Is ripwave in Dublin city centre that bad?

eth0_ · 12-09-2005 2:08pm #1

I live two streets behind Whelans and have been considering getting Ripwave, seeing as it's free connection and a month-to-month contract.

James' gate must be less than a mile from my house, just wondering if anyone in my area has Ripwave and is it as sh1t in this area?

beller b · 12-09-2005 5:21pm

If you wern't a mod I'd think you were having a laugh.....Is there not enough posts telling how crap they are??
Area doesn't make any difference they are crap everywhere......

eth0_ · 12-09-2005 7:24pm

Do you actually *HAVE* ripwave?
I was hoping that perhaps the people experiencing ****ty quality were on the edge of the transmitters coverage area.

So, can someone who actually has Ripwave on the James' Gate transmitter please tell me if it's sh*tty?

steve-o · 12-09-2005 7:29pm

eth0_ wrote:

So, can someone who actually has Ripwave on the James' Gate transmitter please tell me if it's sh*tty?

Had it. It was sh*tty.

beller b · 12-09-2005 8:41pm

beller b wrote:

If you wern't a mod I'd think you were having a laugh.....Is there not enough posts telling how crap they are??
Area doesn't make any difference they are crap everywhere......

Had plenty of experience of thier SH1TTY service...Have spoken to enough people to know they are SH1tty everywhere......
If I'd never heard of IBB ,I would know from reading boards that they are ....yes you guessed it...................SH1TTY!

dub45 · 12-09-2005 9:48pm

Just from memory and reading posts over a long period have there not always been issues with the Ripwave product even before IBB's current problems?

Tazz T · 13-09-2005 8:21am

It really depends on your LOS, Etho.

I'm in Pearse Street and connecting to 3 rock 10 km away, but I'm on the 4th floor with fairly good LOS.

The service is 'acceptable' most of the time for surfing, email and downloads. Goes down from time to time. It really is a case of 'suck it and see'.

HelterSkelter · 13-09-2005 1:04pm

I had Breeze on their Guinness mast, it was great for the first two months then became unuseable, slower than dial-up. I live about 3km from the mast.

eth0_ · 13-09-2005 1:28pm

I'm going to give it a shot, there's a 7 day money back guarantee thing so if it's **** it's going straight back to the shop (Beyond 2000).

I'll post here later and let you know if it works. Well, hopefully!

Blaster99 · 13-09-2005 2:34pm

You may want to try Clearwire. It's available in D2 (if I got your location right) and it works.

eth0_ · 13-09-2005 2:35pm

Blaster99 wrote:

You may want to try Clearwire. It's available in D2 (if I got your location right) and it works.

Their product is actually available? If so, my god their website is atrocious.

Are they around the same price?

SkepticOne · 13-09-2005 3:07pm

Tazz T wrote:

It really depends on your LOS, Etho.

I'm in Pearse Street and connecting to 3 rock 10 km away, but I'm on the 4th floor with fairly good LOS.

The service is 'acceptable' most of the time for surfing, email and downloads. Goes down from time to time. It really is a case of 'suck it and see'.

I think a lot depends on how well they manage their base stations and the backhaul to them. If a fault develops and they don't fix it quickly then it doesn't matter how good the signal is.

I was am currently on the 3 rock, and generally get good performance (within the limitations of the technology). When the switched over from the 2.4 to 3.5, things were woeful though for several months and customer service was very poor for me. Consequently, I can't recommend it to people when they ask about what broadband to go for as I don't know if these problems will happen again.

If you do however go for it, I would test it carefully within the 7 day period. If it fails afterwards, switch to clearwire or someone else. This is based on experience with dealing with customer support at the beginning of this year.

I'm quite keen to try clearwire. I believe it is still in the trial phase. Although it is expensive, the latency appears low enough to run things like VoIP though we will need to see how things work when they start getting a lot of customers.

Blaster99 · 13-09-2005 3:08pm

Yes, it's available and their web site is atrocious. It's €40pm for 1Mbps/256k and €50pm for 2Mbps/256k (from memory). And it works.

abakan · 13-09-2005 4:46pm

i have just got the Ripwave unit yesterday and did a line test

the unit is inthe window and looking at St James gate

My download is 48kbps and upload speed is 53.2kbps

Does anybody else have any better

eth0_ · 13-09-2005 4:57pm

Well I just bought my ripwave modem and connected it from the upstairs bedroom window...I'm getting pings spiking all over the place, between 200ms and 3000ms!

