Irish BB available in Galway

bindybandy

Or so it says in a fullpage advert in the advertiser. I've read over the past 2 years mostly negative comments about their service. Has anyone got them in Galway yet and could comment if it is worth getting?

thanks

PlasmaFish

Yes. They are availaveble, both their Ripwave and Breeze products. I got it in April just when they went live.

There high sites well mast is the ESB mast in Ballybrit Ind est. They call it the Ballybane mast. It not the huge eircom mast as i just discovered recently.
As far as I know it has 3 sectors live now which means it's not full 360 degrees coverage. but they do a LOS test for free so that will tell you if you can get it or not.

Also Tonabrucky hill is live too with 3 sectors again. You can get it up to 8km with a very good Line of sight (LOS) when you are located in the middle of a sector but I am about 6km and just about passed with a low signal (20dB SNR) If you order it make sure they come out as they have some GIS system that they use your address and locate you, then the system tells them it you pass or not. But well all know we don't use post codes here so it can't work properly.

Regarding their service, I have the BreezeACCESS Broadband out where beside the Airport and it was the only option, eircom where just too slow.... I have a 2MB breeze and it works i get very consistence speeds:

Irishisptest.com
1.92Mbps Download
2.11Mbps Upload
Pings to Gateway 3ms => 25ms

The only problems I had was the VoIP (Broadband phone). The calls were always like a mobile call or worse. but they soon rectified that with in a week.

Overall, as I have seen so many complaints about them on boards.
IBB seem to be doing the job right this time in Galway. A few neighbours have it now and all haven't had any problems so far.

Good Luck as it's worth it, and make sure you test you download and upload on the day of install before the installer goes.

oneofakind32

I saw this add aswell. I tryed to order it on-line last night but it wouldnt let me because it said my area was'nt covered even though this area was spiscificly mensioned in the add. I rang them today and they said that there maps wernt updated yet and that they would ring back as soon as they were

spongebob

does any long term boards user have it in Galway, I get suspicious about n00bs given past bannings and IBB sales activity, sorry.

Blaster99

Or they haven't oversubscribed the service in Galway. Yet.

bindybandy

I guess we'll just have to watch and wait. I've been lucky with Netsource that is has only been down for about a week in 2 years and always gives great pings but the pricing is a little expensive these days so I'm always on the lookout for a cheaper relaible option. I don't download much but play a lot of games so it's ping and reliability that would be paramount.
Maybe this thread or a similar one could be stickied to monitor their progress as the months go by?

PlasmaFish

No, there isn’t the Service only went live in the start of April, I had signed up since November 04 when they got the Licence from Comreg.

I was connected about a day or two after they went live. At the time my static IP was just about 3 digits above the Gateway meaning that there was only about 2 or there users on the mast.

Well if there are people having problems with IBB in Galway they probably don't know about boards.ie

I have read a few posts about IBB talking to customers on boards.ie At least they see the feedback unlike other ISP

spongebob wrote:

does any long term boards user have it in Galway, I get suspicious about n00bs given past bannings and IBB sales activity, sorry.

Marcopolo85

bindybandy wrote:

Or so it says in a fullpage advert in the advertiser. I've read over the past 2 years mostly negative comments about their service. Has anyone got them in Galway yet and could comment if it is worth getting?

thanks

If you're in Galway and are an NTL sub, there's only really one choice..........

http://www.ntl.com/locales/ie/en/athome/internet_cable.html

PlasmaFish

Did you see in the Galway Advertiser that it also mentions it's available out in Moviea and Headford. I was told only about 7km from the city you could get it. unless they have new highsites out there.

They said back in April that ClareGalway was to go live in September and Clarenbridge/Kilcolgan in October

sharingan

Well I am a Ripwave user, and it works out alright for me - sometimes it works like real broadband with decent D/L, but it waxes and wanes throughout the day, from something like a real BB service to no service at all. Judging by the quality I am getting, I can't imagine Ripwave ever being oversubscribed. Theres not much in the way of good coverage, but areas around Cluain Riocard/Headford Road seem to get really good signal quality.

Galway is a bit too flat/suburban for it to work well, their masts are a bit remote from the city too. If I got a bit of height it might work a bit better ...

