Internet Help Thread

[ioiiooio]

Hi NAG forumites, looking for some advice on a new internet connection.

Budget: R200(min) - R400(max) per month.

Min. 2GB cap. And a high speed connection.

No phone lines installed, current residence could change at any time.

No internal modem on PC.

I have looked at the NeoTel packages and I was interested in the NeoTel Prime package. Although I?m not particularly interested in their voice call services (can?t they have packages that provide internet only ? at a reduced price?) they definitely looked like a good option - considering they are a wireless service. Unfortunately there is no coverage in my area. NeoTel cannot give me a time frame for when I can expect coverage in my area, so I imagine it could be anywhere from a week to a year.

So what alternative do I have? I?m hoping for something that isn?t going to cost a lot with initial setup. i.e Modems are around R2000? And I imagine Installation fees for new phone lines etc are quite costly.

I wouldn?t mind going for iBurst or something similar, for the time being.

I do not want anything which involves a contract, considering I would most probably move to NeoTel in the future ? unless someone can give me a better, cost-effective, long term alternative

[ioiiooio]

PS. I was lookng at the NeoConnect Prime 2.5G which includes:

2.5GB cap

1000 free on-net minutes - (what does that mean if my 1000 minutes are used up and I'm browsing, but not downlaoding, it actually charges me for the time I'm connected? Thats retarded.)

50 Free on-net sms (Um, don't care)

Device Charge.

and NeoMail - Basic.


Okay, so if I look at this price guide:

http://mybroadband.co.za/news/ADSL/7903.html

Then I basically have two choices (I have taken the lowest price in each category)

Nashua Mobile: R263,20 for 1GB DSL 384 connection

Or

Cybersmart: R648,20 for 3GB DSL 4 Mbps.

All above prices include Line Rental @ R124,20

First problem is I don’t know the difference between DSL 384 and DSL 4 Mbps?

Second problem with this price guide is that 1GB is too small for me, and that looks like a mighty high price for 1GB cap. Another problem is I don’t really need 3GB, and R650 is waaaay too much for me.

Third problem is I will probably still need to get a quote from Telkom to have lines installed – not to mention I might not be living here in the next month/year. Plus I will need to purchase a Modem, and at +- R2000 even though I have the cash this is a very hard pill to swallow, and puts me off immediately.

So theres ADSL out of the question.

So I’m going to have to go for a temporary solution.

I’m looking for a wireless network, something like iBurst – but without the subscription/contract. I will be using it primarily for browsing, if I can play games then great but it’s not crucial. Something that is not too costly with regards to buying the equipment etc. because this is a temporary solution. I will most likely move to NeoTel when I can get coverage – but I simply can’t wait for them to “Let me know” when I’ll get coverage. I'm also hoping for a better alternative than NeoTel, so far their packages seem to have all these unnecessary extras I don't want/need - but they are my only High-Speed wireless alternative. Getting an internet connection right now is an absolute necessity and I need to have at least applied by the end of the month.

[Wanbalans]

If you are able to get it without contract you will still be forced to buy the wireless device as the contract will subsidise it. Wireless modems/access devices (if you get it from iburst) costs over R2000.

[Azraphael]

I've just had telkom install and the installation fee was in the region of R460. I am on a 2 year contract and paying R710 p/m for a 4mb line with a 3 gig cap. I know MWEB were running a pretty good speacial for R200 p/m (384 kb line with 2 gig cap I think). As for your concerns regarding not wanting a line installed due to moving or whatever, I rent my house and had the same concerns, and telkom have assured me that when I move there will be no cost installing in a new place. Also if you tell telkom you are doing self-install you will also receive a discount.

[Wanbalans]

I've just had telkom install and the installation fee was in the region of R460. I am on a 2 year contract and paying R710 p/m for a 4mb line with a 3 gig cap. I know MWEB were running a pretty good speacial for R200 p/m (384 kb line with 2 gig cap I think). As for your concerns regarding not wanting a line installed due to moving or whatever, I rent my house and had the same concerns, and telkom have assured me that when I move there will be no cost installing in a new place. Also if you tell telkom you are doing self-install you will also receive a discount.

