This you want to read when selecting an ISP for use Kodi

[janclaes47]

As you probably know I have quite some experience in setting up Kodi, and have no shortage of devices to experiment with.

 

My regular ISP is 3BB with a 30/10Mb VDSL package. This will give me a speed of 8-9 Mbps to European and US servers on testmy.net, where the majority of Kodi addon servers are situated.

 

Last week I decided to get TOT 100/50Mb Fibre installed for the simple reason that it cost me 10 Baht in total for the installation, and I have a clause in the contract that I can cancel at any time without paying a fine.

 

The TOT package gives me a speed to European and US servers of about 11 - 12Mbps on the same test server, so slightly better than 3BB. My connection stability on the TOT Fibre is also much better than on the VDSL.

 

So now I have the choice of 2 ISP's in my house that is completely hardwired to every room, so no issues with WIFI, and I have some rooms connected to TOT and others to 3BB.

 

This evening I wanted to watch a replay of the China F1 race on an addon that usually is very reliable, but the race wouldn't open.

 

By coincidence shortly after I had a customer calling and he mentioned he had just finished watching that race on the very same addon, so I tried again but still negative.

 

The device I was using was connected to TOT, I checked my speed, and the speed was fine.

 

So I went to another room and fired up a device connected to 3BB, and the race loaded and played without issues.

 

Tried another device on another TOT connection, and again the stream was a no go.

 

I continued for more than an hour with switching devices, rebooting routers and whatever other options, but at the end it was clear that on 3BB i could watch the race, and on my superior TOT fibre I could not.

 

So to conclude,if you want to use Kodi, TOT is certainly not the ISP you want to have, as they very obviously block streaming.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Fruit Trader]

My brother in law gets all bent out of shape and rants on Facebook when his 3BB service fails on a single stream. Told him to calm down pop over to use my TOT next time it happens.

 

Ayways, no problem here with TOT streaming but if it does skip a beat I just go to the fridge and take a cold one.

[janclaes47]

Just now, Fruit Trader said:

My brother in law gets all bent out of shape and rants on Facebook when his 3BB service fails on a single stream. Told him to calm down pop over to use my TOT next time it happens.

 

Ayways, no problem here with TOT streaming but if it does skip a beat I just go to the fridge and take a cold one.

I think you missed the point of the thread.

 

On TOT some streams are simply blocked, not just skipping a beat, but you wouldn't know if you don't have 2 providers.

 

Because if a certain stream doesn't open on your TOT you will assume the stream is down, but in my case the same stream opens each and every time on my lower grade 3BB but doesn't open once in probably 20 tries on 6 different boxes on TOT.

[Fruit Trader]

21 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

I think you missed the point of the thread.

 

On TOT some streams are simply blocked, not just skipping a beat, but you wouldn't know if you don't have 2 providers.

 

Because if a certain stream doesn't open on your TOT you will assume the stream is down, but in my case the same stream opens each and every time on my lower grade 3BB but doesn't open once in probably 20 tries on 6 different boxes on TOT.

No I did not miss the point, I just dont take seriously some Charlie ranting about ISP's suitability for Kodi over a failed stream. Roll out some proof that stream requests cant get past TOT hops to the point where as you say TOT is not the ISP you want to have.

 

[janclaes47]

22 minutes ago, Fruit Trader said:

No I did not miss the point, I just dont take seriously some Charlie ranting about ISP's suitability for Kodi

 

I'm not gonna argue with an ignoramus newbie with a wealth of no idea. Apologies to  @Naam for using your trademark

 

I could tell you more, but forum rules don't allow me to post it.

 

If you actually had even the slightest idea what this is about, you would realise that the hops is not the issue, but that TOT plain rejects the connection.

 

It reaches the destination IP, then detects something they don't like, and disconnect as a result.

 

You can see this in the log files, you know?

 

 

Edited April 16, 2018 by janclaes47

[KittenKong]

So to conclude,if you want to use Kodi, TOT is certainly not the ISP you want to have, as they very obviously block streaming.

Your conclusion is erroneous. In Thailand this is much more likely to be some sort of routing issue, probably just temporary. It happens quite often and with every Thai ISP I have ever used, including 3BB.

