Broadband in NZ

[bgd]

Hi folks,

I have to set up broadband for my family and have no idea of the current state of play in NZ.

I will configure a router and laptop here (UK) which they will take back with them. I'm just after a pointer of what is good and what's not on the ISP front. They currently subscribe to xtra dial up and I see they have a special which expires soon. I also see some adverse comments on this site about xtra.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Brian

[James Deuce]

Broadband in NZ - Ahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa *bonk*

It's slow, mostly DSL, and expensive. Most expensive rates in the OECD.

All the ISPs end up the same because they HAVE to use Telecom's network at some point.

If they do a lot of gaming DON'T go with Xtra (Telecom's ISP company and probably the biggest one). They packet queue, so connections to overseas game servers carry a lot of latency.

Other than that it's much of a muchness, unless the family is moving to a rural area, in which case they'll need a Modem. Of the Dial-up variety.

[Marmoot]

If they do a lot of gaming DON'T go with Xtra (Telecom's ISP company and probably the biggest one). They packet queue, so connections to overseas game servers carry a lot of latency.

I am in Central Auckland and my 2MB xtra DSL is ok for gaming. But it could have been better.

Just my 2c.
Yes, Jim2 is right. Our "broadband" is laughable.

[Karma]

Firstly... don't bother sending DSL modems over from the UK, not worth it if they're not configured correctly, VPI / VCI and all that.

Secondly... if you're going to register for Xtra, wait until closer to Christmas, cough cough, may take a little longer to get it installed but it'll be worth it... but you didn't hear that from me

[Mooch]

What Jim said and the following
Depending in which City you go to there maybe a couple of other choices. In Wellington Telstra Clear offer broadband via cable TV in many of the suburbs.
I think places in Auckland City offer wireless broadband as well.
Rate wise, you'll pay about 30-40 % more than BT's rates, customer service it's a lot better in NZ if you have issues and it doesn't take days to get hold of the right person or have to sit in endless queues. The ISP's seem to be including the ADSL modems at the moment. You'll need to check if your own gear is NZ telepermited before plugging in. The ADSL system also uses user name authentication rather then the open style where BT ties this into your phone number.

DSL wise it's only ADSL 1 at this stage, also in NZ the traffic capping is lower and the upload speed is lower. It's capped at 128k rather than the 256k in the UK. Downloading is normally packet shaped to 2meg or below


http://jetstream.xtra.co.nz/chm/0,,202853-1000,00.html
http://www.telstraclear.co.nz/produc...net/highspeed/

[Karma]

customer service it's a lot better in NZ if you have issues and it doesn't take days to get hold of the right person or have to sit in endless queues.

[bgd]

hmm...already have a wireless adsl modem/router on order. If the modem won't be compatiable then can they use the router side. Having seen some of the sites my daughter has visited I wanted to put a router/firewall between the pc and modem. Plus there is a linux machine involved. None of this is difficult, unless you are 12,000 miles away.

They are in central Chch.

[Mooch]

What brand / model number did you order ?.

No problem with putting the router/firewall inline between the PC's and the ADSL modem unless they will be running application protocols that don't Network Address Translate (NAT). Most applications do these days.

PC firewall would also be a good choice on top of router firewall.
Don't for get NZ uses different mains plugs as well, same voltage though

Settings for NZ ADSL
http://xtra.co.nz/help/0,,5739-907829,00.html

[Karma]

Modem should be compatible, but will need manual settings such as VPI / VCI and PPPoA VC-Mux encapsulation etc...

A hardware firewall is always a good idea, but I've found that the hacking scene is hardly evident in NZ, most people over here can't seem to spell PC let alone use one (present company excepted of course )

[bgd]

I'm starting to feel a little better ...

Router is a Netgear DG834G which I use over here. Easier to set up if I have the same model. Being spread across the 2 countries we have a good supply of UK/NZ adapter plugs.

There seems to be a real problem with spyware and viruses here and since my wife uses internet banking I'm a little concerned about security. Interesting to hear that it isn't so bad in NZ.

I use a Mac so have no such issues and in NZ we have been using linux on a dial up. Just a little nervous about adding a windows pc and 15 year old daughter to the mix.

[Karma]

15 year old daughter

Worse that could happen is it'll get a Justin Timberlake desktop or something

If you'd said 15 year old son... now that would've been a different story

[Mooch]

You'll be fine with that model of net gear; it's available in NZ as well.

You could set up her PC with Norton Internet Security, it ties in with XP user names, has a setting called parental control, you can apply various levels of protection to your daughters surfing.

Also, don't be naive about the virus / spywhare threat; it's the same in NZ and anywhere else on the internet. I used to see a couple hundred thousand attempts per day on one network I managed in NZ.

[sAsLEX]

hmmm how many people would sign a petition to unbundle the local loop?! I think Mexico and NZ are the only coutries in the OECD that haven't and due to this telecon continues to only offer cheaper higher quality broadband in areas where there is competition such as wellington, scum!

[Drunken Monkey]

I will configure a router and laptop here (UK) which they will take back with them...

Make sure, if you're going to use ADSL, it is RFC 2364 compliant. We use PPPoA (not PPPoE) here as well.
I'm not sure what cable modems people on the cable service are using, but there's still only limited services for cable here.

You should be able to find out what you want form here:
http://www.nzdsl.co.nz/

[bugjuice]

They are in central Chch.

depending where in Chch, it could be cheaper, cos TelstraClear (TCL) have built network there, so it drives down the cost of everything, and Telecom have competition. So phones and internet etc, is a bit cheaper, and you have better plans. Same for most parts of Wgtn too.

Alex, TCL and other competitors did a 'Call 4 Change' campaign last year. 61,241 people called, logged and signed with them and competitors against Telecom, and the government 'didn't listen'.
What really happened, was Telecom blackmailed and used scare tactics against the Government and said that if the Local Loop Unbundling (LLU) went ahead, Telecom would pull out it's millions from the share markets and Government funding stuff, so the 'NZ public' would be the ones feeling the burden. The Gov shat its pants, and didn't unbundle. They did force pathetic bitstream, which no one can do shit with, which has increased slightly since then. Telecom still continue to run their high profits. And for a while, TCL resold home phone lines off Telecom. But the profit margin was 2%, so TCL gave up last month selling home phone lines, unless you're willing to put your toll calls and internet thru too.