Alternative to the i-Stream connection manager?

PiE · 12-03-2002 4:12pm #1

Are there any other programs I could use? The eircom one keeps freezing up.

There was an option on XP to set up your own LAN connection or something, but I can't use XP at the moment 'cos my PC is so f*cked. Using Win98 instead $:\$

Cheers...

Frank Grimes · 12-03-2002 6:13pm

RasPPPoE is apparently a good one. I've never used it, so I can't say anything good/bad about it. But from what I've heard most people find it pretty good. Here's the link.

http://user.cs.tu-berlin.de/~normanb/

You sure it's the software that's doing the freezing?

Boston · 12-03-2002 6:58pm

you could buy a router like me and the hassels of pppoe connections go out the window

PiE · 12-03-2002 7:28pm

I don't mean the protocols, i mean this thing...[attached]

Or are they linked?

Frank Grimes · 13-03-2002 8:06am

They're the same thing. With RasPPPoE you just set up a dial up connection afaik, once the protocols are installed etc.
Enternet 300 does the same thing. (check the network control panel and you'll see a PPPoE adapter which it installs along with that dial up networking type connection manager)
When you said the Eircom one freezes, did you mean the software/connection (data transfer)/the pc itself freezes?

Boston · 13-03-2002 8:31am

no what hes talkign about is that the adsl connection speed drops to zero, just like with the dial up service, and jsut sits there for ages doing nothing. you have to reconnect to get speed back.
this was a pain up untill i got my handy dandy router

Frank Grimes · 13-03-2002 8:37am

Maybe this might help if that's the case:

http://support.efficient.com/KB/NTS/windows.html#hang10

Out of interest, what type of router do you have Boston?

Boston · 13-03-2002 8:39am

linksys

PiE · 13-03-2002 11:17am

Thanks for the link, may come in handy...buuuut the problem isn't just with the connection going dead, I could live with that. The real problem is that when it goes dead, I hit disconnect and the connection manager freezes up, and I can end-task it all day without it helping. I end up having to shutdown using ctrl+alt+del.

Also, my computer is in a very delicate state at the moment. Do not ask me why, but my Kt7a/Duron/Kyro setup wont work, so I'm back to using a crappy Celeron333. I should post this on the tech board but I really can't explain the problems I've had $:\$

Anyway, delicate state (it took me a week to get the eircom software to install at all), afraid to mess with the protocols etc unless I'm sure of what I'm doing.

Frank Grimes · 13-03-2002 11:30am

If it's 98se you're using, try this:

http://support.efficient.com/KB/NTS/windows.html#Bluescreen

Is the whole pc freezing/not responding, or just the Enternet software?

PiE · 13-03-2002 11:47am

Just the Enternet Software.

I'm using Plain, Old, Standard-Issue Win98.

<edit>
thanks for the help btw :]
</edit>

Frank Grimes · 13-03-2002 12:01pm

(it took me a week to get the eircom software to install at all)

What problems did it give you? have you tried reinstalling the software?

PiE · 13-03-2002 12:14pm

Ohh god I don't know. This is all linked to when I got a new HDD a few weeks back. I got the new harddrive (Maxtor 5400rpm 40GB) installed fine. Few days later I tried to hook up my old HDD (Quantum Fireball 6.4GB) to install Slackware onto that. Booted up and the system was struggling along, took ages to boot, programs took ages to open and even Mp3's stuttered when played from the HDD. Unhooked Quantum again, problem remained. Was using WinXP at the time. Formatted and installed Win98, still no joy. I just assumed the drive was knackered and brought it back to ITDirect (still havent gotten it back, or a new one, but thats another story). Reformatted and put the Quantum back. Same problem was still happening.

Now heres the amazing part, I took out the kt7a/duron/kyro and put in the old Cereron333 and motherboard, low-level-formatted the drive, cleared the CMOS and the same problem returned! I'm at a complete loss.

Anyway, I formatted and reinstalled Win98 and DSL about 6 times before I got it to run in any kind of acceptable fashion (which is now). So, long (very long) story short, I'm actually afraid to touch the software now, cos if I do, I know I'll be 'Net-less $:\$

Sorry for the long-ish post :]

Frank Grimes · 13-03-2002 12:16pm

I think this thread really says it all

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,2159466~root=robpppoe~mode=flat

Are you using the USB modem?