If telkom does not charge you if you move then i think the option below will be helpfull

If you are only going to use it for browsing, a 384 line will be best and cheapest, i think it costs around 150pm for this.
As for the cap, nexus has got quite good deals on where you can get 2gb cap + 28gb local for R160 pm. Which brings the monthly cost to around R310.
you can get a decent netgear router for R1100 from take2.


The only reason that the cybersmart price you have there is so expensive is because you get 4mb/s line, which is the fastest line you get from telkom atm

You dont have to sign a contract with telkom, you can do it on a month to month basis, as you do not have a telephone line at your house it may take a while for them to come and install it

The special mweb has got on atm is a 1gig 384 con for R145, but its only for 6 months. thereafter it is R200 again

[ioiiooio]

Thanks for the input so far guys.

Looking at the Mweb site here:

http://www.mweb.co.za/productsservices/InternetAccess/InternetAcccessADSLPricing/tabid/142/Default.aspx

Then I would go for the shaped ADSL 384 Kbps with 1gig cap @ R145 p/month. This includes a router-modem (do I still need to get an internal modem for my PC?).

I can always boost 1gig if need be @ R99, which keeps me within my budget and also means I won’t be paying for cap that I don’t end up using, first time using my own internet connection so not entirely sure how much I’ll use on average.

I’m told that with this offer I basically sign up for the six months @ R145 p/month. After the six months I may/may not renew my subscription on a month to month basis @ R199 p/month. Sounds good to me.

This seems like the best option so far since it includes the modem and there are no setup fees, all that remains is getting Telkom to install a line. Also only major bummer is i won't be gaming online any time soon - but it appears such a luxury is well out of my price range.

Has anyone got any better ideas?

[Wanbalans]

I still dont get what Mweb means with the folowing ... 1 Gig and 2 Gig options exclude a standard Internet dial-up connection

The special they got on that you are talking about costs R199pm, the R145 special is only available ont the month to month package

[ioiiooio]

*sigh* This is all too much for my brain.

I realised that I didn't add the R120 rental fee for telkom. Which means R145 for Mweb (incl inst.) plus line rental brings it pretty much on par with Nashua's 1gb deal.

So I decided to phone Nashua. Does fee include installation? No, it is a self installation. Does fee include modem? Yes. So all I need is to add rental fee onto your fee? No, R139 includes line rental.

Is this guy confused or is it me?

[Azraphael]

The MWEB deal I mentioned earlier includes line rental


Also only major bummer is i won't be gaming online any time soon - but it appears such a luxury is well out of my price range

You would be surprised, for the first month or 2 I was only using my adsl for gaming and I was only using half my cap. I've discovered that gaming itself isn't that heavy on cap, but updates and the like are. My folks have the entry level 384 kb line, and playing online wasn't completely horrible, sure FPSs weren't great but Forza 2 ran fine.

[Wanbalans]

the mweb one includes line rental, im just not sure what they mean when they say

1 Gig and 2 Gig options exclude a standard Internet dial-up connection

The instalation is quite simple, you just need your username and password from the isp, and a tiny bit about routers

[ioiiooio]

Actually it's definitely this guy whose confused. If I get ADSL through Mweb/Nashua I will get one bill from them for my ADSL; I will then get a second, seperate, bill from Telkom for my line rental. So it is therefore impossible for the Nashua/Mweb fee to include line rental. So Mweb still wins cos their fee includes installation. Although I haven't checked what nashua's booster prices are...

[ioiiooio]

Ah kak, excuse me guys. Browsing from my phone. So I can confirm those prices include line rental, how is that possible if I'm recieving two seperate bills?

[ioiiooio]

@ wanbalans.

I phoned Mweb and they say if you have a 3gig or above then you may use a Dial-up connection, if you like, free of charge. If you are on 1gig or 2gig then you have to pay R40 if you want to use dial-up.

[Wesley]

Hi NAG forumites, looking for some advice on a new internet connection.

Budget: R200(min) - R400(max) per month.

Min. 2GB cap. And a high speed connection.

No phone lines installed, current residence could change at any time.

No internal modem on PC.

