Bonded ADSL Part 5 - I now have a second line :-)

As you will have gathered from the post title, the second line has now been successfully installed by BTO - it's been about 6 months coming, but glad we finally got there. Not sure really why it's taken so long, but the engineer that called round did say that there had been a number of poles and cables replaced recently in my area, and that additional cabling was required to provide enough pairs to my property to give me the second line.

Once the engineer got here, the install was painless. I've been given another of the nest Master Sockets that has a built in filter for ADSL, so no need for a trailing micro filter. The new master socket has been installed in my hallway next to the original one. Initial tests by BTO on the line were rurally good, with the sync rate sitting at around 7000kbps.

In order to get the line operating (before getting Sharedband installed) I hooked up the ADSL line to an Asus DSL-N55U modem router. It performs reasonably well, but finding that sync rate and SNR down are pretty variable right now - probably because the line is still settling out.

Next task is to get Sharedband installed and see how I get on. The equipment has arrived and I'll do another post shortly to log how I get on.

The 2 master sockets in place

The hall 'IT' cupboard mid install

As you can see from the above photo, the Sharedband gear is ready to be installed - I've even got a couple of new modems to try and ensure the system is as fast and stable as it can be (Billion 7800's).

Bonded ADSL Part 4 - Another month and still no second line !

Well here we are into April 2014, and since my last post around 4 weeks ago I still haven't got a 2nd line installed to my house. Not surprisingly BT never managed to get me an update I could believe for line install, so I cancelled the order with them altogether. After a few weeks I even managed to get the money I'd paid them refunded.

Instead I have gone with Zen to have the second line installed, and once up and running they will supply the voice & data service for it. However despite them thinking a line could be installed in 2-3 weeks, that has not been the case. BTO thought they could install by 2nd April, however as we approached this date Zen let me know that there were still 'Line Management' works going on, and that my next update would be 15th April.

So, whilst it's much better that Zen are properly tracking the line installation works, it's pretty hopeless that BTO can't seem to get the network sorted out in my area - this work looks to have been going on since the beginning of January 2014 (although details of what this work really is remains much more sketchy !).

Bonded ADSL Part 3 - BT OpenReach are a no show again !

Well despite contacting BT Retail just 2 days before my second line was to be installed (and them assuring me that all was in order for an engineer coming to my house on Friday 7th March), nobody turned up - again ! This is the second time this has happened, and when I followed it up with BT, they told me that there were line 'management' works ongoing that prevented the engineer coming to me (these will be the same line repairs that I was told about 4 weeks earlier when the engineer didn't turn up then either no doubt).

All in all a dreadful service from BT (Retail & OpenReach); I've had to take 2 days holiday so far off work to get a phone line installed, and here I am 2 months later still with no phone line. I might even understand (a bit) if this was a brand new line to my house, but it's a 2nd line so there is already a cable installed to my hallway with spare pairs etc.

So after following this latest hassle up with BT Retail (you can only speak too them via their call centre in India), I was told that a further update would be available today (11th March). I confirmed with them that I was going to be formally complaining and asked the case to be escalated, however I was informed they couldn't do this as they're not authorised (!).

I did however lodge complaints via their website & Twitter and got a call from a UK based case manager on Sunday (9th March). I was assured that BT accepted this was an awful service and that they really valued my business, blah blah. I was assured I'd have a full update by 20:00 today, so we'll see what happens.

All this is made even more annoying given that I have spoken directly to my local OpenReach manager and he's confirmed that they know nothing of my job & had never seen an order from BT Retail for my address, so it sounds very much like these companies simply aren't talking to each other. He also doesn't know what the 'line management' works are all about.

On a plus, I spoke to my existing ISP, Zen Internet, and they confirmed that they could get a line installed for me in about 2-3 weeks from order placement. I'd be dealing with a UK based ISP and they have direct contact with OpenReach. I think I'll be taking them up on their offer if BT can't sort this within a week. It's a bit more expensive with Zen, but the service is great and their ADSL speeds are far quicker & more stable than anything BT can offer. I only went with BT as I thought they'd have better links with OpenReach. Ah, hindsight.

Hopefully my next update will be a bit more upbeat & positive.

Bonded ADSL Part 2 - Sharedband Packages

Following on from my last post (part 1) you'll know that I intend to give Sharedband bonded ADSL a go for my home broadband. There are a few options available out there though and it's offered by some resellers as well as through Sharedband themselves. Below are some examples I've found.

Direct from Sharedband
The Professional Package has the following key points:

• £10 per line per month
• Static IP
• Max of 250GB data transfer (if you go Business, it's 2000GB, but £20 per line p/m)
• 14 day set-up assistance
• 30 day money back promise
• Initial set-up cost of £49
• Cost per router £49 - £299 depending on model. For a home package they offer a Netgear DGN1000 at £49.
• Shipping £10
• 1 month rolling contract; all prices excl VAT

Eclipse

This is a well respected company, but from the prices it looks to be more aimed at business.

