Free RIPE Atlas Probe for Quality of Internet Service

Allyall · 21-05-2014 8:38pm #1

This is Translated from an article on Zdnet France, as it is a good article, and it was a lot easier to paste, than it would be to explain here.

Rumour has it, that having one of these devices attached, will improve your connection, as ISPs prefer the connection quality from those of their clients who use these probes, therefore, it can (according to these rumours) greatly improve your connection.

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Install a RIPE Probe Atlas to help Measure the Quality of Internet Service

The RIPE NCC (Réseaux IP Européens - Network Coordination Center) (French for "European IP Networks") is the regional registry in charge of the management of the IP addresses for Europe and a small part of Asia, including the Middle East. This organization, based in the Netherlands, brings together European Internet service providers and network operators.

Measure the quality of service of the Internet in Europe

RIPE also offers a set of tools, some of which are freely available on its web site, to enable IP network operators to ensure the proper functioning of their routing, and globally to evaluate the performance of the network, which implies measurements: indeed, it is important to verify that DNS servers, or ACEs, are well accessible from all branches of the networks deployed by operators and European Internet service providers.

This is what RIPE is then used to display maps. Pictured here is a general dashboard with indicators:
SRIPE%20MapVisualizations%20sonde%20RIPE.png

SRIPE%20MapVisualizations%20sonde%20RIPE.png

Pictured here in detail that one of the root DNS servers is not accessible from certain connections to the United Kingdom:
SRIPE%20Failed%20DNS%20reach%20sonde%20RIPE.png

SRIPE%20Failed%20DNS%20reach%20sonde%20RIPE.png

Very fine measurement of the Quality of Service of the Internet in Europe, it is the object of the ATLAS project , which is to deploy probes in many European Internet point for measurements continuously.

These probes are obviously been installed by operators themselves, but you should know that any Internet user can participate in the project and ask to install a probe at home. For this, the process is very simple:

you go to the website RIPE and you create an account
you then order your probe via a simple online form that you can fill out in less than a minute.

Read the rest of the article (Installation instructions and what to do when you receive the device) here.

MichealKenny · 14-07-2014 6:45pm

Bump just to say this is really cool, got mine today after seeing your post a while ago. working great, runs off of usb power and and uses less than 5KB/s at peak times, highly recommend you apply for one if you're interested in this type of stuff.

Topbike77 · 14-07-2014 8:58pm

MichealKenny wrote: »

Bump just to say this is really cool, got mine today after seeing your post a while ago. working great, runs off of usb power and and uses less than 5KB/s at peak times, highly recommend you apply for one if you're interested in this type of stuff.

Can you use it as a 3g modem?

seanp_25 · 15-07-2014 10:44am

Just applied for one, will report back.

Vico1612 · 15-07-2014 10:50am

Ronan14 wrote: »

Can you use it as a 3g modem?

No, the probe is very basic, has no interface.

MichealKenny · 16-07-2014 8:51pm

I'd just like to also say that it looks like I'm the only person in rural Ireland with one of these probes, everyone else seems to be on a vdsl or cable connection, be great if we could get some rural dsl users to apply because we are the ones hurting the most in terms of speed and congestion!

Also I find the earning credits through uptime really cool, and using them to 'buy' measurements on other probes, used it to test if Eircom was still messed up with high pings to Germany, as I have switched to Vodafone. Also use it to ping my server from multiple destinations/networks. very useful!

My name is URL · 23-07-2014 10:14am

Received one of these probes a couple of days ago. Haven't noticed any changes in speed yet!

seanp_25 · 25-07-2014 2:56pm

Well, well.

I'm not sure if it's a coincidence or not, but after getting one of these boxes and hooking it up on Wednesday, I got a call from my ISP Magnet yesterday.

