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I bet you guys get topics like this all the time, but I'm looking for a bit of advice now my town's getting connected on the 10th December (woo!). I live around 150-300m away from the exchange, and I'm currently with AOL on a fixed monthly rate.
Basically, I'm looking for a broadband service which provides a deal that is compatable with Xbox Live, uses ADSL (so I can be on the phone at the same time) and is 512Kbs or higher. So what are the best deals and what are you guys most pleased with?
I'll be doing my own research too, but nothing beats good old consumer advice/opinion.
Basically, I'm looking for a broadband service which provides a deal that is compatable with Xbox Live, uses ADSL (so I can be on the phone at the same time) and is 512Kbs or higher. So what are the best deals and what are you guys most pleased with?
I'll be doing my own research too, but nothing beats good old consumer advice/opinion.
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Maverick42 wrote:
> Wow! Looks like Pipex do 1mbs for just £28.93 a month!
>
> I'll be going with them then :D
No its £33.99. The £28.93 is execulding VAT so add 17.5% onto that. I pay £28.95 a month for 1Mb from Pipex :D. Signed up early when they were doing it for £28.95, got it at that price for another 11 months.
> Wow! Looks like Pipex do 1mbs for just £28.93 a month!
>
> I'll be going with them then :D
No its £33.99. The £28.93 is execulding VAT so add 17.5% onto that. I pay £28.95 a month for 1Mb from Pipex :D. Signed up early when they were doing it for £28.95, got it at that price for another 11 months.
Wow! Looks like Pipex do 1mbs for just £28.93 a month!
I'll be going with them then :D
I'll be going with them then :D
I assume if I want two computers, telephone and xbox live to be used simultaneously I'll want a 4-Port ADSL router? I'm looking at some 11mbs ones - what does that mean? Obviously I won't have an 11mbs broadband connection..
Thanks a lot.
I think I'll hunt around for a good value 1mbs service. So far Nildram are looking good at £33.40 per month.
I think I'll hunt around for a good value 1mbs service. So far Nildram are looking good at £33.40 per month.
Maverick42 wrote:
> Ah right then.
>
> I thought you needed a router as well as you broadband modem but
> obviously not. I might get one though, so I can put both my upstairs
> and downstairs computers on broadband. If I did that then, would I
> therefore be able to have two computers on broadband while playing
> Xbox Live and having someone talking on the phone?
Yes, but dont forget that if some one is downloading off the internet and your playing XBox Live your going to be seriously lagged and will probably find it unplayable. If there just surfing then that would be ok, but XBox Live needs alot more bandwidth than a normal PC online game.
A router usually contains a ADSL modem. Make sure it does as some do not, but those are cheap ones. The router is like a mini computer that connects to the internet. Keeps your internet up and running all the time. If you have 2 computers, one up and one down then have you thought about wireless? Otherwise you need to run a CAT5 cable from the router to the upstairs PC.
> And what does maximum contention mean?
It means that basically worst case situation your sharing you 512K line with 50 people. But at the moment I have never heard of this being the case and no matter what time of the day you should have full 512K or 1Mb depending on the service. Basically they have it contended as otherwise it would be considered a leased line and you would be paying a ton more. In the future BT may start contending people once alot of the UK is on broadband and when we all have 8Mb connections. But for the time being 50:1 is standard for home connections. You could go business and get 20:1 but your going to be paying double or triple what it is for a home connection.
> Ah right then.
>
> I thought you needed a router as well as you broadband modem but
> obviously not. I might get one though, so I can put both my upstairs
> and downstairs computers on broadband. If I did that then, would I
> therefore be able to have two computers on broadband while playing
> Xbox Live and having someone talking on the phone?
Yes, but dont forget that if some one is downloading off the internet and your playing XBox Live your going to be seriously lagged and will probably find it unplayable. If there just surfing then that would be ok, but XBox Live needs alot more bandwidth than a normal PC online game.
A router usually contains a ADSL modem. Make sure it does as some do not, but those are cheap ones. The router is like a mini computer that connects to the internet. Keeps your internet up and running all the time. If you have 2 computers, one up and one down then have you thought about wireless? Otherwise you need to run a CAT5 cable from the router to the upstairs PC.
> And what does maximum contention mean?
