COMPUTERS, THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY

[Stanley]

I always switch my router off with the computer. Should I be leaving it on permanently?

[Pluggy]

I always switch my router off with the computer. Should I be leaving it on permanently?

ISPs generally recommend you leave them turned on. I would generally follow that advice (I leave mine on, because I have a little server running permanently, and the rest of my mob want internet at all times on their computers) but if you're on your own and you're happy with the routers start up time I can't see any good reason to leave it on.

[Stanley]

Thanks for that Pluggy, it has always worked OK so I'll carry on switching it off when I'm not using it.

[Big Kev]

5 hours wasted yesterday. Waited in all afternoon and no sign of an engineer. What a load of old s........

[Bradders Bluesinger]

Re: Routers......
I have BT Broadband , and not long after it was installed , I went away on holiday . I switched it off , and on my return the download speed had sunk to 128kb ! ...It took nearly a week of calls to India and elsewhere to get it reinstated...
When it happened a second time, I vowed to leave it on constantly .....and I have !

[PanBiker]

Very unusual for BT that Kev. Once a slot is booked it is normally cast in stone. It should not really make any difference that the visit was booked at the behest of your ISP. BT like the Gas Board is often much maligned for it's level of service, I have never experienced this and have never received anything less than exemplary service when required. It will be interesting to see what they say when they turn up. Ask when the service slot was booked, it could be Orange saying one thing and doing another.

[catgate]

Very unusual for BT that Kev. Once a slot is booked it is normally cast in stone.

Either you have been very lucky or you have relatives in the compant.

[PanBiker]

I don't have relatives in the company and I don't think luck has anything to do with it. As I say, with all my dealings with them over the years I have had nothing but good service. It may be down to the way you approach them, I don't know. I do think though that if you have a permanent downer or a preconception to expect rubbish service you will probably find fault no matter how they perform.

[Big Kev]

I don't believe anything Orange Customer Service tell me, I only went with them because of the original connection speed offered. I think that one the exchange upgrade is complete, and BT offer the 24MB service, I'll be cancelling Orange.

[PanBiker]

I'm with Talk Talk at the moment who took over from Tiscali. They have their own kit at the exchange and I get 17Mbps solid so no reason to move. Their dealings with BT on my behalf when I had the line problem were good once I had convinced the first line support that I knew what I was talking about and was escalated to a real tech who could appreciate what I was saying. That's the crux, get past the script readers and you are generally home and dry.

[Big Kev]

I was dealing with "Tier 3" support, at Orange. I had a call at 8:30 Friday evening to tell me about the engineer visit...

[PanBiker]

Tier one must be dire then, that's all I can say Kev. Ask the BT engineer when he eventually arrives when the call was booked.

[Big Kev]

Tier one must be dire then, that's all I can say Kev. Ask the BT engineer when he eventually arrives when the call was booked.

Will do

[Stanley]

Ian relays my experience with both BT and Orange. I think that when he does come Kev you'll find you are a victim of the dreaded three cornered conversation. Whenever I had control of a project I banned them. You should have been given the number and allowed to make your own arrangements. Waiting for the man to come is crap and once more I sympathise but that doesn't do much good. If it was me I'd be ringing BT and finding out what their version is, as it stands you can't even be sure an appointment has been made.

[Big Kev]

Ian relays my experience with both BT and Orange. I think that when he does come Kev you'll find you are a victim of the dreaded three cornered conversation. Whenever I had control of a project I banned them. You should have been given the number and allowed to make your own arrangements. Waiting for the man to come is crap and once more I sympathise but that doesn't do much good. If it was me I'd be ringing BT and finding out what their version is, as it stands you can't even be sure an appointment has been made.

Unfortunately, as I'm not a BT customer, they won't talk to me.

[Stanley]

Kev, that illustrates one of the reasons why I have separate suppliers and refuse to take a contract even though it is cheaper. I am still a customer of BT and so have the right to talk to them about my line.

[Big Kev]

BT engineer has been, fitted a fancy new socket still no titernet though. There's another, wider, fault with some Orange customers not being able to open web pages. BT says it's Orange and Orange say it's BT. We'll see how they get on. There was a fix applied yesterday, apparently, but it didn't resolve it for all those affected.

Needless to say, I'm not a happy bunny.

[Stanley]

Kev, once again, commiserations! It makes you wonder how many customers Orange have lost. If this all stems back to removing their own equipment and relying on BT it doesn't say much for the decision. Roll on March or whenever!

[Pluggy]

My sister in law has been making tentative positive noises this morning. Maybe they've found the issue.....

[Big Kev]

My sister in law has been making tentative positive noises this morning. Maybe they've found the issue.....

Orange told me that BT would be applying a fix to resolve the issue. It will definitely be working this morning, they have 90 minutes left to sort it...

[Pluggy]

Nope, she spoke too soon, still playing silly beggars.........

[Tardis]

Blackberry messenger upgrade yesterday, and a reboot

Now I have app error 523, and no other bit of the phone works

[Big Kev]

Nope, she spoke too soon, still playing silly beggars.........

Same here...

[Tizer]

Does Barnoldswick come within the area covered by `Broadband 4 the Rural North'?

[Pluggy]

Does Barnoldswick come within the area covered by `Broadband 4 the Rural North'?

Short answer - no. Its further north from here. Its the 'sticks' area around Lancaster and further north into Cumbria. Some very remote areas up there.