Broadband Options

jfh

Hi all, not strickly a farming related question but something that's become a necessity to farming..

moving house soon and the broadband is crap with eir through the telephone line. i'm sure this is an issues some of ye have so what wireless broadband providers are ye using.

i'm in clare btw if that makes any difference

mahoney_j

jfh wrote: »

Hi all, not strickly a farming related question but something that's become a necessity to farming..

moving house soon and the broadband is crap with eir through the telephone line. i'm sure this is an issues some of ye have so what wireless broadband providers are ye using.

i'm in clare btw if that makes any difference

Simillar boat and switched to imagine ,I've gone from 3/4 meg download speed to minimum
30 and max 70'.huge difference .cost is 59 a month .sounds dear but I've one of those cough cough special boxes for the telly !!!

emaherx

jfh wrote: »

Hi all, not strickly a farming related question but something that's become a necessity to farming..

moving house soon and the broadband is crap with eir through the telephone line. i'm sure this is an issues some of ye have so what wireless broadband providers are ye using.

i'm in clare btw if that makes any difference

Every area is going to be different. 4g LTE is the most widely available technology. Main service providers are Vodafone, Three, Eir and Imagine.

You can test the normal mobile operators by using your phone and speed test app or borrowing a phone or dongle from a friend.

Imagine use the same technology but will install an external antenna on your house.

Imagine offer a 20GB daily limit and throttle your speed for remainder of day if you exceed. Not great customer service and some of their towers are overloaded. But they do promise at least 30Gb download speed. So if it's not perform you should be able to get out of contract.

Vodafone offer a 120GB monthly cap and cut you off if you exceed your limit (no surprise bills but no service till next bill period) package not advertised but is there if you ask.


Eir have a 250GB package, also not advertised. But I think they will charge for exceeding your limit.

Three have at least a 60 GB package, but I think possibly 120GB. Most of their network is over loaded. Terrible customer service. They will charge for going over their limits.

Rural wifi. Uses Three network but no download limit on their top package. You can test coverage with a three phone.

I use the Vodafone package. I installed router in Attic and have another access point downstairs.
I stream a lot but avoid HD content and never exceed the limit.

There are other fixed wireless operators also but their coverage is spotty, so you would have to see what's advertised in your area.

einn32

Pure Telecom?

emaherx

einn32 wrote: »

Pure Telecom?

Relies on phone lines, OP already ruled that out as an option.

jfh

emaherx appreciate the comprehensive answer!

emaherx

jfh wrote: »

emaherx appreciate the comprehensive answer!

No problem, I've done a good bit of research in the area in my own quest for a stable connection.

I've tried several technologies and even combined some with bonded connections and load balancers.

einn32

emaherx wrote: »

Relies on phone lines, OP already ruled that out as an option.

Ah missed that. I bought a payg sim and put it in a dongle. Just do a top up deal to get data. It's ok system which got me by for a few months. I don't use much Internet so it suited me.

colm_mcm

jfh wrote: »

Hi all, not strickly a farming related question but something that's become a necessity to farming..

moving house soon and the broadband is crap with eir through the telephone line. i'm sure this is an issues some of ye have so what wireless broadband providers are ye using.

i'm in clare btw if that makes any difference

The mother got in lightnet, in north Clare. Imagine LTE wasn't available, but is in some parts of Clare,

Getting 35mb on lightnet.

_Brian

We could get nothing to work.

Rural WiFi, they piggy back on the 3 network and it works, not massive speeds but it works.

I've sourced an external antenna which hooks tontheor box and that stabilised things allot.

€45/month

Timmaay

Threes 20e/month AYCE prepay plan is by far the cheapest you'll find, if you have a decent 4g signal, and there aren't too many other heavy data users on the same tower you'll get an easy 40mb+ download with it. I unfortunately have an utterly crap mobile signal in the house here, however I can get 20mb download reliability in the pumphouse which is about 200m away, and has power, so I've used 2 directional WiFi transmitters to send the router signal in the pump house back to the house here. The transmitters I've used are called nanostations and can be picked up for about 50e each, take a bit of setting up but they have worked reliability enough the last year or 2. Certainly a massive massive upgrade on the 0.25mb that was the best eircom could offer.