I have looked at the NeoTel packages and I was interested in the NeoTel Prime package. Although I’m not particularly interested in their voice call services (can’t they have packages that provide internet only – at a reduced price?) they definitely looked like a good option - considering they are a wireless service. Unfortunately there is no coverage in my area. NeoTel cannot give me a time frame for when I can expect coverage in my area, so I imagine it could be anywhere from a week to a year.

So what alternative do I have? I’m hoping for something that isn’t going to cost a lot with initial setup. i.e Modems are around R2000? And I imagine Installation fees for new phone lines etc are quite costly.

I wouldn’t mind going for iBurst or something similar, for the time being.

I do not want anything which involves a contract.

Okay, based on what you've given me, here's what I can recommend:

First things first, go see how much it is to install a landline in your residence. Prices differ from region to region, so go check it out at your local post office first.

Then, assess when you would like to be able to use the net. Do you prefer ADSL online all day, or would something that only allows you to surf and play online after work hours?

With that in mind, here's what I have for you:

Semi-shaped ADSL Prepaid through Axxess (http://www.axxess.co.za/prepaid.php)

While this doesn't cover the cost of monthly Telkom line rental, I assume its not going to be much more than R140 a month. With that in mind, the 4GB prepaid package is probably your best value for money. Adding to the fact that semi-shaped helps with your speeds, its also not a contractual setup, just like you asked. However, the speed you will be operating at depends entirely on your line speed, and if you do not use up all your cap at the end of the month, its gone forever.

Next is Axxes' 626 ADSL offer (http://www.axxess.co.za/adsl626.php). The gist of it is that your internet is only open for browsing from 6pm to 6am daily, and all day through weekends. Price-wise, its very affordable. Again, taking the line rental into account, you will be able to afford the 5GB package, again on a prepaid basis. The benefit of the 626 service is that once you buy cap, you have the chance to use it up within 12 months. Note that for both of these packages, you have to get an ADSL/phone line line installed.

Another option that you can use in conjunction with both packages is WiMax (http://www.axxess.co.za/wimax.php), a relatively new internet wireless standard. For R240/m, you have copperless ADSL, with a much more stable throughput and download/upload speed. It hasn't reached the heights its currently enjoying in Europe and America, but its way better than 3G.

On the subject of 3G, avoid it. Its still ridiculously expensive, and if you read JP's article on NAG Online, the out of bundle data rates are daylight robbery. Even the price per gig is astonishing (and not in a good way either).

ADSL routers also aren't that expensive, you could buy one for about R600 and it'd serve you well. Wireless versions cost about R1200.

[ioiiooio]

The 626 seems perfect for me. Have you got a link for that R600 modem?

[Wesley]

The 626 seems perfect for me. Have you got a link for that R600 modem?

Dammit, now I have to find it again :-P

Intellinet ADSL2+ Broadband Modem Router @ R608 (http://www.take2.co.za/electronics-intellinet-adsl2-broadband-modem-router-4356782.html)

Its a pity Netgear products aren't cheaper (http://www.take2.co.za/electronics-netgear-dg834g-wireless-adsl-router--switch-3437942.html), they are such quality builds :-"

[Chevron]

Ah kak, excuse me guys. Browsing from my phone. So I can confirm those prices include line rental, how is that possible if I'm recieving two seperate bills?

With adsl the telephone line rental and adsl line rental are separate. It's R110 for a normal phone line and an extra R152 per month for 384k. So when the packages say they include line rental they are talking about the adsl part. Not the standard phone line part.

[Wesley]

With adsl the telephone line rental and adsl line rental are separate. It's R110 for a normal phone line and an extra R152 per month for 384k. So when the packages say they include line rental they are talking about the adsl part. Not the standard phone line part.

Yeah, this is true. Don't you think the ADSL line rental price per month should have come down by now? Its still the same relative price it was 2 years ago. And because there isn't a perceived difference between ADSL 384Kb/s and ADSL 512Kb/s, why charge more than double the price?

[Chevron]

Yeah, this is true. Don't you think the ADSL line rental price per month should have come down by now? Its still the same relative price it was 2 years ago. And because there isn't a perceived difference between ADSL 384Kb/s and ADSL 512Kb/s, why charge more than double the price?

