Ip (falling) Star

[SiamOrchids]

We're in Kanchanaburi, using IP star, 256 or 512 Commercial account.

It's always been terrible but over the past few days speedtest results of 24/64, 98/123

ThaiVisa speedtest 54/158 just now, while I'm writing this. utorrent's downloading The Kingdom at 0.6 kbs, ports are open too.

Anyone else with the same problem ? Misery needs company.

Any suggestions....

Interesting point: I paid for a fixed IP but when I use that configuration, no internet at all. So I went back to the find IP automatically.

I have a Linksys WRT54G set up like this

IPstar ---- Linksys ----- Computer. Am I doing something wrong ?

Edited December 18, 2007 by SiamOrchids

[phazey]

Try to find a test site or download something from your providers network. Doing speed tests to international destinations is not quite the most accurate way of calculating bandwidth.

My guarantee to my customers is for the advertised bandwidth locally - up until the gateway where after that it's not under my control.

[phazey]

double post

Edited December 18, 2007 by phazey

[monty]

Interesting point: I paid for a fixed IP but when I use that configuration, no internet at all. So I went back to the find IP automatically.

It is a fixed IP assigned to your IPstar box, NOT your computer!

If you click on following link http://www.digmyip.net/ you'll see your IP address and it should always be the same.

[SiamOrchids]

Monty:

Thanks.

I checked and the IP address is the one that I typed in (when I unchecked Find my IP automatically). When I put in that information previously, the internet access stopped.

I just did a speed test 24/16.

The technician that TOT sent over here (3 or 4 times already) doesn't know what to do. I certainly don't know what to do.

I hate to pay them 5000 a month for a 1mb corporate service but that's the only thing that worked.

Never got 1 mb but I did get better speeds.

Any insight would be appreciated.

[Gimbo]

As the previous poster said, the fixed IP is assigned to your IPstar box, not you PC.

Your IPstar box is then giving you an IP adress with DHCP. So you computer should be set to obtain an adress automatically, regardless of you having a fixed IP or not.

Also try to set the DNS server option to Primary DNS 4.2.2.1 and secondary to 4.2.2.2

Had some connection problems with my IPstar. I would be online, but could not get anywhere except the ToT website. Changed the DNS and that fixed it...

[SiamOrchids]

I'll try that. Thanks

Why is the upload so much higher than the download speed ?

[Prasert]

I also have a corporate IPstar connection with a fixed IP.

And that fixed IP address is assigned to my router, not the IPstar box.

If you want this, you need to specifically ask for this. I'll describe the setup on my system:

The router has a direct utp connection to the IPstar box, the interface is setup to use dhcp.

The IPstar box has a /22 network configured for the utp link, with public IP addresses - one on the IPstar box and one for my router.

When you perform a traceroute, you will see several * * * because the fixed IP is translated over a privately address network (the IPstar network from the terminal until the gateway in Bangkok).

Example: (my public IP is changed to FFF in the traceroute and picture for obvious reasons)

Tracing the route to www.l.google.com (209.85.175.147)

1 203.113.10F.FFF 4 msec 8 msec 4 msec

2 * * *

3 * * *

4 * * *

5 * * *

6 203.113.24.1 1117 msec 997 msec 1158 msec

7 203.113.13.145 1094 msec 1134 msec 993 msec

8 203.113.13.126 1439 msec 1106 msec 1294 msec

9 203.113.24.241 1242 msec 1658 msec 2569 msec

10 61.19.10.13 1270 msec 2072 msec 2219 msec

11 202.47.253.134 2392 msec 1879 msec 1691 msec

12 203.208.191.197 1651 msec 765 msec 1643 msec

13 ge-0-1-0-0.sngtp-ar6.ix.singtel.com (203.208.154.9) 1390 msec 2084 msec 1667 msec

14 ge-1-1-0-0.sngtp-dr1.ix.singtel.com (203.208.149.166) 1790 msec 1851 msec

ge-0-1-0-0.sngtp-dr1.ix.singtel.com (203.208.149.158) 2115 msec

....etc

[SiamOrchids]

Thanks Prasert but I'm still confused.

