Broadband via STB

[gunner45]

When I was at a relative's home yesterday in Walton on Thames (KT12 post code), I noticed that his Samsung STB appears to be providing broadband internet as well. I'm not familiar with this arrangement: as an ex-Cable London/Telewest customer, I've always had separate cables for TV and internet.

Is this a hangover from ntl? If so, are there any advantages to keeping with just a STB?

[moaningmags]

Both NTL and Telewest used to supply broadband through the set top boxes.
The advantage at the time was they also gave you a wireless access point at a time when wireless wasn't really offered.
Now though I think it's more a disadvantage as our broadband speeds get higher and higher. The Telewest ones were restricted to 1Mb, while the NTL can go as high as 6Mb.

[AndyCambs]

I thought it was only provided to the ex-C&W networks?
I had it - but when I had the V+ installed I asked if they could change to SACM and they were most happy to oblige. (Did initially change the billing as there was a separate charge for internet, but now it's all back on the one bill.)
As far as I am aware, it's no longer an option, and I believe VM would prefer all to change to SACM only - but someone might correct me on that...

[MovedGoalPosts]

Walton on Thames would have been ex Cable & Wireless ex Nynex.

Broadband via Set Top Box, never had a wireless option. You'd still have needed a separate router. In the initial days of cable digital TV and broadband the shared box seemed like a good idea. However the stand alone cable modem is now much to be preferred and indeed that is the only option now available to all new broadband connections.

[gunner45]

Originally Posted by moaningmags

Now though I think it's more a disadvantage as our broadband speeds get higher and higher. The Telewest ones were restricted to 1Mb, while the NTL can go as high as 6Mb.

I had heard that the broadband performance was limited. Was this due to some technical limitation of the built-in cable modem or the shared cable?

[Sambora]

Originally Posted by Rob

Broadband via Set Top Box, never had a wireless option.

Not correct. The Telewest version very definitely did have a wireless option. It consisted of Netgear device with heavily modified firmware.

Originally Posted by gunner45

I had heard that the broadband performance was limited. Was this due to some technical limitation of the built-in cable modem or the shared cable?

In the NTL Pace boxes the CPU had to service both the Cable Modem and do all the TV stuff so performance was pretty poor due to the CPU.

Later dual CPU TV boxes in NTL were better but then originally had the ethernet port locked to 10Mbits/sec so were useless when 10Meg was introduced.

[moaningmags]

Originally Posted by Rob

Walton on Thames would have been ex Cable & Wireless ex Nynex.

Broadband via Set Top Box, never had a wireless option. You'd still have needed a separate router. In the initial days of cable digital TV and broadband the shared box seemed like a good idea. However the stand alone cable modem is now much to be preferred and indeed that is the only option now available to all new broadband connections.

Ex-Telewest had wireless through a wireless access point connected to the set top box and usb dongle or pcmcia card giving the customer a Telewest ip addy and not the 192 ip range.
Only used WEP encryption though, so nowadays not very secure and yes we're trying to get everyone moved to a modem as it's a lot better.

[Northeast_user]

Had BB through NTL STB for the first few years and it was bloody terrible. Never had a wireless option and would think that if it did the speed would have been worse. Always disconnecting and I was on the phone to them every week.