Digiweb Metro install/set up tips

spj

Hi folks
Just looking to tap into the collective wisdom of the Boards community re Digiweb Metro.

First, I'm in Raheny, D5 so wondering if anyone knows if this is location is likely to work well? I'm currently with Smart but cant get better than about 2Meg download speed on ADSL (quality of line issue, which Im giving up on trying to get addressed via eircom:(), so the main reason for switching would be to get a significant increase in speed - is this realistic?

Second, assuming that there is good service to my location, does anyone have any good tips for the install & set up? I'm thinking handy tips regarding where's the best place for the Digiweb box...should it be beside the PC, or would it work equally well wirelessly from the attic (with the PC on ground floor)? If wireless might work, does the supplied modem operate wirelessly, and if so is it any good?

Also, whats the best option for phone service to go with it? Do people generally use the phone service via Digiweb or use another provider (have seen mention of 'Blueface'). What do people think is the best phone equipment with these options.

Generally, looking for any suggestions that could make the install/set up as good/efficient as possible (the missus has a particular aversion to the arrival of any more on-display wires/cables;) ). so hoping folks on here might be able to share some insights to help relieve that frying pain in my head (spent past few days overloading on info on all the possible options).
Cheers in advance

misslt

spj wrote: »

Hi folks
Just looking to tap into the collective wisdom of the Boards community re Digiweb Metro.

First, I'm in Raheny, D5 so wondering if anyone knows if this is location is likely to work well? I'm currently with Smart but cant get better than about 2Meg download speed on ADSL (quality of line issue, which Im giving up on trying to get addressed via eircom:(), so the main reason for switching would be to get a significant increase in speed - is this realistic?

Second, assuming that there is good service to my location, does anyone have any good tips for the install & set up? I'm thinking handy tips regarding where's the best place for the Digiweb box...should it be beside the PC, or would it work equally well wirelessly from the attic (with the PC on ground floor)? If wireless might work, does the supplied modem operate wirelessly, and if so is it any good?

Also, whats the best option for phone service to go with it? Do people generally use the phone service via Digiweb or use another provider (have seen mention of 'Blueface'). What do people think is the best phone equipment with these options.

Generally, looking for any suggestions that could make the install/set up as good/efficient as possible (the missus has a particular aversion to the arrival of any more on-display wires/cables;) ). so hoping folks on here might be able to share some insights to help relieve that frying pain in my head (spent past few days overloading on info on all the possible options).
Cheers in advance

Hiya,

Raheny *should* be okay but you might wanna give the sales guys a call tomorrow.

Re the speed, you should see better than 2mb on any of the packages, as the entry level is up to 5 - the installer shouldn't install it if the signal isn't strong enough to give you a decent speed.

The router provided isn't wireless, so it depends on the spec of your wireless router as to where it'd be best suited, if its good enough to have in the attic, then happy days.

The phone service is decent enough, there were teething problems at the beginning but its better now, and its fairly decent pricing as well. If you're going to use the phone however, I'd advise not putting the modem in the attic

Re the wires and trying to save you a headache, its similar to a Sky install, one co-ax cable comes from the antenna to wherever you get the modem, it's a tidy enough job!

If you have any other questions, give me a shout

watty

The modem supplied is a Modem & phone interface. You need to add an Ethernet Router (argos and others call them Cable Routers), to have a router/firewall/WiFi

The LEDs show if a phone is in use or Internet Data is transferring, so we have the modem on a kitchen shelf with a UPS. We have 4 DECT phones and Fax on it.

The separate router has 6 PCs, up to 2 netbooks, PS2, up to 6 laptops and one Server. Our router has only one LAN ethernet, so we have 2 x 8port gigabit switches and upstairs an Airpoint with 2nd WiFi frequency via ethernet (Router/Firewall/DHCP turned off) and 3 spare ethernet to Printer, PC and other. We have two printers on LAN.

ingen

watty wrote: »

The modem supplied is a Modem & phone interface. You need to add an Ethernet Router (argos and others call them Cable Routers), to have a router/firewall/WiFi

The LEDs show if a phone is in use or Internet Data is transferring, so we have the modem on a kitchen shelf with a UPS. We have 4 DECT phones and Fax on it.

The separate router has 6 PCs, up to 2 netbooks, PS2, up to 6 laptops and one Server. Our router has only one LAN ethernet, so we have 2 x 8port gigabit switches and upstairs an Airpoint with 2nd WiFi frequency via ethernet (Router/Firewall/DHCP turned off) and 3 spare ethernet to Printer, PC and other. We have two printers on LAN.

i am a bit surprised at the poor availability of metro.
i live about 3.0km line of sight from the digiweb mast, and i cannot get metro!! a few nice big trees around my house seems to be the issue

watty

I had to get permission from a farmer to cut off two bottom boughs. The Metro signal can't go through a tree reliably at all as it's X band.