I have managed to hit 480 kbps D/L though my U/L stays pretty chronic. I don't think it has ever crossed 70. Based on dumeter, I was able to get 30 kBytes/s avg. on a few torrents during the time it was behaving itself, and I have managed to cross 50 kBytes on occasion with DDL. When it stops working properly, it stops for good, trickle U/L & D/L you can barely surf.

Can't say anything about gaming performance or anything ping/latency dependent like voip (but I am set to try that soon). Their diagnostic software and user manuals are pretty basic too.

Really can't say anything about Breeze, but I imagine that its not oversubscribed yet, which seems to be the main problem for most people having issues with it.

BTW - give their sales team a mail if you need to find out if your address is Okay. Their sales guys are pretty responsive, even if their Support team aren't.

PlasmaFish

Regarding IBB Galway Advertise Advert.

Emailed the sales office to get a coverage map of Monivea and Headford.
Got a reply today.

Not available there only in the Galway city. They said there Marketing dept made a mistake! :eek: on the advert.

He also mentioned that they will be going live in Claregalway and Kilcolgan in October of this year.

If you email there sales team tell them you can see! the ESB Ballybane Mast. As they don't know the area around Galway very well yet.

chapman

Hey Sharingan,
I seem to remember from another thread that you were having real problems in connecting. If I remember right you are in Mervue?
I just received ripwave yesterday and I am still hoping that the blinking light will stop.
I am down the road in Wellpark, opposite Heighton Buckley. Do you think it is likeley that I could get service tonight or am I flogging a dead horse....?

Sponge Bob

wait till the leaves fall off the trees between wellpark and the mast (right beside mcdonoughs hardware store yard) and you should be grand till the spring comes and OOH theres a really really really big red and white coloured mast between you and the IBB mast, get rid of it .

sharingan

chapman wrote:

Hey Sharingan,
I seem to remember from another thread that you were having real problems in connecting. If I remember right you are in Mervue?
I just received ripwave yesterday and I am still hoping that the blinking light will stop.
I am down the road in Wellpark, opposite Heighton Buckley. Do you think it is likeley that I could get service tonight or am I flogging a dead horse....?

Heighton Buckley ... scratching head ... trying to remember where that is.

Specifically I am in Tara Grove.

As bad as my connection is, it has never gone flashing red. I generally toggle between red & orange.

Try the usual tricks, move the unit round the house (power adapter helps) trying upstairs windows, and areas facing the mast. If you have access to a roof I would go for that too. (extended power adapters and long net cables help).

If you are on flashy light I think that your situation is hopeless. Bear in mind I have no trouble getting a connection, and the best you can hope for is a fraction of my meagre performance.

awhir

any more infoon broadband in claregalway

Drapper

claregalway Qs wrote:

any more infoon broadband in claregalway

yeah read here !

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=286748

tis yourself with the same question again !

bindybandy

I think it has beomce obvious then at this stage from the other recent posts in other threads as well and this that their service would seem to be unreliable at best. I won't be bothering with them. Thanks everyone for the info. Ntl is looking like a very good option at the moment.

chapman

sharingan wrote:

Heighton Buckley ... scratching head ... trying to remember where that is.

Specifically I am in Tara Grove.

As bad as my connection is, it has never gone flashing red. I generally toggle between red & orange.

Try the usual tricks, move the unit round the house (power adapter helps) trying upstairs windows, and areas facing the mast. If you have access to a roof I would go for that too. (extended power adapters and long net cables help).

If you are on flashy light I think that your situation is hopeless. Bear in mind I have no trouble getting a connection, and the best you can hope for is a fraction of my meagre performance.

I'm just down the road from you, next to Atlantic Homecare pretty much on Wellpark road.
I called the tech support yesterday and they said that something wasn't turned on?! Anyway whatever they did gets me connected reliably now but the speed is crap. I'm talking about 1 min to get the google site. The power reading seems to waver between red and orange. So it sounds like I am getting a similar strength to you but I can't imangine you can put up with that kind of speed. I'm guessing you must have a faster connection than that. I've moved the antenna around the house, with no improvement even took it into the street where I could see the Eircomm tower with no improvement. I might get better reception from upstairs but I'm in rented accomomodation, I don't think my neighbours upstairs would like it if I started traipsing around their apartment with my modem!.
Has anyone tried connecting a higher gain antenna to the ripwave?
I am thinking if try one of those homemade pringle antennas...

sharingan

chapman wrote:

I'm just down the road from you, next to Atlantic Homecare pretty much on Wellpark road.