I'm not a computer guy, I'm a plant broker. I know the botanical names of thousands of plants but I don't know the different terms or the how to's of Internet traffic.

Living here I learn a little bit more everyday but I'd rather pay every month and have a computer that does what it's supposed to do.

We called TOT today a number of times. Here's the latest:

1. They said they were going to change our plan to 2mb/1mb for a week for us to try, no charge.

TOT Speedtest result: 183/63

2. We called again, they said it was changed, TOT Speedtest result: 24kb/63kb

3. We called again, they said the pipe has been down for 3 weeks and bandwidth is severly limited and it'll be fixed soon. They gave us another number to call and complain to. TOT Speedtest result: 223kb/200kb

So the best that we've been able to get on a 2 mb 8000 baht per month plan is 223 kb down and 200 kb up.

Where I come from, that's called stealing.

[Gary A]

Thanks Prasert but I'm still confused.

I'm not a computer guy, I'm a plant broker. I know the botanical names of thousands of plants but I don't know the different terms or the how to's of Internet traffic.

Living here I learn a little bit more everyday but I'd rather pay every month and have a computer that does what it's supposed to do.

We called TOT today a number of times. Here's the latest:

1. They said they were going to change our plan to 2mb/1mb for a week for us to try, no charge.

TOT Speedtest result: 183/63

2. We called again, they said it was changed, TOT Speedtest result: 24kb/63kb

3. We called again, they said the pipe has been down for 3 weeks and bandwidth is severly limited and it'll be fixed soon. They gave us another number to call and complain to. TOT Speedtest result: 223kb/200kb

So the best that we've been able to get on a 2 mb 8000 baht per month plan is 223 kb down and 200 kb up.

Where I come from, that's called stealing.

It's not called stealing here. It's called normal and you should be happy with what you have. My Ipstar service really stinks and has lately has been the worst I have had the past three years. I got tired of complaining and take what I can get because I have absolutely NO choice.

[ballbreaker]

Thanks Prasert but I'm still confused.

I'm not a computer guy, I'm a plant broker. I know the botanical names of thousands of plants but I don't know the different terms or the how to's of Internet traffic.

Living here I learn a little bit more everyday but I'd rather pay every month and have a computer that does what it's supposed to do.

We called TOT today a number of times. Here's the latest:

1. They said they were going to change our plan to 2mb/1mb for a week for us to try, no charge.

TOT Speedtest result: 183/63

2. We called again, they said it was changed, TOT Speedtest result: 24kb/63kb

3. We called again, they said the pipe has been down for 3 weeks and bandwidth is severly limited and it'll be fixed soon. They gave us another number to call and complain to. TOT Speedtest result: 223kb/200kb

So the best that we've been able to get on a 2 mb 8000 baht per month plan is 223 kb down and 200 kb up.

Where I come from, that's called stealing.

I don't know anything about the IP Star equipment but you might find out if the terminal has the capability of doing some type of loop back either modem or RF. This would allow testing from your computer through some of terminal equipment at your location without the space segment being involved. This would help determine if your terminal may have a problem. I think it is hardware related, possible your terminal, because I have read other people are very happy with the service but maybe they are comparing to dial up modem and not looking at what they were promised.

I also hope that the technician while on site also verified proper pointing of your antenna for max signal strength because that can cause problems.

With GPRS/EDGE on my cell phone I'm getting 160/42 so yes you are getting screwed. Have you thought about checking with Hutch or CAT to see which of the two offers CDMA service in your area. I don't know what either of their networks promise for internet but I know max for 3G networks is up around 2.5 Mbits.

[phazey]

One thing that caught my eye - 1mb upload on an ipstar....that's extremely unusual (and useless)..

Not saying you are clueless or anything, but are you confusing mbits and mbytes somewhere along the way...?

Rule of thumb for any sat based net connection is that upload should be max 25% of the download rate (ideally you'd get good service from 2mb/128k). I'll speak to my ipstar guy when i get to work anyways just to clarify.