To form any sort of valid conclusion you would have to test the connection to many more servers in many more places, and with many more types of streamed data, over a period of several weeks.

So do that and come back.

If you actually had even the slightest idea what this is about, you would realise that the hops is not the issue, but that TOT plain rejects the connection.

It reaches the destination IP, then detects something they don't like, and disconnect as a result.
You can see this in the log files, you know?

I very much doubt that your log files actually tell you who or what caused the disconnection. I expect that they merely indicate that there was a disconnection.

[janclaes47]

7 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

Your conclusion is erroneous. In Thailand this is much more likely to be some sort of routing issue, probably just temporary. It happens quite often and with every Thai ISP I have ever used, including 3BB.

To form any sort of valid conclusion you would have to test the connection to many more servers in many more places, and with many more types of streamed data, over a period of several weeks.

So do that and come back.
 

I very much doubt that your log files actually tell you who or what caused the disconnection. I expect that they merely indicate that there was a disconnection.

I never said that the logfile tells me the cause of the disconnection, you made that up yourself.

 

Indeed the logfiles tell me it has reached the destination IP and then disconnect, 20 times in line, and that disconnection doesn't happen even once on the 3bb connection.

 

FYI, I have a few hundred customers in Thailand who use Kodi, and it are all those with a TOT connection that always have problems. Coincidence?

 

You may have noticed that for that purpose I started a thread a few weeks ago where I asked members with a TOT Fibre connection to post their test results.

 

Today it isn't even possible to complete a speed test within Thailand. It starts the test, then after a while it disconnects and gives a popup that there is a firewall somewhere.

 

Edited April 17, 2018 by janclaes47

[Fruit Trader]

9 hours ago, janclaes47 said:

 

I'm not gonna argue with an ignoramus newbie with a wealth of no idea. Apologies to  @Naam for using your trademark

 

I could tell you more, but forum rules don't allow me to post it.

I know you are all enthusiastic and eager to tell the world about having two ISP's but you really must learn to control the excitement.

 

I'm an ignoramus newbie, now thats really warm and fuzzy in so many ways. Go on tell me more, I promise not to throw my toys across the room.

[AJBangkok]

I have the opposite poblem to the OP. In Bangkok I use AIS and in Hua Hin I use 3BB. Both are fiber and both are the top package. 

 

In both Bangkok and Hua Hin I have Intel NUC windows based boxes that I run KODI 17.6. I use the flawless addon to watch the F1.

 

in Bangkok on AIS my flawless addon works... flawlessly but in Hua Hin through 3BB it won’t load at all. I finally got it to work by setting up a VPN on my Hua Hin machine and streaming through that. 

 

I tried several times using the VPN and not using the VPN and the Flawless would not load without it. 

 

On AIS in Bangkok I have no problems whatsoever except I do seem to get more tv show streams when I use a VPN.

 

Based on what I have experienced AIS and 3BB both practice some degree of blocking streams but 3bb in Hua Hin is worse for me.

 

i have the exact same set ups in Bangkok and Hua Hin with the only exception being the ISP i’m Using. 

[terryofcrete]

Good God... I am exhausted reading this thread... do you people get any respite from this stressing out over trivialities like this. Enjoy life guys it’s shorter than you think, replays not available on any plan or ISP. 

[janclaes47]

1 minute ago, terryofcrete said:

Good God... I am exhausted reading this thread... do you people get any respite from this stressing out over trivialities like this. Enjoy life guys it’s shorter than you think, replays not available on any plan or ISP. 

You call this a triviality on a 100/50 Mb fibre package?

 

Edited April 17, 2018 by janclaes47

[UKJASE]

kodi works fine on my 3bb fiber in hua hin, and has for at least two years.  i always get problems watching sports coverage though, but i think that is because they are so popular.  when i paid a subscription to a sports channel, and watched via 3bb i had no problems

[Stocky]

20 hours ago, janclaes47 said:

TOT is certainly not the ISP you want to have, as they very obviously block streaming.

Kodi works fine for me on TOT.

[janclaes47]

35 minutes ago, Stocky said:

Kodi works fine for me on TOT.