The builders/providers kindof place? I know where-ish you are now.

I called the tech support yesterday and they said that something wasn't turned on?!

Opinion around here is that the *tech support* is not turned on. I am impressed you got through.

Anyway whatever they did gets me connected reliably now but the speed is crap. I'm talking about 1 min to get the google site.

Do the irishisptest.ie thing.

The power reading seems to waver between red and orange. So it sounds like I am getting a similar strength to you but I can't imangine you can put up with that kind of speed.

Correction- the power reading is signal strength. Thats what you probably meant.

Personally I don't think I am getting any better connection that that. The service waxes and wanes thoughout the day. Generally wanes. However every now and then the signal strength will become constant and it will turn into a normal broadband connection.

I put up with it, because I can get torrents and stuff to work and complete. I can also get mails and IM. Its very rare that it behaves well enough to surf with.

Basically, being in rented accomodation there is no alternative for me.

I'm guessing you must have a faster connection than that. I've moved the antenna around the house, with no improvement even took it into the street where I could see the Eircomm tower with no improvement.

I have done the same thing as yourself (10m power adapter & 15m network cable) and it had a slight improvement until it started raining. The mast is not located on the eircom mast - it is on the ESB mast on the ballybrit/bane roundabout near Boston Scientific/General Monitors. Its a strange site -the slight hill that wellpark sits on actually obstructs that mast from most of the city. Only areas like Castlepark, Ballybane/brit and the headford/tuam road area have a realistic chance of LoS. LoS is the only way you can get consistent green.

I might get better reception from upstairs but I'm in rented accomomodation, I don't think my neighbours upstairs would like it if I started traipsing around their apartment with my modem!.

Regardless of what kind of good terms you are on with your neighbours, you need immediate access to the device, to reset it whenever it gets its shoelaces tied together, like the 5 or 6 times a day it loses ipconfig settings (DHCP & DNS typically, regardless of signal quality).

I was tempted to go climbing the roof, until the true danger of that set in. Other than that, there is always the flagpole approach - put the unit in a caddy at the end of a long pole (securely), and raise the pole. If its a goer, consider the whole waterproofing and power protection aspects.

Has anyone tried connecting a higher gain antenna to the ripwave?
I am thinking if try one of those homemade pringle antennas...

Pringle attennas don't work, tried that. And I hate pringles. blech.

Search on the forums, one of the forum heads posted the specs for the ripwave unit. Apparently you can disengage the flip-up antenna and attach an aerial. Don't get your hopes up though - aerial length is limited before diminishing returns set in. Don't know about power boosted aerials. And also I have had no success with removing that front aerial, and I don't want to break it (I exercised reasonable strength before stopping) - the technique to remove it may need some refinement.

One thing to note: regardless of what is going on, your DL generally remains pretty decent. However your UL diminishes to almost nothing, this has a greater effect on your speed.

chapman

sharingan wrote:

Pringle attennas don't work, tried that. And I hate pringles. blech.

Search on the forums, one of the forum heads posted the specs for the ripwave unit. Apparently you can disengage the flip-up antenna and attach an aerial. Don't get your hopes up though - aerial length is limited before diminishing returns set in. Don't know about power boosted aerials. And also I have had no success with removing that front aerial, and I don't want to break it (I exercised reasonable strength before stopping) - the technique to remove it may need some refinement.

One thing to note: regardless of what is going on, your DL generally remains pretty decent. However your UL diminishes to almost nothing, this has a greater effect on your speed.

Thanks for the info.
I got my front antenna off pretty easy... just match up the two lines , one on the antenna and one on the body, and pull straight out.
Inside is a little connector of the style MCX.
I found an austrailian forum where a guy has given a the plans for a simple aerial that will fit the ripwave. Apparently a wireless provider uses the modem in Sydney. Their service is no better than Irishbroadbands......
I have ordered the connecter I need for the antenna and hopefully will have the part so I can test the aerial this weekend.
I'l let you know if I get good results.

sharingan

chapman wrote:

Thanks for the info.
I got my front antenna off pretty easy... just match up the two lines , one on the antenna and one on the body, and pull straight out.