So my "radio" is only about 2.2m off the ground viewing mast UNDER the trees. I can't actually get good TV through them, so I moved the aerial down from chimney onto the Metro bracket (just above door height, beside back door). Now perfect TV without Ghosts.

spj

thanks very much for the replies guys.

Just a couple of follow-ups:

misslt: I'm thinking of the 8meg package and, while I understand that I may not get the full 8meg, just wondering how does it get decided what constitutes a 'decent speed'?... So the engineer comes out, does some testing and figures out whether my location is 'suitable' in some sense. But, in my case, whats the threshold speed level for the 8meg service: 7, 6, 5 etc. And will the engineer provide the full results of the onsite test there and then so as to allow me make an informed choice about whether I wish to go ahead or not?

Watty, thanks for all the info on your own set up. Have to admit most of it went way over my frazzled head:) but much appreciated. So am I right in saying then, that to have both (1) network and (2) phone capability I need an extra piece of kit (the ethernet router)? Definately good to know as I run a NAS drive off the PC which is connected to a hard-wired Sonos music system

Cheers again all

misslt

spj wrote: »

misslt: I'm thinking of the 8meg package and, while I understand that I may not get the full 8meg, just wondering how does it get decided what constitutes a 'decent speed'?... So the engineer comes out, does some testing and figures out whether my location is 'suitable' in some sense. But, in my case, whats the threshold speed level for the 8meg service: 7, 6, 5 etc. And will the engineer provide the full results of the onsite test there and then so as to allow me make an informed choice about whether I wish to go ahead or not?

For the 8 meg package you should expect at least 6 or so, at least thats what I always got. Be aware of contention also, there is a 36:1 contention ratio but the strict traffic policy lessens the *actual* contention. Because of this the installer won't 'ask' if you wanna go ahead, or provide the results as he goes by signal strength rather than the speed of the connection - but if the signal isn't good enough, he won't install.

watty

You either get an install that can do full speed or no install.

Performance is pretty consistent. I get about 7.4Mbps minimum on 8Mbps package and < 25ms ping which is as good as LLU ADSL2+ with low or no interleaving and nearly as good as Cable.

You need a router. There is no firewall or router in the modem as it's just a modem + ATA. The modem has a single RJ45 ethernet port and two RJ11 phone ports. (if you have Sky Digibox multiroom the sky boxes MUST all use the same port).

In theory if you have only one PC you could use it direct, but I trust a HW router's Firewall & settings better than a Windows built in Firewall.

The WAN port of your Router/Wifi connects via RJ45 CAT5e to the Modem. The Router will have normally 4 LAN ethernet ports and WiFi. An ADSL modem/router is NO USE as the router connects internally to an ADSL modem on an RJ11 phone line connection. Ethernet Routers are used in situations where modem is separate, and commonest is Cable Broadband, hence DABs, Argos etc mis-call them Cable Routers. They are also sometimes added to an old ADSL modem/Router and the old ADSL Modem /Router then put in "bridge mode" with WiFi off (if it has WiFI) and the other ethernet (if it has any) unused.

You can expand the number of wired ethernet connections on your router/firewall by adding a 5, 8 or 16 port switch to any LAN port (Which adds 4, 7 or 15 ports).


Unlike DSL or Mobile you can upgrade speed and it works. At initial install it's pass/fail. If it passes it can do any speed Digiweb sell. Contention tends to be a bit more noticeable on higher speeds. I got 22Mbps by accident once and at peak hour was 11Mbps to 12Mbps, but really did go at 22Mbps at 2am, I'm over 12km from mast. The ONLY other system that can do that performance at that distance is Fibre (maybe cable with repeaters and few others on it). A rural system based on this would make current NBS look like junk.

paulclan

Update:
Thomson router supplied as a policy change since last week apparently.
Wireless and 2 x phone, and RJ45 x 4 plus a USB socket, not sure what this latter is for yet?
Location Killiney near Avondale Road, good line of sight to Three Rock and the trees are in full leaf!
Something like 36dbm.
Have most of 8mbps/sec down and .90mbps ish upload.
Was on Breeze 3MB till ceased last November due to being away.
Could have gone for Eircom instead, but as it ground to a halt at 21.30 each evening it was a pain.UPC declined at the address due to whatever wiring was absent.
So hopefully enough for day to day stuff, unrealistic for movies I expect.
Next purchase is a time shifter box for the FTA Sat and Saorview.
Have three sets forked off a small rooftop unamplified yagi and so far no degradation.
Thanks Watty for your help on earlier occasions.