Where to GO?
After a fair bit of evaluation of the different routes for devices on the GO! network, these are what I feel the PROs and CONs are.
1) Sony Ericsson W25 Router
A very stable router. Much higher sensitivity to the HSDPA signals and very consistent connection. I seriously recommend this router IF you are mostly using this for home. The advantages for this are:
PROs:
a) Acts as internet gateway, easy to setup and has consistent constant connection (dependent on area) with the option of upgrading the signal reception using an external antennae (if DST can test the approve the kit). I have already researched the available kits out there and sent the possible solutions to low signal areas to them. Its up to them to test and see if they want to include the kits as an option or part of package.
b) Built-in stealth ports for easy plug and play setup.
c) Has 4 10/100 ports built in for local LAN and wireless router built in for immediate wireless LAN.
d) Has phone jack for using your wireless line for phone
CONs:
a) Needs AC power. The router seems to have an option for a battery setup but I'm not sure if that is really for that purpose (i.e. or are the pins for something else?)
b) Built-in ports are not really customisable. There are options for port forwarding but applications like torrent applications doesnt seem to work through this.
2) BandRich Bandluxe C120 USB Modem
PROs:
a) Mobile. Bring your connection everywhere.
CONs:
a) Inconsistent connections IF you are using it as part of a permanent home network. I have mine set up with a spare mac-mini to share the internet connection out to the other computers on my network. Inconsistent connection means inconsistent slow torrent downloads. Some people have been saying theirs is fast and consistent.. good for them. Mine has been very inconsistent and slow with torrents. The initial downloads when you start are good.. then everything slows down.. This could be most likely due to the network architecture itself rather than the modem but I have been getting better performance with the router during my tests. This morning.. it took about 30-40 retries to get my line going..
b) A bit more difficult to setup than the router.
c) No firewall/modem configuration controls.
At the end of the day... Espeed still seems a necessary part of the equation for now. There are always inherent advantages to a hardwired internet connection. However, I've been told Ericsson is working hard with DST to optimise things for us (told you they were better). I'll be waiting.
Back to the devices.. go for router if you can. Its worth it. Unless you really want a mobile internet service... then get the USB modem. PS. Parents should subscribe to the Student Packages for their children at home (hint hint). I wish I could but I can't :(
PPS: http downloads is FAST.. just a problem with torrents...
1) Sony Ericsson W25 Router
A very stable router. Much higher sensitivity to the HSDPA signals and very consistent connection. I seriously recommend this router IF you are mostly using this for home. The advantages for this are:
PROs:
a) Acts as internet gateway, easy to setup and has consistent constant connection (dependent on area) with the option of upgrading the signal reception using an external antennae (if DST can test the approve the kit). I have already researched the available kits out there and sent the possible solutions to low signal areas to them. Its up to them to test and see if they want to include the kits as an option or part of package.
b) Built-in stealth ports for easy plug and play setup.
c) Has 4 10/100 ports built in for local LAN and wireless router built in for immediate wireless LAN.
d) Has phone jack for using your wireless line for phone
CONs:
a) Needs AC power. The router seems to have an option for a battery setup but I'm not sure if that is really for that purpose (i.e. or are the pins for something else?)
b) Built-in ports are not really customisable. There are options for port forwarding but applications like torrent applications doesnt seem to work through this.
2) BandRich Bandluxe C120 USB Modem
PROs:
a) Mobile. Bring your connection everywhere.
CONs:
a) Inconsistent connections IF you are using it as part of a permanent home network. I have mine set up with a spare mac-mini to share the internet connection out to the other computers on my network. Inconsistent connection means inconsistent slow torrent downloads. Some people have been saying theirs is fast and consistent.. good for them. Mine has been very inconsistent and slow with torrents. The initial downloads when you start are good.. then everything slows down.. This could be most likely due to the network architecture itself rather than the modem but I have been getting better performance with the router during my tests. This morning.. it took about 30-40 retries to get my line going..
b) A bit more difficult to setup than the router.
c) No firewall/modem configuration controls.
At the end of the day... Espeed still seems a necessary part of the equation for now. There are always inherent advantages to a hardwired internet connection. However, I've been told Ericsson is working hard with DST to optimise things for us (told you they were better). I'll be waiting.
Back to the devices.. go for router if you can. Its worth it. Unless you really want a mobile internet service... then get the USB modem. PS. Parents should subscribe to the Student Packages for their children at home (hint hint). I wish I could but I can't :(
PPS: http downloads is FAST.. just a problem with torrents...
posted by David at
5/26/2008 12:02:00 PM
5 Comments:
It is not the router nor the modem's fault. It is obvious that DST is packet shaping torrent / p2p data which is very common in many countries which prevents users from hogging bandwidth. I'm not sure if Zoom is also packetshaping. I know E-speed is allowing P2P data through. Direct download is not a problem as it uses normal http protocol. I noticed ftp download speed is also degrading.
Furthermore, DST is, either not-knowingly or purposely, blocking VPN's GRE protol or pptp (tunneling) service. VPN service (paid service) would help you speed up torrents.
I'm very much dissapointed in Go! Torrents is throttled and bandwidth is just unreliable... at times it is crawling at ~5kbps from 100kbps... way to go GO!.
Yup. Could very well be the case. Telbru just release a new package today.. starting $88 for both hardwire and wireless..
Looks like things are just heating up. Personally, I'd be happy with a 3.5 mbit hardwired line for $88.. dont really care about the wireless bit. Let's hope that Telbru begins to start taking things more seriously.
Same here. Hoping that TelBru will improve their infrastructure, i.e., upgrading the decades old copper lines, so we get better ADSL service. Yep, a dedicated 3.5mbit would be very nice.
DST is not delivering what it has advertised. I'm moving back to e-speed and probably go for that OMNI package.
I still have my old espeed line as backup.. I'm reluctant to move to Zoom yet because to date, I've not heard a single good thing about it. I'll wait and see. I guess that's one of the reasons why I'm against these silly 3-4 year contracts.. The only way I would sign up for a contract is if they provide something more tangible in terms of consideration.. at the moment, a modem or a router isnt quite there. A laptop, maybe, I'd consider.. but I already have way too many computers..
I'd advise a wait and see strategy for now.. unless of course espeed decided to give us 3.5mbits on all lines.. :) hint hint.
DST do not packet shape (according to them anyway:) )
Torrent does work with the W25 although it is not that fast, this is an issue with the W25 and is fixed in the latest firmware (version R11A).
The problem is that both Go and Zoom have masive stability issues and do not work very often, when they do they are very slow (my average speed on Go for HTTP trafic is 400kbps). I know that DST do admit that there are issues and are in the process of upgrading to resolve thier problems.
Chatting to a Zoom engineer he said that the product does not work very well but he did not know when it would.
Neither are worth getting at the moment until they are more stable.
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