I did that, but obviously didn't use enough force/align it correctly enough. Didn't want to bust the thing.

Inside is a little connector of the style MCX.
I found an austrailian forum where a guy has given a the plans for a simple aerial that will fit the ripwave. Apparently a wireless provider uses the modem in Sydney. Their service is no better than Irishbroadbands......
I have ordered the connecter I need for the antenna and hopefully will have the part so I can test the aerial this weekend.
I'l let you know if I get good results.

Hmm, I thought it could use MMDS aerieals. Do Maplin have the appropriate stuff? Is that where you ordered the stuff in?

The kind of technology that IBB is using requires overlapping networks in order to be effective, its probably that the sydney outfit is doing the same. And that why they are all pants - they are all going off half-cocked by not having enough masts (i.e. > 1) when they take on board subscribers

chapman

sharingan wrote:

Hmm, I thought it could use MMDS aerieals. Do Maplin have the appropriate stuff? Is that where you ordered the stuff in?

The kind of technology that IBB is using requires overlapping networks in order to be effective, its probably that the sydney outfit is doing the same. And that why they are all pants - they are all going off half-cocked by not having enough masts (i.e. > 1) when they take on board subscribers

I bought the connector from a company called radionics ( radio spares), it's similar to maplins but has a better selection but is mail order only. They are on the web.
I don't know if you can buy off the shelf antenna that will do the job in Maplins, the problem is that it has to have the right connector that will plug into the modem and it has to be 3.5GHz. I made a really simple antenna, basically a double loop of wire that is sized correctly for 3.5GHz that then runs along about 20cm of really crappy coax that's made for T.V ie too much loss for our frequency band. The whole thing is pretty small. And you know what.... it works. It is not perfect but I have gone from red to amber( mixed in with red) i've even seen a bit of green on the bar graph. The signal level still drops out everynow and again but it is almost surfable. I am going to invest in some higher quality cable to see how that improves things. If things get any better I will post my results here. I would think the total price for parts would be about 20 euro. People in Australia are using these to get a signal when they are outside the catchment area. So hopefully I will see a green light yet.
I'm not sure if it is common knowledge but there is a further menu screen in the diagnostic software, if you press cntrl shift F10. This allows you to look at more information, you can plot signal strength, see what antenna the modem is using, see SNR and all kinds of goodies. It allows you to see clearer if you get any improvement by moving the modem around.

Sponge Bob

you can buy high grade coax cable like LM400 or CT100 CT125 from CTelectric in Galway but in 100m rolls . See www.irishwan.org for shorter lengths

sharingan

You can get high quality coax from Maplin too, and they will sell it to you by the metre. Their highest grade stuff was like 1.60 € /m IIRC, and about 66€ for 100m reels. I got this for a satellite setup a while back (but for boring reasons, I don't have any of it left). but getting a few metres of it wouldn't hurt much I suppose.

Chapman, you obviously found an Oz site/forum thats going into all of this, care to post the link. If you start getting good success with your tweaked aerial, I would be very interested in duplicating the results (or taking any draft versions of your aerial off your hands that you dont need anymore).

I spotted the Ctrl-Shift-F10 menus, and yeah its interesting to see how they operate, particularly how they flick between aerials a lot.

How did your results go anyway?

chapman

sharingan wrote:

You can get high quality coax from Maplin too, and they will sell it to you by the metre. Their highest grade stuff was like 1.60 € /m IIRC, and about 66€ for 100m reels. I got this for a satellite setup a while back (but for boring reasons, I don't have any of it left). but getting a few metres of it wouldn't hurt much I suppose.

Chapman, you obviously found an Oz site/forum thats going into all of this, care to post the link. If you start getting good success with your tweaked aerial, I would be very interested in duplicating the results (or taking any draft versions of your aerial off your hands that you dont need anymore).

I spotted the Ctrl-Shift-F10 menus, and yeah its interesting to see how they operate, particularly how they flick between aerials a lot.

How did your results go anyway?

The site I found was this:
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies-archive.cfm/252309.html
This is a link to a particular thread about home made antenna.

Hopefully I should get some really high quality cable in the post tomorrow, and then a few days until I'll get a chance to play.