Because it's telkom. The slower the speed, the more people they can squeeze in per exchange.

[Wesley]

Because it's telkom. The slower the speed, the more people they can squeeze in per exchange.

I ****ing wish AT+T and cable-delivered internet would come to this damn country. That Seacom line is going to be mighty useful, but not for long considering our monopoly.

[ioiiooio]

Telkoms ADSL rental prices make me cry. But I think I may still go the AXXESS route, I mean unshaped 384kpbps has got to be better than shaped 384kbps, right? In that case even if it does work out slightly more expensive – at least I’m getting unshaped at a good rate.

In any case things have changed slightly, and I have a few questions.

I’ve spoken to my landlord and he says he would also like to get a phone line and ADSL and he agreed that he would share the cost.

It appears there are phone lines coming to the house but they will need to be “sorted out”, I’m not sure if this will cost the same as an installation, but anyways what I want to know is:

Is it possible to have two separate routers with different accounts (possibly even different service providers) on the same line? – a line that has been split into different paths around the property. We want to get our own routers so that when I move on we can each keep our own routers. I imagine he will want to keep things simple and will most likely go for the Mweb type of contracts where they install everything for you. I’m quite happy to set up my own system, but don’t want to set his system up in case of problems – could become a pain in the butt every time his computer stuffs out.

I also need to know, once the phone line is installed, how do I go about turning it into an ADSL line? Is it really that simple? Would it be possible for him to have a 384 line, while I have a 4mb line? Is it possible to only pay for an ADSL rental and leave out the phone line rental altogether?

Say for instance he gets an Mweb connection at 4mbps, and I get an AXXESS connection and I want to get a 384kbps ADSL line from Telkom. Would it be possible for him to pay for the phone line rental (because he’ll be using the phone) while I simply pay for my ADSL rental?

Thanks in advance. I could always just ask Telkom about these things but they're generally unreliable. For instance when I phoned them to check pricing on installation I explained I wanted ADSL, they “forgot” to mention the ADSL rental fee – that is if you don’t ask, they won’t tell.

[Azraphael]

First off, if he wants a 4mb line and you want the 384 line, you will require 2 seperate lines. Secondly, and I stand to be corrected on this, as far as I know it's only one router per line. If you are worried about him having access to your files and that just assign permissions and what not. The R460 that I mentioned earlier is to have the phone line converted for ADSL, however check with telkom and tell them you will do self install (saving yourself a once off fee of R500). The previous tennant in my house had an adsl line, telkom even confirmed it, but they still made me pay the R460 to "re-activate" it so just double check with them. If 2 of you are gonna use it I would take the same bundle I've got which is 4mb line with 3gb cap @ R710 pm all incl. Seeing as you dont want the phone line let him pay for that and divide the rest in half, you end up paying R300 p/m. Through telkom you can get top up bundles at R145 per 2gb.

[ioiiooio]

I'm really not keen on sharing an account. He has two sons, one of about 16 and the other is my friend, about 24. They're not very tech savvy and I can guarantee they will be on youtube all the time - so no way in hell I'm sharing cap with them.

Another alternative would be for him to get a semi-shaped account with Axxess, and I will get the 626 account. We can share a router and ADSL line rental, but we'll have seperate accounts. Could work?

[Azraphael]

I am not too familiar with the Axxess products, I did look into them but found their interest in new clients sorely lacking. If you get a bandwidth monitor you can see how much they have viewed online. I feel your pain as far as wanting to be online but having to factor in landlords, it can be a real pain in the sphincter

[Wesley]

Another alternative would be for him to get a semi-shaped account with Axxess, and I will get the 626 account. We can share a router and ADSL line rental, but we'll have seperate accounts. Could work?

Yes, this will be the ideal solution. Your landlord will just have to learn how to log onto the router and change account details when he wants to use the internet during the day. Then he can get whatever account he wants, and you can go with Axxess 626. You'll just have to agree on sharing times and what not, since your account permits you only on after six, its your right to use the router as much as you want after 6pm. He can use it during the day, which should be more than enough time for him.

