NBN Discussion

[snabbu]

Multi-story townhouse and the NBN box and modem are on the ground floor - which all works fine (250+/20+ over 5G wifi channel). Next floor (study & bedrooms) gets patchy and top floor (main TV / Apple TV) is borderline. So I have PL adaptors to study with Ethernet port for PC plus a wifi repeater that provides decent coverage. The BW loss up the PL is about 50%+ but still better than some get out of their primary modem/router.

I‘ve pondered a mesh network but they‘re still pretty expensive as a replacement for something that’s actually working…

Yesterdays deal was an all time low for the TP-Link Mesh Router set up. I nearly pulled the trigger but like you, I don't "need" to upgrade, my D7000 is still going strong.

TP-Link Deco M5 Mesh Wi-Fi Router System (3-Pack) $159.20 Delivered @ Amazon AU

Deal: TP-Link Deco M5 Mesh Wi-Fi Router System (3-Pack) $159.20 Delivered @ Amazon AU, Store: Amazon AU, Category: Computing

www.ozbargain.com.au

 

[Buzzard]

Multi-story townhouse and the NBN box and modem are on the ground floor - which all works fine (250+/20+ over 5G wifi channel). Next floor (study & bedrooms) gets patchy and top floor (main TV / Apple TV) is borderline. So I have PL adaptors to study with Ethernet port for PC plus a wifi repeater that provides decent coverage. The BW loss up the PL is about 50%+ but still better than some get out of their primary modem/router.

I‘ve pondered a mesh network but they‘re still pretty expensive as a replacement for something that’s actually working…

I've just ordered some new PL adaptors. Will be interesting if I get more speed upstairs or have done my dough.

 

[Quickstatus]

mesh network

5G wifi channel

I would see if an Ethernet cable can be passed up to the floors

Also 5Ghz not as good as 2.4Ghz for passing through walls.

Aussiebroadband sells these Mesh routers.
Mesh routers are work best when the satellites are Ethernet back to the router

 

[SYD]

I've just ordered some new PL adaptors. Will be interesting if I get more speed upstairs or have done my dough.

They’re a relatively cheap solution to plug gaps - so long as your home electrical wiring is in good order and the GPOs you want to use talk to each other. Some experimenting might be required to work out which pairs work fastest.

But the tech is probably nearing the end of useful life. The nominal 1GB is nothing like actual BW achieved (probably closer to ~100 mps or less).

I would see if an Ethernet cable can be passed up to the floors

Yes, that’s been my next preference to replace the PL adapters after a mesh (after getting someone in to run cables, make a mess etc), it’s probably going to cost the same.

Also 5Ghz not as good as 2.4Ghz for passing through walls.

I have my device set to auto connect to the 5G channels (same SSID on both) and they roam quite well throughout the house (they don’t get stuck connected to the first one but the strongest single).

Aussiebroadband sells these Mesh routers.
Mesh routers are work best when the satellites are Ethernet back to the router

Yep, back to running up those cables. Cue Kate Bush!

 

[Buzzard]

They’re a relatively cheap solution to plug gaps - so long as your home electrical wiring is in good order and the GPOs you want to use talk to each other. Some experimenting might be required to work with pair work fastest. But the tech is probably nearing the end of useful life. The nominal 1GB is nothing like actual BW achieved (probably closer to ~100 mps or less).

I currently use a 10 year old (or there about) NetComm PL adaptor. Found this TP Link kit for $100 so thought I'd upgrade and see what happens. If no better than the 25Mbps I'm currently getting it hasn't cost me the earth to try.

 

[jb747]

If no better than the 25Mbps I'm currently getting it hasn't cost me the earth to try.

How can you live with 25 meg?

The insulation I used when building my house effectively turned it into four faraday cages. So, to overcome that I used multiple Ubiquiti access points on the ceiling, all with Cat 6 backhaul. A subsection of the network is 10G. I’d like to extend that a bit, but might make do with 2.5.

