Digsy Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 Okey dokey: My local exchange for local people FINALLY got BB-enabled today (right when BT said it would be - bless them). So now I need to place my order and buy my bits. I've already posted up here that I want an internal modem, but I'll be borrowing a mate's external frog jobby first. A couple of Q's: 1) Will ANY modem do the job, or are there a bazzilion different protocols like there used to be with dialup? 2) Will any old microfilter do the trick? DABs sell some super-cheapo ones for about £3 but loads of people have posted up sayign they are rubbish and "don't remove the noise from the telephone line" or some such. Are they all much of a muchness, or are there really good and bad ones? I'll need two or three of the little buggers. 3) Unles sthere are any other pointers, I was pretty much going with PLUSnet's £14.99 PAYG with free install. Looks a good deal but the clawback is a bit harsh (£58.75 reducing to zero over 5 years!) Mind you if they are a good ISP I'll stay with them. I've been with Clara for that long, easily. 4) Anything else I've missed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 1. Provided the modem can PPPoA then you are okay, trust the brits to use the old protocol and not the new and more flexible PPPoE.. The external frog is as good as any really... I would stick with that rather than an internal. 2. I've used plenty of microfilters in the past, and they all seem to be much of a muchness.... I might have a spare couple at home actually from my frog modems... 3. Check out ADSLguide.org.uk, they usually have good things about all the ISPs... 4. Nope, don't think so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 the clawback is a bit harsh (£58.75 reducing to zero over 5 years!) That's to cover the "free" modem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaveriK Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 I am running PIPEX at home and thus far they have not disconnected me plus they are fazing out 512Kb connections in favour of 1Mb at the same price £23.44 (unmetered and i wish to point out i really dont do hours and hours of P2P stuff, Honest ) and sometimes they throw out free modems etc. Tdax is correct a microfilter is a microfilter is a microfilter, sometimes supplied with adsl modem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digsy Posted May 4, 2005 Author Share Posted May 4, 2005 That's to cover the "free" modem. No, would you beileve there's an additional £25 clawback to cover the modem, which you can turn off if you supply your own. It's to cover activation, but five years seems a bit harsh. Very likely that most people will want to change ISP or even move house within that time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muffleman Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 I am running PIPEX at home and thus far they have not disconnected me plus they are fazing out 512Kb connections in favour of 1Mb at the same price £23.44 (unmetered and i wish to point out i really dont do hours and hours of P2P stuff, Honest ) and sometimes they throw out free modems etc. Tdax is correct a microfilter is a microfilter is a microfilter, sometimes supplied with adsl modem. I'd give a thumbs up to Pipex too, been with them since Sept 6th last year (when BT changed the limits) and they've been pretty good. I was struggling with stability but registered the problems with Pipex and a BT engineer came within a couple of days. He ran loads of tests and then changed the wiring a bit and installed an ADSL faceplate, it's now rock solid and I'm nearly 7km from the exchange. If you're a long way from the exchange, it may be worth installing an ADSL faceplate (see here http://www.solwise.co.uk/adsl_splitters.htm). Takes the need away for filters, and has helped many who have poor SNR etc. Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 No, would you beileve there's an additional £25 clawback to cover the modem, which you can turn off if you supply your own. It's to cover activation, but five years seems a bit harsh. Very likely that most people will want to change ISP or even move house within that time. Crikey! Our activation fee is 50 quid as a Nildram reseller. Nildram are ace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 Erm, nildram are now owned by pipex... That said I've been with both Pipex and Nildram and I've always had good customer service.... So both get the thumbs up from me... Gav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digsy Posted May 4, 2005 Author Share Posted May 4, 2005 With regards to lines and wires and filters and faceplates, my computer will be connected to a rather long (15m or so) DIY extension (using quality cable straight into the BT main box, as intended). Is this likely to cause problems? Luckily the wire is all surface-mounted so I won't have to chisel the walls out if I need to replace it with something better, but my main BT box is currently in a totally different room to my PC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 DIY extensions can cause problems, however that said I did extend mine and it did seem to work... all really depends on how far from the exchange you are... Gav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 Erm, nildram are now owned by pipex... In July 2004, PIPEX Communications Group acquired The AccentUK Group for 12.9 million UKP. AccentUK remains a separate and distinct division within PIPEX and it continues to operate its all three brands, including Nildram, Trinite and Lobsterpot. Although owned - still very seperate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 Ah okay... I stand corrected, it was ages ago when I heard the news... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muffleman Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 With regards to lines and wires and filters and faceplates, my computer will be connected to a rather long (15m or so) DIY extension (using quality cable straight into the BT main box, as intended). Is this likely to cause problems? Luckily the wire is all surface-mounted so I won't have to chisel the walls out if I need to replace it with something better, but my main BT box is currently in a totally different room to my PC. Best to 'suck it and see' mate, if you're getting drop-outs etc then give a faceplate a try, they're not expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digsy Posted May 4, 2005 Author Share Posted May 4, 2005 Well as soon as Plus.net and BT get my line activated I'll be sucking it all I can Can't wait to post up my first ridiculously huge attachment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muffleman Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 Ooer misses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobSheffield Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 how do you find out how far your nearest exchange is from you?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digsy Posted May 4, 2005 Author Share Posted May 4, 2005 By using this link and then finding your exchanges on "Our map". Bloody good website! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobSheffield Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 ooh, im about 400 yards from one.....is that good? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digsy Posted May 4, 2005 Author Share Posted May 4, 2005 Assuming its YOUR one, then yes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digsy Posted May 4, 2005 Author Share Posted May 4, 2005 Oops. I put the wrong link in the post above. If you try it now you can search by your phone number and it will tell you which your exchange is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markie Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 I have a BT voyager 200 modem and leads if anyone wants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Branners Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 If your ADSL connection is a long way away from the computer just buy an ADSL wireless router and wireless PCI card and then you wont need to run a long phone cable. JB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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