Decent subforum here called midband about this whole issue
http://touch.boards.ie/forum/1147

emaherx

Timmaay wrote: »

Threes 20e/month AYCE prepay plan is by far the cheapest you'll find, if you have a decent 4g signal, and there aren't too many other heavy data users on the same tower you'll get an easy 40mb+ download with it. I unfortunately have an utterly crap mobile signal in the house here, however I can get 20mb download reliability in the pumphouse which is about 200m away, and has power, so I've used 2 directional WiFi transmitters to send the router signal in the pump house back to the house here. The transmitters I've used are called nanostations and can be picked up for about 50e each, take a bit of setting up but they have worked reliability enough the last year or 2. Certainly a massive massive upgrade on the 0.25mb that was the best eircom could offer.

Decent subforum here called midband about this whole issue
http://touch.boards.ie/forum/1147

Yes, good points for the OP there, no need for the house to be the only place to try for signal. Just make sure to get a router and not a mifi device. The router can be put in the attic, in an out building or even in a water proof box up a pole (not beside TV arieal). External antennas also possible.

The router can be powered from the Network cable if necessary using passive POE injectors.
(Or signal sent wirelessly as suggested above if powered from an outbuilding)

Don't go with the Three option just because it's the cheapest, test as many of the providers as possible. Three in particular are known for having towers that are oversubscribed. But any of providers may be as bad depending on your local area.

Also you need to test in the evening time over the coarse of a few hours preferably at the weekend and even over a few nights if possible. But most providers even on the contracts offer trial periods.

Buford T. Justice XIX

http://www.dccae.gov.ie/en-ie/communications/topics/Broadband/national-broadband-plan/high-speed-broadband-map/Pages/Interactive-Map.aspx

The link above is the link to the National Broadband Plan. Just stick in your Eircode and it will show you where you sit as regards getting broadband.

We are in the Amber area so we should know before the end of the year when we are likely to get the promised 30mb download speed minimum.

There is a stand at the ploughing to advise people how likely they are to get broadband under the plan but they weren't saying when the plan would be published never mind when we would be getting access to it.

jfh

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

http://www.dccae.gov.ie/en-ie/communications/topics/Broadband/national-broadband-plan/high-speed-broadband-map/Pages/Interactive-Map.aspx

The link above is the link to the National Broadband Plan. Just stick in your Eircode and it will show you where you sit as regards getting broadband.

We are in the Amber area so we should know before the end of the year when we are likely to get the promised 30mb download speed minimum.

There is a stand at the ploughing to advise people how likely they are to get broadband under the plan but they weren't saying when the plan would be published never mind when we would be getting access to it.

Yeah I'm in the amber zone also..

countryjimbo

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

http://www.dccae.gov.ie/en-ie/communications/topics/Broadband/national-broadband-plan/high-speed-broadband-map/Pages/Interactive-Map.aspx

The link above is the link to the National Broadband Plan. Just stick in your Eircode and it will show you where you sit as regards getting broadband.

Thanks for that link.

I am in a light blue area which says "By 2018, all homes and businesses in these Light Blue areas can expect significant improvement to their broadband services."

Not long to wait now

Buford T. Justice XIX

countryjimbo wrote: »

Thanks for that link.

I am in a light blue area which says "By 2018, all homes and businesses in these Light Blue areas can expect significant improvement to their broadband services."

Not long to wait now

200 meters from a light blue area:mad:

Mooooo

In an amber area here

emaherx

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

200 meters from a light blue area:mad:

Friendly with the neighbors?

Buford T. Justice XIX

emaherx wrote: »

Friendly with the neighbors?