• £50 per line per month
• Static IP
• £120 per month for unlimited data transfer (you can pay less for less data)
• 1 month rolling contract; all prices excl VAT

BroadbandBuyer

Again another well known company, though I've only used them previously for hardware.

• For a package that includes 2 lines for 1 year on a business quality service (up to 20Mbps) is £332.00.
• Unlimited data transfer
• Static IP
• 14 day set-up assistance
• 30 day money back promise
• No set-up cost
• Annual contract, pay up front.
• Cost for 2 lines is £120 per year thereafter.
• Add another line for £199 for the first year

So an interesting range of prices. As you can imagine I won't be going for Eclipse as that's well out of my budget. Broadbandbuyer is certainly the best value over a 12 month period (saving £75 over the year), but I'll need to be certain that the system works well for me within my 30 day period otherwise I'll lose a bit of cash. Direct to Sharedband needs the least initial outlay (£177) and has the added benefit that it's only a 1 month rolling contract, but the package is restricted to 250GB per month data transfer - something that's unlimited with the BBB deal. I've spoken with both companies and they are certainly very approachable in terms of getting help, which is always a plus.

Anyway I'll think on this a bit further over the next few weeks. The next milestone is getting the second line installed by BT OpenReach - this is planned for 10th March and is my second attempt to get the engineer out to do the work. Once the line is up and running I'm going to let it settle out for a couple of weeks before trying Sharedband out. All going well I should be giving it a go by the beginning of April.

Bonded ADSL Part 1 - Introduction

Well it's been ages since I've posted anything on here, so I thought I'd better make a start again. It's that I've had nothing to say or gadgets to feedback on, I just haven't been able to find the time for one reason or another.

Anyway, this is the first of a multi-part post to cover my venture into domestic ADSL bonding. exciting stuff potentially.

What we currently have
Where I live we're unlikely to get fibre broadband, and 4G may (or may not) reach us - even if it does I can imagine it'll be an expensive option for a primary home broadband package. My exchange does provide access to ADSL though with a maximum rate of 8Mbps. I'm not too far from the exchange either and as a result get a decent sync rate of ca. 7400 kbps at a SNR of 6.4db. This translates to a decent download performance in excess of 6000kbps. Upload is low as expected for ADSL1, with a rate usually around 344kbps.

My ISP is Zen, and over the years I've found them to be nothing short of excellent in delivering fast Broadband with no bandwidth shaping and realistic data caps (I'm allowed 500GB per month on my package, which is more than enough for a household). Their Tech Support are also great, and can help troubleshoot and optimise ADSL connections easily over the phone.

The modem I use is a tried and tested Netgear DG834G running DGTeam custom firmware (it's a router, but it's set to modem only mode). This feeds into my network via an Asus RT-N66U router.

Why the need for more bandwidth ?
You would think that with a download rate of over 6Meg it would be enough, however with video streaming becoming the norm these days we're finding that the internet connection gets pretty choked when all the kids are online consuming the bandwidth. The answer would be fibre if it was available, but as it's not I looked at alternatives:

• Satellite - initially looks attractive with high bandwidth options available, however the devil is in the detail with the current packages and data caps are very low unless you're willing to pay hundreds of pounds per month. There also seem to be issues with using internet streaming packages such as iPlayer and LoveFilm (though some ISP's do give you a UK based IP so the problem should be less of an issue). Latency is also an issue with sat, so no use if you enjoy a bit of fast online gaming. No comparison with an ADSL connection though.
• Load balanced ADSL - this uses 2 x data lines (e.g. 2 x ADSL or 1 x ADSL + 1 x satellite etc). Both data lines plug into a suitable router, such as the Draytek Vigour 2925, and the router does the work of balancing and prioritising data traffic down each of the broadband pipes. This method has the benefit of removing part of the internet congestion that we're currently seeing, but it doesn't give you a faster connection. There's also the price of the Vigour router to consider too, at around £220 incl VAT last time I looked, plus of course the cost of running 2 phone lines.
• Bonded ADSL - 2 or more ADSL connections are bonded into 1 which effectively delivers the sum of all the lines together (so a 6 Meg and a 4 Meg connection bonded gives you 10 Meg). this technology up until now has been the preserve of larger businesses due to cost, however there are now alternatives such as Sharedband. You still have the cost of running more than one phone line, however the equipment, initial set-up and monthly running costs over the firstyear aren't  much  different from a load balanced solution. More of this below, as this is the method I'm going to give a try.

