Cable Modem install from ntl.

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old.Ricard00

Guest
I'm getting cable internet acces installed on thursday by ntl. Has anyone got any suggestions as to how to ensure all goes smoothly?

I've read so much about so few getting bad installs done that i just want to be sure!

Cheers!
 
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old.AnDy^GUN^

Guest
Buy a big shotgun and leave it on show :))

Just kidding but its more down to luck. In general the installers are pretty good but thats all they do; install.
Ask them for any other information and you may as well just talk to the cat.

The best advice I can give is to make em a nice cup of tea and keep your fingers crossed for good results.

Best of luck.

AnDy.
 
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bids

Guest
Andy's right about the installation - done in about half an hour at my home, but then I asked what happens next and I got the classic 'Dunno mate - we only do the cabling' !

Make sure you've got the intro kit from NTL. Mine still hasn't arrived after having it installed in January !

After the guys installed, I connected the cable modem, and after about half an hour it became live. Logged in using IE and the NTL registration page appeared. Well cool me thinks. However, you need a code number to get it going, which should come with the welcome pack. No problem me thinks - give NTL support a ring. After FOUR HOURS on the telephone (no exaggeration there !) I finally got this number and ever since the service has been A1. Pings of 20-40 on game servers and the web runs like billio.

Conclusion: NTL cable modem rocks, but if you have to ring them for anything, be prepared to wait for up to an hour to talk to someone, and then be passed between numerous different departments.

Hope my experince helps.

Cheers

Bids.
 
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old.Ricard00

Guest
Thx

Thx guys for your advice.

The kettle will be on and waiting for them. Hopefully by tomorrow lunch time i'll be able to post here at lightening speed!!!!!
 
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Perplex

Guest
lol, I think his lack of response says it all.

Scenario a) Install went fine, cabmod registered fine, couldn't believe the speed he was pr0ning at and spent all day/night at wanking. He's now in intensive care having 1st degree friction burns treated

or

b) it didn't get installed properly and he's now sitting there..well fucked off

[Edited by Perplex on 01-03-01 at 22:33]
 
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old.AnDy^GUN^

Guest
Ha Ha.....if my experience is anything to go by he is still on the phone trying to get to speak to an intelligent human being who knows what they are talking about.
 
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old.Farty Penguin

Guest
NTL and Linux

Guy who works for me at work phoned up many, many times about his phone and TV. Basically he forgot to pay his bill, they cut him off and he phoned in and kicked off. After about the 30th call he ended up speaking to the call centre manager who gave him CM free for 6 months along with all the channels and free line rental.

When I left him yesterday he was on the phone to the CCM's mobile organising them to re cable his home the next day to sort out the noise problem he had. Lesson learned - no matter what your problem, kick off. When you get through to the supervisor ask for their supervisor shortly afterwards, the phrase:
"Can I speak to your supervisor please, you're not paid enough to deal with the sh*t I'm about to give out." ...normally does the trick quite quickly.

Back to my question... Has anyone got the service working through Linux yet? I'd rather use the USB option (because my NIC is connected to other comps to whom I'm proxy) but I could always install a 2nd NIC if needs must.

Cheers,

Farty Penguin
 
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Perplex

Guest
Re: NTL and Linux

Originally posted by Farty Penguin
"Can I speak to your supervisor please, you're not paid enough to deal with the sh*t I'm about to give out."
Click to expand...

lol, that's brilliant. I'll have to remember it for the next time I have to call Vodafone, Nokia, NTL, BT etc
 
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old.Vectrex

Guest
Just remember that it's generally (read as 'always') not the fault of the person you're shouting at and they'll give you whatever you want to get rid of you. Free cable for 6 months costs these companies bugger all, so they'll happily give it to you if it keeps you happy. It's hardly the same thing, but I'm a trainer at pizza hut (I'm student alright, no piss taking :) and we train people just to give them what they want - if you make enough noise (usually a whimper is enough) they'll give you your meal free, unless your blatantly taking the piss (in that case we'll point you towards the door :). When I have customers moaning at me about whatever and it's not my fault I just explain to them that it's not my fault but I'll do my best to sort it out. It keeps them onside with you so they don't give you as much hassle.

That's all totally irrelevant to the conversation really, but I've written it now. :)

Dave
 
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old.Ricard00

Guest
Well, my forearms are nto huge and the friction burns didn't develop.

Here's my story.

The cable layer came round as planned (an AM install arriving at 12:30 and leaving at 1:50! Surely that's a PM install!). He laid the cable into the spare room and tested the signal. When I say he *tested* the signal what he actually did was plug a meter int he end of the coax and looked blankly at the read out. He then phoned a mate to confirm all was well. I could hear both sides of the conversation and my guy was told to get the signal up over 30, as high as possible.

He bumped it up to 16 in the cab. Great start.