Yeah, but not THAT friendly:pac:

Buford T. Justice XIX

A bit of bad news on the National Plan, Siro (Vodafone & ESB) have pulled out and now only Enet and Eir left in the game.

http://www.independent.ie/business/technology/major-blow-to-national-broadband-plan-as-esb-and-vodafone-pull-out-36170575.html

whelan2

Had a phone call from imagine the other day that I am now eligible for the lte service. Considering last year they cut me off with no notice I wasn't very happy with them. So they are waiving the €150 connection fee. ... Will wait and see if it actually works. In current contract with another crowd using satellite until December costing me €89 per month for 60-gb

Timmaay

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

A bit of bad news on the National Plan, Siro (Vodafone & ESB) have pulled out and now only Enet and Eir left in the game.

http://www.independent.ie/business/technology/major-blow-to-national-broadband-plan-as-esb-and-vodafone-pull-out-36170575.html

Thank god for 4g, otherwise I wouldn't be living on the farm here still!

Buford T. Justice XIX

Timmaay wrote: »

Thank god for 4g, otherwise I wouldn't be living on the farm here still!

Yeah, 4G here as well but 10GB for 30/month and another 11 months left before i can change. We're thinking of going with Eir promising 120GB/month for the same price plus the landline but at least we would have broadband left at the end of the month.

Hopefully:rolleyes:

Timmaay

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Yeah, 4G here as well but 10GB for 30/month and another 11 months left before i can change. We're thinking of going with Eir promising 120GB/month for the same price plus the landline but at least we would have broadband left at the end of the month.

Hopefully:rolleyes:

10gb/month, jezz, use an easy 50gigs a month here with three AYCE for 20/month.

Floki

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

A bit of bad news on the National Plan, Siro (Vodafone & ESB) have pulled out and now only Enet and Eir left in the game.

http://www.independent.ie/business/technology/major-blow-to-national-broadband-plan-as-esb-and-vodafone-pull-out-36170575.html

That means anyone that's on the map for the national broadband plan marked amber may go hang.

The blue bits are from Eirs telephone exchange depots and will be covered by Eir.

Bellview

Floki wrote:

The blue bits are from Eirs telephone exchanges depots and will be covered by Eir.

Not always true as the blue is open to all commercial providers. What I learned last week as I had a good chat with a lad in telecom department is that not all commercial providers have a deal signed with open eir for fibre. When you clickling on the commercial providers on national broadband website the folks with a circle near their names have access to fibre network...provided fibre is in your area.
This means that ie sky don't have a commercial agreement with open eir for fibre while pure telecom have a commercial agreement with open eir.
The fly in the ointment though is that eir don't appear to have released all available numbers to the commercial competitors...the guy I spoke with asked me to contact him again in 2 weeks if an eir competitor is unable to find fibre for my line and he will then pass to comreg.
One learning I got from the last few weeks is I have no idea what value comreg provide as they come across as worse than useless.

George Sunsnow

Floki wrote: »

That means anyone that's on the map for the national broadband plan marked amber may go hang.

The blue bits are from Eirs telephone exchange depots and will be covered by Eir.

Ah no,I don't think it's as bad as that
Eir will end up getting the contract and will be paid by the government to extend their existing network
The Siro group just couldn't make money on the build
What will end up happening is Eir will build the rest of the network (they want to anyway) and other networks will pay to have wholesale access to it and offer their products piggy backing on it rather like Tesco mobile and virgin piggy back on three or vodafone or ifa telecom piggy back on Eir now already as it it

The news spin today is over dramatic I think

Bellview

George Sunsnow wrote:

Ah no,I don't think it's as bad as that Eir will end up getting the contract and will be paid by the government to extend their existing network The Siro group just couldn't make money on the build What will end up happening is Eir will build the rest of the network (they want to anyway) and other networks will pay to have wholesale access to it and offer their products piggy backing on it rather like Tesco mobile and virgin piggy back on three or vodafone or ifa telecom piggy back on Eir now already as it it

Bigger issue is what open eir are charging commercially as ie sky are not buying fibre so either pricing from eir is crazy or eir or holding to line for as long as possible so they get all of us paying premium rated before they open up network...feels like old days before esat came along and put competition for mobile

George Sunsnow

Yes but that's open to regulation and ministerial order like it has been for their normal lines and the esb, which will come after the network is built
Eu competition rules will ensure that
Éir would be just extending their own network which when subsidised by the government would be a lot cheaper than anyone else doing it
So Siro exiting is not a big deal tbh other than papers needing headlines

_Brian

Anyone else pop into the National Broadband stand at the ploughing..

