Broadband Internet & ISP Recommendations?

I've heard fairly decent things about Zen.

I've been with O2 since Aug 09 and I haven't had a single problem. The free router they provided seems to cope with lots of bandwidth abuse.
I got 3 free months to begin with, but it looks like they've reduced that to 2 months now.

Thanks! Will check Zen & Nildram - fact - Nildram is Adrian Nildram's surname spelt backwards...

Much as I like to stick the boot into BT in this case it looks like you could possibly resolve the situation by using a different router?

I cannot see anyway that the ADSL provider is going to be able to influence the wi-fi network in your house if you do not use their router.

My suggestion would be to pick a router that Apple have tested/verified to work.

The BT home hub is shit, so no problems in binning it.

I'd probably change to Zen also, but that's just because I prefer a company with decent customer service.

I replied in another thread about this. Your Airport express must be in client mode and your network cannot use WEP authentication. You need to use WPA. Apple lie about it supporting WEP. It does but only in server mode.

I'm not using a homehub, but I am using a BT Voyager router and it's fast and reliable, and worked with the Airport Express once I'd changed the above. Shame WPA doesn't work with the Nintendo DS though.

If you try that and it still fails I hear Sky broadband are the only people that guarantee no download caps or fair use limits on their unlimited package.

i have just had broadband installed at my new place and can definitely recommend virgin media fibre-optic broadband.

i got the 20Mbps package and am actually getting 20Mbps down!! they also do a 50, but that was unnecessary for me.

My Virgin connection has trouble streaming iPlayer (not HD) at times... Grrr...

i have just had broadband installed at my new place and can definitely recommend virgin media fibre-optic broadband.

i got the 20Mbps package and am actually getting 20Mbps down!! they also do a 50, but that was unnecessary for me.

your upload is a bit shit though.
probably not an issue but i do a fair bit of FTP'ing
i'm on the new C21 thingy with Zen and get nearly 100mb's uploading, not much of a difference but it really cuts down the upload time when i'm doing gigs at a time.

100Mb at work, but at home I'm on 2Mb shared between 6 people (epic fail by previous housemates, that I'm now stuck with), so iPlayer is a distant memory.

Yeah, Virgin's upload is really limited and that 20MB will drop to 15 or 10MB if you're using it during peak (5pm-11pm). It's still great though.

your upload is a bit shit though.
probably not an issue but i do a fair bit of FTP'ing
i'm on the new C21 thingy with Zen and get nearly 100mb's uploading, not much of a difference but it really cuts down the upload time when i'm doing gigs at a time.

don't really give monkeys about upload...

Just remember you need to send data to the server to have it send stuff sent back to you..

Does the 50MB have higher upload speed?

zing!

Do you have that at home though?

I get 30 down and 19 up.

Do you have that at home though?

rumbled!

Bang. I can upload the world with that...

At home, i get about 20mb down and 1mb up.

Hijack time.

Who uses a mobile dongle?

I want to get a PAYG jobby to use my laptop out on the field, work will pay £15 per month for it.
T-Mobile?

I was borrowing a 3 3G dongle and powered box thing while waiting for Virgins to appear. Very good. Obviously depends on your 3g signal a bit though.

Like this ^

Just remember you need to send data to the server to have it send stuff sent back to you..

Does the 50MB have higher upload speed?

I think over half a megabit a second should cover sending messages to the server...

50 probably does have better upload... dunno.

I know, I use it. In reality it's fine. I just hate seeing 0.xx in speedtest.

This work adsl connection is shit.

I have a dongle with T-mobile for work and it is pants, don't bother if you don't need to. I'm on Virgin at home and it is fine now but it was a unbelieveably painful process trying to get it all set up, me and my flatmate took about 7 days off work collectively and the customer service is terrible. Avoid at all costs.

^ Really? Took me about 45mins...

Yeah, we had huge problems with Virgin, the installation was a joke, it took them 3 attempts. The customer service team based in India are uncompetent beyond belief.

For some reason I can't get onto our wireless with my macbook..any suggestions? My mates windows laptop has no problems however.

For some reason I can't get onto our wireless with my macbook..any suggestions? My mates windows laptop has no problems however.

Upgrade to Windows.