Eclipse

Hi

I'm not too happy with my current provider (F2S) and would like to move.
Since we only really use the Web, usenet and email, I am more interested
in reliability and consistency than blazing speed. I could also use a
static IP and a MySQL database on the webspace. I've been looking at
Eclipse < http://www.eclipse.net.uk/ > who also offer a good phone deal.
Does anyone know if they're any good? Any other recommendations?

Thanks for your time

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, JWL <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>Hi
>
>I'm not too happy with my current provider (F2S) and would like to move.
>Since we only really use the Web, usenet and email, I am more interested
>in reliability and consistency than blazing speed. I could also use a
>static IP and a MySQL database on the webspace. I've been looking at
>Eclipse < http://www.eclipse.net.uk/ > who also offer a good phone deal.
>Does anyone know if they're any good? Any other recommendations?

You'll find good & bad news about Eclipse of you search hard enough on
this, and other locations - I don't use them myself, so can't directly
comment..

However, why not separate your connectivity provider from the ISP who
provides your domain name, web space and email? Then you can chop &
change connectivity ISP as you like, but keep the same web, email
addresses going without any disruption?

There are many independant hosting providers out there - true, you do
have to pay a little more, but for ease of keeping things going should
your connectivity provider fail is worth it IMO.

Gordon

JWL wrote:
> I'm not too happy with my current provider (F2S) and would like to move.
> Since we only really use the Web, usenet and email, I am more interested
> in reliability and consistency than blazing speed. I could also use a
> static IP and a MySQL database on the webspace. I've been looking at
> Eclipse < http://www.eclipse.net.uk/ > who also offer a good phone deal.
> Does anyone know if they're any good? Any other recommendations?
>
> Thanks for your time

Have a look at Newnet. 3GB/month for 12:95/m, then an extra £2:70 in 4Gig
blocks over that limit. Migration to them is free.

I was with Eclipse, but left after they started throttling Usenet text only
servers, and the final straw was when they started LLU'ing people without
giving them notice, or an opt out option, to (though not confirmed) a Tiscali
LLU connection <shudder>

http://www.newnet.co.uk/broadband/home.php

Look here too:-

http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/threads.php?Cat=&C=4


--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

On 29 Dec 2006, JWL <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I am more interested in reliability and consistency than blazing speed.

I've had good reliability and good speed too, though I'm on the cheapest
Eclipse account at 14.99/month. Have previously used a number of ISPs
but switched to this one over 6 months ago, partly to get the higher
speed from DSL Max.

>I could also use a static IP and a MySQL database on the webspace.

I'd suggest getting separate webspace - I don't rely on any ISP for web
space or e-mail, as it means I can switch more easily. Don't conclude I
switch month after month, but it is less of a hassle if domains and sites
are separate from an ISP, in my view, as they cannot demand 'admin' fees,
or have any hold over you if they don't control web/mail for you.

You can switch from dynamic IP to static IP if you wish. I have used both
at different times (dynamic if I want to view lots of websites where they
are then unable to identify me from one visit to the next).

>I've been looking at Eclipse < http://www.eclipse.net.uk/ > who also
>offer a good phone deal. Does anyone know if they're any good?

I have no complaints about service. One morning when there was some sort
of routing problem (*) it was fixed in under an hour from my phone call.
One Sunday afternoon there was a problem for a few hours but it was not
just Eclipse that was affected as it was power in one of the London data
centres to blame, but it was only a few hours and could have happened to
someone if they were using one of the other ISPs, anyway...

(*) it wasn't a general problem, just affected a variety of IP ranges on
servers I know are located in the USA. It was only a few servers, so I
rang and explained what I was seeing (looping at some point) and gave
the tech support bod a few IP numbers. Back in a snap, "yes, same is
happening from here... we'll get it looked at".

Yes, a fair point, but to complete the picture there's a cheaper way of
achieving nearly as good permanence of presence, website redirection (aka
website forwarding).

For example, if you follow this URL that I give out for my creative work (I
haven't done a site for my technical work yet) ...
http://www.macfarlane.macfh.co.uk
.... you'll be instantly redirected to the real site hosted by my ISP ...
http://www.cemh.eclipse.co.uk/Macfar...acfarlane.html

I do the same with email addresses.

Compared to independent website and mail hosting, the pros and cons are:
+ If your ISP already supplies free web space and emails as part of the
package, it's a minimal extra cost pa, about the same as a 4-can of beer;
- If you do change ISPs you have to do some work ...
1 Republish your site and set up new emails at the new ISP
2 Change the website and email redirections at the site doing the
forwarding
... but at least you don't have to completely lose everything, or go
round all your contacts and registered websites giving them new contact
details for you;
- You can't deep link via redirection - for example, this URL ...
http://www.macfarlane.macfh.co.uk/Poetry
.... will not be redirected to ...
http://www.cemh.eclipse.co.uk/Macfar...ry/poetry.html

So, not suitable for a business, but fine for someone like myself.

For the OP, I've been with Eclipse for about a year now, and have no strong
feelings about them - no major horrors, but the service sometimes seems
slow, there have been occasional dropouts sometimes as long as an hour or
two, and just recently we have occasionally lost DNS. I suppose for one of
the cheapest uncapped packages in the UK, I can't really complain, but the
service could be faster and more reliable.

"Gordon Henderson" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:en3cjf$ig7$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> However, why not separate your connectivity provider from the ISP who
> provides your domain name, web space and email? Then you can chop &
> change connectivity ISP as you like, but keep the same web, email
> addresses going without any disruption?
>
> There are many independent hosting providers out there - true, you do
> have to pay a little more, but for ease of keeping things going should
> your connectivity provider fail is worth it IMO.

On 29 Dec 2006, "Java Jive" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>For the OP, I've been with Eclipse for about a year now, and have no strong
>feelings about them - no major horrors, but the service sometimes seems
>slow, there have been occasional dropouts sometimes as long as an hour or
>two, and just recently we have occasionally lost DNS. I suppose for one of
>the cheapest uncapped packages in the UK, I can't really complain, but the
>service could be faster and more reliable.

I'm not sure how much more reliable any individual ISP can be - half of the
problems complained about are to do with servers (web / mail / FTP / news),
and another chunk of complaints are about the connection being slow/managed
but for most of the time, most ISPs provide a stable connection (let's face
it, connections are commonly for days or weeks at a time for most users, so
how can ISPs be considered 'unreliable'? I've seen routers stay online for
2+ months on different ISPs - admittedly mostly on fixed speeds not DSL Max
and admittedly these are mostly not wireless users, but have a cable to the
PC... I routinely connect to the router (only) to check the connections for
errors, and see relatively few... When there are problems, some will be in
the BT Wholesale network, affecting one or more routers/exchanges and would
therefore affect thousands of customers, whichever ISP they use, assuming a
BTW connection. Not sure what account you have, but most have some sort of
cap on them these days... Certainly the current Eclipse packages have both
fixed limits for peak hours and a fair use policy (which means uncapped may
not apply!), while non- Evolution accounts have caps (AFAIK), at least when
someone is signing up now.

Must admit I've not used a single ISP's DNS for some time, as I've used two
ISPs for some time ("just in case") so have DNS addresses set up in each PC