Yes, but I notice that your test speed is 10 time of what I get currently.

 

Kodi works also fine for me for the biggest part, but as I explained earlier, when you can't connect to a stream you consider that the issue is at the other end.

 

That is also what I thought when I couldn't watch the F1 replay, but then a customer calls and he say he just finished watching, so I connect over the teamviewer to his box and indeed I can open the stream.

 

After that I try here again and still can't connect. I test my speed and I get 8Mbps to Europe, which should be enough.

 

I connect the same box to the 3BB connection and stream opens.Tried both connections many times on several devices, with always same result.

 

Log file tells me that it connects, then immediately disconnects.

 

I also found last weekend that when my son wanted to watch Gotham, he got only 4 sources for the episode, and every source would lockup after a few seconds. Tried different addons and would get similar reult. Tested speed and excellent speed.

 

I do a search on another box in another room, and at once get close to 100 results, for the same episode on the same addons.

 

So he watched it on that box without any issues.

 

I first blamed it on the lower spec of the box and maybe some scrapers not updated, but later it came to me that the second box was connected to 3BB and the box in his room to TOT

[DUNROAMIN]

I am signed up with True Vision. I have tried to use Kodi, however, every time I try to connect to an App it gives me a message saying, no internet connection? and clearly I do have internet connection.  Any one have this problem?

[Guitar God]

Run a portscan on your 3BB external IP then run it on the TOT external IP and compare open ports. A port kodi uses might be closed on the TOT router. 

Most likely ports are 9900, 8080, 8200 and 1900

 

If you have the same ports open on your TOT router that you do on the 3BB router and it still doesn't work then TOT is doing something on their end to block the traffic. 

[Stocky]

23 hours ago, janclaes47 said:

So to conclude,if you want to use Kodi, TOT is certainly not the ISP you want to have, as they very obviously block streaming.

The one thing I do know about TOT is that results vary. Individual experiences across Thailand can be very, very, different. So whilst your connection speeds are slow and you have issues streaming via Kodi, my experience is the opposite.

 

The important thing when selecting your ISP is to ask around locally, what works fine in one area might not work at all somewhere else. Generalisations aren't greatly helpful, you need to do local research.

[jacko45k]

Streaming seems to be a game of cat and mouse or by the time one gets things working it is time for bed, or the program finished. I play around with Kodi, a VPN and direct on my True internet. More recently I have used Kodi less and less as my success becomes less and less. I don't believe my ISP is blocking anything and usually feel the source server is sluggish, or international routing is busy... although works fine if it is making me watch adverts.

[AJBangkok]

13 hours ago, UKJASE said:

kodi works fine on my 3bb fiber in hua hin, and has for at least two years.  i always get problems watching sports coverage though, but i think that is because they are so popular.  when i paid a subscription to a sports channel, and watched via 3bb i had no problems

My Kodi works on 3BB in Hua Hin I just get less streams than I do in Bangkok on AIS. My paid subscription addon flawless doesn’t work unless I use a VPN . It’s not a big deal as I still can use it.

 

Could I ask what paid subscription addon you use for sports as I’m always open for alternatives.

[AJBangkok]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Streaming seems to be a game of cat and mouse or by the time one gets things working it is time for bed, or the program finished. I play around with Kodi, a VPN and direct on my True internet. More recently I have used Kodi less and less as my success becomes less and less. I don't believe my ISP is blocking anything and usually feel the source server is sluggish, or international routing is busy... although works fine if it is making me watch adverts.

Somtimes it’s just Kodi itself being out of date. You may want to try a fresh install.

If you don’t then here’s what is currently working best for me 

1. Make sure you have the latest version of URl resolver. You can get this from the tvaddons repository ( check their website for the instructions the repository location has changed in the last six months)

2. I’m using the Addon ‘Incursion ‘ which is the latest fork of exodus and covenant for my TV shows and Movies.

3. I have a paid Real-Debrid account for priority streams 

4. I have a VPN which I sometimes use if i’m Having trouble getting streams.

 

Probably the most important thing in getting streams is that you need the latest version of URL resolver and an Addon for TV shows and Movies that is currently being maintained.