You can probably google for guides on how to install an ADSL line in your house, but since you mentioned that Telkom said the wiring was a mess, perhaps your landlord should share the charge of installation with you. Do you know how to set the rest up, like assigning IP addresses and subnets and the whole tooty?

By the way, since your landlord will be sharing the line rental, why not get a full-fat 4Mb/s line installed? It'll only be R220/month for both of you, and the speed is amazing. Since your landlord is going to sort out his own account, this is a win-win situation for both of you ^_^

[Chevron]

If you set the router to bridged mode you each "dial up" using your own accounts. Keeping everything nice and simple.

[Azraphael]

Something else that just popped into my head. My previous landlord works for Telkom and when I spoke to him he told me something that was quite interesting that Telkom doesn't tell you when you apply. If you live more than 2 kms from the nearest exchange rather go for the 512kb line as the drop off on a 4 mb line will essentially leave you with a 512 mb line and only when traffic on that exchange is low will your line speed get much higher. I myself have noticed this as I am about 1 km from the exchange where as one of my friends is literally across the road from it and there is a slight speed difference between the 2 of us, not much but it is noticeable some times.

[Wesley]

Something else that just popped into my head. My previous landlord works for Telkom and when I spoke to him he told me something that was quite interesting that Telkom doesn't tell you when you apply. If you live more than 2 kms from the nearest exchange rather go for the 512kb line as the drop off on a 4 mb line will essentially leave you with a 512 mb line and only when traffic on that exchange is low will your line speed get much higher. I myself have noticed this as I am about 1 km from the exchange where as one of my friends is literally across the road from it and there is a slight speed difference between the 2 of us, not much but it is noticeable some times.

Yes it is true, but Telkom stresses this on its website. Also, when too many users are on the line, your speed drops by 36Kb/s every 5 minutes untill the traffic has settled down. This wont affect many 384Kb/s lines, since the lowest Telkom can go is 256Kb/s speed until things are clear. Still, if you look at the price you'll be paying for sharing a 512Kb/s line, and the price you'll be paying for a 4Mb/s line, an extra R80 or so a month is definitely worth it.

[ioiiooio]

Yes, this will be the ideal solution. Your landlord will just have to learn how to log onto the router and change account details when he wants to use the internet during the day. Then he can get whatever account he wants, and you can go with Axxess 626. You'll just have to agree on sharing times and what not, since your account permits you only on after six, its your right to use the router as much as you want after 6pm. He can use it during the day, which should be more than enough time for him.

Unfortunately that is not quite ideal, since his sons will most likely want to use it at night time. My mate has a Wii and is a Graphic designer, like myself, so I know for sure he will want to use it regularly.


You can probably google for guides on how to install an ADSL line in your house, but since you mentioned that Telkom said the wiring was a mess, perhaps your landlord should share the charge of installation with you. Do you know how to set the rest up, like assigning IP addresses and subnets and the whole tooty?

I think I?ll let Telkom handle the ADSL line installation. As for setting up IP?s etc; I don?t know anything of that sort, but I imagine it can?t be rocket science and I could do it with a bit of instruction.


By the way, since your landlord will be sharing the line rental, why not get a full-fat 4Mb/s line installed? It'll only be R220/month for both of you, and the speed is amazing. Since your landlord is going to sort out his own account, this is a win-win situation for both of you ^_^

I hope he will agree to getting a 4mb/s line, that would be win, but if he would rather save on costs and get a 384kb/s then it still works out and will mean we both save a lot, and Axxess price per gig is pretty much unmatched as far as I can see.


If you set the router to bridged mode you each "dial up" using your own accounts. Keeping everything nice and simple.

Would I need a special router for this? Is it relatively easy to do? I?m not a complete noob so I?m sure if theres a guide somewhere I should be able to do it.

If worst comes to worst I?ll have to pay a techie to do it.


Something else that just popped into my head. My previous landlord works for Telkom and when I spoke to him he told me something that was quite interesting that Telkom doesn't tell you when you apply. If you live more than 2 kms from the nearest exchange rather go for the 512kb line as the drop off on a 4 mb line will essentially leave you with a 512 mb line and only when traffic on that exchange is low will your line speed get much higher. I myself have noticed this as I am about 1 km from the exchange where as one of my friends is literally across the road from it and there is a slight speed difference between the 2 of us, not much but it is noticeable some times.

