Hi All, As title suggests mega probs with me broadbean
At the end of April, they upgraded me to 1mg (set top box) and lo and behold I ended up without internet connection....many technician visits later, new Samsung STB later still no connection....then my nephew came round, fiddled and I was flying again...(he still doesn't know what he did to make it work). Thanks to Chris W (we aren't worthy), got my lap top rigged up through a router too...Brilliant! flying away...it was!
They upgraded me again yesterday to 2mg, guess what? All my settings kicked off again, had 2 technicians round today, and at the moment got internet by connecting laptop direct to set top box.....router,well, its a no go, so I am without my main PC (internet)
I have a NTL phone so my choice for other providers is somewhat limited.
Any one had these problems? anyone got any suggestions?
All help most gratefully recieved

TIA Fozzie

when we had our cable upgraded(ntl) it stuffed it right up took me a whole day fiddling resetting and thelike, still not sure what i did to fix it (we have it througha router and modem)

Liam, when the techy came this afternoon, he connected his laptop, and nowt either, he called 'base' they said they couldn't 'see' my STB, but they wouldn't have it that the stuff up is their end!
This guy went above and beyond just to get my laptop 'rigged' up in the fashion I described, which is ok for now, but most of my work is on the main pc which is in another part of the house (office).......as you say eventually it starts to work, how, when and why, will be a mystery, unless any of you lot can tell me the 'secret'! lol
ATB Fozzie

Everyone's going back to BT. According to the adverts anyway.

I had many many many problems when I was set up with NTL and router too.... the usual solution was to turn EVERYTHING off at the mains then turn things on and restart in this order.

set top box
router
pc

if that doesn't work turn off the router count to 30 then turn it back on.

hope this helps.
James

quote:

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Originally posted by Peteff
Everyone's going back to BT. According to the adverts anyway.

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Many thanks James,
Trouble is......I and the techies have been doing just that from 9am til 6pm this evening (Not forgetting the hour spent on the phone to tech support) and doing command>ipconfig>ipconfig /release etc...all to no avail.....
Fozzie

NTL people on the phone (after waiting 30mins!) do not have a clue i'm sure they just follow a list, and like somebodys mentioned tell ya to turn everything of and try again and run some imaginary tests.

Had my mate who installs networks check everything over because they were going to charge me £60 if it was anything to do with my machines that was broken. Narrowed it down to there Modem being broken and was that pi**ed off with it turned the whole lot off.

Rang up from work the following day, "well we need to run the tests b4 we can send an engineer out with a modem " The same tests u've done xx times previousley, so had to wait till I got home to turn it on then ring back and oganise a replacement!

There got that off my chest!

Great while it works, Absolute nightmare when it doesn't

quote:

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Originally posted by MkIndy7
NTL people on the phone (after waiting 30mins!) do not have a clue i'm sure they just follow a list, and like somebodys mentioned tell ya to turn everything of and try again and run some imaginary tests.

Had my mate who installs networks check everything over because they were going to charge me £60 if it was anything to do with my machines that was broken. Narrowed it down to there Modem being broken and was that pi**ed off with it turned the whole lot off.

Rang up from work the following day, "well we need to run the tests b4 we can send an engineer out with a modem " The same tests u've done xx times previousley, so had to wait till I got home to turn it on then ring back and oganise a replacement!

There got that off my chest!

Great while it works, Absolute nightmare when it doesn't

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I've never had any probs whith NTL and been with them 7 years now.

I have to switch on my NTL modem first, wait 30 secs, then Router, wait 30 secs and then computer and it all works fine.

Are you using NTL's own software as I find everything works better without it - especially that Medic thing they give you.

Pat...

Hi Pat, no, not got their software on the computers. Also, I have a set top box and not the stand-alone modem.
I have also been with NTL for a while, about 6 years, and I agree that when they are good, they are very good, hence the reason I have been with them for so long. These problems only arose when they upgraded my broadbean speeds, and changed my Pace STB for a shiny new Samsung.
Ta anyway
Fozzie

From my experience the set top box are very picky, especially with picking up new MAC address (Routers or new Computers). If you can, see if they wll give you a standard NTL home (silver) modem they seem much better and have been less dificult to set up with routers etc.

