About time too!

[Neil]

ntl is constantly improving the way you enjoy your Broadband Internet service.

As part of this ongoing development, we now recommend all existing and new Broadband Internet customers connect to Broadband through the Ethernet connection on their computer not, as was previously recommended, through the USB port.

http://www.ntlworld.com/data-feeds/e...rnet/index.php

[Nemesis]

If you do use a USB port to connect Broadband to your PC, itâ₠¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢s likely a number of other devices use it too, such as your printer or web cam.

This can sometimes cause bottlenecks, when multiple devices are sending and receiving information to and from your PC. This can, on occasions, affect the speed of your Broadband connection.

Suprised they didn't link to us for any of the many posts on the subject

[Stu038]

Originally Posted by Neil

http://www.ntlworld.com/data-feeds/e...rnet/index.php

I agree, but in ntls defence the main point behind recommending USB was to make peoples installation as simple and painless as possible.

Motherboards have come with USB ports for years, but its really only recently that entry level PCs'/mobos have come with ethernet ports.

[quadplay]

It's been there for a while mate, though not heavily advertised. It's also available at the much easier to remember address of www.ntlworld.com/ethernet

[ntl customer]

Indeed, so ntl have finally woken up and smelt the moccha latte then?

[BBKing]

Presumably someone's done an analysis of the percentage of new install early life failures and calls solely to do with USB issues. Excellent news.

Of course, Ethernet is now pretty standard on motherboards, of my four computers, only one has a separate ethernet card, which is the old BSD server I have under the stairs. Mind you, two of them are laptops.

[zovat]

Originally Posted by BBKing

Presumably someone's done an analysis of the percentage of new install early life failures and calls solely to do with USB issues. Excellent news.

Of course, Ethernet is now pretty standard on motherboards, of my four computers, only one has a separate ethernet card, which is the old BSD server I have under the stairs. Mind you, two of them are laptops.

It is about time they did this - Even if your machine does now have an RJ45 connection by default - you can get they for £10 these days..

The number of times that we have had threads on this forum where the solution is "dump USB and use Ethernet" is a good indication of how many problems this causes.

Perhaps this will allow the support people to focus a little more on ongoing isssues rather than new installations where USB does not work...

Slightly OT, but I wish the rest of the Broadband industry was as forward thinking as this. So many ISPs offer a 'free' modem with their ADSL subscription only to admit in the small print that the free modem is USB only.