They say that themselves, eircom and Vodafone have all been experiencing capacity issues on the eircom backend since moving people from ~3MB/sec connections up to 70+MB/sec. (From looking at other threads here, it seems Magnet customers have been suffering more than most, although I must say I haven't had too many issues, almost always getting >95MB/sec on speedtest)

They said Magnet have their own fibre optic ring and they are trialling moving a small number of users onto this, avoiding eircom's backend stuff and hopefully resolving connectivity/capacity issues. This trial would then expand to more customers if there aren't any issues. They asked for permission to include my line in the trial from next week on.

I was warned that there may be some teething problems after the move, but I agreed to it anyway so I'll see if there are any changes in the stats reported back by my RIPE probe.

AlanS181824 · 30-07-2014 8:25am

Got one of these in the Post today.

Received no acceptance email just got it in the post.

What exactly do I do with it and what exactly does it do itself?

AlanS181824 · 30-07-2014 8:27am

AlanS181824 wrote: »

Got one of these in the Post today.

Received no acceptance email just got it in the post.

What exactly do I do with it and what exactly does it do itself?

Also, why is there a 4GB USB thing in the front of it?

Haven't time to go to their website and find out.

Would appreciate some help, thanks.

guil · 30-07-2014 9:00am

I received one about a week ago as well. Haven't bothered connecting it yet though. I wonder could I power it from the 3G USB port on my vodafone router?

Vico1612 · 30-07-2014 9:05am

AlanS181824 wrote: »

Also, why is there a 4GB USB thing in the front of it?

Haven't time to go to their website and find out.

Would appreciate some help, thanks.

The micro USB key on the front holds the software.
Once you've plugged it in, you need to register it with your RIPE account - instructions should be on the side of the probe or in the bag.

The probe will then run built in measurements - ping / tracert to various RIPE reference servers. You can drill down further into the network info on your account page and see routing info [ must admit I haven't looked any further into it since I have it connected ]

You earn credits for the probe uptime.
You can then use these credits to create your own measurements - I run a daily job to ping and tracert servers in amsterdam as my work servers are over there.
It doesn't provide any download / upload info like the Samknows box
My 2 cents

Vico1612 · 30-07-2014 9:05am

guil wrote: »

I received one about a week ago as well. Haven't bothered connecting it yet though. I wonder could I power it from the 3G USB port on my vodafone router?

Yes, mine is connected that way.

AlanS181824 · 30-07-2014 9:18am

guil wrote: »

I received one about a week ago as well. Haven't bothered connecting it yet though. I wonder could I power it from the 3G USB port on my vodafone router?

Yeah that should work.

I'm connected to connect mine to my SamKnows WhiteBox and see will that work.

My name is URL · 30-07-2014 12:36pm

AlanS181824 wrote: »

Yeah that should work.

I'm connected to connect mine to my SamKnows WhiteBox and see will that work.

That's how I have mine set up and it works fine, even though the documentation for the WhiteBox says that the USB ports are not functional.

AlanS181824 · 30-07-2014 3:54pm

My name is URL wrote: »

That's how I have mine set up and it works fine, even though the documentation for the WhiteBox says that the USB ports are not functional.

Thought as much, my friend actually uses his WhiteBox as a charging station for his PS3/PS4 controllers :pac:

gazzer · 13-08-2014 2:27pm

I got one of these in the post yesterday. Is it worth using? Has anybody seen an increase in their broadband speed with one of these connected?

My name is URL · 13-08-2014 3:29pm

gazzer wrote: »

I got one of these in the post yesterday. Is it worth using? Has anybody seen an increase in their broadband speed with one of these connected?

I mean if you ordered one (limited numbers are available) then you should use it regardless of speed increases. I haven't seen any change in speeds but I only live a stone's throw away from the exchange anyway and have a decent connection even at peak times.

If you're not going to use it then give it to someone else to use.

Allyall · 13-08-2014 3:35pm

gazzer wrote: »

I got one of these in the post yesterday. Is it worth using? Has anybody seen an increase in their broadband speed with one of these connected?