I imagine Telkom will be able to tell me where my nearest exchange is.

So, to tie up a few loose ends (and I don?t expect you to answer these if you can?t ? Telkom should be able to help from here):

1) We will need to pay Telkom to install our lines.
2) We will need to pay Telkom again to convert these lines for ADSL
3) We will pay +- R120 for phone line
4) We will pay for our ADSL line rental (Prices vary according to line speed. Determine where the nearest exchange point is before finalizing which speed to get)

So our lines are installed and ADSL ready, now:

5) We need to buy a router
6) We need to sign up for our accounts with AXXESS
7) I will install router-modem in bridged mode (this will allow us to both log on at the same time, using separate accounts)

I think that?s about it. Only thing left is to do the math ?. and convince him we need a 4mb/s line. :D

Another question, and this is probably a whole other can of worms, but doesn?t necessarily effect my final decision: Once all has been set up, how easy would it be to disconnect my PC and plug in my Xbox instead?

Phew, thanks so much for the input so far guys, don't know what I'd do without you.

[Azraphael]

Another question, and this is probably a whole other can of worms, but doesn?t necessarily effect my final decision: Once all has been set up, how easy would it be to disconnect my PC and plug in my Xbox instead?

Phew, thanks so much for the input so far guys, don't know what I'd do without you.

The xbox was the easiest part to setup. Your router that you get should have 4 ethernet ports at least so there is no need to unplug anything. Just run another network cable to your xbox.

[Wanbalans]

Your landlord will just have to learn how to log onto the router and change account details when he wants to use the internet during the day.

There is some way of sharing one router/modem where you can have 2 or more different accounts connected at the same time. The reason for this is that you set up the username and password on each machine you want to be able to access the internet, each machine on the network can have their own adsl login details, then you just connect as if it was a dial up (except it is still the speed of adsl). Not sure which router/modem you are able to do this with as i tried doing it with a netgear but no luck

[ioiiooio]

Sorry I'm just a touch confused now. Are you saying I can't have two seperate accounts/dial-up's in bridge mode? I have googled it and some people do seem to think you can do this. The only problem is your speed will be affected somewhat, since you'll be sharing a line.

Edit: I've just noticed on the Telkom site it says:

DSL up to 1024kbps (4mbps Trial) @ R413p/m

That is if you have images disabled, but if images are enabled it says:

DSL up to 4096kbps @ R413p/m

can anyone clarify?

Edit 2: I've spoken to my Techie for work and he says it is possible to have two routers on one line, each with it's own seperate account, and we can browse at the same time.

Firtsly, I thought a router and modem were one and the same thing? Does this mean we will need to buy one modem and two routers? Or just two routers?

Do you think what he says is true? If so then I will do an ADSL self-install, once the phone lines have been installed. And then I will hire his services to get the routers setup. He says he charges R220 p/hr, which sounds fairly decent to me.

[Wesley]

There is some way of sharing one router/modem where you can have 2 or more different accounts connected at the same time. The reason for this is that you set up the username and password on each machine you want to be able to access the internet, each machine on the network can have their own adsl login details, then you just connect as if it was a dial up (except it is still the speed of adsl). Not sure which router/modem you are able to do this with as i tried doing it with a netgear but no luck

Yeah, this is called account bridging ^_^ I tried to recall the word a while ago, but then Chev mentioned it and jogged my memory. Most routers can do it, but if it cant then its not that much of a hassle to swap accounts when one person wants to log in.


Sorry I'm just a touch confused now. Are you saying I can't have two seperate accounts/dial-up's in bridge mode? I have googled it and some people do seem to think you can do this. The only problem is your speed will be affected somewhat, since you'll be sharing a line.

Account bridging is possible on some routers. Most also have to ability to save account details, so when you want to switch to another account its no big hassle. I haven't heard about the speed drop thing, I guess it depends entirely on the router in question.


Edit: I've just noticed on the Telkom site it says:

DSL up to 1024kbps (4mbps Trial) @ R413p/m

That is if you have images disabled, but if images are enabled it says:

DSL up to 4096kbps @ R413p/m

can anyone clarify?