Also there is NO need for any Ntl software on the PC at all if connecting via ethernet. Its just more crap on your pc. I have been on NTL cable for 4yrs+ with out installing it. (you dont NEED it if connecting on USB either if you install the driver correctly)

[Edited on 15/6/05 by Steve&Steve]

NTL have recently moved their call centre to India.

I was made redundant when my company moved my job to India so on principle I have told NTL to stuff their service where the sun don't shine.

Any other company that I deal with that moves to India will get the same treatment.


Clive

NTL were useless with us as well. When we were looking for broadband we called them first as they had several student offers on.

It took them 8 weeks to tell us that we couldnt have cable internet as we arent in a cable area. One interesting point is that we already have a cable running to the house, (obviously not active). But still I cant understand why it took them 8 weeks to tell us that.

A lot of my mates went with them as well, and have had nothing but stupid problems. Incorrect set ups, technicians never turning up etc etc.

David

Cheers all
At least I now know that I am not so unique with having these problems as they 'that be' keep telling me I am!
I actually turned on my laptop and expected the settings of last night to have 'fallen off' but at the moment as you can see all is well.
I am expecting another set top box and technician out sometime today, so we will see
So far, the technical support people I have spoken to (on the help line) have been 'English'. I cannot say the same for customer services though.
Please keep ya thoughts and suggestions coming all are much appreciated
Fozzie

quote:

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Originally posted by Steve&Steve
From my experience the set top box are very picky, especially with picking up new MAC address (Routers or new Computers). If you can, see if they wll give you a standard NTL home (silver) modem they seem much better and have been less dificult to set up with routers etc.

Also there is NO need for any Ntl software on the PC at all if connecting via ethernet. Its just more crap on your pc. I have been on NTL cable for 4yrs+ with out installing it. (you dont NEED it if connecting on USB either if you install the driver correctly)

[Edited on 15/6/05 by Steve&Steve]

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Dave, thanks so very much for that info
Brilliant!
At this point in time, my router is not connected, I just cant get the set top box to give my 'main pc' an address other than the dreaded 169. etc.
I did ask yesterday for a standalone modem, only to be told the samsung was far superior, and the insides were the same as the standalone......Yeah right!
Ah well, I can see me fiddling with it before long....don't like things like this beating me!
Ta everso
Fozzie

Here's a complaint letter that was sent to NTL.

Below is a copy of a letter that won a competition in UK as complaint letter of the year...have a laugh and
read on.
Complaint Letter of the Year. The British do have a way with words.... A real-life customer complaint
letter sent to NTL (to their complaints dept....)

