Whats involved in the setup process for self install?

50Cent

Most like getting ADSL from eircom when there out and just wondering whats involved in the self install process. I aint too familiar with broadband terms, but is it just as simple as putting a splitter in your phone socket and then connecting it to your modem?

Also I see that theres a pci adsl modem on amazon.co.uk going for a BARGAIN! its so cheap...just wondering if i should go for pci or usb. USB is faster so would that mean my connection speed would be faster?


Thanks in advance,

Meh

Originally posted by 50Cent
Also I see that theres a pci adsl modem on amazon.co.uk going for a BARGAIN! its so cheap...just wondering if i should go for pci or usb. USB is faster so would that mean my connection speed would be faster?

No. The limiting factor on your connection speed is the speed of the line itself. USB or PCI will make no appreciable difference to your speed*. A USB modem will be simpler to install on your computer (just plug it in and windows will detect it, no need to open up the case or reboot or anything). On the other hand, a PCI modem will fit inside your computer and won't take up any desk space or need any extra cables plugged into it.


*USB will actually be very slightly slower in theory, since it can't do DMA. But you won't notice this unless your computer is very slow.

50Cent

Thanks for that. Well in that case i would go for the pci version. And for the eircom self install option? is that easy to do?

Urban Weigl

It really should not be any more difficult to using an analog modem or ISDN TA -- plug it in, install drivers (if any), and you're away.

50Cent

Absolutely brilliant. That sounds great. Also, do you reckon i should go with eircom or wait till the Esat come out?

Thanks again

Lex_Diamonds

Id wait for esat, their deal will most likely be better than eircoms.

Rancid

Originally posted by 50Cent
Absolutely brilliant. That sounds great. Also, do you reckon i should go with eircom or wait till the Esat come out?

Have Esat enabled your exchange yet? Check that out first because they told me that they have no (immediate) plans to enable further exchanges right now.

Also....have you considered this:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=90048&pagenumber=1

VIA haven't responded to my query as yet... and I'm due to get Eircom adsl on 16th this month...but if VIA are offering an uncapped version for much the same price *and* with a nice short 2-month contract, then I have to go with VIA!


Anyone know if their offer includes phone too?

50Cent

Just emailed VIA to try and get all the prices inc vat and to suss out the whole deal. Seems like a good choice but i dont why they dont advertise...that gets me...

About Esat, I dont know if they have enabled the exchange here yet. Im out in Cabinteely but I did register so they will tell me when the lines are enabled. I dont know when it will happen. I registered yesterday.

I dont seem to be able to trust Eircom that much because I can never get higher than 36kbps on a 56k modem on their line, but i am on IOL No Limits so that could have something to do with it...plus im only 2 foot away from where the phone line is plugged in. In my old house on a 50 foot phone cable, i could get about 49kbps.

I am meant to be getting it installed on the 11'th apparently...better to see for myself though

SkepticOne

Originally posted by 50Cent
About Esat, I dont know if they have enabled the exchange here yet. Im out in Cabinteely but I did register so they will tell me when the lines are enabled. I dont know when it will happen. I registered yesterday.

If Esat may decide to provide services over Eircoms bitstream service, in which case it will be those exchanges which Eircom have enabled that will be important, not those that Esat have enabled under LLU.

I dont seem to be able to trust Eircom that much because I can never get higher than 36kbps on a 56k modem on their line, but i am on IOL No Limits so that could have something to do with it...plus im only 2 foot away from where the phone line is plugged in. In my old house on a 50 foot phone cable, i could get about 49kbps.

Performance on dial-up is not a good predictor of DSL performance. It is quite possible to have poor dial-up but acceptable DSL. If you are on a splitter, of course, you won't be able to DSL and will have poor dial-up, however, since you currently get 33.6 you won't be on one.

Rancid

If I had the choice, I'd prefer to go with Esat too...

Via... I think they can't advertise it until 11th.

Eircom....if they're installing it on 11th for you....then they're selling you the original package....not the Starter pack.
But........if they do, you can phone 1800 503303 straight away and because you'll be an "existing customer", they'll let you down-grade to the Starter pack at no extra charge.

