whole thing has just been cr*p. If I hadn't had the techie knowledge I wouldn't have ever been able to prove the fault was theirs. And if I hadn't threatened to cancel my service I would be sat here thinking oh it must be my computer at fault.
Not impressed with BT X-(

[ladderrack-123]

my point exactly, and i know linux has become more popular but it is still a 'nerdy' system and from what your saying a hackers dream tool.
the majority of people arent interested in hacking  other peoples emails or anything else.  they just want to use their computer 'out of the box' and windows has always made that happen.  If it wasnt so popular the hackers wouldnt be constantly attacking it.   Look at android.  thats been attacked now and thats because its so popular, and has freedom to put apps you want on it.  If it was as restrictive as apple for instance it would be more difficult to attack.  but do we want freedom or not. I often wonder what the hackers would hack if they finally did what they claim to want and brought microsoft down.

[quidsup]

Not all Linux systems are nerdy, but I guess that perception will remain until the easy to use distros such as Ubuntu or Google's Chrome OS have achieved a far greater control of the OS market.

Main reason for Viruses, Malware, and hackers is for profitability. A large pool of devices running the same system makes for a juicy target. Thats why it makes sense not to be a sheep with following the crowd.

The rise of Android certainly does now pose a threat to other Linux systems including desktop computers and the servers that run most of the internet.

Imagine how much chaos that would cause if a virus for Android was able to bring down sites like Google, Youtube, ebay, BBC, Tesco, Sainsburys, Lloyds, etc...

[*fuzzypeg*]

What would you think if I did a video showing how easy it was to hack a wireless and steal data Anne?

I don't think it would be a good idea somehow Ivan 😮

[quidsup]

Think it might cost me my ad revenue account.

Im thinking more about a video explaining why its not a good idea to do certain things on an unsecurred network and maybe show in the background what can be obtained.

Should be alright if I show what can be done and not how its done

[*fuzzypeg*]

Not so sure about that either, if people know you have the ability and knowledge on how to hack computer's, it might not go down too well. 😐 That's just my opinion though.

Had a bit of a disagreement with my daughter today. I showed her my new router and explained why I'd bought it. She turned my computer on and said it wasn't the router, it was the modem that was at fault. I don't know much about computers, but I do know that a modem attaches to the phone line enabling an internet connection and a router splits that connection between other computers in the house. My Sky isp router is secured, so the modem is fine. But I'm just a parent, I don't know bugger all. 😐

[quidsup]

Doesn't matter if your router is secured if your wireless hub is unsecured. Anyone can get in via the wireless.

Anyway why have you got two separate devices?

Im only using one, alls I did was extract the password from my old Sky router and popped it on the new router which has high speed wireless. Old Sky router is sat up in the loft in case I still need it.

(modem is an old device that made a horrible noise and jammed up the phoneline... ah the days of dial up internet 😉 )

[*fuzzypeg*]

I had an argument with the bloke trying to sell 'Sky' in our town centre today.  Told him that I was getting a really slow connection and he blamed it on too many new buildings being built locally. He might have well have said it's because the price of milk has gone up.

What's the best isp? I've had enough of sky

[quidsup]

Is this your local exhange Anne? http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange/STWEYHL

In which case the only provider you can have is BT.

No wonder Sky has been so poor, its being run over BTs network instead of them using their own equipment at the exchange.

[*fuzzypeg*]

No Ivan, it's this one, Suffolk Road (I think) which is about 3 miles from my  house

http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange/STANDVR

[quidsup]

Out of that list I would go with TalkTalk or BT

[*fuzzypeg*]

Daughter had BT and said it was crap. I've had AOL and Tiscali and they're crap. Anyone had talktalk or know what virgin's like?

[madamwhiplashk]

I thought talk talk had took over tiscali? I used to be with tiscali at the other house and when i moved here i canceled it but i still used the email address, and then it changed to talk talk?:|

And im with virgin, they are ok so long as every now and then you phone them and ask them for a better deal as they never  let you know if there is a better deal you can go on, but then i suppose no one ever does. Im with them for my phone, broadband and telly:-)

[ladderrack-123]

virgin have a BT line section but I dont know how good it is, but I would assume it has similar speeds to all the ones that use those lines and exchanges, no matter what they claim.  I know talk talk came to our house and we live not far from the BT exchange, and when wor lass said she had heard they were line length dependant they called up, as they stood on the doorstep, and found that for their 'up to 20Mg' they couuld only get a maximum of 14 Mg where we were. no competition if speed is your issue.  I stay with virgin.  Anyway I dont have a BT line.

[*fuzzypeg*]

You're right Kay and OMG it's a jungle out there

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/4125-tiscali-brand-dropped-by-talktalk.html

Everyone's got a moan about all of them. 😮 I can also get Plusnet where I live for £6.49 a month. Anyone know what that's like? Nothing's simple any more. 😐

[quidsup]

You'll have to phone up and ask them Anne

Ask if they're running their own equipment at your local exchange? (an absolute must otherwise you might aswell go with BT)

what your likely speed will be

how long it takes to change over (the sooner the better, so you can get away from Sky)

And check what the cooling off period is (think thats what its called) should be 14 days you can cancel before being tied into a contract.

[repairexpert]

Had similar probems with wireless here.

A lot of hair pulling until I realised you had to put the security password into the other item you are trying to connect in HEX code, the old 5C 78 4A... etc. format (without spaces).

Just typing in the words of the password won't always work.

When you set up the security in your router program you select a password (make it up to 13 characters with letters and numbers) and type it in the box, then press 'generate'. This produces a 13 digit pair in HEX code. Type this in (with no spaces between) to the password box (sometimes called 'security' box) and press 'OK' or whatever it says. It should they connect. You may have to select the type of security, WAP WEP, etc. in the case of a laptop, in the manual set-up pages.

Yes it's a real PITA isn't it, and even had my two techi sos fooled until I discovered the correct way. I assume all routers work this way.

[ladderrack-123]

I don't really see the problem if its a known make of router it should have psk/wap and all you do is make a password, any combbination of letters and numbers.  even I have found it simple when following the instructions from the book or the CD

[repairexpert]

Mine's a 3-com router Dave, and I think having to input the password in HEX is just another extra layer of security.

I've a feeling it encrypts the original password into HEX; nobody's then going to guess a 26 letter and number sequence; the odds are astronomical. 😉

[quidsup]

Hex only passwords are usually found on WEP and they can be cracked within a couple of mins.

Its the same sort of principal as the German Enigma machines - They produce a random number, but its not random enough. We know what happened to the Enigma machines 😉

[ladderrack-123]

yes the americans managed to get one from a submarine and decoded it lol