PiE · 13-03-2002 12:22pm

Aye, Alcatel Speedtouch USB DSL Modem

Frank Grimes · 13-03-2002 12:55pm

From what I've read about the Enternet software (nothing good either

) I'd say it's down to the software itself. I have seen the exact same thing happen on a 98 (first edition) using the same modem, maybe a coincidence?

PiE · 13-03-2002 12:59pm

Well I've just installed RASPPPOE and hey presto it disconnects no problem :]

Thanks for the help

Dustaz · 13-03-2002 1:03pm

Pie, raspppoe is indeed a million times better than eircoms software, just make sure you follow the installation instructions because it can also cause nasty crashes if not installed properly.

Frank Grimes · 13-03-2002 1:07pm

No worries PiE

PiE · 13-03-2002 1:09pm

Aye Dustaz, the first time I got RASPPPOE a few months back, I couldn't find an installation guide for the life of me... whether it was sitting there looking at me all that time I'll never know

bricks · 14-03-2002 4:48pm

That way I don't need the dialler at all.
If you have a spare 486 or pentium and 2 network cards.
I use a router that has all its software contained on a single boot disk. You can download the disk off the net. All that needs to be changed on it is to add in your username/password to the disk and then boot it up and also have your network card from your main PC set to use DHCP.
I thought it would be really complicated to setup but it only took me 10mins. The guy who makes the disk has the same type of modem as Eircom are giving out for the trial.

http://www.zelow.no/floppyfw/

po0k · 14-03-2002 4:53pm

am, I don't have iStream or any broadband, but I though xDSL was always on?
Why do you need to dialup at all?
Why do you need to connect?
Is it only after rebooting the machine?
Do you have a static IP or Dynamic one?

Frank Grimes · 14-03-2002 5:57pm

...but I though xDSL was always on?

The modem is always connected to the equipment in the exchange, when you 'dial up' you're just getting an IP address etc.

Why do you need to connect?

It all depends on the provider and the flavour of DSL. In Eircom's case, they're using PPPoE which requires you to authenticate. Do a search on google for it and you'll find loads of moaning about it

The other type is PPPoA which afaik is a true always on type connection.

Do you have a static IP or Dynamic one?

And depending on the package you get from Eircom, they'll either give you an account with a dynamic or static IP address.

po0k · 16-03-2002 6:43pm

Thanks for that, cleared up a good few questions

Frank Grimes · 17-03-2002 10:58am

No problem

Sites like http://www.dslreports.com/ are good for getting info from. It's an American site, but alot of providers over there seem to be using the same gear as Eircom is.

MindPhuck · 17-03-2002 11:24am

on a related note.

I have the eircom setup. What kind of pings do people get to say - www.quake.ie ?

My first hop get 68 ping and it goes downhill there after. With isdn, I get 20. For me, a 68 ping is unplayable in certain circumstances.

Anyone else getting bad pings ?

Frank Grimes · 17-03-2002 11:31am

Not a 100% sure on that one, I'm not really into games that much

but afaik the latency on adsl is just higher than isdn. So, basically, isdn is better for games than adsl.
I'm sure someone can give a more technical reason than that, there was a thread a good while back on the subject (I think).

PiE · 17-03-2002 1:05pm

Pinging kali.ign.ie [159.134.244.150] with 32 bytes of data

Ping statistics for 159.134.244.150:
Packets: Sent = 10, Received = 10, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 54ms, Maximum = 60ms, Average = 55ms

Yea, afaik everybody on the trial has relatively bad gaming pings, so yer lines not dodgy or anything.

[-Morpheus-] · 18-03-2002 12:50pm

Eircom gave me a new line lately , omg like im getting an avarage of 20ms to most irish sites or server.

You can have a look here: http://www.boards.ie/members/morpheus/connection.JPG

What would we do without them?

timod · 19-03-2002 1:31am

Originally posted by Dustaz
Pie, raspppoe is indeed a million times better than eircoms software, just make sure you follow the installation instructions because it can also cause nasty crashes if not installed properly.

Dustaz,

Are you using iStream on a Mac? What just using the default software, or do Eircom provide sommet?

Tim

Frank Grimes · 19-03-2002 1:35am

There's a version of the Enternet software they supply for the mac. OSX has built in PPPoE software though.

Alternative to the i-Stream connection manager?

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