About No Limits.... I was on it.... I'm on NetSmart now.... and with 56k external modem on a not-split line, I connect at 50,667 all the time.
When I was on a split line, I never connected at more than 31,000 with same modem.
So.... I'm thinking it's your phone line.

But you've passed the adsl test, obviously.


I just want to know more about the VIA offer before I commit myself to 12 months with Eircom....

50Cent

Hmmm I would prefer to go with esat too because i reckon they will definitely be cheaper.

I dont know what to do, just have to wait till the 11'th and see wats going down.

50Cent

Hmm Rancid, how can i tell if the phone line is split...does that mean if i have all those little phone connection thingys around the appartment, that the line is split?

I want to know about VIA too...IBB and Irish Wisp are in my area and id love to get them but i cant because i live in an appartment and its against regulations of the estate to put things on the roof...bloody crazy...things being the antennas!

Eircom suit me, actually suit the regulations because they are in the lines already and i dont have to put anything on the roof. Same with esat...and i presume the same with VIA too...right?

Rancid

I know my line was split because they(Eircom) installed a carrier box in the hall when I applied for a second phone line for internet use. No spare lines...no spare cable so I had no choice

I don't think the things you're talking about around your apt are anything other than alternate places you can plug your phone into...?

It's your connection rate that was making me think SPLIT LINE.

Eircom or Esat would be good.... and I think, as far as I can gather from what I've read, Via too.

Satelite not for me..... it's supposed to cause a delay which (I think messes up the latency... and ) is bad for playing games online.

I'm phoning Via tomorrow...and it seems they're gonna have more online about it soon...
See post by thomasb in this thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=90048&pagenumber=2

50Cent

Oh right...ye thats all it is...just extra connections for me to plug my phone into. We have something like 2 in each room, bloody ridiculous but thats alright anyway. I thought it was split...i personally think its just no limits reduced the bandwith dramatically because i was asked to leave ages ago when they kicked all the people off but i managed to get around it...:D

Via sounds a lot better though, and the two month contract is a lot sweeter. But i rate the 4gb cap is perfect unless you want to download DVD movies. I have downloaded 11.20mb and uploaded 1.28mb just from browsing forums and websites in a connection time of 3hr 20minutes.

When your downloading mp3's and games, i doubt you will be surfing the net at the same time or if you are, it wont be much different anyway. But a cap is a cap, and you would be completely at ease without one...i know i would.

And 2 hours of soldier of fortune 2 is 30mb uploaded and 1mb downloaded.

Pretty sorted if you ask me...plus i dont know where you can download dvd's...who would bother downloading dvd's on a 512kbps connection anyway?

Rancid

Heh....I think I've worked it out that with a cap of 4 gigs... I can download 133 mb's per day without worrying!

But.... I think about an hour of Half-Life amounts to 10mb download...


Heh... I was also one of the No Limits "over-users"... but I stayed on and stayed under 75 hours rather than risk losing everything... then changed to NetSmart's 120.

I think I'll hold out and see what Via offer... I have until 16th to decide.

50Cent

Im going to as well...if VIA are as cheap with no cap, then no question VIA all the way.:D

But if not...:rolleyes: then im going for Eircom regardless...:)

Rancid

Ok.. with Eircom I know I get adsl plus phone line. I know I pay line rental as well as adsl cost.

So I'm wondering what the Via package will consist of...?

Would I still pay line rental to Eircom and have phone line as part of it? (Via can't offer me phone connection as they're only an isp, right?)

I'm not sure I understand this at all...

50Cent

****...:eek: i only thought of that now...ye you would have to pay line rental of course regardless. I think were all getting carried away with this no cap thing...the price is still more expensive...guess im going for eircom again...:rolleyes:

Rancid

Hahahaha... omg..... we're desperate!

We'll consider *anything* that'll be better than not-very-flat rate dial-up!!


One thing is becoming clear though...
Eircom seem very keen to provide me with adsl as fast as possible... and tie me up to a 12 month contract...

Now... that implies that they *know* the competition is gonna come up with cheaper deals...