[Totster]

My question is that is it worth upgrading to a higher speed ? If they can only provide 30% of the speed advertised (in my case), would upgrading mean you would get 30% of the higher speed, or would the speed just stay the same as on the lower package??

Totster

[SiamOrchids]

Clueless ? You bet I am !!!

Let me clarify a couple of issues:

1. I'm using various speedtests that I'm finding on the internet and connecting to the US and TOT.

I'm using the TOT speedtest @ totisp.net. The reading, right now, as I'm writing this is 163 kbps down - 149 kbps up.

They told my wife, yesterday on the phone, that they were upgrading us to 2 MB down - 1 MB up, to try for a week. They said the package is 7900 baht per month. BUT, they also said there are some technical problems with their system that are being repaired, and that their bandwidth is seriously compromised.

I also tried connecting the IP star box directly to the computer and that did not make any difference.

Yesterday the service was unbelievably bad, today, I guess, it's bad but better.

VOIP worked perfectly when we had ADSL before our house was finished, on IP star it's a joke. The test site said: like a tin can and string.

I've got a business that depends on good communication. Plus it was great to just pick up the phone and call friends and family in the US.

Very frustrating....

[Gary A]

My question is that is it worth upgrading to a higher speed ? If they can only provide 30% of the speed advertised (in my case), would upgrading mean you would get 30% of the higher speed, or would the speed just stay the same as on the lower package??

Totster

For what it's worth, I started out with CX Loxinfo Ipstar. I had 256/128 for 2,500 baht per month. It stunk. I changed to TOT Ipstar and that same speed cost me 1,500 per month. I have to say it was MUCH better than CX Loxinfo. Unfortunately that improvement lasted only a short time.

To answer your question I had 256/128, 512/256 and finally 1024/512. Since all of them stink, I'm back on 256/128 for 1,500 per month. Was the higher speed faster? I can't see any difference except in the download speed. The download speed does increase but I can't tell a bit of difference for general use. Sometimes I hook up my cell phone and use GPRS because the Ipstar is stalled.

[Prasert]

Clueless ? You bet I am !!!

....

Very frustrating....

TOT is screwing you. Next: what can you do about it?

You're paying for a fixed IP addres. So demand from TOT that they assign that fixed IP to your router, otherwise don't pay for it. I showed before that it is technically possible, just don't change any configuration in the IPstar terminal (it's not yours to configure!)

For the speed: TOT IPstar home packages suck bigtime. It's been said many times on this forum, you would be surprised how many Thai are complaining about on the Thai fora (let's say TV is a minority when it comes to those complaints....)

However, you have a corporate package and I'm very happy with the speeds of mine. So it's possible to provide a decent service. You just have to keep kicking their asses. I've said it before: don't pay for the days that TOT did not give you the service you requested. It requires a visit to their office and a lot of your time, and despite what the rest here says, they will finally discount you for the days the connection did not work as agreed.

[Gary A]

I have quit complaining. It did absolutely no good and the only one excited and upset was me. At first I got all sorts of excuses, rainy season, cable problem, gateway problem and some other ridiculous excuses. All the problems were beyond their control and nothing could be done. I was finally told that if I was not happy with the service they would discontinue service and remove the equipment. The bottom line is that they DON'T care.

[SiamOrchids]

You are 100% correct.

That's why every country in the region is passing Thailand by in economic gains, tourism, increases in GDP, literacy, etc.

Why does every country in the region have a substantially better Internet situation ?

The technology and infrastructure is obviously available. Because people here JUST DON"T CARE!!!!

Since my Thai wife and I spent about 6 years together in the US before we came back here, I think that she hates the attitude here more than I do. I love living here but I hate living here.

Mai Pen Rye is their biggest enemy and Jai Yen Yen is their second biggest enemy.

I ran a speed test to the US just now: like 16 down / 24 up then I ran the TOT speed test 257 down - 150 up.

Complain to TOT, no thanks. So I can be even more aggrievated ?