Fozzie
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| posted on 14/6/05 at 09:55 PM |
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NTL Hell
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
'Racing is Life!...anything before or after is just waiting'....Steve McQueen
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liam.mccaffrey
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| posted on 14/6/05 at 10:00 PM |
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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)
Build Blog
Build Photo Album
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Fozzie
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| posted on 14/6/05 at 10:12 PM |
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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
'Racing is Life!...anything before or after is just waiting'....Steve McQueen
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Peteff
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| posted on 14/6/05 at 10:13 PM |
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Now you know why
Everyone's going back to BT. According to the adverts anyway.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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DorsetStrider
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| posted on 14/6/05 at 10:15 PM |
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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
Who the f**K tightened this up!
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Fozzie
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| posted on 14/6/05 at 10:18 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Peteff
Everyone's going back to BT. According to the adverts anyway.
 tee-hee
Oh no! that means changing my phone provider!
Seriously though, my brother was with BT Openworld, and he had no end of problems, which has put me off a bit...so a bit reluctant to 'go'
BT.....
Fozzie
'Racing is Life!...anything before or after is just waiting'....Steve McQueen
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Fozzie
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| posted on 14/6/05 at 10:23 PM |
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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
'Racing is Life!...anything before or after is just waiting'....Steve McQueen
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MkIndy7
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| posted on 14/6/05 at 10:39 PM |
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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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Fozzie
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| posted on 14/6/05 at 10:48 PM |
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quote:
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
Here, here, you are so right with all you say!The techy said to me that all tech support do (on phone) IS go through a written checklist!..he said
they really do not have a clue literally!
They tried to blame my machine too the first time it happend, then i got my lap top out and the same errors appeared on that..that technician walked
out of here in a huff...and with a few choice words from me!
Fozzie
'Racing is Life!...anything before or after is just waiting'....Steve McQueen
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Avoneer
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| posted on 14/6/05 at 10:51 PM |
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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...
No trees were killed in the sending of this message.
However a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.
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Fozzie
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| posted on 14/6/05 at 11:02 PM |
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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
'Racing is Life!...anything before or after is just waiting'....Steve McQueen
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Steve&Steve
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| posted on 15/6/05 at 03:15 AM |
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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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Snuggs
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| posted on 15/6/05 at 06:33 AM |
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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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.topcashback.co.uk/ref/snuggstcb
Spider pig, spider pig, does whatever a spider pig does.
I doubt therefore I may be.
Luposlipophobia : Fear of being chased by wolves around a freshly waxed kitchen floor, while wearing only socks on your feet.
My mind not only wanders, sometimes it leaves completely!
http://www.venganza.org
http://www.jesusandmo.net/
http://www.snuggs.co.uk
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flak monkey
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| posted on 15/6/05 at 07:13 AM |
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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
Sera
http://www.motosera.com
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Fozzie
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| posted on 15/6/05 at 08:18 AM |
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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
'Racing is Life!...anything before or after is just waiting'....Steve McQueen
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DaveFJ
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| posted on 15/6/05 at 08:51 AM |
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quote:
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]
Was about to voice a similar opinion
In my work i have to deal with a lot of peoples home broadband connections - both NTL and BT. myu experience is this
BT are crap! - also the contention rate is 50-1!
NTL works well 99% of the time and only has a contention rate of 5-1
the only proviso I would put on this is that you need to have a the seperate NTL 'modem'. the broadband through your set top box is utter
crap and should be avoided at all costs... anyone in this situation should try to get a seperate modem fitted and threaten to go over to BT...
I response to your problems - it could possibly be due to the MAC address of the router. depending on which model you have you should be able to
change this. try resetting it to it's default MAC address, if that doesn't work then try setting it to the MAC address of your PC/laptop
(some routers will do this automatically by a 'clone MAC' button. finally try setting the MAC manually to the MAC of the set top box /
modem
the MAC for the set top box/ modem should be on a label on the bottom.
The MAC address (physical address) of your PC/ laptop can be found by typing
ipconfig /all in a DOS window.
Hope this helps
Dave
"In Support of Help the Heroes" - Always
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Fozzie
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| posted on 15/6/05 at 09:04 AM |
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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
'Racing is Life!...anything before or after is just waiting'....Steve McQueen
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cerbera
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| posted on 15/6/05 at 11:54 AM |
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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
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Fozzie
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| posted on 15/6/05 at 12:58 PM |
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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
'Racing is Life!...anything before or after is just waiting'....Steve McQueen
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britishtrident
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| posted on 15/6/05 at 01:18 PM |
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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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cerbera
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| posted on 15/6/05 at 01:51 PM |
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quote:
Now that has put more than a big smile on my face!
Glad I could help
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donut
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| posted on 15/6/05 at 02:35 PM |
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NTL SUCK BIG TIME
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!
Andy
When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andywest1/
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stevebubs
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| posted on 15/6/05 at 06:11 PM |
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Bulldog are worse!
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.....
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Fozzie
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| posted on 15/6/05 at 06:59 PM |
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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
'Racing is Life!...anything before or after is just waiting'....Steve McQueen
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JoelP
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| posted on 15/6/05 at 07:08 PM |
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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).
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