This guy trots off and I register my MAC address. This goes swimmingly, so I think. The lady I speak to informs me tyhat she can't do that but will pass it on to the relevant people who will call me when ready. An hour later I'm still not locked on. I call customer support back again and this time I'm told that it hasn't been registered but that thye'll do it immediately. She registers it while I'm on the phone and I lock on! Hooray.

Half way through chcking my works email (IMAP servers, don't you know!) the signal drops off and I'm phukt.

I call customer services (free) who put me through to Cable support. Cable support get me to check the signal levels using the 192.168.10.1 or what ever. Turns out my signal to noise ratio should be double what it actually is. They inform me that they'll book a techie to visit me.

I called Customer services my self and booked a techie (luckily a m8 answered the phone at the call centre (bizarre coincidence!). My m8 just trusted my word and booked a techie to do the work I specified to him.

The techie was due on tuesday PM (another half day off work!). He turns up about 4:30pm. I explain that I'm an IT tech by trade and that I have some ideal readings that the CM should be getting. He explains that he knows nothing at all about CMs but if he needs to he'll call a colleague for info. He waits while I dial up to the net and get him the readings and then he checks the signal which is way too high!!!! The cab is only 20 feet from my house.

The guy phones his mate and asks which attenuator he should stick on the back of the CM. He does the biz, waits for it to lock on and even lets me play a round of Counter Strike before leaving ensuring that I'm happy. He even added that if there were anymore probs he'd make sure he came out to sort them.

I've now got a CM fitted and working. Now I've just got to wait for ntl to upgrade the Middlesbrough PoP so I get decent access at peak times!

There ya go, hope you find this fascinating.

Thanks for the help, lads.

Any further experiences please post!
 
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Testin da Cable

Guest
Re: NTL and Linux

Originally posted by Farty Penguin

Back to my question... Has anyone got the service working through Linux yet? I'd rather use the USB option (because my NIC is connected to other comps to whom I'm proxy) but I could always install a 2nd NIC if needs must.

Cheers,

Farty Penguin
Click to expand...


I have.
To elaborate: I run several linux and BSD boxen connected to a chello cable modem.

two things:

-if they give you a static IP number it's a piece of pie.
-if on the other hand it turns out to be dynamic, be prepared to work on it a bit. Although the majority of the DHCP servers out there don't give a toss what os the client runs/what DHCP client it is using there are some that are very unfriendly :(

Good Luck !

-tdc

PS. great that all is cool now Ricard00 :D
 
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old.DavyB

Guest
Im getting my CM installed on Wednesday... :)

Welll i hope
 
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old.GateKeeper

Guest
Using 2 NIC's is better as then U can use NAT and afirewall which alot better than a poxy proxy! This is cos NAT works at the network level not the application level like a proxy.

I run an NTL CM though an openbsd Linux gateway and it runs sweet

GAtekeeper
 
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old.wlkjl

Guest
NTL cable modem vs phone modem conflict

Any body know how to install the cable modem software while a telephone modem is connected? Netscape gloms onto the dialup connection.
 
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granny

Guest
I didn't need any cable modem software. Got mine installed yesterday and after some teething trouble (my PC didn't like the USB connection so I had to switch it t the ethernet card connection then wait 2 hours for the IP to be released or summit). Just plug it in, when it's live run the internet connection wizard and tell it you connect through a LAN. If it doesn't work check you have it set to obtain IP and DNS aitomatically.

/GrannY
 
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old.wlkjl

Guest
Thanx granny

I only feel a little like an idiot. It went smoothly once I made a lan connection per your post. Why does not NTL tell you to do this?

OK, that takes care of the desktop. I also have a Commpaq 1200 laptop that I would like to connect via USB. Any advice there?
 
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granny

Guest
Re: Thanx granny

Originally posted by wlkjl
Why does not NTL tell you to do this?
Click to expand...

Not entirely sure about that but I think it's something to do with the fact that they're FUCKWITS :p

/GrannY
 
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bids

Guest
Have to agree with Granny.
Couple of w/ends ago, my NTL cable modem went down. After FOUR SOLID HOURS on the phone, I rang their Head Offices and unloaded into a sales type person. Mucho apologies later, they said they would credit me £15, send a letter of apology, and try to sort something out with their 'Customer Support' (complete misnomer !).

As at now, I have not received my NTL welcome pack (from January !), I have received no letter, and no £15 credit.
Can't be arsed to ring 'em again, as I have more important things to do than spend hours on the phone. OFTel are my next target ;)

IMHO, NTL have the worst customer service I have EVER come across (I have been in IT 20 years, and have dealt with the IBM's, Compaq's, Microsoft's, PC World's, etc customer service, so I know crap service when I see it !)

Only saving grace is that the cable modem service is absolutely brill (when it works !).
 
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