REQ: Advice on 'always on' connections

Sorry if this is a daft question.

Could someone tell me which of the uk internet broadband companies offer an
'always on' service. I am currently with ntl and want to switch to a cheaper
service but some that I've tried in the past have required me to 'connect'
first, in order to access the internet, which has taken as long as some
dial-up connections...

cheers
A.

> Sorry if this is a daft question.
>
> Could someone tell me which of the uk internet broadband companies offer
> an 'always on' service. I am currently with ntl and want to switch to a
> cheaper service but some that I've tried in the past have required me to
> 'connect' first, in order to access the internet, which has taken as long
> as some dial-up connections...


Any broadband service will take a few seconds to initialise unless you leave
the computer and the ADSL modem on all the time. That is a limitation you
will have to accept regardless of what ISP you use.


Peter Crosland

Peter Crosland wrote:
>> Sorry if this is a daft question.
>>
>> Could someone tell me which of the uk internet broadband companies
>> offer an 'always on' service. I am currently with ntl and want to
>> switch to a cheaper service but some that I've tried in the past
>> have required me to 'connect' first, in order to access the
>> internet, which has taken as long as some dial-up connections...
>
>
> Any broadband service will take a few seconds to initialise unless
> you leave the computer and the ADSL modem on all the time. That is
> a limitation you will have to accept regardless of what ISP you use.
>
>
> Peter Crosland

If you use a router you do not have any initialisation period. You
leave the router on & as soon as the PC is booted up you are on line
& away you go..

On Thu, 02 Mar 2006 20:37:29 GMT, "A" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>Sorry if this is a daft question.
>
>Could someone tell me which of the uk internet broadband companies offer an
>'always on' service. I am currently with ntl and want to switch to a cheaper
>service but some that I've tried in the past have required me to 'connect'
>first, in order to access the internet, which has taken as long as some
>dial-up connections...

If you use a router connected to your Ethernet port to "connect" to
the net, instead of a USB modem, you'll get an "always on" service.
This will apply whatever isp you use, as the "always on" is determined
by the equipment you use, not the isp.

Alex.

On 2 Mar 2006 22:14, "Peter Crosland" wrote:

>Any broadband service will take a few seconds to initialise unless you leave
>the computer and the ADSL modem on all the time. That is a limitation you
>will have to accept regardless of what ISP you use.

There's no "unless" about it... For any ADSL service there's a small
delay the first time an ADSL modem establishes connection.

What you've assumed, and presumably the original poster experienced,
is based on the use of a USB modem (yuk!) or perhaps a PCI modem.

If someone uses a router, as you could have pointed out, there is a
once-only connection delay, but then, assuming the modem/router
is left on, the connection will (usually) be on 24x7, short of there
being BT maintenance, ISP maintenance, a power cut, or some
network/equipment failure.

Most routers can be set up to simply connect again if the link drops,
so any time a person switched their PC on, the internet connection
should be 'up' and running. For the original poster, all I'd say is
to buy yourself a combined ADSL modem/router (watch out -
a 'broadband router' which doesn't mention ADSL is quite likely
to be aimed at people using a cable network).

Also, for those who say "but I've only got one PC, and a router
is for people wanting to connect multiple PCs" I'd just add that
the router can provide for multiple PCs, but will block many hack
attacks (because of a facility called NAT), is less load on the PC
than USB, can be used whether someone has a Mac, Linux, or
Windows (heck, even MS-DOS and various other OS options)
without USB driver problems, and of course, stays online, even
when you reboot your system, so has a number of advantages.