It means that basically worst case situation your sharing you 512K line with 50 people. But at the moment I have never heard of this being the case and no matter what time of the day you should have full 512K or 1Mb depending on the service. Basically they have it contended as otherwise it would be considered a leased line and you would be paying a ton more. In the future BT may start contending people once alot of the UK is on broadband and when we all have 8Mb connections. But for the time being 50:1 is standard for home connections. You could go business and get 20:1 but your going to be paying double or triple what it is for a home connection.
Ah right then.
I thought you needed a router as well as you broadband modem but obviously not. I might get one though, so I can put both my upstairs and downstairs computers on broadband. If I did that then, would I therefore be able to have two computers on broadband while playing Xbox Live and having someone talking on the phone?
And what does maximum contention mean?
I thought you needed a router as well as you broadband modem but obviously not. I might get one though, so I can put both my upstairs and downstairs computers on broadband. If I did that then, would I therefore be able to have two computers on broadband while playing Xbox Live and having someone talking on the phone?
And what does maximum contention mean?
Maverick42 wrote:
> Hmm.
>
> Perhaps BT Yahoo might be the best choice then.
Why?
You can choose any ADSL ISP. Loads to choose from look at www.adslguide.org.uk
Its not hard to share a connection with the XBox. You can do it with a modem or with a router. Most ADSL packages offer a free modem or you have to buy one. Some ISPs allow you not to get a modem and get your own hardware. If you want to share more than 1 computer for example a computer in your room and one downstairs then a router will be better as you can each have the connection and it doesnt relie on the other computer being on.
With a modem you need to share the internet via the PC and via is network card. Easy to do as its a few click in a property window and its done. But the computer has to be on. Ok if your sharing XBox Live. I use a modem and share XBox live, well use to as I dont bother with XBox live anymore.
If you have the money and dont have to get a modem with the ADSL package then you might want a router, they are a little harder to set up if you know nothing about it.
> Hmm.
>
> Perhaps BT Yahoo might be the best choice then.
Why?
You can choose any ADSL ISP. Loads to choose from look at www.adslguide.org.uk
Its not hard to share a connection with the XBox. You can do it with a modem or with a router. Most ADSL packages offer a free modem or you have to buy one. Some ISPs allow you not to get a modem and get your own hardware. If you want to share more than 1 computer for example a computer in your room and one downstairs then a router will be better as you can each have the connection and it doesnt relie on the other computer being on.
With a modem you need to share the internet via the PC and via is network card. Easy to do as its a few click in a property window and its done. But the computer has to be on. Ok if your sharing XBox Live. I use a modem and share XBox live, well use to as I dont bother with XBox live anymore.
If you have the money and dont have to get a modem with the ADSL package then you might want a router, they are a little harder to set up if you know nothing about it.
Hmm.
Perhaps BT Yahoo might be the best choice then.
Perhaps BT Yahoo might be the best choice then.
Maverick42 wrote:
> I didn't think NTL required a router?
>
> Can you tell me any cheap ones?
You want be able to get NTL as thats cable. ADSL is different and this is what your getting on December 10th as thats the phone exchange which is getting upgraded.
You dont need a Router. You can use a modem if you wish. A router includes a modem and will keep connected all the time its switched on and will have built in ethernet ports(usually 4) this allows you to share the ADSL with 4 devices. Now if you get a modem as part of the ADSL package then getting a Router is pointless unless you need 2 or more things permantly connected.
With XBox Live its easy to get a crossover cable stick one end into a PC and the other into the XBox. PC needs to be on to use it.
Now if you dont get a modem with the ADSL package it may be worth getting a Router, but these are a good £70 for a decent one maybe up to £150 depending on if you want wireless built in.
> I didn't think NTL required a router?
>
> Can you tell me any cheap ones?
You want be able to get NTL as thats cable. ADSL is different and this is what your getting on December 10th as thats the phone exchange which is getting upgraded.
You dont need a Router. You can use a modem if you wish. A router includes a modem and will keep connected all the time its switched on and will have built in ethernet ports(usually 4) this allows you to share the ADSL with 4 devices. Now if you get a modem as part of the ADSL package then getting a Router is pointless unless you need 2 or more things permantly connected.
With XBox Live its easy to get a crossover cable stick one end into a PC and the other into the XBox. PC needs to be on to use it.
Now if you dont get a modem with the ADSL package it may be worth getting a Router, but these are a good £70 for a decent one maybe up to £150 depending on if you want wireless built in.
I didn't think NTL required a router?
Can you tell me any cheap ones?
Can you tell me any cheap ones?
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