Explain to me how I'm using my mates ISP?

Random

I'm with Irish Broadband DSL.

My mate is with Esat.

I lent him my DSL modem. He used it for a while. He gave it back to me.

I've gone to use it now. I forgot to reset it. It has connected to the web.

I've gone to www.dnsstuff.com and it confirms my IP shows as Esat.

How is this possible? Am I now using my mates ISP?

Don't ISPs have lines assigned to them so that only they can use it ?

AlmightyCushion

Something like this happened to my brother. His broadband was acting up so he tried the modem in our house to make sure the modem was fine. He rang BT and told them there was something wrong with his broadband and he couldn't use it all day. They told him that there was nothing wrong and that he had logged in only a few minutes ago (Around the time he connected the modem to our broadband).* We're with eircom and he's with bt. Never figured it out and they were stumped as well when he told them. Doesn't really explain it but at least lets you know you've not gone mental.



*It was a while ago so that may not be entirely correct but it was along the same lines.

Random

Great, now two of us crazy! We can share a padded room!

jimmycrackcorm

It just means that when the modem connects to the exchange dslam that the connection details determine who is the actual broadband provider. Remember that apart from unbundle exchanges, all the DSL broadband providers use the Eircom equipment and only go to the provider backhaul based on the connection details.

Random

My understanding was that your line had to be assigned to a certain ISP for you to be able to get DSL from them.

I had problems signing up with another ISP before because they said someone already had my line.

How is it then that I can do this?

Sam Vimes

i'd say the reason you had that problem is legal rather than technical. If you could do that, for example, bt could just tell you to stay with perlico and let them pay the line rental to eircom and they'd give you a username and password.

rogue-entity

And yet, I connected a mate's eircom modem to our line once, and it refused to connect after it synced. It would only connect once I entered in my BT username/pass. It refused to connect to eircom. I have been told the broadband, is tied to the line. When I made my switch to Digiweb, I have been told it will take 10-15 days for an eircom engineer to switch the service from BT to DW.

kaizersoze

Nothing new here. The ISPs authenticates each user by their username and password, not the phoneline or phone number. As long as there is BB on the line you can connect to any of the ISPs if you have a valid username/password. I doesn't always work with Eircom though (ie. trying to connect ot Eircom with a BT password).

I often do this when setting up BB for customers who haven't got their login details yet. I use my own BT username/password to check that everything is working.

random wrote:

I had problems signing up with another ISP before because they said someone already had my line.

Thats purely for billing purposes.

Snaga

<edit - kaizersoze and his fast typing ways beat me to it! >

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

It just means that when the modem connects to the exchange dslam that the connection details determine who is the actual broadband provider. Remember that apart from unbundle exchanges, all the DSL broadband providers use the Eircom equipment and only go to the provider backhaul based on the connection details.

Jimmy is correct. If you are signed up to a bitstream reseller your line is connected into Eircom equipment.

The ISP you use to access the Internet is then determined by the username and password configured on the modem. You'll still be billed by the ISP you signed up with for the BB though.

So dont loan your login details to someone who is likely to fill your cap on you

kaizersoze

Snaga wrote: »

<edit - kaizersoze and his fast typing ways beat me to it! >

Jaysus, you must be a very slow typist if I'm faster than you.:p

watty

LLU --> Can only connect to your own ISP and on your own line.

eircom: They know the phone line used, so don't need any specific/unique user & pass. May not work at all on any line with non-eircom DSL

bitstream (Anyone not eircom, not LLU, selling DSL): UNIQUE User & pass details connect you to appropriate ISP. The actual line may not be important, thus can work with same ISP account on different phone lines.

rogue-entity

watty wrote: »

LLU --> Can only connect to your own ISP and on your own line.

eircom: They know the phone line used, so don't need any specific/unique user & pass. May not work at all on any line with non-eircom DSL

bitstream (Anyone not eircom, not LLU, selling DSL): UNIQUE User & pass details connect you to appropriate ISP. The actual line may not be important, thus can work with same ISP account on different phone lines.

Curious then Watty. If the username/password is what determines which ISP you connect to, then why the extra 10-15 days just to switch from one ISP to another. Surely it should only take just 2-3 days..
Day0: Ordered package with new ISP, sent completed DTAF and order is being processed. Cessation order sent to BT with relevent details.
Day1: BT confirms the cessation order, Digiweb sends me my username, password and modem by courier.
Day2: BT cuts off my service and sends me a notification letter and final bill. Digiweb gear arrives in the door and I just plumb in their username and password, and Im back up, good to go.

After all, eircom should not even need to be involved in this, they dont need to make any changes in the exchange as I am moving from one Bitstream product to another.

kaizersoze

rogue-entity wrote: »

After all, eircom should not even need to be involved in this, they dont need to make any changes in the exchange as I am moving from one Bitstream product to another.

But they are.

rogue-entity

kaizersoze wrote: »

But they are.

I know ¬_¬
I just fail to see the logic of, why. I mean, what do eircom even need to do?
It doesnt matter one iota that customer is going from Reseller A to Reseller B.
Eircom dont even have to lay a finger on the line, it really should be as simple, as BT deactivating my account with them (cutting me off) and Digiweb simultaneously activating my account with them, sending me the required username/password to connect.

After all, its been established, that the only unique ID is the username/password, why do Eircom care which Reseller I use, they get paid the same amount anyway regardless.

GerardKeating

rogue-entity wrote: »

After all, eircom should not even need to be involved in this, they dont need to make any changes in the exchange as I am moving from one Bitstream product to another.

As the wholesaler, they need to bill your broadband provider for your broadband usage, so they would need some minor involvement.

Random

Does this just further prove then we're being tossed about when switching providers and it should be an instant switch if done correctly and automated ?

watty

rogue-entity wrote: »

Curious then Watty. If the username/password is what determines which ISP you connect to, then why the extra 10-15 days just to switch from one ISP to another. Surely it should only take just 2-3 days..

should be 10 mins.....

rogue-entity

GerardKeating wrote: »

As the wholesaler, they need to bill your broadband provider for your broadband usage, so they would need some minor involvement.

Ah, thats true.. but one would assume that it would be transparent and automatic.

random wrote: »

Does this just further prove then we're being tossed about when switching providers and it should be an instant switch if done correctly and automated ?

Oh of course. But then, so does the fact that our poodle regulator is about as useful as an inflatable dartboard.

watty wrote: »

should be 10 mins.....

Yes, but I was allowing some extra time for typical Irish red-tape.. and the two-days or so it would take for the new ISP to send you a modem.

Ideally they should issue you a username and password there and then, and send the notification to both eircom and BT. Eircom so they know who to bill, and BT so they know to cancel and close your a/c. Then you get your modem a day or two later, and swap them over, sending your old one back if needed.

But hey, this *is* Ireland we are talking about.. the day we see a competitive, and well regulated market with good value broadband services, is the day I become Minister for Communications..