Broadband in the Sticks

[ExGrunt]

This here new fangled broadband is about to splutter into life on our rural exchange. When you go to the BT site and do a line check the following response is received:

Our initial test on your line indicates that you may be able to have Broadband from BT with speeds up to 512Kb, which is up to 10 times faster than dial-up. At the moment, your telephone line is unable to support our 2Mb speed broadband package. Also, due to the length of your line, an engineer visit may be required to set up your broadband service.

My Questions are:

Q1. Has anyone with with broadband up and running been in a similar position and successfully done a self install?

and/or

Q2. If an engineer is required, do you have to use BT? and, what do they do?

Thanks in advance.

EG

[All Ahead Full]

SHould not a have a problem with this - if BT can supply it your off.
Choose the best value broadband supply you can - use

http://www.adslguide.org.uk

for useful comparisions etc...

As far as a self install goes - again no problem - as all you need to do it to fit what is called a microfilter to your MAIN BT socket - which is spliter - one port goes to the normal phone, and the other goes to the ADSL modem or router.

Normally ISP give you a setup CD - with with then auto config most things.

With regard to the speed the 2Mb link is only very recent, and you may well be restricted by your distance from the main Telephone exchange, but if you have been used to modem dial-up speeds, 512Kb with be a relevation.

All the best

Phil

[IO540]

ZEN are also an excellent ISP.

Nowadays, the measure of an ISP is customer service.

[ExGrunt]

Speechless,

Thanks for your comments, they have been very useful. I have two lines and there is a box on the telephone pole outside my house which may need investigation. Equally, I was thinking of getting WG111T, but will now look elsewhere.

TVM

EG

[All Ahead Full]

I would agree that the Netgear 834 is an excellent product - incredibly easy to configure - even my Father can manage it!

As for ISP's Eclipse is good, and now offer some products giving up to 2mb for the same price as the older 512k connections

[Keef]

The key is to research the router, or modem/router, or WiFi unit before you buy.

I was lucky in that the kit I bought for here happened to be OK, and worked well together first time off.

Both my daughters had terrible trouble, and had to junk the first lot, do the research, and buy again. Number 2 still can't do MSN videoconferences because the NAT firewall in her modem/router won't allow it.

The key principles we came up with were:
1. Don't touch Belkin
2. Check online to find if the items you decide to buy are compatible with each other.