Broadband with Occasional Dialup

[Ian K]

Hi all - another .com refugee here, making his first .co.uk post.

I'm a longstanding ntl broadband consumer, having upgraded/transferred from the old free dialup service some years back.

All's fine with the broadband from my home address, but being the proud owner of a new laptop I now find myself wanting to make the occasional dialup connection from wherever I happen to be at the time.

I've tried manually setting up connections for [1263] 0845 455 0520 but this doesn't quite work for BT lines (with the 1263 prefix) or even my home ntl line (without prefix). I appear to dial into the right sort of line in each case, and handshaking things happen successfully, but I'm then immediately kicked out with an invalid password message. I'm trying to use my broadband user/account name and password, for lack of anything else to supply.

I'm running XP Pro and am medium-proficient with this sort of thing generally, but with this particular case am not sure where to go next - have tried the FAQs, Google, .co.uk archives, etc... and no joy.

Any ideas what I might be doing wrong, or can someone confirm that what I'm trying even possible (or does ntl not provide any dialup facilities for broadband customers?)?

TIA for any and all feedback,
Ian

Originally Posted by Ian K

Hi all - another .com refugee here, making his first .co.uk post.

I'm a longstanding ntl broadband consumer, having upgraded/transferred from the old free dialup service some years back.

All's fine with the broadband from my home address, but being the proud owner of a new laptop I now find myself wanting to make the occasional dialup connection from wherever I happen to be at the time.

I've tried manually setting up connections for [1263] 0845 455 0520 but this doesn't quite work for BT lines (with the 1263 prefix) or even my home ntl line (without prefix). I appear to dial into the right sort of line in each case, and handshaking things happen successfully, but I'm then immediately kicked out with an invalid password message. I'm trying to use my broadband user/account name and password, for lack of anything else to supply.

I'm running XP Pro and am medium-proficient with this sort of thing generally, but with this particular case am not sure where to go next - have tried the FAQs, Google, .co.uk archives, etc... and no joy.

Any ideas what I might be doing wrong, or can someone confirm that what I'm trying even possible (or does ntl not provide any dialup facilities for broadband customers?)?

TIA for any and all feedback,
Ian

You cant use your broadband account for dial up. Yes i know its a stupid set up but thats NTL

[basa]

Although on BB, I still have a separate dial-up (payg) account for emergencies !

However I am also an ntl phone subscriber so don't have the BT dialler problems. I don't know how even a separate dial-up account works from different phone locations or even if it's possible.

[zovat]

Originally Posted by basa

Although on BB, I still have a separate dial-up (payg) account for emergencies !

However I am also an ntl phone subscriber so don't have the BT dialler problems. I don't know how even a separate dial-up account works from different phone locations or even if it's possible.

IIRC you can have a seperate dialup with a BT line - but you need the dialup password.

If you do not have a separate dialup account (which you probably haven't anymore ) then I would look at 2 possibilities :

1) Register for a "pay as you go" dialup account (choose your own ISP )

2) Look at sharing your BB with the laptop - either a router, or using ICS in windows - this gives the extra flexibility of BB to the laptop rather than dialup.

[basa]

Originally Posted by zovat

IIRC you can have a seperate dialup with a BT line - but you need the dialup password.

If you do not have a separate dialup account (which you probably haven't anymore ) then I would look at 2 possibilities :

1) Register for a "pay as you go" dialup account (choose your own ISP )

2) Look at sharing your BB with the laptop - either a router, or using ICS in windows - this gives the extra flexibility of BB to the laptop rather than dialup.

I think what Ian is trying to achieve is accessing his BB account on his lappie via dial-up from anywhere there is a phone, not just from home ??

I don't think this is even remotely possible ??

[Ian K]

Originally Posted by zovat

IIRC you can have a seperate dialup with a BT line - but you need the dialup password.

If you do not have a separate dialup account (which you probably haven't anymore ) then I would look at 2 possibilities :

1) Register for a "pay as you go" dialup account (choose your own ISP )

2) Look at sharing your BB with the laptop - either a router, or using ICS in windows - this gives the extra flexibility of BB to the laptop rather than dialup.

Thanks to all who responded - re. lack of dialup access for the broadband account...bummer, but c'est la vie! :-)

Zovat, thanks for the sharing suggestion but been there, done that! Already have my "old" desktop PC connected to the BB via a wireless router while I access things from downstairs with the laptop. The problem's accessing things when I'm off somewhere else altogether - I'd need a very well collimated Pringles tube to access the Oxford connection from Derbyshire. :-)

Re. the "separate ntl dialup account (payg)" option - I know (I think!) this would allow me to access mail from my BB account via the POP3 server, but could I also send mail via that account? Or would that only be possible when actually logged in via BB?

