Backup internet connection

mattyg

mattyg

mattyg

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Joined
17 Jun 2007
Posts
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So virgin have a fault in our area. Estimate fix 4pm..

**** happens I know. But does anyone run a backup connection for times like these.

4g solution or maybe a BT line for sky or other?
 
mattyg said:
So virgin have a fault in our area. Estimate fix 4pm..

**** happens I know. But does anyone run a backup connection for times like these.

4g solution or maybe a BT line for sky or other?
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I'm in the process of doing this. Have a Virgin connection (which in fairness has been pretty good), but as I can work from home I thought it would be a good idea to get a backup BT line.

So far so bad. Openreach are a painful company to work with if you don't want something bog standard (want the cable underground rather than from a pole). First engineer turned up. Was gone within 30 seconds as he can only do pole work and can't run a cable through already laid conduit.

I also need to get my external Virgin box moved (due to having building work done) and Virgin are also just as crap. Engineer turned up, he can't do it - I needed the construction team as the job required a cable repull. I knew there was a reason I was on the phone to them for 30 mins and spoke to 6 different people - for them to send out the wrong people for the job!

Assuming I finally manage to get these useless companies to do what I've paid them for, I should have them setup within the next few weeks.

I'll be using my Unifi USG Pro 4 with them. I imagine I'll use load balancing with them rather than failover.
 
I believe you should go 4g as your backup connection.

You should get a 30 day contract.

36759620_10156529749862375_7727212401107402752_o.jpg


Mobile network is called EE.

https://shop.ee.co.uk/dongles/pay-monthly-mobile-broadband/4gee-router/details
 
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I use three WAN connections at home, one fibre and two 4G. I don't use them specifically for failover as the primary reason though. Each of them is not the best speed wise so I set groups of devices to use each of them so everyone gets a snappy internet experience. If one fails then the groups defined will use one of the other connections though. This is all done with a pfSense firewall and once configured just does its thing automatically.

I have to say if I were paying a monthly subscription, as I do, just for a backup I think I'd not be happy. Wired broadband doesn't fail so often that a permanent solution that I have setup would be a worthwhile investment I think. I'd probably go down the phone tethering route for the odd occasion.
 
I don't think I'll be paying more than I do now for a backup connection for the odd time Virgin falls over. Phone tether may be the best option. Unless I can reactivate the old BT line and get sky BB with our TV package
 
jsmoke said:
£100 for 100gig for 30 days!

Giffgaff do unlimted for £20.
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How it works
Always On data
With Always On you get 9GB of data at full 4G speed. After 9GB of data used you'll experience a reduced data speed of 384kbps from 8am to Midnight. You may notice that activities which require high amounts of data, like HD video streaming, will be slower.

Either way if he can live with an unlimited 384kbps this will suit him fine, should be fast enough for web browsing emails etc, and at £20 a month it is attractive, all he needs to do is tether the phone then he can use the phones internet, this would be his best bet for a backup connection, without breaking the bank.

Here is the link to giffgaffs £20 unlimited package > https://www.giffgaff.com/sim-only-p...pebLKecrfaxrEx_M3A8aAovkEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Then there is Three with a 30gb allowance for tethering at full speed > http://www.three.co.uk/standalone/priceplan-details?planid=1400624187826

Either way i think the op will find many uses with a smartphone as well as a backup tethering option from his smartphone which turns the phone into a modem/wifi hotspot so he can use the phones internet on the laptop for instance but i do not know if the op has a smartphone.

Not to be confused when you use your phones internet on your laptop it will be just like a home broadband connection when i mean this, websites won't treat it as like as if you were surfing on the phone with a different layout from website that support mobile/smart phone web browser you see, but on the laptop it will be exactly the same as your home connection when you use the phones internet.

Read this > http://www.lifehacker.co.uk/2015/09...hats-the-best-uk-mobile-network-for-tethering
 
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So how much bandwidth do you need to say watch a 1080 youtube video. I assume 384 is kilo bits per minute. In other words 384/8 kilo bytes per second.
 
Apparently according to this tethering is not allowed which is from http://www.lifehacker.co.uk/2015/09...hats-the-best-uk-mobile-network-for-tethering .

Giffgaff
Giffgaff allows tethering on its goodybag bundles with a limited data allowance. There are no limits on the amount of data you can use while tethered. If you go over the goodybag allowance, you are notified and charged at 2p per MB from airtime credit. Once that has been used up, you are on standard rates – mobile internet is charged at 20p per day for up to 20MB.

Tethering is not allowed on unlimited data goodybags. Giffgaff is very clear about this: “If you tether with an unlimited data goodybag, your usage will be identified as illegitimate as per the Terms and Conditions, and your Internet access may be suspended under the policy to manage illegitimate usage.” You have been warned!

But according to this it seems like you can regarding 6gb package not unlimited package for mobile data > https://community.giffgaff.com/t5/Help-Support/20-Always-on-Tethering/m-p/20790996#M7574032

But according to this you can not use tethering on a unlimited data package > https://community.giffgaff.com/t5/H...nce-on-Phone-and-when-tethering/td-p/20424149

No idea, take my post with a pinch of salt.
 
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bremen1874 said:
Your first tethering link is from 2015!

I'd believe their website.
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Pinch of salt it is then.

jsmoke said:
Yep, I see that three do an all-you-can-eat data for £35 and it's genuinely full on data. Might be a better option.
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Three do offer unlimited data at full 4g speeds but you see they offer a 30gb hotspot i know this.

I am on pay as you go with three so i pay £35 for unlimited data on my phone and has been satisfactory but you cannot use it for tethering.
 
lltfdaniel said:
Pinch of salt it is then.



Three do offer unlimited data at full 4g speeds but you see they offer a 30gb hotspot i know this.

I am on pay as you go with three so i pay £35 for unlimited data on my phone and has been satisfactory but you cannot use it for tethering.
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And how do they stop you tethering?
 
jsmoke said:
And how do they stop you tethering?
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I have not tried tethering on my phone personally regarding tethering on pay as you go sim,

I believe some people... have tried bypassing the hotspot limit > https://androidforums.com/threads/how-to-bypass-tethering-block-on-three-network.542650/

As breman said, kill your connection, i experienced that my self, i tried to trick three into thinking it was from my phone and not using the 30gb data hotspot allowance.

Either way i'd pick three's 30gb data hotspot at 4g speeds over giff gaff unlimited data that is just me personally and considering it cost 18 quid a month for that from three which is affordable.

30gb data hotspot @ £18 vs three homefi http://www.three.co.uk/Discover/Devices/Huawei/HomeFi?memory=0&colour=Black
 
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