Wireless ISP

sgiye

Help please you fantastic Moneysavers!

I am currently with Orange formally Wanadoo and just discovered that I am being charged £21.99 per month for 1gb, even though the packages advertised on their websites are £17.99 for 2gb. I can change packages to the £17.99 package but it will cost me an "admin fee" of £20!

I've found on BT's website that I can get the equivilant speed for £14.99 for 3 months and then £17.99 after that. It's an extra £25 for the wireless router but if you switch you get cashback of £30 which pays for the router plus an extra £5 back!

I just wondered if anyone knew of any other ISP that provide wireless broadband. I have a 15 month old so need as few wires around as possible, but obviously for the best price!

Thanks in advance for you help!

Tray
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Fenris

Wireless doesn't mean what I think you think it means. You still need to plug the router into a phone socket and a power supply. You also need to make sure that your PC/Laptop had a wireless card. If it's fairly new, chances are it will have, but older PC's generally will need equiping.

If you only have one desktop PC then you've really no need for a wireless router, unless your phone soctet is quite a way from your PC. However, if you have a couple of PC's and/or a Laptop that you want to network etc then it's worth having. Bear in mind though that BT's router may actually be more expensive than ones on offer elsewhere!

As for the connection itself, it really depends on what you're wanting to do with it. Check out ADSLgude to see what's best for you.

sgiye

My laptop is wireless but my PC has a thingy plugged in the Orange supplied. My PC is no where near the phone socket so definately need wireless connection. I have tried that guide but it's confused me. I'm not really techie minded and get Rams and Roms etc confused.

I'm guessing not all modems from ISP's are wireless. Am I also right in guessing that the thingy I got free from Orange I can buy seperatly?

I think I'm more confused than ever now

Browntoa

you can buy a wireless modem/router from PC world for about £50 but from what you describe you amy already have the equipment you need from Wanandoo and you just need to swap ISP

what make/model is the "box" that plugs in the phone line and the "thingy" that plugs in your laptop

Browntoa

read about and Wanadoo's "Live box" is locked to their network so you need to but a Wireless Router/Modem for ADSL from somewhere

like this

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/store/pcw_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1993939295.1150838029@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccdjaddidkjllgecflgceggdhhmdgmi.0&page=Product&fm=14&sm=1&tm=0&sku=904351&category_oid=-28359


think the adapter for the laptop is ok, is it like this



or this

DonnyDave

So when you go on the internet with your laptop, you are using your broadband connection wirelessly? Is this correct?

How do you access the internet on your desktop PC?

Can you tell us what equipment you have?

As Fenris points out, you don't have a wireless ISP as such. To go wireless you need a wireless router, a box that connects to your telephone line with an antenna on. Some ISPs supply this as part of the deal, but you shouldn't need to replace this router when you change ISP.

Thus, if you have a wireless setup in place, where your computers connect to the internet wirelessly, you don't need to change any hardware [equipment] to change ISP. Usually it's a matter of just changing username and password programmed into the router.

Gareth1_2

When you phone wanadoo up for a mac number they will change you to the £17-99 wireless package for nothing, it comes with one toggly thingy so if you only got one computer you will be ok, if you got other comps that are not wireless you will need extra thingies, You need a plug socket near your phone socket so both be plugged in and thats it!

sgiye

Hi all - thanks for your help.

I have a modem supplied by Orange (wanadoo) but if I cancel that will have to go back to them or they will charge £100 and I've got an adaptor plugged into my desktop PC in a usb port to make that wireless. My laptop has it's own built in wireless thing.

I'm trying to get hold of Orange to try and haggle them to change me onto the £17.99 one and refund my extra £4 I've paid this month with no other charges but I refuse to phone their 0870 number and getting through on a different number is difficult (from Say No to 0870 website). If anyone knows of a number I would be really grateful.

Otherwise I just need another ISP provider who provides a free router modem thing I guess!

Thanks once again for all your help
Tray
--x--

DonnyDave

sgiye wrote:

Otherwise I just need another ISP provider who provides a free router modem thing I guess!

See [thread=212597]SUPANET - infuriating!![/thread] thread. Bear in mind that you can pick up a wireless ADSL router for less than £60 now, so you may be paying more than this in extra service costs over the 12 month period.

Wanadoo's head office number is 01727 207000. Also, customer services 0113 2229100 and "Customer Action Team" 0113 2982005.

sgiye

Update

Phoned Orange on 0113 2229100. Complained and they tried to get me to phone an 0870 number. Told a little white lie and said that I couldn't call those numbers from my house phone. Had to quote AOL offer of £14.99 per month with free router and was very quickly offered free upgrade.

Summary - Got free upgrade to double speed, no admin fee, and no 0870 number called!

Thanks monesavers! You're fantastic!!!

Tray
--x--

robwend

get bt hub, i paid £30 for the hub and 30 for the worless adapter cards for comps, if you want the latest stuff id recommend