Pollyana

Help! And in laymans language please!
I've gathered from previous posts that I can move my pc to Oz, and it will work fine on the Australian power supply. I plan to sign us up with someone like Optus for internet access, as my partner already has an Optus account for ringing me over here.
But my real question is - in the UK I just plug the computer into the phone line with a cable. Can I do that in Oz? I guess I will need a similar cable but suitable for the Oz phone system - if someone could tell me exactly what, I can send him out to buy it! Or is it all broadband - which I don't really understand, except that I know it gives you phone & computer use at the same time?
Can someone "in the know" tell me what we will need to buy in order to get my pc working as soon as possible when I get there?
Thanks guys!

Stevandiane

Hi

I've gathered from previous posts that I can move my pc to Oz, and it will work fine on the Australian power supply.
----> Yes

just plug the computer into the phone line with a cable. Can I do that in Oz?
----> Yes


I guess I will need a similar cable but suitable for the Oz phone system
------> Yes again, are you sure you are a "layman?" :-)

I know more about computers than phones but I can tell you that your computer-to-telephone cable is not the same in the UK as in Oz. Worst case scenario you will have to buy a new modem in Oz. It WILL fit your UK computer. You can buy modems that fit inside your computer or outside. It's just personal preference and cost. Usually internal modems are cheaper. An internel modem in the UK will cost around £10-£15 pounds. The advise I would give regarding modems is:

Specify NOT a software modem

Specify NOT an Ambient chipset, (in fact don't get any intel chipset's if you can help it, ask for Rockwell/Connexant)

Specify you need the drivers for your computers operating system supplied with the modem, don't get fobbed off with them saying "download them from the internet, it's easy".
Your operating system will most likely be Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000 or XP. You can check which by double clicking on "my computer", then select the help menu, then about windows.

To prevent any problems you may also ask your would be ISP if they support V90 or V92. Usually it doesn't matter really but it can sometimes cause problems. ie if they support V92 get a v92 modem, if they support v90 get a v90 modem.

I suppose it doesn't matter a great deal what modem you get but you MUST make sure it's a 56k modem or it will be Slow.

To Sum Up:
Not software modem
Not Ambient chipset
Ask for the correct drivers
Check ISP if V90 or V92, (get matching modem)
MUST GET 56k



Or is it all broadband - which I don't really understand.

--->you can get broadband or dial-up in Australia. Different broadband types may only be available in certain areas. You may only be able to get normal (dial-up) internet depending on where you plan to live.
Broadband is just the same internet but faster. Yes, you can use your phone and internet at the same time. There are also different speeds of broadband, but the faster you get the more you will pay. 1/4 or 1/2 Mb is fast enough for almost all home use. If you want to get broadband it's easier to talk to which ever ISP will supply your connection. They will tell you exactly what you need to buy.

Kiwipaul

Chances are you've already got a 56K modem already (if less than 3 years old).

Strictly speaking the modem needs to be compliant with Australian phone standards, but don't worry too much about this as it's almost certain to be.

The only thing you need is the cable like you said going from the modem to the phone line and it is eaiser waiting until you get here to buy that.

Just take your current cable down to a computer shop (Dick Smith Electronics) and ask them for the same cable suitable for Australian phone socket.

Stevandiane

Are you positive cable connection is standard at modem end?


Reason I say check this and that is coz some people will sell you anything if they think you know nothing.

Stevan

Kiwipaul

Cannot be 100%, but all my stuff is from NZ which uses the same phone jacks as UK, but Australia uses US phone jacks and you cannot get the adapters here, so I had to buy all new cables for my modem, phones, etc and everything worked sweet as.

I'm pretty certain that all reputable modems would follow the international standard for the wireing in the modem socket.

Stevandiane

yes, I suppose, logically they would. but we could be talking intel here :-)

Really though even if they don't a cable will be about £2-£3, a modem will be about £10 more.
Not a lot in it either way.

Stevan

Pollyana

Thanks guys! I shall print that lot and take it with me! PC is less than 3 years old, so hopefully I can just do as Kiwipaul suggests and wander down to Dick Smith with the existing cable - even I can cope with that!
Thanks for the compliment Stevan, but yes, I am a layman - know very little about how this computer actually works, and I have a fiance in Brissie who is paniking about power cables and stuff! Sounds easier than I thought it would be though!

Modigliana

From PC Authority (Issue: July 2003)


In a recent survey of international broadband uptake, it was no surprise that Australia was slipping. Internationally, Australia was derided in write-ups of the news for promoting ourselves as being technologically advanced while slipping behind such 'forward thinking' countries such as Estonia.

While 'forward thinking' had been applied with a heavy sprinkling of sarcasm, it turns out that Estonia actually is one of the most forward thinking and progressive societies on the face of the planet due to a small story that appeared online this month.