--- google.com ping statistics ---
385 packets transmitted, 31 packets received, 91% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 198.266/853.848/2618.971/590.212 ms
Joanne:~ jfarrell$ ping www.boards.ie
PING www.boards.ie (82.195.136.36): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=0 ttl=59 time=154.334 ms
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=10 ttl=59 time=468.893 ms
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=20 ttl=59 time=890.882 ms
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=30 ttl=59 time=440.364 ms
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=40 ttl=59 time=635.123 ms
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=50 ttl=59 time=115.915 ms
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=60 ttl=59 time=250.737 ms
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=70 ttl=59 time=416.838 ms
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=80 ttl=59 time=449.325 ms
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=100 ttl=59 time=162.843 ms
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=110 ttl=59 time=683.317 ms
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=120 ttl=59 time=1251.020 ms
^C
--- www.boards.ie ping statistics ---
131 packets transmitted, 12 packets received, 90% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 115.915/493.299/1251.020/319.500 ms

eth0_ · 13-09-2005 5:08pm

eth0_ wrote:

Well I just bought my ripwave modem and connected it from the upstairs bedroom window...I'm getting pings spiking all over the place, between 200ms and 3000ms!

--- google.com ping statistics ---
385 packets transmitted, 31 packets received, 91% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 198.266/853.848/2618.971/590.212 ms
Joanne:~ jfarrell$ ping www.boards.ie
PING www.boards.ie (82.195.136.36): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=0 ttl=59 time=154.334 ms
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=10 ttl=59 time=468.893 ms
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=20 ttl=59 time=890.882 ms
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=30 ttl=59 time=440.364 ms
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=40 ttl=59 time=635.123 ms
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=50 ttl=59 time=115.915 ms
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=60 ttl=59 time=250.737 ms
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=70 ttl=59 time=416.838 ms
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=80 ttl=59 time=449.325 ms
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=100 ttl=59 time=162.843 ms
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=110 ttl=59 time=683.317 ms
64 bytes from 82.195.136.36: icmp_seq=120 ttl=59 time=1251.020 ms
^C
--- www.boards.ie ping statistics ---
131 packets transmitted, 12 packets received, 90% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 115.915/493.299/1251.020/319.500 ms

And according to irishisptest.com, my connection is 43.9 down and 12.2kbps up. hahahah!

abakan · 13-09-2005 5:26pm

eth0_ wrote:

I'm going to give it a shot, there's a 7 day money back guarantee thing so if it's **** it's going straight back to the shop (Beyond 2000).

well is it going back??? does the cost justify the quality of service seeing that clearwire charge €40 for the same service and it works

eth0_ · 13-09-2005 5:33pm

Oh yes it's going back tomorrow afternoon. I just had to see for myself.
I have seen. Clearwire can install tomorrow evening. Huzzah!

beller b · 13-09-2005 6:31pm

We tol.......................no I wont say it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

eth0_ · 13-09-2005 7:02pm

Like I said, I wanted to try it for myself, I thought being so close to James' Gate there might not be any issues but it would seem IBB are just running a ****ty network.

Ho Hum. At least I haven't lost any money trying it.

Blaster99 · 13-09-2005 8:18pm

It's pretty remarkable that IBB persists with selling Ripwave. I'm sure there's the odd person who's happy with it, but it sounds like a wholesale fiasco to me. It surely costs them more to deal with the support problems then they could possibly make on that product.

eth0_ · 13-09-2005 8:30pm

I'm thinking the same, their customer base must be people who've never had the internet before and don't realise how crap Ripwave is.

ZENER · 14-09-2005 1:25am

If Clearwire is available in your area it's certainly worth a try, they're offering the first month for €1 so what have you to lose . . apart from 1 euro of course :rolleyes:

I've been using it for about 3 weeks now and it's never failed or degraded in that time. The system is capable of up to 6Mb/512Kb and the pings are fine. It's not symmetrical but if you're not serving stuff it won't bother you too much. They're in a trial period at the moment with the full launch come October.

Next step now is to cancel phoneline and sign up for blueface. Cancelled IOLBB which takes about 10 working days so for now I have 2 broadband connections . . . jealous ??

ZEN

eth0_ · 14-09-2005 7:12am

Zener - what's the story with a contract, do you know if there's a minimum or is it a 30 day rolling contract like you get with Ripwave?

I'm going to give them a call today and see if they can install today or tomorrow, was speaking to a nice guy there yesterday named Damien who said he could come out yesterday evening - that's good service!

Blaster99 · 14-09-2005 8:06am

It's a 12 month contract.

I wouldn't believe that 6Mbps stuff to be honest. I'd say you'll have to sit next to the mast to get that. When I tested it, I was within 1km of the mast, had full signal and the rep's modem was not limited and we got about 2.5Mbps down and about 300k up.

eth0_ · 14-09-2005 8:26am

12 months....buhhh. That's a little offputting.

ZENER · 14-09-2005 11:57am

2.5 tallies with the current 2Mb product which the "modems" are set for out of the box, the support guys do some configuration to switch it to the product you've chosen, i.e. 1 or 2 Mbps.

