[ILUG] Broadband in Dublin

[Michael Watterson]

James Galvin wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I'll echo what Gavin says - ethernet or wireless routers come standard 
> with most broadband packages these days, and even the likes of 
> Clearwire and Ripwave should work perfectly in Linux since you're just 
> getting a DHCP lease. One thing I would be careful about is the 3G 
> broadband offerings... I know you can buy a PCMCIA data card from the 
> likes of Three, but I don't know of any Linux users who have that 
> service.
>
3G isn't broadband. Latency is 150ms to 800ms. The "up to speed" is 
shared by everyone in a sector. It's W-CDMA so as users are added the 
cell shrinks as the apparent S/N gets worse. Up to 12users per 1.8Mbps, 
so 3.6Mbps is up to 24 users. Under 200kbps if max number of users are 
connected, possibly under 100k. "3" uses a transparent Proxy, almost 
everyone is on same IP address.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055115306

Both the USB and PCMCIA modems of 3G (3, O2 and Vodaphone) will work on 
Linux, or you can use a DLink DIR-451 for PCMCIA OR USB modem to have 
ethernet and/or WiFi (WPA & up to 108Mbps ).

There are 6 kinds of wireless apart from 3G/HSDPA

1) Ripwave IBB: Essentially a dialup replacement. Not really Broadband. 
Built in aerial like WiFi
2) Services based on WiFi technology with outdoor aerial. Poor
3) Breeze IBB and similar from Digiweb and others: 2Mbps symmetrical. 
Outdoor radio/ aerial. Some are a bit faster and a few may be near or 
actually fixed WiMax.
4) Digiweb's Mobile Internet: NOT based on mobile phone it is 4G tech 
limited by Comreg licenced bandwidth to lower speed than hypothetical 
4G. Low latency < 40ms. Uses Flash-OFDM
5) Digiweb Metro. Needs external Radio /Aerial and VERY good LOS (line 
of sight) as it is 10.5GHz. Your modem is actually a DOCSIS 2.0 cable 
modem with SIP for two builtin phone ports (using QOS cable packet on a 
separate private IP to the data IP). The IP is public and usually static.
6) Dedicated or near dedicated Microwave link with very low contention. 
Some businesses and apartment blocks get this as it is cheaper than a 
leased line.

Some places have Smart or Magnet fibre. If you are near any Dublin MAN 
fibre about €10,000 gets you a nice connection.


There's also 2way satellite. Which seems currently to be better 
performance than some folks get on 3G/HSDPA!

> Regarding Eircom broadband + line rental, it does indeed hurt to have 
> to pay double when you'll never use the phone line. Smart Telecom used 
> to give free phone line rental with their broadband... don't know if 
> that service still exists though.
>
> James
>
>
> Gavin McCullagh wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> On Mon, 08 Oct 2007, ollie at eillo.org wrote:
>>
>>> Im looking to get a landline broadband connection. Is there any reason
>>> why i should /shouldnt get a particular service when using linux?
>>
>> Not in my experience. However, it might be worth insisting on getting an
>> ethernet modem/router not a USB one so you won't have to deal with 
>> driver
>> issues.
>>
>>> Also if anyone here is with eircom can you tell me if the monthly fee
>>> includes line rental or if thats extra? It makes a big difference 
>>> because i dont have and dont want a phone.
>>>
>>> If i have to pay extra for line rental it would double the price.
>>
>> It does double the price. Having a line and paying rental is a
>> pre-requisite of getting aDSL.
>>
>> Non-DSL options include NTL/Chorus, wireless broadband or perhaps 3G 
>> mobile
>> broadband. They all seem to have their own gotchas but it has always
>> seemed to me that a service which runs over cables has an inherent
>> advantage over one which doesn't.
>>
>> Gavin
>>


-- 
Mike