Although it was heavily Slashdotted yesterday and the actual news almost three years old, the punch-line has lost none of its impact: in 2000, the Estonian parliament declared that, along with such amenities as hot water, Internet access was an inalienable Human Right for its citizens. Their reasoning was that anyone without Internet access would be hampered in the 21st century.

Nice.

Regardless of the hows and whys of implementation, I'd love to see something similar decided here in Australia. Because, let's face it, Telstra's monopoly and hesitance to do anything about wiring the country is dragging us all down.

Now, before I go off and spend the next few paragraphs banging on about crap Internet access and dire broadband in Australia, let's give a contemplative moment of silence for our many friends in the country who cannot even get a decent or stable telephone connection.

PC Authority has many country readers who would love to be able to surf the Internet and see what this whole Web thing is about, but they'd much rather be able to make a phone call when they wanted to without the connection dropping out. Some of our readers scoff at broadband articles in our mag. Broadband? What about a simple 28.8 modem connection (forget 56k) that doesn't drop out? How about phone calls?

Australia may have been born on the sheep's back, but it's been sorely neglected with the east-coast-centric focus pervading our media and government. So, Aussie gubmint, here's a progressive idea for you. Make decent phone connections -- connections capable of voice and data -- an inalienable human right in Australia, and for those that have that right already, make it broadband. And open up telco competition properly with infrastructure upgrades mandated.

If power-house Estonia, which only gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 can do it, then so should we.

Pollyana

Er...so are you saying I'd be better of tryin to get my pc to work in Estonia, rather than in Brisbane????!

DagBoy

Yes - no problems with power supply and most computers and peripherals have separate power cables with a standard connection to the device (i.e. like a kettle lead) so all you should need to do is either buy some of those when you get here (with Aussie plugs on them) or replace the plugs. I would buy new leads because the plugs are often not removeable and it will be faster and almost as cheap. The other option is to bring a few UK power boards (i.e. extension lead with 4 or 6 sockets) and then put an Aussie plug on that - there should be no problem doing this for computer equipment as most of it is fairly low power. I would definitely bring at least a couple of these because you may find you have electrical equipment that uses a transformer (where the transformer is integral with the plug) and otherwise you will have to replace them or use UK/Aus adapter. I needed UK sockets to cope with the following for this reason:
phone charger
network hub
scanner
battery charger

There are plenty of choices available for dial up - I cannot comment as I use broadband.

I am not certain about whether your UK modem will work - but earlier posts suggest it will. As for the cable, that depends on the modem, some have the cable hard wired with a UK connector, in which case you might need either an adapter or to put a new connector on (easier to buy a new modem over here). Most modems have a connecting cable with a UK connector on one end and an RJ11 connector on the other (just buy a new cable over here that is RJ11 to Aus phone) or maybe RJ11 at both ends and it goes into an adapter for RJ11 socket/UK phone plug (in which case get an Aussie phone plug with an RJ11 socket - about $5-10 at Dick Smiths).

Not all broadband here - and in many suburbs broadband is not available. To see comparisons of broadband offerings and prices etc. http://www.whirlpool.net.au/]go here[/URL]. The two main types available are cable (where a dedicated cable comes to your house and can be used for cable TV and cable internet) and ADSL (where high speed data uses your phone line giving a permanent connection and use of the phone at same time). If you decide on broadband dont move house for a while as there are min connection contracts etc though you can do a move and follow for a fee. If cable is available I would go for it. If it is not available, ADSL might be (depends on the local phone exchange and distance from it). There are sites on the web where you can put in a phone number and check your exchange.

Definitely no need to panic.

Hunnie

HI!

I just did the whole modem/pc thing a month ago so i can tell you what i did.

My computer is a Dell Laptop. It came with a cable which has a little plastic bit on each end (looks like the end you stick in your computer on both ends) I stick one bit into the computer and one bit into my phone socket and it works!

If i use that cable in the UK, i need to use a phone converter on the in the wall end. I thought i would have to do that in aus too, but because we live in a new flat the connection is a new one. You can get converters in Big W/Dick Smith for about $5. They sell the cables too.

Our modem is a connexant and we had no problems with connection. Just remember to go into settings and change that you are dialling from Aus so the pc recognises the ringtone.

We went on Optus prepaid for a while, you get a pack from the post office. Its about £19 for 15 hours. Then we changed to Telstra because we get the phone through them. Saw an ad on the TV for connection for £10 a month might try that sometime.

Its pretty easy though, and if you do get stuck, just go to a www cafe and post a help on here!!!

Pollyana

Good to know there is still useful stuff coming through amongst the many negative posts lately. Many thanks all of you - I will keep the info till I get to Oz, and it looks like thats another problems solved