 

[VPS]

I have just purchased a Telstra wifi dongle (so can take it anyway plus it's also battery powered) and am getting speeds between 350 - 500 mbs. Amazing. Who needs NBN?

Damn I could have lent you mine - I also have a Portugese one because I forgot that it was locked and when they said it was locked I was happy to pay the $20 to unlock it but it would take 10 days

 

[marki]

Yes agree

 

[SYD]

This thread has been pretty quiet since dialup died and now 3G!

But seriously, the last 12mths have seen successive price increases on the lower end plans whilst the higher “Ultra Fast” plans have come down in price…

We’ve been with TPG for years (literally from dialup days) and a couple of years ago, I signed up to what I thought would be a Grand Fathered deal for Super Fast NBN but in the space of 12mths, they jacked the price.

Not happy Jan.

So I called up and to cut a long story short, they reverted back to what I signed up to originally.

Then this arrived tonight!



Happy Days! Well, come September.

 

[Quickstatus]

Happy Days!

Assuming your modem can handle those speeds.

But in reality most people won't notice a difference

 

[SYD]

Assuming your modem can handle those speeds.

Yes, it does. I meant to mention that I just received a modem upgrade!

But in reality most people won't notice a difference

Depends on what you’re doing. Just scrolling - not much. Downloading, much faster.

 

[Quickstatus]

Downloading, much faster.

Depends. The bottleneck is not going to be NBn last like. Likely it will be the server the other end.

For me it's the upload that is important especially when someone in the house is doing a PhD

 

[MELso]

I'm currently on 1000/50 on Leaptel for $114 per month. Come September, I'll downgrade to the 500/50 plan that will be introduced for ~$92 a month (although having said that, Exetel at $80 per month for the same speeds is looking tempting).

TPG OTOH was cheap in the early days of NBN but is now getting a bit exxy. I'd have a hunt around @SYD (and note TPG's sucky 30 day notice period when changing providers).

 

[SYD]

I'm currently on 1000/50 on Leaptel for $114 per month. Come September, I'll downgrade to the 500/50 plan that will be introduced for ~$92 a month (although having said that, Exetel at $80 per month for the same speeds is looking tempting).

TPG OTOH was cheap in the early days of NBN but is now getting a bit exxy. I'd have a hunt around @SYD (and note TPG's sucky 30 day notice period when changing providers).

I’ve negotiated ~$84 pm.

I did look around and was quite shocked how expensive even some of the lower BW plans are across the board!

 

[33kft]

For CommBank customers who have CommBank Yello rewards, it will be possible to get 3 years (for new) or 2 years (for existing) of more nbn at a discount which varied based on your yello "level". For me it is $30 off for 2 years and I'm currently on their $40 off for 12 months promo which ends this month. The new yellow discount means 100/20 currently would be $70pm and will step up to 500/50 in Sept. I am on 100/40 and waiting to see what they plan to do there as it doesn't directly map to an upgrade tier, but for $80pm I could get 250/25 which will step up to 750/50.

 

[Hvr]

My Aussie Broadband upgraded from 100/20 to 500/50. Got to love that we're finally getting the NBN we deserve.

 

[Quickstatus]

I have not noticed any difference at the higher speeds.

 

[SYD]

My Aussie Broadband upgraded from 100/20 to 500/50. Got to love that we're finally getting the NBN we deserve.

750/50 here. Noticeably faster downloading files. Probably won’t notice much difference streaming - already had decent BW.

 

[33kft]

I suspect not many people will notice anything. Handy to have for the times you need the burst (like software updates), reckon we will all have forgotten about it by end of week otherwise.

Doesn't help that most people just have a router plugged in with wifi on a congested band on one side of the house and most devices never coming near the available bandwidth.

 

[Quickstatus]

Doesn't help that most people just have a router plugged in with wifi on a congested band

Agree though No difference using Unifi to select best Wifi channel over here
I keep saying the actual speed is not the line speed to the nearest ping server but the speed to/from the actual server where the data is. Immaterial what the ping speed is.