The guy put in my eircode and then started sucking air through his teeth while shaking his head...
Basically they are still in the horsetrading stages which are "possibly" going to be concluded early next year... Its then expected to be 3-5 years from that stage that connections will be available, "closer to 5years" is what he told me..

What a joke..

I asked him what my options were until then... he laughed and said "read a book"

Hard Knocks

_Brian wrote: »

Anyone else pop into the National Broadband stand at the ploughing..

The guy put in my eircode and then started sucking air through his teeth while shaking his head...
Basically they are still in the horsetrading stages which are "possibly" going to be concluded early next year... Its then expected to be 3-5 years from that stage that connections will be available, "closer to 5years" is what he told me..

What a joke..

I asked him what my options were until then... he laughed and said "read a book"

If only you had a good TD or Minister to look after there area

_Brian

Hard Knocks wrote: »

If only you had a good TD or Minister to look after there area

Parish pump politics shouldn't be the solution to all our problems.
That's why we're in such a mess.

Hard Knocks

_Brian wrote: »

Hard Knocks wrote: »

If only you had a good TD or Minister to look after there area

Parish pump politics shouldn't be the solution to all our problems.
That's why we're in such a mess.

True
But having good broadband in Rural Ireland is a must.
Businesses are struggling currently with the current service.

_Brian

Hard Knocks wrote: »

True
But having good broadband in Rural Ireland is a must.
Businesses are struggling currently with the current service.

Yea..
I'm trying to FTP a file at the moment and all I can do is set it off and go feed cattle while it makes its way via a dodgy carrier pidgeon..

FeelTheBern

Going to put in calving cameras in shed this year to see cows on phone. Shed not near house and no phoneline so told to see what mobile upload coverage I have there.

Tried today using ookla app and have good coverage on my Vodafone phone (1.2 mbps upload) but bad on my mothers tesco mobile (which I'm told is 3 coverage - less than .5 Mbps generally).

So... looks like Vodafone coverage is good enough but don't know how to figure out how much data I would be using so how much it would cost?

Will the mobile router be uploading all the time so will be using data all the time - not just when I look at it - so will it cost me a fortune??

Edit - would only need it active for few months when cows calving . Thanks!!

Hard Knocks

FeelTheBern wrote: »

Going to put in calving cameras in shed this year to see cows on phone. Shed not near house and no phoneline so told to see what mobile upload coverage I have there.

Tried today using ookla app and have good coverage on my Vodafone phone (1.2 mbps upload) but bad on my mothers tesco mobile (which I'm told is 3 coverage - less than .5 Mbps generally).

So... looks like Vodafone coverage is good enough but don't know how to figure out how much data I would be using so how much it would cost?

Will the mobile router be uploading all the time so will be using data all the time - not just when I look at it - so will it cost me a fortune??

Edit - would only need it active for few months when cows calving . Thanks!!

Use 3 myself under similar circumstances, €15 (1Gb) top up per month is more than enough.
Vodafone should have similar packages

emaherx

FeelTheBern wrote: »

Going to put in calving cameras in shed this year to see cows on phone. Shed not near house and no phoneline so told to see what mobile upload coverage I have there.

Tried today using ookla app and have good coverage on my Vodafone phone (1.2 mbps upload) but bad on my mothers tesco mobile (which I'm told is 3 coverage - less than .5 Mbps generally).

So... looks like Vodafone coverage is good enough but don't know how to figure out how much data I would be using so how much it would cost?

Will the mobile router be uploading all the time so will be using data all the time - not just when I look at it - so will it cost me a fortune??

Edit - would only need it active for few months when cows calving . Thanks!!

Before looking at what broadband options are, how far are sheds from house? And is there line of site? Wireless options can work over 30km with line of site!

FeelTheBern

emaherx wrote: »

Before looking at what broadband options are, how far are sheds from house? And is there line of site? Wireless options can work over 30km with line of site!

Thanks but house is few miles away with no line of sight. Was thinking that if didn't have mobile coverage would have to start knocking on few neighbours doors...

