Forced onto Sky internet from O2/ d-link and other things

NoWireHangersNoWireHangers Posts: 909
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Right...

Firstly I'm not very tech savy so apologies in advance if I ask anything silly.

Recently been forced onto sky internet as O2 sold off the portfolio.

O2 worked like a dream. The switchover wasn't easy, an engineer had to come out and fix the line which took over three hours.

The wifi now is not good. It drops sometimes but is on the most part very slow. I can't update apps on the sky wifi, nor can I watch catchup tv, as it constantly stops and the loading circle comes up.

In desperation I saw something called 'D-Link' as being another available wifi source. It didn't have a lock sign against it (no password) so I clicked onto it just to see and it connected.

When I am on this my iPad performs as it should. I can watch catch up and it runs smoothly.

But is this d-link safe for me to use? I mean essentially am I not getting a free service? Or am I, will a bill come in for using it?

Comments

  • emptyboxemptybox Posts: 13,917
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    It's almost certainly one of your neighbours' unsecured routers, so you are effectively stealing some of your neighbour's bandwidth.

    You won't get a bill for it, but if they are tech savvy then they'll know that it's happening, and will perhaps be able to work out who it is, by a process of elimination.
    Having said that, if they haven't any security on their router, they're unlikely to be tech savvy.
  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    Right...

    Firstly I'm not very tech savy so apologies in advance if I ask anything silly.

    Recently been forced onto sky internet as O2 sold off the portfolio.

    O2 worked like a dream. The switchover wasn't easy, an engineer had to come out and fix the line which took over three hours.

    The wifi now is not good. It drops sometimes but is on the most part very slow. I can't update apps on the sky wifi, nor can I watch catchup tv, as it constantly stops and the loading circle comes up.

    In desperation I saw something called 'D-Link' as being another available wifi source. It didn't have a lock sign against it (no password) so I clicked onto it just to see and it connected.

    When I am on this my iPad performs as it should. I can watch catch up and it runs smoothly.

    But is this d-link safe for me to use? I mean essentially am I not getting a free service? Or am I, will a bill come in for using it?
    It is an unsecured neighbouring network as mentioned above. So you should not be using it if you have any sort of respect for your neighbours. :)

    I take it that when you were migrated to Sky they set up a new router for you (or sent you one for self install?). It is possible that this router is using a WiFi channel that clashes badly with your neighbours whereas your old O2 router didn't. That is one explanation for poor WiFi performance.

    Or it could simply be that the Sky router is crap of course :)

    Trouble is most of the ways to solve WiFi problems involve a bit of technical knowledge. In particular you have to be comfortable with going into the configuration of your router and changing the WiFi channel it uses. You would also need to be able to work out which, if any, channel is clearest to use. There is a tool inSSIDer that you can use to find out what WiFi channels are in use and also if interference is really the cause of your problem

    http://download.cnet.com/inSSIDer/3000-18508_4-10848357.html

    This is an older but free version (current version is paid for). It is a bit geeky though.

    There are other simple things you can try. You can often get quite remarkable changes in performance simply by moving the router. Sometimes only a few inches does the trick. Especially if you have the router hidden away behind loads of other junk, if so get it out in the fresh air and let the WiFi waves get out easier :)
  • KennedyCKennedyC Posts: 1,289
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    Before trying to sort out the wifi, have you tried connecting to the router using a network cable?

    Like chrisjr said above, sorting out wifi does require some technical knowledge.
  • zx50zx50 Posts: 91,200
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    Right...

    Firstly I'm not very tech savy so apologies in advance if I ask anything silly.

    Recently been forced onto sky internet as O2 sold off the portfolio.

    O2 worked like a dream. The switchover wasn't easy, an engineer had to come out and fix the line which took over three hours.

    The wifi now is not good. It drops sometimes but is on the most part very slow. I can't update apps on the sky wifi, nor can I watch catchup tv, as it constantly stops and the loading circle comes up.

    In desperation I saw something called 'D-Link' as being another available wifi source. It didn't have a lock sign against it (no password) so I clicked onto it just to see and it connected.

    When I am on this my iPad performs as it should. I can watch catch up and it runs smoothly.

    But is this d-link safe for me to use? I mean essentially am I not getting a free service? Or am I, will a bill come in for using it?

    You weren't 'forced' onto Sky as you could have migrated to another ISP. Using someone's unsecured network could get you into trouble, especially if the person who has the unsecured network gets someone who can find out where the signal's coming from. I've seen a few complaints on here over the past few days about how Sky's connection (for ex-BE/O2 members) is giving them problems. So glad I didn't automatically let Sky transfer me from BE's network to theirs.
  • EarakeEarake Posts: 1,808
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    I was migrated over to Sky on 11 Feb. and apart from the lower upstream connection, everything is as it was with O2......apart from a higher upstream SNRM and a slightly higher attenuation.

    The connection hasn't dropped since 11 Feb. and sync is 9800kbps @ 40dB attenuation.

    I'm still using the O2 TG582n, the switch was almost seamless, if I hadn't been watching then I doubt that I'd have noticed the disconn and reconn. nothing in the router needed to be changed.

    So I think it's just the luck of the draw.
  • NoWireHangersNoWireHangers Posts: 909
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    zx50 wrote: »
    You weren't 'forced' onto Sky as you could have migrated to another ISP. Using someone's unsecured network could get you into trouble, especially if the person who has the unsecured network gets someone who can find out where the signal's coming from. I've seen a few complaints on here over the past few days about how Sky's connection (for ex-BE/O2 members) is giving them problems. So glad I didn't automatically let Sky transfer me from BE's network to theirs.

    Yes I have been forced. I am a tenant living with a landlord, although I will be making my opinion known to him.
  • zx50zx50 Posts: 91,200
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    Yes I have been forced. I am a tenant living with a landlord, although I will be making my opinion known to him.

    I assume you got the internet in? If so, you could have migrated. I've been in a privately rented house in the past and I was able to get the internet in.
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