Going broadband . . .

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Ray Baldwin - 26 Jun 2004 02:01 GMT

Howdy all,

As is usually the case, the more one looks into something the more
one finds about the pros and cons. What I'd like to do is walk into
a friendly computer shop and say "I want one of those, please . . ."
and then go home and be a happy little Vegemite forever after. Is
this possible with changing to broadband? I'd like to hear of
sincere recommendations for ISPs, plans and ethernet ADSL modem (and
where to get it) for an eMac 256/60GB Combo. In Sydney - mostly for
downloading legal documents and some music. I've been told the
Netcomm NB 1300+4 modem is a good unit. Anyone willing to offer
alternative suggestions on all of the above. Thanks.

Ray.

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kennyNOSP@kannicomm.com.au - 26 Jun 2004 03:22 GMT

> Howdy all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Ray.

I've just changed to Exetel 256/64 which is $25 for a gigabyte (more
than sufficient for me). Works fine. I'll probaby go portable with
Unwired for $35 when they come to Erskineville though.

Kenny

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Ian - 27 Jun 2004 02:16 GMT

> I've just changed to Exetel 256/64 which is $25 for a gigabyte (more
> than sufficient for me). Works fine. I'll probaby go portable with
> Unwired for $35 when they come to Erskineville though.
>
> Kenny

After reading your post, I checked the Exetel website for their ADSL plans
and they seem too good to be true, I'm seriously thinking of churning over to them
when my TPG contract runs out in a few months time.

There cheapest plan is:
256K for $25/month
1GB included downloads (free downloads midnight to 8am)
Additional downloads at $4/GB
15 email addresses (each with 20MB storage)
60MB webspace

Plus they also credit your account for each referral that connects with them and
if you refer 10 people they will upgrade your connection to 512K for 6 months
at no extra cost.
Man, that's awesome, there's gotta be catch.

Anyone else use Exetel, what are your thoughts?

Cheers
Ian

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woodsie - 26 Jun 2004 03:54 GMT

>Howdy all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
>Ray.

http://bc.whirlpool.net.au

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Nikki - 26 Jun 2004 13:58 GMT

> Howdy all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Ray.

Hi Ray

I'm in my first month with Internode: 12gb a month @ 256/60 (then
shaped) for $50 month. Using a D-Link DSL-300G from DIY Computers Bondi
Junk, which cost $145 (Internode will supply you with a pre-configured
one for only twice the price, but you will avoid the buggering around).
Also thrown in is 50MB of webspace and 5 emails, which looks like
blaablaa@internode.on.net so far so good, speed is fine (around 25Kbs)
and stable. Couldn't be more pleased, and running costs of the whole
thing are about the same as my dial-up+phone-calls.

Haven't needed to use their support, so can't comment on that.

Good luck.

Nikki

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Ray Baldwin - 27 Jun 2004 06:03 GMT

> > Howdy all,
> >
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
>
> Nikki

Thanks for all the responses . . . and Woodsie, that bc.whirlpool site you
suggested was actually the cause for my confusion. A fantastic resource
but I read too much, including the yays and nays in the users' comments
sections at the bottom of some of the linked sites. Which brings me back
to this place which, as shown, almost always comes up with solid advice
without all the hype. I can't see me ever getting close to 12GB p/mth
download, Nikki (a pity they didn't have a mid-range plan), so will
probably look a bit closer at that (too-good-to-be-true?) Exetel mob to
see if there's any holes in their $25 offer.

On the matter of the modem, I was getting the feeling that if I used a
modem with an ethernet connection (as opposed to USB), the computer would
automatically deal with the configuration. Almost there! Thanks again.

Ray.

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Nikki - 27 Jun 2004 14:14 GMT

> > > Howdy all,
> > >
[quoted text clipped - 43 lines]
>
> Ray.

Hi Ray,

Pardon me if you know this ... the DSL modem is a different kettle of
fish, if mine is anything to go by. The settings (like a/c, username
and password) are stored in the modem itself, not in some kind of prefs
file in the Mac. So you configure the thing using your browser (I
poited mine to http:10.1.1.1 ) and there is all was, a
software/hardware setup within the modem, which I tweaked from the Mac.
So the Mac doesn't handle the www connection, the modem does that (like
a gateway) and the Mac tunes in via the ethernet connection.
Incidentally I have a hub that links my three Macs and I haven't
managed to get the 2 non-OSX Macs to connect to the www yet.

BTW, you won't believe how quickly I got through my first 12gb, but
then I am a serious usenet hog. Good luck anyway. Give a shout if you
need anything.

Nikki

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Bill Dixon - 28 Jun 2004 00:18 GMT

On 27/6/04 11:14 PM, in article 270620042315019627%user@ccount.dot, "Nikki"
<user@ccount.dot> wrote:

Nikki Wrote:

> Incidentally I have a hub that links my three Macs and I haven't
> managed to get the 2 non-OSX Macs to connect to the www yet.

Hi Nikki,

The connection to put a non-OSX Mac on the Web is relatively simple:

Chooser -> AppleTalk
Control Panels -> Appletalk -> Ethernet
Control Panels -> TCT/IP -> Ethernet -> using DHCP server

If you go:
Control Panels -> Filesharing and also Program linking
Chooser -> Appleshare -> [select OS X computer or other non OSX]
you will be able to mount the other computer's hard disk on
your desktop.

To mount the non-OSX hds on the OS X desktop:
Go -> Connect to server -> [select non OS X computer} ->
Connect
[password} -> Connect

This will give you a fully functioning network

Hope this helps.

Bill Dixon

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woodsie - 28 Jun 2004 03:20 GMT

> . . . and Woodsie, that bc.whirlpool site you
>suggested was actually the cause for my confusion. A fantastic resource
>but I read too much, <SNIP>

it's like that when u first jump on but u get use to the mountain of info,
plus there's some experienced & smart people there.

Internode and iinet are very popular providers but nothing beats cable (as
other say). dialup really is pointless now.

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Ribfeast - 28 Jun 2004 08:03 GMT

For that price I'd be questioning their speeds, during peak times it may bog
down etc. But you never know, they could be fine. I'm with Internode
myself, seems quick at all times. My friend at work on SwiftDSL/Swifttel
seems to get slower speeds than me on the same sites often even though he is
also on a 1.5Mbit connection.

On 27/6/04 3:03 PM, in article 40DE550E.347F100A@tig.com.au, "Ray Baldwin"
<rayzon@tig.com.au> wrote:

> Thanks for all the responses . . . and Woodsie, that bc.whirlpool site you
> suggested was actually the cause for my confusion. A fantastic resource
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> modem with an ethernet connection (as opposed to USB), the computer would
> automatically deal with the configuration. Almost there! Thanks again.

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Geoffrey - 28 Jun 2004 10:29 GMT

> Howdy all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Ray.

Geoffrey

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Currawong - 28 Jun 2004 11:12 GMT

> Howdy all,
>
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Ray.

Contact Internode. The MD is a regular feature of Whirlpool and owns a
G5. I've met some of their senior people, and I have only good things
to say, and only had good experiences.

Amos

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Mac Forum / Country Specific / Australian Mac Group / June 2004

Going broadband . . .