FeelTheBern

Hard Knocks wrote: »

Use 3 myself under similar circumstances, €15 (1Gb) top up per month is more than enough.
Vodafone should have similar packages

That's great. Looking up website, Vodafone seem to have a pay as you go option for 7.5 GB 4G data for €20 for 28 days - so sounds like that should cover me.

FeelTheBern

Sorry - one (possibly last...) question. To get a mobile wifi router - will I need to buy one from Vodafone if I'm using their SIM card?

Is there anything in particular I should be looking out for? One salesman I was talking to about cameras was saying that the mobile router locks onto one mast and so provides more stable service than dongles that keep searching around but no idea other than that

orm0nd

FeelTheBern wrote: »

Sorry - one (possibly last...) question. To get a mobile wifi router - will I need to buy one from Vodafone if I'm using their SIM card?

Is there anything in particular I should be looking out for? One salesman I was talking to about cameras was saying that the mobile router locks onto one mast and so provides more stable service than dongles that keep searching around but no idea other than that

just wondering would a hotspot off a smart phone work ?

I'm with eir and have 15Gb monthly which I use very little of, some times the home internet gets slow & I just fire up the hotspot & it works quite well

You could but a mobile router off ebay or amazon which would be unlocked and work on all networks

Tigerandahalf

This farmer in England took matters into her own hands.
It makes you wonder whether the gov should be rolling this out like they did with the esb in the 50s and 60s.

When you see people paying 80/90 a month for a service you do wonder about the lack of progress.

You do wonder what people will do who live a mile or so down a boreen. They will probably have to dig their own trench and lay the fibre themselves as the telecoms companies may not want to do it. Unless of course it is run along the esb pole.

But that may not happen now since esb/siro have pulled out. So one might have to do the work themselves.

emaherx

FeelTheBern wrote: »

Thanks but house is few miles away with no line of sight. Was thinking that if didn't have mobile coverage would have to start knocking on few neighbours doors...

Distance is not an issue, but line of site would be.

If you are going with a PAYG mobile option you won't get a public IP (so inbound connections won't be possible) which may be an issue for some CCTV systems. Unless you get a router capable of VPN and have an internet connection at the house capable of inbound connections and another router capable of VPN.

Many new CCTV systems will work regardless but your traffic will be routed through servers belong to the manufacturer.

An old PC (or a new low power one like Raspberry Pi) with Google remote desktop connected to the CCTV at the sheds is also an option.

You don't need to buy the router from Vodafone, but do get a proper router not a mifi device.

smelly sock

jfh wrote: »

Hi all, not strickly a farming related question but something that's become a necessity to farming..

moving house soon and the broadband is crap with eir through the telephone line. i'm sure this is an issues some of ye have so what wireless broadband providers are ye using.

i'm in clare btw if that makes any difference

Stay clear of imagine and their lte ****e.

George Sunsnow

smelly sock wrote: »

Stay clear of imagine and their lte ****e.

Steer clear of you more like and your 6 year old grudges..




http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=104833939&postcount=5205


http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=104832908&postcount=5201

Welding Rod

FeelTheBern wrote: »

That's great. Looking up website, Vodafone seem to have a pay as you go option for 7.5 GB 4G data for €20 for 28 days - so sounds like that should cover me.

Vodafone is a non runner for calving cameras. I had a set up on Vodafone for several years . Worked great. Then stopped completely. Don't know the technical stuff, but they now block the port which your camera needs to upload the picture.
Changed to a Three router and back in business again. Guy who sorted for me told me the Vodafone issue was everywhere, not just my situation.
Check that out before you shell out on a Vodafone router.

FeelTheBern

Welding Rod wrote: »

Vodafone is a non runner for calving cameras. I had a set up on Vodafone for several years . Worked great. Then stopped completely. Don't know the technical stuff, but they now block the port which your camera needs to upload the picture.
Changed to a Three router and back in business again. Guy who sorted for me told me the Vodafone issue was everywhere, not just my situation.
Check that out before you shell out on a Vodafone router.

Thanks - wasn't aware of that. Will check it out.
Must also look up Meteor/ Eir if that is the case as the 3 speeds at the shed doesn't seem good enough to work

FeelTheBern

Ok so have been following up on this calving camera Internet thing today!

