Connecting ipod to Orange broadband

Bradfield

Hi Folks,

Friend just bought an Apple ipod Touch and we are going thro a huge learning curve trying to understand how the connectivity to the internet works.

We were in a Wetherspoons earlier and had no trouble connecting to their wifi. I was amazed at the clarity of an iplayer tv programme that we tuned in to.

What we are trying to figure out is how she gets to connect to the internet when she is at home. She has Orange Broadband through the landline. She says she could not get a wifi signal when she was at home. I checked the nearest wifi hotspot and it is about two and a half miles away, from where she lives, situated in a hotel.

What I would like to know is; do we need to install an Orange livebox at her home so she can link up to the internet on the ipod? She would be very reluctant to give up her landline Orange connection. Would it be possible to have both a landline broadband connection as well as a wifi connection?

Also, if the nearest wifi hotspot is two and a half miles away, is that too far away to get a connection??

Thanks for reading.

Lifeforms

Okay, it connects via WIFI, so where ever you can get an open (free) wifi connection in the area you are at that time, you can connect. If you have a closed (passworded one) then if you have the right key, then you will be able to connect.

Can you find out from your friend if her router (the box the internet comes from) is wireless capable, as well as wireles enabled. If she doesn't know, see if she can find out the make/model and we will be able to tell her.
She could also phone up orange and ask them, if they say no, see if they will give her one with wirelss too. Once that is sorted, then she'll be able to connect at home!

Please make sure the wireless network is passworded appropriately at home too.

The distance of that hotspot is way too far away!

Oh and also because you said about viewing iplayer on it, she needs to remember if she does that at home, it comes off her own broadband usage, so she should find out how much she can use peak, without going over her limit too. Streaming takes up a fair bit if you do it often.

Reading too, I'm not sure what the Orange livebox is for? if she has access to her broadband connection details etc, she might find it cheaper, and better internet overall to just go and buy a decent wireless router (assuming Orange charges her for the "wireless capabilities").

GunJack

Lf - the orange Livebox is their router

Bradfield - don't get confused over "landline" broadband and "wifi" broadband...as lf stated above, it's only "wifi" bb if your router (the thing that plugs into your phone line to give you bb) is wifi capable and it's turned on

Bradfield

Thanks for replies.

LF. The router is a Sar 715. We both got one at the same time about eight years ago and they have been absolutely brilliant. I have just had a quick look at the manual and am pretty sure there is no wifi option with this router.

Thanks for the tips about passwording the wifi and contacting Orange for a wifi enabled router. We dont normally use the iplayer to watch tv but it can be useful if there is no access to a tv. I Take your point about the amount of streaming tv progs take up.
We will forget about the "local" hotspot, at least when she is at home.

Gunjack. In the past I have only had two routers. My trusty old Sar 715 (ethernet) and occasionally the orange livebox with its wifi connection. I had it in my head that it was either one or the other. Thanks to you and LF I am now looking to get a router that has both ethernet and wifi capability.

The solution now looks a lot more promising than it did when I asked the question. Many thanks to you both.

GunJack

if she already has a livebox sitting somewhere unused, then this does both ethernet and wifi. Any wifi-capable router will do both simultaneously. If you don't have one spare and orange won't give you one free, there's plenty to choose from on ebay for a few quid (look at netgear DG834 series or D-Link 2640B for decent kit).

Lifeforms

Ahh yeah, I get it now about the livebox.

At about 8 years old, it's unlikely that the current router will have wifi, it wasn't really prevalent that long ago.
Talk to orange for wifi capabilities. If the Livebox is what they send out now, then you can ask to get one. As has been said, if your friend already has one, then it should be easy just to switch over to using that.

So you can also buy yourself a wirelsss router yourself, off any sites like ebay (good for quick second hand cheap ones, or with the merchant side, outlets, a new one from a good name, and known user, like ebuyer. Or any of the many computer sites out there. You can even hit places like Argos for them over the counter, but argos are dearer

The last thing you could do is just buy a Wifi Access Point, which should just plug into your current router and broadcast wifi, This is just like another router, cept this broadcasts wifi. But that means extra wires, and an extra unit on top of the router.

Best option is to bug Orange about it, try and get one that is wifi capable, if you're a long standing customer you shouldn't have any problems. If they want to charge for it, negotiate. (helps to see what they charge new customers for it, ie if they get free, or nominal fee, check their website)

If she is happy about the current router, then just look up a wireless Access Point.

Im_just_careful

Assuming the Livebox is one of these

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/hardware/reviews/26-sar-715.html

then something like

http://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-TL-MR3220-150MBPS-Wireless-Router/dp/B0043GWGV8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332362100&sr=8-1

could generate a wireless network when plugged into the Livebox.

I use one of these plugged into another router when I want to make a temporary "guest" WiFi network.

spike7451

Lifeforms wrote: »

Ahh yeah, I get it now about the livebox.

At about 8 years old, it's unlikely that the current router will have wifi, it wasn't really prevalent that long ago.
Talk to orange for wifi capabilities. If the Livebox is what they send out now, then you can ask to get one. As has been said, if your friend already has one, then it should be easy just to switch over to using that.

So you can also buy yourself a wirelsss router yourself, off any sites like ebay (good for quick second hand cheap ones, or with the merchant side, outlets, a new one from a good name, and known user, like ebuyer. Or any of the many computer sites out there. You can even hit places like Argos for them over the counter, but argos are dearer

The last thing you could do is just buy a Wifi Access Point, which should just plug into your current router and broadcast wifi, This is just like another router, cept this broadcasts wifi. But that means extra wires, and an extra unit on top of the router.

Best option is to bug Orange about it, try and get one that is wifi capable, if you're a long standing customer you shouldn't have any problems. If they want to charge for it, negotiate. (helps to see what they charge new customers for it, ie if they get free, or nominal fee, check their website)

If she is happy about the current router, then just look up a wireless Access Point.

DONT call Orange for tech help to get them connected...I can tell you now that the tech support they can offer you is very,VERY limited & all you will get is a large phone bill & very urined off!!
(And I'm speaking from experience working for Orange Tech Support when they moved customers to WBC)

Bradfield

Hi Im just careful

You have the right router but I have never heard it described as a livebox.

Thanks for the link to the Wireless Lite N 3G Router. Sounds just like what we are after.

Spike

I have had some experience of Orange (with my mobile phone) racking up the phone bill when you ring the help line. In ten years I have never had a problem with the actual broadband service but I would never ever ring their help line unless I was desperate.

Bradfield

Hi folks

Just to let you know that I got a "Wireless Access Point" (Netgear WG602 V4) off ebay for just under £22.

It has one ethernet cable that fits in to one of the vacant wired router ports. I just needed to configure it and put in the security settings.

I have not had a chance to try it with the ipod yet but I have tested it with my laptop computer wifi and it works very well. I can get a strong signal, even through the walls, in the kitchen and bedroom.

So it looks like problem solved: (I have just ordered another one for myself).

Thanks to all for your help.

Lifeforms

That's great! Remember to set a reasonably secure password using one of the better security protocols (WPA2 at the very least)
The ipod/laptop/any wifi item will remember the network, so wont need to put it in all the time.