Sharedband
Sharedband have been in existence for a few years now, however I only came across them recently when searching the web for user experiences with load balanced ADSL connections. Sharedband differs from other bonded solutions that I've seen in that the equipment required at the home or business is fairly simple and tried & tested, with Sharedband's data centre being used to 'split and recombine' your data traffic in conjunction with the modems that they supply you with. Despite this splitting and recombining, there appears to be very little overhead lost in the data stream, and the actual download and upload speeds seen look to be almost the sum of the 2 internet connections.

You can also use whatever ISP's you want to, so the service does provide failover - although if 1 out of 2 data lines go down you will no longer have a bonded connection; however at least will have a connection.

Rather than me spout on about what the company can offer etc, it would be better to go and take a look at their website. I'll link a video in here shortly.

What stage am I at now ?
Currently I have 1 ADSL connection active (with Zen). I'm waiting on BT OpenReach to install my second line, and after a missed visit on 10th February, I've been assured my 2nd line will be installed and active by 7th March. For this 2nd connection I'm going to try BT as my ISP - mainly because the line install cost is free if you opt for a broadband package with them. I'll see what the download speeds settle out at before I decide whether to stay with them or not. I've also been supplied with one of their Homehub 4 wireless routers - again I'll see how this performs, but I've already got a Netgear DG834GT updated and ready to go if I need to in order to test the max performance of the line.

So that's it for now. I'll post a video link shortly (now done), and will also make another post to highlight the info and clarifications I've received on Sharedband so far. I'll also give some further info on the prices and deals that I could find for this in the UK.

TP-Link 5 Port 10/100 Network Switch

Well it's been ages since I've posted anything new on here, so I thought I'd better add something ! Bit of a lull though because I haven't had that much new stuff to write about of late :-(

Anyway, todays post is to provide user feedback on the TP-Link TL-SF1005D network switch. It's a long model number, but essentially what we have here is an inexpensive decent quality 10/100 ethernet switch.

I was looking for a simple and small network switch to fit behind my TV stand in the living room to allow me to connect a few devices to my home network (the room has a single CAT6A port behind the TV), and not all the devices have wifi built in. My usual port of call would be Netgear, however I was surprised at the cost of a simple fast network switch from them (retailing at around £15-£20), with eBay not being much cheaper (plus the postage costs on eBay tend to bring the price up to retail anyway).

I had a browse online and found that TP-Link had some good feedback, so decided to to give this a go. I bought the switch from Amazon (UK) and cost was around £7.50, and came with free delivery. On receiving the switch I'm impressed at the quality - the case may not be metal, but it's tough plastic, and pretty small (as you can see in the photos). Although I have mine hidden round the back of the TV stand, the white casing and simple LED's make it good enough to be in view too if necessary.

The item comes supplied boxed along with a power adapter. TP-Link also give you a 3 year warranty, which isn't bad at all (though there isn't much that can go wrong with these things). The switch is true plug and play, with all ports supporting auto-MDI/MDIX - so no need to worry about cross-over cables. For info the features & benefits that TP-Link note for this are:

• Up to 200Mbps full duplex bandwidth;
• Energy efficient technology, saves up to 60% power consumption (it only supplies full power to ports in use);
• Plug & play;
• Auto-MDX/MDIX;
• IEEE 802.3x flow control;
• Auto negotiation ports for smart integration of 10Mbps & 100Mbps equipment.

Conclusion

If you're looking for a cost effective and well finished network switch, then give this a go. I've had it installed for a few weeks now (powered up 24/7) and it hasn't missed a beat. The power supply doesn't get too hot, and the switch also stays cool (and is silent). I intend to try some other TP-Link items in the future (there are quite a few interesting products on their website) - I'll post any findings on here.

TP-Links UK website

Using Asus AiCloud and Smart Sync

Leading on from the review that I did on the Asus RT-AC66U wireless router, I wanted a bit more time to try out the new AiCloud features that Firmware 3.0.0.220 brings to the device.

The purpose of AiCloud is similar to Dropbox in terms of providing a Cloud storage facility for your documents, photos, media files etc. Like Dropbox this means that you can access your files from different devices wherever you are, as long as you have an Internet connection. You can also share files with others by means of a unique download link. AiCloud also allows you to sync files across devices using a SyncFolder feature, however this requires that you sign up for the free Asus WebStorage product, which can be accessed using a browser or using a specific application for Mac, Windows, iOS and Android devices. Again all very Dropbox.

Where AiCloud differs though is that it allows you to connect remotely to a USB disk connected to your RT-AC66U router at home and also allows you to remotely browse your network storage locations at home. You can browse files, download, upload, or even stream them over the Internet to the device you're using remotely. The streaming function works great with iOS, however is not perfect yet with OSX as Asus are still developing streaming software compatibility. The router also ties into the SyncFolder feature of Asus Webstorage, and by defining a sync location on the USB drive, it will remain synchronised with your cloud sync folder.