The camera guy told me that what I need to get is a sim card broadband router that has a 10/100 Cat 5 connection. Apparently the DVR will need to connect to the router using this connection.

Went into Vodafone shop to enquire as the Vodafone speeds seemed strong when I tested them. To say chap in the shop hadn't a clue would be an understatement. All he knew about was a little white wireless thing about half the size of an envelope but that had no ports for connecting anything. Didn't even get as far then as asking the anout thw other posters comment that the Vodafone system doesn't allow for the camera upload anymore.

So would anyone be able to (i) show me a link as to what I should be looking for and (ii) give any more info as to whether it should be ok to go with pay as you go Vodafone for this purpose? (As I posted earlier the 3 speed tested poorly - don't know have anyone with meteor phone to test that yet)

orm0nd

FeelTheBern wrote: »

Ok so have been following up on this calving camera Internet thing today!

The camera guy told me that what I need to get is a sim card broadband router that has a 10/100 Cat 5 connection. Apparently the DVR will need to connect to the router using this connection.

Went into Vodafone shop to enquire as the Vodafone speeds seemed strong when I tested them. To say chap in the shop hadn't a clue would be an understatement. All he knew about was a little white wireless thing about half the size of an envelope but that had no ports for connecting anything. Didn't even get as far then as asking the anout thw other posters comment that the Vodafone system doesn't allow for the camera upload anymore.

So would anyone be able to (i) show me a link as to what I should be looking for and (ii) give any more info as to whether it should be ok to go with pay as you go Vodafone for this purpose? (As I posted earlier the 3 speed tested poorly - don't know have anyone with meteor phone to test that yet)

If only 1 shed a good ptz camera will do

connect by wifi to the broadband

download an app for your phone (laptop etc,) as many devices as you wish.

maybe use free dynanic dns https://www.noip.com/ if the cam hasn't it installed

that all you want, no need to be making mountains out of mole hills

emaherx

orm0nd wrote: »

If only 1 shed a good ptz camera will do

connect by wifi to the broadband

download an app for your phone (laptop etc,) as many devices as you wish.

maybe use free dynanic dns https://www.noip.com/ if the cam hasn't it installed

that all you want, no need to be making mountains out of mole hills

By default with the Vodafone 3g/ 4g you won't get a public IP address (static or dynamic) so noip.com will not work as you will not be able to setup port forwarding. You may however be able to request this. Same is probably true of other mobile operators.

However many newer CCTV systems will work anyway but some data will be routed through the manufacturers servers to establish connections. Look for P2P CCTV systems as they require no port forwarding and will work with any internet connection with no need for Dynamic DNS service or public IP.

I think Vodafone only supply a router with the bill pay plans. Otherwise it's the stupid mifi device. But you can always purchase a router yourself and insert PAYG sim.

MENACE2010

FeelTheBern wrote: »

Ok so have been following up on this calving camera Internet thing today!

The camera guy told me that what I need to get is a sim card broadband router that has a 10/100 Cat 5 connection. Apparently the DVR will need to connect to the router using this connection.

Went into Vodafone shop to enquire as the Vodafone speeds seemed strong when I tested them. To say chap in the shop hadn't a clue would be an understatement. All he knew about was a little white wireless thing about half the size of an envelope but that had no ports for connecting anything. Didn't even get as far then as asking the anout thw other posters comment that the Vodafone system doesn't allow for the camera upload anymore.

So would anyone be able to (i) show me a link as to what I should be looking for and (ii) give any more info as to whether it should be ok to go with pay as you go Vodafone for this purpose? (As I posted earlier the 3 speed tested poorly - don't know have anyone with meteor phone to test that yet)

Hi
Google for the huawei 4g lte router , check ebay for the same . when you have that go to the Vodafone store for SIM only Broadband ( payasyou go or contract) . there is another brand called TP-link they do the routers as well . Vodafone will allow you to cancel the contract , 3 only provides a cool off period ( read small print ..) 14 days .. otherwise your on the hook for at least a month .. eg you need to cancel the contract as soon as you can on the first day .