owen

I know this is a long shot but is there a secret to using the most rubbish/crappiest internet system more effectively? I am currently central JAFAland and my internet ADSL rubbish can differ from 300kbps to 1.2mbps, actually i could cope with a slower service if the service was consistant, mine seems to drop its service and i constantly get the "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage" message.

I'm using a 'british' dell, through a 'british' router belkin and i've cleaned and double checked these are working to the best they can.

The worse thing is I'm trying to rely on the internet through skype to maintain a realtionship with my daughter in the UK, if the past 3 months are to go by, I'll no choice but to leave NZ and look for a country who are forward thinking enough to lay fibre optic cables in the street.:curse:

RobClubley

Who's your ISP?

owen

Just switched from slingshot extreme to I believe telecom explorer, my current internet is supplied by my apartment's owner who has checked out the line and says it's working fine

RobClubley

I take it the "service" has been similar with both ISPs?
I found Slingshot to be better than Telecom here in Wellington.
But you'd think with being in central Auckland you'd be close to the exchange and on a decent speedy backbone.
Maybe the contention ratios are too high?
It's hard to know what to suggest to be honest.
Beyond complaining loudly to the ISP.
Do your neighbours have similar issues?

lapsed kiwi

It shouldn't be that bad. My Orcon service is consistently around 5Mbps down, 500k up. I believe Telecom have one of the worst reputations for reliability and service. It sounds like you have a line problem; I would insist that there is a fault and get Telecom to sort it.

Alternatively, you could try a Telecom/Vodafone mobile data solution; this should give ample throughput for Skype, but make sure you get a trial period. Cost is $50 per month plus $10 per GB

Kiwiprincess

They are working. It is just that the Broadband connections are rubbish.

Now where did I hear that this could be a potential election issue......

RobClubley

I'd like Gigabit to my home please, for a reasonable cost, and no data cap so I can download what I please!
And no flippin' packet shaping!!







Yeah right!

pixi-dust

ok daft question alert.
Does it have anything to do with how many people use the exchange? Central Auckland being very busy?
It's just that we have very speedy, very reliable internet connection ( we use iGrin), we're very rural and perhaps hardly anyone else is using broadband?

owen

I've heard orcon are quick and they have debundled 2 exchanges in JAFAland, I wish they would get a move and unbundle the others 5mbps down and 500k up sounds like heaven at the mo

owen

No not a daft question, it is the number a people using each exchange. I find it amazing that everyday the Herald harping on about NZ position in the global market when no-one seems to think it could compete better with improved datacoms. move away from the morse key and embrace beams of light FFS!

owen

LOL

The way I'm feeling I'm gonna get on a bike and lay my own optics to Burnley!!

Maz

I wish we had wireless... we have to have mobile broadband where we are. Every now and then, like you, the connection just drops for no apparent reason. It's been hell recently doing our US taxes online and never knowing if it's actually going to save or not *bangs head on wall*

Where is your router physically placed? Friend of mine in England had hers downstairs in their house, in a corner. She complained she didn't get a consistent signal. I advised her to move it to a physically higher location. In her loft even, if possible. She ended up putting it on top of a wardrobe in an upstairs bedroom and now has brill reception all over the house and garden.

@ Rob

lardyl

300kbps is not that bad........back in the sticks in the UK we could hardly ever get more than 200 or so d/l. Unlimited mind, but pretty crippled speed wise......
Telecom do apply the brakes on the connections in late afternoon through to the early morning so that's not suprising, more suprising is why you need anywhere near this for Skype? Also the dropping out of web pages is pretty odd - I'll turn my UK101 avatar back on and think about it.......300 baud that machine, and with a tape player to save the programs, that, wait for it, used to erase about 0.1 second of tape every time you pressed play - lo and behold those program tapes didn't last long!!

My real odd issue with Telecom was with email, Eudora client would only send emails using my old ISP's account when the broadband usage had been exceeded and I was on 56k.......solution was to use Telecom's outgoing mail server instead of the Virgin one....weird.....

owen

Was the 200kbps in the UK with Virgin?? My connection back there was constant 2mbps no problem, youtube for instance worked every video through without play 0.5sec/buffer 3minutes ratio i get here.

As for skype the video calls just drops all the time, I'm upset at hearing my 2yr old yell "daddy I can't see you" everytime the bloody thing loses connection and I have to redial.:curse:

mcuddy1

Telecom NZ are rolling out a project to deliver fibre to all the cabinets in most cities within the next two years, this will only help if you have line quality and length issues.

log into your router when the connection is running slow and look at the link speed to the exchange, if this is running slow then it could be issues with your line, if not it's all to do with how they manage the traffic from the exchange on. In the small print of the agreement they have the right to slow your line down at busy periods.

TNZ are well known for managing it excessively due to their lack of capacity in their infrastructure.

If Skype is not running good try IM, I have had good results just changing from one to the other on different days.

If you are really interested you can trace the route of your connection easily and see where the delay is.
You can do this by downloading a programme which will give a visual representation or from the command line.