So... Eircom as a last resort... as always!
:rolleyes:

50Cent

Jesus...all i want is fecken broadband! THATS ALL! I want it soon as well...i dont know what im going to do...

Rancid

We'll see what Via say tomorrow, I guess...

In the meantime....I'm off to feed my tortoise!:)

50Cent

Cool...hold on, you have a tortoise?

I only know one person who has a tortoise...i went to primary school with him

Where you live?

Rancid

Yep.... I have a tortoise!

And... I'm a *her*....not a him! :eek:

Glasnevin... either way!

50Cent

oh right...when i was in primary school, my friend had one...lived in sandymount...Apologies about mistaking you for a him...:rolleyes:

Rancid

No probs!

Just a thought... did you apply for Eircom's adsl? And how long ago?


After 3 years with a split line, hassling them continuously, suddenly a month ago they could lay in a new cable and provide me with my full line...
I had it tested for adsl....and when the guy rang to say I'd passed the test.....he *offered* connection date of 16th April.

All I'll say is that they seem *very* anxious to provide me with adsl right now....

.....and that just makes me certain that I should hold out a bit and see what else is on offer after 11th

50Cent

Em I rang up to find out if i had passed to make sure...and they said i did. So i started talking to them about it asking about the speed and all that.Just the basics and did i have to buy a modem from them...they told me no. So that was all good too! But i dont actually know what the deal is with the installation coming in...I wanted to get it installed but they said that they dont take pre bookigns and that an engineer guy will call me up to find a date...i rang again and asked because i heard people were given dates and they asked if the 11;th is ok? I said ye...but am going to cancel that until i know more about whats going on...

Broadband would be so handy though, in college the speed is great...and id love that at home...im not a big gamer freak so id only use it mainly for downloading tunes, thats why im not worries about the 4gb cap that much. I may play the occasional game of soldier of fortune 2 on it but only for a couple hourse a week or even less...

Rancid

Interesting.....isn't it!

Yah...I talked to them too about modems and then went out and got this modem/router in Maplins:
http://www.netgear.co.uk/html/prod_..._adsl_dg814.htm

This would be fine with Eircom.

But I know it says on the Via site that they prefer you to use their modems....but I'm connecting 2 computers and I want them to be able to be independently online ....

Urban Weigl

Of course they would prefer if you bought the modem from them, after all they're making a sweet little margin on it.

Seriously though, I think even if it means paying more you should always go for an Ethernet model, simply because they tend to be more stable, not to mention make sharing (even if the future) a lot easier.

50Cent

Rancid...i wasnt able to see your link. It said data error 404 !

An ethernet modem you say? So that means I would be able to connect my old computer up to it as well. How many computers can link up to an ethernet modem? That would be pretty slick to get a little server running. You could have one downloading music, and the other for whatever you need to do on the computer. sweet...

Rancid

Originally posted by 50Cent
Rancid...i wasnt able to see your link. It said data error 404 !

An ethernet modem you say? So that means I would be able to connect my old computer up to it as well. How many computers can link up to an ethernet modem? That would be pretty slick to get a little server running. You could have one downloading music, and the other for whatever you need to do on the computer. sweet...

Donno why that link isn't working...

Ok... go to http://www.netgear.co.uk
Under Products on the left, click Routers...
Then click DG814...
Under the info about it, click html datasheet and this brings you to the full specs for it.

It's a 4 port modem-router and it's been highly recommended to me.
Well worth it when you think that Eircom would like to charge me €242 for just a modem!

Jorinn

Originally posted by 50Cent
Rancid...i wasnt able to see your link. It said data error 404 !

An ethernet modem you say? So that means I would be able to connect my old computer up to it as well. How many computers can link up to an ethernet modem? That would be pretty slick to get a little server running. You could have one downloading music, and the other for whatever you need to do on the computer. sweet...

NO, if your old computer has an ethernet port on it you can connect it, if it doesn't then you can get a ethernet nic for about 15 euro off someone on sale board. In theory you can link thousands to a dsl ethernet modem if you have hubs/switchs. I'm going to settle with about 9 computers myself though.