Back when Telkom was releasing their 4Mb/s line, they offered it as a trial for those already on 1Mb/s lines to give them a glimpse of the performance on offer. The difference in images may just be a website fault, perhaps the original advertising campaign promos are still hidden within the site. However, with 4Mb/s ADSL, you are guaranteed to get speeds higher than 1Mb\s.



Edit 2: I've spoken to my Techie for work and he says it is possible to have two routers on one line, each with it's own seperate account, and we can browse at the same time.

Firtsly, I thought a router and modem were one and the same thing? Does this mean we will need to buy one modem and two routers? Or just two routers?

Yes it is possible to have two routers on one line, but its tricky to set up methinks. I haven't tried it myself, but its definitely possible. I know the company Chev works for has a method of wiring multiple ADSL lines together for up to 20Mb\s speeds, so he'll know more about this than I would.

Routers and modems are two different things, but they both work with the internet line physically. A modem is designed for use by one computer, and is commonly integrated into the motherboard or as a PCI or USB device (3G is one example for a USB device).

A router is a modem that has intelligent routing ability, enabling it to share an internet connection between as many computers as the router allows. Routers also have additional protection, such as hardware firewalls and can be set to block computers from accessing the net without a password, or in the case of wireless routers, an SSID and a router password.

I know there's an option when setting up an internet account in My Network Places to enter your account password and username, so perhaps there is a way to have one router, but two separate accounts on the computers themselves.

Looking through the manual of the router I recommended (http://assets.icintracom.com.s3.amazonaws.com/downloads/264/523998_manual.pdf), though, does not reveal whether you can set this on the router software itself or not. it doesn't even tell you how many separate accounts the router supports, in which case I can only assume it supports one account only. Therefore,the only way one can use the internet is to change the router settings to work with separate accounts when you want to use the internet, which both of you will have to learn if this is the solution you're comfortable with.

If you're worried about this, let me tell you that your landlord won't be able to get to your account password if you share a router. If you keep that knowledge to yourself, then your cap will be safe. All you will be sharing is the administrative account of the router, nothing further.

If your techie at work is willing, ask him to recommend a cheap router for you and lets see what he gives you.The Intellinet I recommended is a decent build, and offers all the options and features necessary at its price point.

[ioiiooio]

Sweet. I'll just find out from him what equipment he needs and what he recommends, then I'll run it by you. Thanks again for all the help, now just cross fingers for the 4mb/s line!

[Aesir]

It is very easy setting up 2 accounts on the same router, especially if you are using telkom routers (where I think it does it automatically). My netgear router was a bit more difficult to setup but with webafricas amazing tech support I got it. On the 2 accounts, I use webafrica and my friend uses normal telkom, he has my local account set up and uses his international telkom connection at the same time, so thats not a problem.


Account bridging is possible on some routers. Most also have to ability to save account details, so when you want to switch to another account its no big hassle. I haven't heard about the speed drop thing, I guess it depends entirely on the router in question.

If you set up bridge mode the router acts as a modem you don't set up any account info on it, it is done through the pc.
Not sure what you mean but when you are playing games there is no speed drop, there is however a drop when one is playing games and the other browsing the internet (it has led to many GET OFF THE INTERNET FFS, spats :P)

Hopefully this helps a tad.

[wir]

My dad wants to get an uncapped line - He was looking at this; http://special.openweb.co.za/

How is OpenWeb, I mean, that seems almost too good to be true.

[Chevron]

They are just reselling an is service. Axxess also have it. Why don't you check out the article i did recently on the net in sa on nag.co.za?

I haven't really heard anything regarding open web's service. If you don't wanna chance it with them, go with axxess.co.za. They even list the top downloaders on their site.

[Wesley]

My dad wants to get an uncapped line - He was looking at this; http://special.openweb.co.za/

How is OpenWeb, I mean, that seems almost too good to be true.

I would rather go with Axxess' Uncapped ADSL, because Openweb's line is remarkably similar to Axxess' 626 line, with the difference that it is super slow during the day, and only super fast after hours. Do you need uncapped ADSL? How much do you expect to use the internet to download stuff before the month ends? For most people that go on Facebook, Youtube, and download anime and stuffs, I recommend a 10GB cap, and a minimum 384kb/s line speed.