The Asus AiCloud website explains what it's all about in a bit more detail, probably better than I can !

So what's it like to use ?

I thought it would be useful to give an idea of what AiCloud & FileSync are like to use, and have put together a couple of short videos and some photos....

Asus WebStorage

The screenshot shows the layout of WebStorage - it's pretty clear and shows the folders available, along with file attributes shortcuts, shares and account info. The shot I've give is of the SyncFolder - these are the files that remain synchronised across all my devices via the cloud.

I thought a good way to show how this works would be to put together a short video. For this I've used a Windows 7 PC, iMac and iPhone to show how a file added to WebStorage on the PC automatically appears on the other devices. I've also shown how this all ties into the Asus RT-AC66U router, by using the Smart Sync function the USB drive connected to the router has a SyncFolder added to it. This makes the files available on your home network.

AiCloud
In order to use AiCloud, it first has to be enabled on the RT-AC66U router. This is done by navigating to the AiCloud page in the General section of the router's web admin.

If you haven't already set up an Asus DDNS address (see my earlier full review of the router), then you'll be prompted to do so here. There are 3 sections on the AiCloud screen - 1 or all of them can be enabled.

• Cloud Disc - This enables access to the USB drive connected to the router via the Internet. Access is gained by using the AiCloud App on a mobile device, or by typing the DDNS address into your browser (I've got a video later showing this in action).
• Smart Access - This allows you to remotely access your home network via the Internet. Again this is accessed through the AiCloud App or via a browser.
• Smart Sync - This works in conjunction with your Asus WebStorage account and allows you to define a folder location on your USB drive attached to the router which will be used as a SyncFolder. This is what you saw in action on the the video earlier in this post.

The second tabbed screen under AiCloud on the router is Smart Sync.

This shows the status of the SyncFolder on the router, and also allows you to change settings (such as Asus WebStorage user details, folder location etc).

The third tab allows you to set up password protection settings.

This guards against a 'Brute Force' attack, and can lock access to the AiCloud account if the password is entered incorrectly. In order to reset it, you need to access the router web-admin (so for most people this would mean logging into it at home).

OK, time for another video ! This time I'm showing you what it's like to connect remotely to the USB drive connected to the router at home (and my other LAN storage devices). I'm accessing the router using AiCloud via my web browser using a MacBook Pro and Safari web browser. The Internet connection was nothing special, and was the wireless access offered by a high street chain cafe in Aberdeen. Hopefully the video will explain what's going on, as I haven't voiced it over ;-)

As I said earlier, you can also access the AiCloud service using mobile devices. I've tried this on both an iPhone 4S and a 1st generation iPad. Seems to work well in both cases, and the video & audio streaming functions are pretty good. No video this time, but a few screen shots will give you the idea.

App splash screen when opened.

Home screen

From the home screen you can explore the USB drive connected to the router (RT-AC66U in this case) or you can explore your other home network locations. Not all the listed locations can be viewed in my set-up though (Samsung CLX3185 is a printer and Wendy-MacPro isn't sharing files). Also note that that it also shows PC's that are sleeping - these can be wakened if required remotely. Drobo and NAS-M25 are both storage drives on my home LAN, and can be explored remotely (the App asks you to login to the drives as appropriate).

USB drive connected to router

Folders on router USB drive

SyncFolder on router USB drive

The 3 screen shots explore the USB drive connected to the router. As you can see, the SyncFolder is the same one that I used in the demo video earlier in this post (the Dredd 3D image).

Network drive

Screen shot showing the folders available remotely on my NAS-M25 drive. As you can see from the folder titles there are loads of media files on here, and AiCloud allows me to either stream or download these remotely.

Summary

Hopefully this post has given folks a better idea of what AiCloud can & can't do. I think overall it's a good product, and a great free addition to anyone that has a suitable Asus network device (at the time of writing there are only 3 of these: RT-AC66U, RT-N66U and RT-N16, however I believe more are being enabled, such as the DSL-N55U). I really like being able to access my home network files remotely, and this is something that I'll get use out of when travelling away from home - especially important given the limited storage space available on an iPad or iPhone.

The FileSync feature of AiCloud is fine too, although this and the WebStorage product are pretty similar to the service offered by Dropbox. The main advantage I can see with the Asus offering is the integration of WebStorage with AiCloud. I've only just started using this storage product, so will see how it goes. At the end of the day, 2GB is free to use, so it's worth trying out.

An area where I think Asus can improve AiCloud is to add multiple user logins. The router already allows multiple user shares to be set up for the attached USB drive (Samba), so I don't think this will be difficult to accomplish. A use for this type of functionality could be to allow other members of a family to access the folders on the router connected USB drive and the home network drives. User access rights can be taken from the shares already configured in the router.