[janclaes47]

21 minutes ago, AJBangkok said:

Somtimes it’s just Kodi itself being out of date. You may want to try a fresh install.

If you don’t then here’s what is currently working best for me 

1. Make sure you have the latest version of URl resolver. You can get this from the tvaddons repository ( check their website for the instructions the repository location has changed in the last six months)

2. I’m using the Addon ‘Incursion ‘ which is the latest fork of exodus and covenant for my TV shows and Movies.

3. I have a paid Real-Debrid account for priority streams 

4. I have a VPN which I sometimes use if i’m Having trouble getting streams.

 

Probably the most important thing in getting streams is that you need the latest version of URL resolver and an Addon for TV shows and Movies that is currently being maintained.

Incursion doesn't use TVA Urlresolver any longer, it changed the ResolveURL from Jsergio.

 

Anyway, having the TVA repo on your system is a bad idea, unless you want to be a bitcoin miner.

[fulhamboy]

On 17/04/2018 at 12:44 AM, Fruit Trader said:

No I did not miss the point, I just dont take seriously some Charlie ranting about ISP's suitability for Kodi over a failed stream. Roll out some proof that stream requests cant get past TOT hops to the point where as you say TOT is not the ISP you want to have.

 

I have TOT and no problem with streams on my kodi box, my neighbours complain about their 3bb  

[janclaes47]

1 minute ago, fulhamboy said:

I have TOT and no problem with streams on my kodi box, my neighbours complain about their 3bb  

 

So every stream you select in your Kodi setup works perfectly?

 

That would be a first anywhere in the world then.

 

Maybe you should read this again and reconsider

 

" Because if a certain stream doesn't open on your TOT you will assume the stream is down, but in my case the same stream opens each and every time on my lower grade 3BB but doesn't open once in probably 20 tries on 6 different boxes on TOT. "

[AJBangkok]

3 hours ago, janclaes47 said:

Incursion doesn't use TVA Urlresolver any longer, it changed the ResolveURL from Jsergio.

 

Anyway, having the TVA repo on your system is a bad idea, unless you want to be a bitcoin miner.

I didn’t know that, thanks.

 

what would you suggest the best addon and setup is for tv shows and movies. I would want something to that I can use my real-debrid account.

[janclaes47]

13 minutes ago, AJBangkok said:

I didn’t know that, thanks.

 

what would you suggest the best addon and setup is for tv shows and movies. I would want something to that I can use my real-debrid account.

Incursion is fine, but you have to setup RD in ResolveURL, which most probably is on your system already.

 

Neptune rising is also good.

 

Anyway, remove TVA repo and all TVA addons from your system, Urlresolver is available from plenty of repos on your system already.

 

Pair me addon is the one that has the bitcoin mining in it.

 

 

[sandyf]

5 hours ago, AJBangkok said:

Somtimes it’s just Kodi itself being out of date. You may want to try a fresh install.

If you don’t then here’s what is currently working best for me 

1. Make sure you have the latest version of URl resolver. You can get this from the tvaddons repository ( check their website for the instructions the repository location has changed in the last six months)

2. I’m using the Addon ‘Incursion ‘ which is the latest fork of exodus and covenant for my TV shows and Movies.

3. I have a paid Real-Debrid account for priority streams 

4. I have a VPN which I sometimes use if i’m Having trouble getting streams.

 

Probably the most important thing in getting streams is that you need the latest version of URL resolver and an Addon for TV shows and Movies that is currently being maintained.

All good info, I am no expert but there must be more to it than that, like luck of the draw.

 

I used to be on 3BB ADSL and couldn't stream anything. A few weeks back they brought fiber to the area and we immediately signed up for the 100/30 service which was installed a fortnight ago. I had blamed the service for a large percentage of the streams not working and thought that with the new service problems would be a thing of the past, not so. We had watched a couple of episodes of The Voice and on Sunday tried to watch episode 4, got no sources at all on Covenant and 17 on Placenta, none of which would run, exactly same with episodes 5 & 6. The following night tried again, this time on Placenta got 23 and the first run without a problem, also watched episode 5.

I am often jumping between the 2 addons as you get different results for the same programme with one working when the other won't, all a bit confusing but certainly nothing to do with the ISP.