[wir]

I would rather go with Axxess' Uncapped ADSL, because Openweb's line is remarkably similar to Axxess' 626 line, with the difference that it is super slow during the day, and only super fast after hours. Do you need uncapped ADSL? How much do you expect to use the internet to download stuff before the month ends? For most people that go on Facebook, Youtube, and download anime and stuffs, I recommend a 10GB cap, and a minimum 384kb/s line speed.
Yeah, I'm rather happy as we are - running a 10gb int + 30gb local account.

My dad was just pretty ****ed when my sister used 3gb of bandwidth in single day, on the first day we had a 4mbit line. We had to top up our bandwidth 3 times.

I'll probably just try to convince him of the beauty of NetLimiter. ;)

[Wesley]

Yeah, I'm rather happy as we are - running a 10gb int + 30gb local account.

My dad was just pretty ****ed when my sister used 3gb of bandwidth in single day, on the first day we had a 4mbit line. We had to top up our bandwidth 3 times.

I'll probably just try to convince him of the beauty of NetLimiter. ;)

Bwa ha ha ha ^_^ What on earth did she use it on? If your dad's still interested, go with Axxess for uncapped ADSL, or go have a look at imaginet.co.za for their specials.

[Chevron]

I would rather go with Axxess' Uncapped ADSL, because Openweb's line is remarkably similar to Axxess' 626 line, with the difference that it is super slow during the day, and only super fast after hours. Do you need uncapped ADSL? How much do you expect to use the internet to download stuff before the month ends? For most people that go on Facebook, Youtube, and download anime and stuffs, I recommend a 10GB cap, and a minimum 384kb/s line speed.

Open web's and axxess's uncapped adsl service are precisely the same. That's why I said that they are both just reselling Internet Solution's service.

Come on Wes ;)

http://www.axxess.co.za/uncapped.php

[Wesley]

Open web's and axxess's uncapped adsl service are precisely the same. That's why I said that they are both just reselling Internet Solution's service.

Come on Wes ;)

http://www.axxess.co.za/uncapped.php

Bleh, I'm on my stupid phone, I cant check Axxess' pricing because of cookie restrictions. I do remember Axxess is the cheaper option, though.

[Chevron]

Bleh, I'm on my stupid phone, I cant check Axxess' pricing because of cookie restrictions. I do remember Axxess is the cheaper option, though.

Axxess' 384k one is cheaper but is 192 during the day.

[McDangerous]

dudes, this may sound really absolutely horrendously retarded, but i have a nashua mobile 1gb adsl account, but i don't know if i have seperate local and/or international cap... how can i check this? i can't find anything on their site.

i may have oodles of cap i'm not even aware of :)

[Wesley]

dudes, this may sound really absolutely horrendously retarded, but i have a nashua mobile 1gb adsl account, but i don't know if i have seperate local and/or international cap... how can i check this? i can't find anything on their site.

i may have oodles of cap i'm not even aware of :)

I'm afraid that your 1GB is international cap, not local. You can buy local cap to play on servers here, though. I think the going rate is...R150 for 30GB? Chev?

[wir]

Paying R130 for 30gb local at WebAfrica IS here. ;)

[Stabbity]

So, I've heard about Seacom coming here, but I also heard that the prices for internet usage won't drop by much... Is this true? If so, it is such an EPIC FAIL :-( And I thought that I might be able to actually afford internet at some point..

[Wesley]

So, I've heard about Seacom coming here, but I also heard that the prices for internet usage won't drop by much... Is this true? If so, it is such an EPIC FAIL :-( And I thought that I might be able to actually afford internet at some point..

Have you read Chev's article about Seacom (http://nag.tidemedia.co.za/?p=1521) on the NAG Online website? Let me put it in a nutshell for you:

Seacom brings more bandwidth to South Africa, and a little more speed, but not anything that will be noticeable. What most people are paying for now, e.g. R200 for 1GB ADSL, could turn into 10GB if all goes according to plan.

[XERXES]

My goodness that would be awesome!