Dear Cretins,
I have been an NTL customer since 9th July 2001, when I signed up for your 3-in-one deal for cable TV, cable modem, and telephone. During this three-month period I have encountered inadequacy of service which I had not previously considered possible, as well as ignorance and stupidity of monolithic proportions. Please allow me to provide specific details, so that you can either pursue your professional perogative, and seek to rectify these difficulties - or more likely (I suspect) so that you can have some entertaining reading material as you while away the working day smoking B&H and drinking vendor-coffee on the bog in your office:
My initial installation was cancelled without warning, resulting in my spending an entire Saturday sitting on my fat arse waiting for your technician to arrive. When he did not arrive, I spent a further 57 minutes listening to your infuriating hold music, and the even more annoying Scottish robot woman telling me to look at your helpful website....HOW?
I alleviated the boredom by playing with my testicles for a few minutes - an activity at which you are no-doubt both familiar and highly adept. The rescheduled installation then took place some two weeks later, although the technician did forget to bring a number of vital tools - such as a drill-bit, and his cerebrum. Two weeks later, my cable modem had still not arrived. After 15 telephone calls over 4 weeks my modem arrived... six weeks after I had requested it, and begun to pay for it.
I estimate your internet server's downtime is roughly 35%... hours between about 6pm -midnight, Mon-Fri, and most of the weekend. I am still waiting for my telephone connection. I have made 9 calls on my mobile to your no-help line, and have been unhelpfully transferred to a variety of disinterested individuals, who are it seems also highly skilled bollock jugglers.
I have been informed that a telephone line is available (and someone will call me back); that no telephone line is available (and someone will call me back); that I will be transferred to someone who knows whether or not a telephone line is available (and then been cut off); that I will be transferred to someone (and then been redirected to an answer machine informing me that your office is closed); that I will be transferred to someone and then been redirected to the irritating Scottish robot woman...and several other variations on this theme.
Doubtless you are no longer reading this letter, as you have at least a thousand other dissatisfied customers to ignore, and also another one of those crucially important testicle-moments to attend to. Frankly I don't care, it's far more satisfying as a customer to voice my frustration's in print than to shout them at your unending hold music. Forgive me, therefore, if I continue.
I thought BT were shit, that they had attained the holy piss-pot of god- awful customer relations, that no-one, anywhere, ever, could be more disinterested, less helpful or more obstructive to delivering service totheir customers. That's why I chose NTL, and because, well, there isn't anyone else is there? How surprised I therefore was, when I discovered to my considerable dissatisfaction and disappointment what a useless shower of bastards you truly are. You are sputum-filled pieces of distended rectum incompetents of the highest order.
British Telecom - wankers though they are - shine like brilliant beacons of success, in the filthy puss-filled mire of your seemingly limitless inadequacy. Suffice to say that I have now given up on my futile and foolhardy quest to receive any kind of service from you. I suggest that you cease any potential future attempts to extort payment from me for the services which you have so pointedly and catastrophically failed to deliver - any such activity will be greeted initially with hilarity and disbelief quickly be replaced by derision, and even perhaps bemused rage. I enclose two small deposits, selected with great care from my cats litter tray, as an expression of my utter and complete contempt for both you and your pointless company. I sincerely hope that they have not become desiccated during transit - they were satisfyingly moist at the time of posting, and I would feel considerable disappointment if you did not experience both their rich aroma and delicate texture. Consider them the very embodiment of my feelings towards NTL, and its worthless employees.
Have a nice day - may it be the last in you miserable short life, you irritatingly incompetent and infuriatingly unhelpful bunch of twats.
John

Now that has put more than a big smile on my face!
It has brightend up me day!
Ta muchly for that, just what I needed..tee-hee
ATB Fozzie

The problem is almost certainly mac address related NTL try disconnecting everything overnight then reconnecting the router.
If this dosen't the router will have to be set masquerade as the mac address of your PC.

http://adslguide.co.uk is a good source of help for NTL connections.

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Now that has put more than a big smile on my face!

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Not had them myself but have friends who used them....had problems that NTL could'nt sort out and changed.

In the long run change...it's gotta be worth it!

Trust me - I've had NTL for 5 years and they've been fabulously incompetent throughout. However, I *have* always been able to get someone on the phone either to sort out my problem or cancel my account (Which I did when I had no phone for a month and they kept saying "we'll ring you back" on the number that didn't work)

However, Bulldog have just taken the biscuit. Ordered new line + 4M broadband early in May. Their website gave me an activation date of 31 May. Several times since 31May, I've tried to ring them. Each time it has said "sorry we are too busy to take your call, please log onto your account to see your status". Not exactly useful as the site said I should have been live days before (Weeks now)

They still haven't installed the new line, and received an e-mail from them yesterday saying they'd done a test on the line (note - still not installed) and couldn't get their full service.

Tried to ring them to cancel. Can't get through. Dropped them an email and will refuse access to any engineer trying to install a line.

If I don't get a response in the next 48hours, I'm going to OffCom and Watchdog

NTL may be Hell, but Bulldog are worse.....

Oooeer I suppose the saying of 'Better the devil ya know' comes into play there, I am so sorry to hear of that, rest assured Bulldog will not be on my list of prospective providers.

