new customer advice

tomb123 · 13-03-2006, 22:56

I'm about to take on a new 10MB cable modem in cambridge. If this won't work reliably at decent speeds then I am in deep trouble with work. I had a nightmare with NTL a couple of years ago, and was assured that they had sorted things out, then I read about other peoples problems.....

What should I ensure that I get from the engineer, i.e. the right modem?

What tests should I have run by the engineer to prove that it works before I let him out of the building?

Is this just blind luck, it will either work great or I will be back in NTL hel

Russ · 13-03-2006, 23:00

You should get the 250 modem - clear blue in colour. The engineer will ensure that there's a connection from your modem to outside - he won't have anything to do with what goes on on your computer unless he's willing to do it off his own back which might happen but is rare.

Best thing to do is post back on here once you're up and running. Most importantly, remember the service you're about to have is up to 10meg.

PS1 · 13-03-2006, 23:18

"UP TOO"..Being the main point!

---------- Post added at 23:18 ---------- Previous post was at 23:14 ----------

Ntl s latest installation software(V3) will carry out all (4 i think) required tests as soon as you run it.
You will still be able to use ntl bb if you were to only meet 2 or 3 of the minimum requirement but then this would reflect in your speeds.Obviously you will be hopeing to meet all 4.

tomb123 · 13-03-2006, 23:20

i was assuming that "up to" was a cover against periods of high contention i.e. early evening, so 10mb at 9am was no problem.....

PS1 · 13-03-2006, 23:21

I find tea or coffee can usually aid in bringing out the above mentioned"rare" situations where an engineer might go above and beyond the call of duty

Russ · 13-03-2006, 23:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomb123

i was assuming that "up to" was a cover against periods of high contention i.e. early evening, so 10mb at 9am was no problem.....

Ntl (just like any other ISP) cannot guarantee you a constant speed. If you feel you are not getting what you are paying for then that's a matter for you to take up with ntl.

Reading this site should tell you that some people feel unhappy with the performances of their service - at the same token there are people who are happy with it, and I'm one of them.

You need to decide for yourself and not listen to what others say. This site has 2 speed tests, so you should be able to make an informed decision for yourself.

And a note to anyone thinking of turning this thread in to another bitchfest about ntl's 10meg service - don't. There are enough threads here to do that on without hijacking this one.

tomb123 · 14-03-2006, 10:29

PS1, "Ntl s latest installation software(V3) will carry out all (4 i think) required tests as soon as you run it. You will still be able to use ntl bb if you were to only meet 2 or 3 of the minimum requirement but then this would reflect in your speeds.Obviously you will be hopeing to meet all 4.

"

I was hoping to avoid using NTL's software as my router will be linked to the cable modem rather than my Mac. Would I be better off using the software and connecting directly to test it out forst before involving my router? Is the engineer likely to be happy to sit around while I run these tests and fix any problems, or will he want to shoot off as soon as the line is installed?

handyman · 14-03-2006, 10:44

Nope I'm sure some one will post the address required to register the cable modem. I've not had the requisite amount of coffee to remember where the thread is

the very best thing about ntl is that every modem has ethernet onboard and since its not a router it passes your ip straight to your router making port forwarding a doddle.

14-03-2006, 10:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomb123

<snip>I was hoping to avoid using NTL's software as my router will be linked to the cable modem rather than my Mac. Would I be better off using the software and connecting directly to test it out forst before involving my router? Is the engineer likely to be happy to sit around while I run these tests and fix any problems, or will he want to shoot off as soon as the line is installed?

for installation without the CD have a look here

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/forum/article.php?a=13

personally I would get the connection working before introducing the router into the equation, the installer is not obliged to offer any assistance with the computer side of things, unless you are in an area that provides 'managed installs' for an extra fee.

tomb123 · 14-03-2006, 20:18

thanks for the advice so far.

going off at a tangent here, but i noticed someone on another thread talking about remote access. Is it possible to remotely access equipment hooked up to an NTL cable modem from elsewhere, e.g. pick up files or view a webcam. I'd assumed not without a static IP address and I've not asked for one (not sure if they are available from NTL?). If this is possible what happens if the modem drops its connection, could you restart it remotely?