ZEN

abakan · 14-09-2005 6:06pm

What is IBB excuse when people ring up to complain about the service?? Has anybody in the city got the full upload, download speeds - or are they just a myth

Is their service not breaking one of the laws of selling a service - goods that are not for for their purpose.

beller b · 14-09-2005 7:55pm

They don't need an excuse...........There are so many people about who, despite being told how crap the service is, still insist on giving them business....
I really can't understand how somebody can read all the posts on boards.ie & still sign up for thier service

abakan · 14-09-2005 8:08pm

well maybe up untill lately people didnt have much of a choice as regards wireless BB but now that metro and clearwire is about now maybe things will change, but then it boils down to price - irish broadband have the cheapest (broadband) chough chough and i bet you that the first thing they look at before they sign up, then they relise how crap the service is.

beller b · 14-09-2005 8:29pm

Yes abakan...I can understand that being the case for joe soap ...
But when regular posters on boards go & read allthe posts telling how crap they are & still go for it.....
The mind boggles.....................???????????????????????????????

eth0_ · 14-09-2005 10:27pm

I tried ripwave because I couldn't fathom how a service could be 100% cr*p, especially as I can see the base station from my bedroom I thought I might be lucky but not, I see now that it is just a crap service.

ZENER · 14-09-2005 10:35pm

In contrast to this I know one IBB customer in Fairview/North Strand area who can't praise their service highly enough ! Gets a constant 2MB symmetrical service without any downtime for the past 5 months. What mast would he be connected to anyone know ?

ZEN

mikemac · 14-09-2005 10:51pm

I got ripwave last month.

I don't see why everyone here gives out about it.
My signal is from Northside Shopping centre which about 1.5km away.
My speed according to irishisptest.com is 198kbps download and 10kbps updownload. Thats more than good enough for using the internet.

Ok, the service drops for maybe 2 minutes every hour or two but nothing major.
What exactly would you be downloaded that requires 2mbps speed? Seriously, IBB is faster than what I had had in college two years ago.

I have an IT degree so Im not a naive first-time internet user btw.

jimmycrackcorm · 15-09-2005 12:42am

micmclo wrote:

I got ripwave last month.

I don't see why everyone here gives out about it.
My signal is from Northside Shopping centre which about 1.5km away.
My speed according to irishisptest.com is 198kbps download and 10kbps updownload. Thats more than good enough for using the internet.

Ok, the service drops for maybe 2 minutes every hour or two but nothing major.
What exactly would you be downloaded that requires 2mbps speed? Seriously, IBB is faster than what I had had in college two years ago.

I have an IT degree so Im not a naive first-time internet user btw.

I think you are

- that two minutes every hour might be the clincher to stop you winning a bid on EBAY. Why should anyone put up with drop-outs. would you think your car was great if it cut out for two minutes every hour?

SkepticOne · 15-09-2005 1:30am

micmclo wrote:

I got ripwave last month.

I don't see why everyone here gives out about it.

They give out because it is genuinely crap for them.

My own opinion is that complaints are due to the management of the network and basestations rather than something inherent in the technology although there are obvious limitations there also. If you gave the clearwire equipment to IBB, you would still get loads of complaints even though the technology appears to be much better.

tbh, I don't think the speeds and cutouts you describe are acceptable.

eth0_ · 15-09-2005 7:59am

micmclo wrote:

I got ripwave last month.

I don't see why everyone here gives out about it.
My signal is from Northside Shopping centre which about 1.5km away.
My speed according to irishisptest.com is 198kbps download and 10kbps updownload. Thats more than good enough for using the internet..

You're one of the lucky ones. Look at my speeds on the previous page. It's slower than DIALUP. And i'm not a n00b doing something wrong, I used to work in support for an ISP and I now work in system and network administration, there is nothing wrong at my end at all.

If i was getting your speeds I would KEEP the service.

zuma · 15-09-2005 9:17am

198kbps download and 10kbps upload!!!

That upload is awfully slow at around 1.25KBytes/s!!

For Ripwave that download is pretty good...but at arounds 25KBytes/s isnt something to be too prooud of!

Still at only €25 a month...its not to bad...I guess?

beller b · 15-09-2005 11:31am

Still a bit off what they are advertising.........

sharingan · 16-09-2005 5:35pm

eth0_ wrote:

I'm going to give it a shot, there's a 7 day money back guarantee thing so if it's **** it's going straight back to the shop (Beyond 2000).

I'll post here later and let you know if it works. Well, hopefully!

7 days from the time of contract signing. The fine print is a killer. I am a RipWave user in galway, and well its Okay for me. It has been improving lately, and it is actually pretty good for downloads, though the surfing can be painful from time to time.

sharingan · 16-09-2005 5:43pm

zuma wrote:

198kbps download and 10kbps upload!!!

That upload is awfully slow at around 1.25KBytes/s!!

For Ripwave that download is pretty good...but at arounds 25KBytes/s isnt something to be too prooud of!

Still at only €25 a month...its not to bad...I guess?

10kbps U/L? That is going to kill your surfing. I get better than that consistently, and I even find the limited U/L to hamper basic surfing. Haven' tried VoIP/IM yet ... but I am not looking forward to it.

Is ripwave in Dublin city centre that bad?

Comments