However, I do have some better news
I cancelled the NTL techy's visit today, because I have got it working
I will bore you with the results because after having such great replies with stories very similar to my woes, it just may help someone else.
NTL supplied me with a set top box and ethernet cable 6 years ago, as you know, I have had my set top box upgraded, but never even thought about their ethernet cable. I assumed that it was some high powered cable because it was so much thicker than the ones my brother made up for me, but, to get me online yesterday, the nice NTL techy (yup there is one good guy) linked my laptop to the STB with one of bros cables....so, nothing 'high powered' with their cable, just a bit more thickly covered.
At lunch time today, I decided to do more investigating of the NTL cable, yes the lights were functioning at the ethernet ports as they should so power/connection is there, but, still no broadbean.
Next step, take the 'bro made' cable that was dedicated to the laptop previously, put in back of STB, turn off STB (mains too), go up to the office, take the other end of the 'laptop' and put into back of main PC, go back turn on STB wait til it shows 'on', go back turn on main PC close eyes and wait.......then, 'start > command prompt> ipconfig......and way-hay.....bingo...its flying again!
OK says I lets prove it is their cable....turn off everything..put their cable back in STB and in back of laptop....checked to see if the orange and green lights were on at the ethernet port, they were, then, do the turn on sequence. Start > command prompt> ipconfig....oh no the dreaded IP of 169, so that proved the cable, although showing the connection lights OK, had obviously broken down somewhere, not enough to stop the lights showing, but enough to stop the data flow.
All turned off again, I took the lap top back to the office, found another very short 'bro made' lead and did the connections to the router, switched on as per sequence, and also as per router instructions, and lo and behold all up and running!
I have just purchased some more ethernet cable because the only snag is, the lap top is in the office now as the 'bro made' lead is not long enough to take it elsewhere! LOLOL
If any of my original post sounds familiar to anyone elses problems with NTL please consider their cable, even (like mine did) if it 'shows' there is a connection, like mine, it may not be so.
I would like to thank all of you for your help, and my commiserations are with those of you that have also had incompetent tech support from them.
Also thanks to cerbera who actually made me smile with his 'complaint' letter, and gave me the boost to give it another go myself!...Cheers guys

ATB Fozzie

i, too, hate NTL. They are entirely as useless as that letter implies. the service is crap, the internet was often out for days for me, the tv too has bad moments most weeks - usually just as something interesting comes on.

i switched back to bt, after they terminated my internet account with no warning, because they forgot to bill me. I still owe them £90, that i aren't paying on principal. Funnily enough, i still have their tv service, but they are too stupid to realise i owe them money still.

BT is occationally slow, but hasnt failed yet (maybe half a year or so).

When NTL works it works well but the whole networking set up had its security designed around MAC addresses which is fine if you are just connecting one PC but if you install a router the system won't recognise the new mac address and won't issue it with an IP and DNS through DCHP. The way round this is replicate the PCs MAC address on the NTL side of the router. Incidentally I have encountered a surprising number of cheap network cars don't have the MAC address set -- just filled with zeros.
Personally If I were sharing NTL on an internal network I would use IPCop running on any old pc as a router.

Customer service with NTL is geared towards sales only.


Bulldog ADSL have had a bad reputation for a while they promised much but didn't deliver and some of thier clients had major outages, although some have had perfect lightning fast service, it seems to depend entirely on geographic area.

BT Internet were the bane of my ADSL existance -- mysterious 24 hour outages that were never admitted to. Then along came BT Yahoo with its tacky AOL wannabee C*** !
BT Customer service is only OK if you get the Irish call centre.

Contention ratios don't make much difference all distribution networks such gas water electricity have similar ratios. Connection speed dosen't make much difference either for 99% of users. What really matters is how good the DNS servers are, the capacity of the providers internet link and of course how fast the server is at the other end.

Before going ADSL or changing provider do some research the adslguide.org.uk is the best place to start. Go to the compare providers page and compare the providers you are interested with Zen (has been consistantly highest rated ), BT (usually about average), and Tiscalli (usually at or near bottom).

Me I am with Zen and just don't get any problems.

[Edited on 15/6/05 by britishtrident]

Screen cap from http://www.adslguide.org.uk
Rescued attachment srnshot.jpg

Thanks for that
It goes to show that maybe NTL aren't that bad in comparison
I still say that their customer service/technicians should be more knowledgeable and care that we, the customers pay for a service.
I didn't even worry about connecting the router until my conection was up and running. I would advise all NTL broadbeaners to disconnect their routers if they need to contact NTL tech support, as they say if you have one connected, they cannot/will not help you! Mad in this day and age when most homes have at least 1 PC and a laptop.
It can be quite a daunting task choosing a router to work with the 'set top box', but Chris W kindly recommended one to me when this first happend back in April/May. As long as you follow their instruction sheet to the letter, there are no problems setting it up, you don't even have to run their 'wizard' it does it all itself! ......which is nice......
Many thanks to all that offered tips and their experiences and most of all the complaint letter from cerbera ...what a classic!
Fozzie