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Is BT infinity any good in this area?


Tom-C

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My friend and I are moving into a flat on Peckham Rye. He wants to bring his BT infinity package with him from his old flat and Im wondering if the broadband service is any good. Does anyone use them in this are and can offer an opinion on how good they are regarding broadband speed?


Thanks in advance.


Tom.

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BT Infinity is the fibre to the cabinet service - it is available in ED (at least, I have it) and provides faster up and downloads than ADSL (over copper pair). The last link is over copper. It will need to be installed by BT - you cannot self-install.


I have found the service to be reliable (give or take) and quite fast - speeds deteriorate significantly if you use wireless connectivity around the house - via ethernet it is as advertised (pretty well). I use Infinity 2.


Depending on the package, Infinity offers 'true' unlimited usage.


Good news, regarding BT - is that all support services are over 0800 numbers (i.e. free to call from landlines) and in general helpful. I have had to use it very rarely for the Infinity Service - there was a local outage in ED about 5 months ago - cleared in an hour or so. All I have to remember to do every so often (once a month or less) is to re-set the two modems that are given with the service - and that's more a matter of good housekeeping than necessity. Most of my problems have been with my own equipment (software, wireles hardware) and not with the network broadband service. I tend to work 'always-on' which isn't ideal, which is why problems build. I have had up to 7 or 8 bits of kit using the service simulataneously (I have family) - no real problems with that amount of connectivity.

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I have recently recieved a letter from BT informing me they are changing me over to BT Infinity

whether I want it or not.


Having had numerous Cold calls from BT on the matter I had some questions for BT reguarding certain facilities

that I would require. Not being able to answer my question I was put through to their Technical Department. ??

They could not help me either.


The Question I have is will I be able to use Port Forwading as I have an Iomega Home Cloud, Apache Server, and also

want to set up remote Camera Security Surveilance.

All of these require Ports to be opened up on the Router as I can on my present set up.


Any advice would be welcome.



Foxy

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Foxy


If you already have a BT supplied service and are using a BT HomeHub (as described) you probably have already done the necessary to set-up your ports. The underlying network (fibre - Infinity, or copper - ADSL) should not impact your configuration (they are just dumb pipes) - the ports are literally doorways through your own security system (firewall) which is provided by the HumeHub. There is a second modem involved with BT Infinity - but that, I think, is just a modem (it alters the signal - MOdulates/DEModulates it) - your firewall and security is in the HomeHub. There is 'intelligence' at the exchange end of your network (for ADSL what are known as line-cards - I think fibre has its own line cards) - but these are not associated with security or access into your private domain.

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DulwichFox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> All of these require Ports to be opened up on the

> Router as I can on my present set up.

>

> Any advice would be welcome.

>

>

> Foxy


Yes, the latest version of the homehub, will both open ports in the built in firewall and give Port Forwarding Options - latest model homehub v3 on infinity. Settings > Advanced Settings > Port Forwarding > Firewall. That said I've seen some people report on the BT forums difficulties getting the settings to work but as you're technical that may not be an issue. Worked fine for me when I temporarily needed to open up a port for a ftp operation.

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Thank you right-clicking. for usefull link.


Penguin68..


I have BT ADSL service. I use my own Belkin (BT ready) Wireless Router..


I am supplied by 2W Copper.


I worked in Telecoms for 40 years but never worked with ADSL Line cards.

Although I understand they are just connected at the exchange with 2-wire jumpers.


BT infinity uses VDSL andthe line cards are connected by co-axial digital jumpers.. (2Mbt ?)


I have spoken to technical staff at BT. on several occasions. I have had them call me back.

Some suggest the copper 2 wire stays.. and others say No it will be Fibre to my door. (right up to the Hub)

Cannot see how they could supply Fibre to my hub.


My 2 wire is supplied via Pole to the upstairs and the internal wiring reappears downstairs at the

other end of the house. No idea what route it takes but all wiring concealed.


Do not want the hassel of having to re-wire.


I'm happy to stay as I am but BT are saying the old ADSL will soon be discontinued.

It is very slow 2.6 Mbts/s download 0.9 Mbts/s upload.

but does not compact on my usage.


I can remember 56k home use..


In the old days modems worked at 1,200 baud. 1.2k and even as low as 110 baud.



Foxy.

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Foxy


BT should supply the HomeHub with the service (it's quite good) - Infinity comes with 2 boxes - modem/ router/ firewall and a separate modem to handle fibre. I would be quite surprised if you are offered FTTC (fibre to the curb) - I had thought fibre to the cabinet (with copper drop wires) was still standard in ED. Where is your Master socket? That is also changed out when Infinity is installed. Or it was with mine. The service is taken from the master socket direct to the (first) modem.



Because of the regulatory separation the network connectivity is installed by BT Openreach (the supplier to all retail services, BT and competitor) and the Infinity service by, I guess, BT Retail. Hence I think the reason for what is, in effect, 2 modems. When mine was initially installed the BB worked fine, but the voice connection was down - that was simply fixed (jumpering in the cabinet), but it's worth checking- the Openreach guy just checked the data speeds initially, I picked up for dial tone.


Compared with what you say you're getting, Infinity is blisteringly fast - but I was getting 8Mgb (up to 16) on ADSL2.


Amended to say, ADSL2

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I get BT infinity next to Goose Green with TalkTalk as my service provider. My connection was terrible before (still TalkTalk) and this costs me 10 quid a month more (so my bills are 30 quid per month). The service is a lot faster and more reliable, but still seems to conk out every Sunday (and on some other days) by loosing speed and sometimes dropping out altogether.


I would expect they have oversold it in this area and so there are too many users trying to use the same bandwith at the same time.


I had hoped for better, but all telecoms companies seem to promise the earth until you are their customer and then they don't seem all that concerned if you are unhappy enough to leave and go to a competitor. The fundamental problem is they pay their sales teams for attracting new customers rather than anything else, so keeping current customers happy is always lower on their business priorities. For the long term it's not a very good strategy...

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...in the end we went with O2 broadband as got ?5 rebate for being a O2 Mobile customer, ?100 m&s voucher. + ?100 quidco cashback. Ok only getting. 11 Meg line but often speed you experience is depending on what you are connecting to.
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If you live in forest hill exchange area you may be able to get on BT's trial for fibre. To the premises. Trial giving you 120 Morgan download speed, also available via plusnet but not others including sky talktalk as far as I know.
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Im with Sky Fibre who use BT infinity cabinets but give totally unlimited (No FAP) and dont have ridiculous contract rules like BT that say you will be charged extra if you don't make a phone call on the landline each month. Who uses a landline anymore?!


I get consistently 40/10Mbps but my line is capable of 85/28Mbps. It would cost an extra ?10pm to get maximum speed but 40/10 is more than enough :)

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