Various routers can be had for under 40 quid, from online IT
stores, such as scan.co.uk, solwise.co.uk, dabs.com and
ebuyer.com Reviews on www.ADSLguide.org may help!


quick list of budget routers (all +VAT and delivery)

22.99 Safecom ADSL 2/2+ code 90976 ebuyer.com
25.20 Edimax AR-7024A 3RDRWS dabs.com
22.49 Sweex 4 Port LN10623 scan.co.uk
27.49 Origo 4 Port LN5488 scan.co.uk
18.89 Dynamode R-ADSL-C4S LN6559 scan.co.uk
28.99 BT Voyager 240 LN8277 scan.co.uk
37.99 Edimax AR-7024WG LN10467 scan.co.uk

Pretty much all the routers I've seen have been older models than
the ones listed above, but my sister is using a Safecom, a neighbour
has an Origo model, and I know a couple of people with older Edimax
models. I've been using routers for 4 years after 1-2 months on USB
and would never go back from routers!

--
Plus.Net <http://tinyurl.com/5jpa4>
I recommend them and save some cash.

"A" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:dIINf.66172$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Sorry if this is a daft question.
>
> Could someone tell me which of the uk internet broadband companies offer an
> 'always on' service. I am currently with ntl and want to switch to a cheaper
> service but some that I've tried in the past have required me to 'connect'
> first, in order to access the internet, which has taken as long as some
> dial-up connections...

I use Pipex. My router stays connected for weeks at a time. I would have
thought that most ISPs would be the same.

I don't use any of the Pipex web pages for normal use.

--

Michael Chare

>>> Sorry if this is a daft question.
>>>
>>> Could someone tell me which of the uk internet broadband companies
>>> offer an 'always on' service. I am currently with ntl and want to
>>> switch to a cheaper service but some that I've tried in the past
>>> have required me to 'connect' first, in order to access the
>>> internet, which has taken as long as some dial-up connections...
>>
>>
>> Any broadband service will take a few seconds to initialise unless
>> you leave the computer and the ADSL modem on all the time. That is
>> a limitation you will have to accept regardless of what ISP you use.
>>
>>
>> Peter Crosland
>
> If you use a router you do not have any initialisation period. You leave
> the router on & as soon as the PC is booted up you are on line & away you
> go..


Only true if you have a stand alone device not a pile of USB rubbiish that
most people do. Even then it will take a few seconds for the PC to establish
a link with the router and therefore the ISP.

Peter Crosland

On Thu, 2 Mar 2006 22:14:41 -0000, Peter Crosland wrote:

>> Sorry if this is a daft question.
>>
>> Could someone tell me which of the uk internet broadband companies offer
>> an 'always on' service. I am currently with ntl and want to switch to a
>> cheaper service but some that I've tried in the past have required me to
>> 'connect' first, in order to access the internet, which has taken as long
>> as some dial-up connections...
>
>
> Any broadband service will take a few seconds to initialise unless you leave
> the computer and the ADSL modem on all the time. That is a limitation you
> will have to accept regardless of what ISP you use.
>
>
> Peter Crosland

An ADSL router is what you need... a router has the added security benefit of
being behind a NAT - your PC is hidden from the net.

Peter Crosland wrote:

>>>> Sorry if this is a daft question.
>>>>
>>>> Could someone tell me which of the uk internet broadband companies
>>>> offer an 'always on' service. I am currently with ntl and want to
>>>> switch to a cheaper service but some that I've tried in the past
>>>> have required me to 'connect' first, in order to access the
>>>> internet, which has taken as long as some dial-up connections...

>>> Any broadband service will take a few seconds to initialise unless
>>> you leave the computer and the ADSL modem on all the time. That is
>>> a limitation you will have to accept regardless of what ISP you use.

>> If you use a router you do not have any initialisation period. You leave
>> the router on & as soon as the PC is booted up you are on line & away
>> you go..

> Only true if you have a stand alone device not a pile of USB rubbiish that
> most people do.

"Most people" use USB routers? Doesn't sound very likely to me...

--
<http://ale.cx/> (AIM:troffasky) ((E-Mail Removed))
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This is my BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMSTICK

> "Most people" use USB routers? Doesn't sound very likely to me...

USB crap modems, he means

DAve