I don't know about speed increases, as I am getting what I am supposed to, but I definitely think the quality has improved.

gazzer · 13-08-2014 4:06pm

My name is URL wrote: »

I mean if you ordered one (limited numbers are available) then you should use it regardless of speed increases. I haven't seen any change in speeds but I only live a stone's throw away from the exchange anyway and have a decent connection even at peak times.

If you're not going to use it then give it to someone else to use.

I am going to use it anyway as I have heard that it helps with the quality of the service. I just wanted to know if anybody had noticed a speed increase. I live in a very rural area. I have a 2meg connection so IF there was a chance of a speed increase it would be very welcome.

My name is URL · 13-08-2014 5:19pm

gazzer wrote: »

I am going to use it anyway as I have heard that it helps with the quality of the service. I just wanted to know if anybody had noticed a speed increase. I live in a very rural area. I have a 2meg connection so IF there was a chance of a speed increase it would be very welcome.

I seen it mentioned on a French forum that some people who have probes called up their ISP's and asked to speak with senior tech support technicians. They mentioned it to them that they have a probe and apparently their speeds slightly increased thereafter.

I'm not sure if that goes against RIPE's terms of use for the probe (I know for Nielsen ratings boxes, you're not allowed to tell anyone in the broadcasting industry that you have a box) but it may be worth trying.

dazdrog · 17-08-2014 4:48am

just ordered one there, already have a sam knows whitebox running and have noticed my dns response times have improved since install, so whats the harm in adding another device that can improve QOS? may aswell give it a go

MichealKenny · 17-08-2014 5:00pm

Ok I feel like we should put this to rest.

Don't order one of these devices if you are just looking for a speed increase, you're not going to get it.
Do order the device if you are at all interested in networking and would like to see if your internet was stable throughout the day.
Do order it if you want access to RIPE's network measurement system where you earn credits and get to do pings and traceroutes from other Atlas'(good if you run a server and want to get realistic latency measurements from different ISPs around the world.)
Do order it if you want to play a small part in improving the internet as a whole.

same ol sh1te · 26-08-2014 6:41pm

Got mine in the post today, i'm interested in what stats it throws up

AlanS181824 · 26-08-2014 6:46pm

Got another one of these in the post today even though I only actually remember ordering one! :pac:

No clue what to do with it, should I just set it up and use it with the other one, can you even set 2 up in one household?

Could I return it or would it just be best to keep it and use it?

Thanks

My name is URL · 26-08-2014 6:49pm

AlanS181824 wrote: »

Got another one of these in the post today even though I only actually remember ordering one! :pac:

No clue what to do with it, should I just set it up and use it with the other one, can you even set 2 up in one household?

Could I return it or would it just be best to keep it and use it?

Thanks

There'd be no sense in using two devices. They'd give the exact same readings as one another.

You can return it but if I were you I'd just give it to someone else to use.

AlanS181824 · 26-08-2014 6:57pm

My name is URL wrote: »

There'd be no sense in using two devices. They'd give the exact same readings as one another.

You can return it but if I were you I'd just give it to someone else to use.

Thanks for replying, no one I know would be remotely interested in having one of these.

Would it be worth my while to try and flash it maybe?

If it is gonna give the same results as the other then it'd be of no use so I wonder would it be worth trying to flash it?

Apologies for all the questions haha :rolleyes:

My name is URL · 26-08-2014 7:45pm

AlanS181824 wrote: »

Thanks for replying, no one I know would be remotely interested in having one of these.

Would it be worth my while to try and flash it maybe?

If it is gonna give the same results as the other then it'd be of no use so I wonder would it be worth trying to flash it?

Apologies for all the questions haha :rolleyes:

I couldn't tell you the first thing about flashing them tbh. I've not looked into it and don't even know if it's possible since there doesn't appear to be any GUI

Free RIPE Atlas Probe for Quality of Internet Service

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