TIA,
Ian

[zovat]

Originally Posted by Ian K

Thanks to all who responded - re. lack of dialup access for the broadband account...bummer, but c'est la vie! :-)

Zovat, thanks for the sharing suggestion but been there, done that! Already have my "old" desktop PC connected to the BB via a wireless router while I access things from downstairs with the laptop. The problem's accessing things when I'm off somewhere else altogether - I'd need a very well collimated Pringles tube to access the Oxford connection from Derbyshire. :-)

Fair comment

Re. the "separate ntl dialup account (payg)" option - I know (I think!) this would allow me to access mail from my BB account via the POP3 server, but could I also send mail via that account? Or would that only be possible when actually logged in via BB?

TIA,
Ian

If all else fails, you should be able to send mail from the BB account via webmail - not the most elegant of front ends - but it works (well, most of the time ) and you should be able to do that with ANY dialup service provider.


As for sending from the laptop directly - let me know what Email client you use, and I'll see if I can get you an answer....

[Ian K]

Originally Posted by zovat

If all else fails, you should be able to send mail from the BB account via webmail - not the most elegant of front ends - but it works (well, most of the time ) and you should be able to do that with ANY dialup service provider.

Good point - there's always that to fall back on. Being lazy I'd like to just carry on doing things in the same way with the same email client though, irrespective of the access method.

Originally Posted by zovat

As for sending from the laptop directly - let me know what Email client you use, and I'll see if I can get you an answer....

Thanks - I'm using Outlook 2002, although I suspect any access problems will be simple refusal of the SMTP server to accept posts for an account you're not connected through (if that makes sense). Actual configuration of the client should be easy enough (or transparent if the "Use current connection" setting's OK here).

Cheers,
Ian

[zovat]

Originally Posted by Ian K

Thanks - I'm using Outlook 2002, although I suspect any access problems will be simple refusal of the SMTP server to accept posts for an account you're not connected through (if that makes sense). Actual configuration of the client should be easy enough (or transparent if the "Use current connection" setting's OK here).

Cheers,
Ian

more than likely - it depends on whether NTL have configured their smtp servers correctly... (I just tried from here - and got cannot relay mail to <wherever> but not sure if that is because I am on a corporate network and going via a proxy...)

[Ian K]

Originally Posted by zovat

more than likely - it depends on whether NTL have configured their smtp servers correctly... (I just tried from here - and got cannot relay mail to <wherever> but not sure if that is because I am on a corporate network and going via a proxy...)

Hokay. After quite a bit of searching (they're really not pushing dialup very much, are they?) found the page where you sign up for payg, so will give it a go this evening and see how things turn out. (£50 connection fee, with a £50 discount, total cost £0 . Um, thanks, I think.)

Ta for your help with this & see you around!
Ian

[philip.j.fry]

Originally Posted by zovat

more than likely - it depends on whether NTL have configured their smtp servers correctly... (I just tried from here - and got cannot relay mail to <wherever> but not sure if that is because I am on a corporate network and going via a proxy...)

When you send a mail, you don't actually send it from an 'account', you just generate a message with your e-mail address as the sender. This is why it is so easy for spammers to fake the sending address. E.g. I can use ntl's smtp (outgoing) mail server to send mail addressed from my university mail account.

So to clarify, you will be able to send e-mails from your own account providing you have access to an smtp server, you will only be able to use the ntl smtp relay if connected to the ntl network through bb or du.

[Dooby]

yeah, SMTP servers really have nothing to do with your email account...

you use the SMTP server provided by the company you connect with.
you use the POP3 server associated with the email account you want to pick up mail for

really the SMTP server should be part of the Dial Up Networking settings ( on windows ) as that is the thing it is associated with
( ie to send mail from an NTL email account, you write a message , electronically scribble 'from me@ntlworld.com' on the back of the envelope and stick it through the nearest letterbox )

[Shaun]

Can someone point me in the direction of the Ntl 1p per min auto sign up page?

I need to set up a backup dial up account and get an e-mail addy for use here when they disconnect me on Thursday.

[Marge]

https://autoreg.autoregister.net

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by Debsy42

https://autoreg.autoregister.net

Cheers D'arlin'

Funny how the e-mail notification came through with an IP though!