SSE broadband feedback

voxmagna

I'm right next to the BT cabinet and after fixing my MTUs on Win7 it has got better and is getting better. I can still see congestion from about 5 to 11 when the video streamers are online, but the speeds are still fair. Sometimes a downloader can speed things up. Thinkbroadband is the most consistent tool to use, although I'd rather have the dedicated monitoring box. Curiously I logged into a friends BT Openreach provider only to be met by a BT rasberrry screen taking dislike to my OpenDNS settings. Just got a smart TV and doing battle with it to block some domains to stop them monitoring and sending back my viewing habits. That issue deserves a new thread. Smart means the manufacturer gets your viewing data and sends you ads. Think carefully before connecting up your router Ethernet port to these T.V.s

Rogbrad

I had the same positive feeling when I switched from TalkTalk to SSE. When VAT is added on to the bill the 20ish becomes 30ish.
The promised minimum speed of 20MBPS has never managed more than 7, and that drops at night when our little exchange gets busy.
Good Luck.

voxmagna

I get 76 Mb/s dropping to around 55-60. Sometimes VPN does more, but then they can't rate adapt to file types because the traffic is encrypted.

I just asked if their router can block websites. It seems pretty dumb and I'm not going to install their stuff on all my home PCs. They don't mind if you use a third party one so I'll get one with a decent firewall and site blocking options. First site to go in there will be LG.com!

Rogbrad

I wish I understood enough about router configuration (and VPNs) to change from the SSE-provided router - it's rubbish. They originally provided a router and a BT "modem" - couldn't see the point of the BT box. After that router gave problems I was sent a new one but that doesn't work properly with the USB drive I had installed on the old router. It doesn't have great range either. I tried swapping the old TalkTalk router but couldn't get it to work (SSE provided me with the connection details).

voxmagna

The SSE router is hard to find info for and it doesn't seem that configurable. I have a white O2 wireless box which is an older Thomson model but more configurable. Best to forget wireless if you want decent speeds. The only true speed test should be done across a wired Ethernet straight on the router port close to the incoming BT circuit. Since ipads became popular, everybody judges connections with them, but wi-fi is generally not that good unless you are very close to the router.

debitcardmayhem

wifi and not that close to router,two walls, but getting 72.72 down 18.95 up http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/5883035148

Edit - I am still going to change my router :cool: The thomson one is flakey

deanos

you will get good speeds at 1pm

Daisy do let full speed on Speedtest and BT Wholesale test sites BTW

Try this speed test site in the evening http://testmy.net/

voxmagna

I just got an LG smart TV and value my privacy so I wanted to block a load of domains it calls home to. You can't do that on the SSE supplied router which seems strange when parental control should be high up the family wanted list. However, to be fair, SSE get around this by supplying their free protection software, but it would have to be installed on all network PCs and wouldn't work for devices connected to the router with wifi without the software. Anyway, I prefer my own protection apps I know and trust. This problem of privacy and home connected devices will get worse and the best way to deal with it is diagnose your traffic with Wireshark and block outgoing data in your router configuration.

As a stop gap, you can change the DNS server in the SSE router to Opendns , register free to Opendns and block what you like. If you want to use a router that's more configurable e.g Netgear, SSE will give you your login password and 3rd party router WAN config details if you provide some ID. I was impressed they replied to that kind of techi question. They really need to get their website up to speed for technical support (like PlusNet) which could save them a lot of support emails or phone calls.

I discovered on a friends BTinternet service it blew a rasberry if I connected my laptop PC configured manually for another DNS server (like openDNS). Hmm Big brother really is alive, but you don't have this problem with SSE (or Plusnet).

jerrypeddles

I had relatively little trouble setting up broadband as in my area the only fibre available is in my breakfast, just standard for us country dwellers. But watch your bill. I had my first bill and it had £3.50 for call monitoring which I never asked for and I guess they hoped I would miss. So called them and their answer was as I had had it with BT they assumed I wanted it with them. With BT it was free and that was the only reason I had had it then. So after some tooing and frooing they said they would take it off my bill and refund any charges they made. Now checked my bill and yes it is no longer on there but nor is the full refund they promised. THATS NOT ALL. Now I see a charge of £1.89 for "Extended repair service".........what the......oooh dont swear. I never had any such thing with BT so how can they assume that I would want to add it to my account, nor did I ask them to add it. So I will be on phone tomorrow as they are not open today to have another sharing of my feelings. And just to head off any "....its just a few quid get over it" comments, £3.50 and £1.89 appearing on my bill over an 18 month contract adds up to over £97

SerialRenter

Raised a complaint with SSE this morning, as i've gotten back into online gaming, and at precisely 7pm every weekday evening our internet (£21 package) becomes nearly unusable. If i'm in a game it'll disconnect.
From doing some testing, there seems to be extreme package loss and very high ping.
Websites take at least 15 seconds to load, yet the bt wholesale site and speedtest report it was going full speed.

If i switch my pc over to tethered internet from my mobile then it's all working as per normal.

Netalizer shows lots of problems with the line after 7pm, and none before.

So it looks like either SSE or Daisy are shaping the traffic.

Any advice on how to progress my complaint?