Better Internet At Last, Bye Bye Ipstar

[kwonitoy]

After six years of crappy internet connection thanks to TOT Ipstar today was a happy day.

The boys from TOT came and took the big satalitte dish away.

Yesterday a nice fellow from CAT came and set up their newest offering for people in the sticks like me. On the first survey they were planning an outside antenna with cable running to a router. When he showed up he said he'd brought the newest setup they had.

Installation took all of 3 minutes.

He plugged a box about the size of a wireless router into the power bar, plugged in a short antenna, and then plugged in a dongle with mini sim card in. DONE. He plugged in my land line for the desk in and bingo away we go.

The IP star on it's best day gave me about 500-800kps, weather permitting. This thing gives me 2.5MB and also is a wireless set letting me connect my tablet and phone.

Cost 10,000 baht for set up and delivery and 699baht per month.

[MeMock]

You have a land line? Luxury!

[klikster]

kwonitoy, as someone who suffered with IPStar for 3 miserable years, congratulations!!!

I raise a virtual glass of bubbly in celebration.

[jamescollister]

We have a telephone box 5 km away, no phone or telephone lines, just a box.

Going to be many years before I get fast net. jim

[kwonitoy]

No land line, I meant my wired in internet cable to the desk from the garage where the junction box is.

If I could get a land line telephone I wouldn't have to have waited this long for a better internet connection.

The nearest land line available is 13 km away and their are no plans to ever hook up our village

I've tried dongle attachments before and wasn't very happy with them, this thing seems to be a dongle with an upgrade.

As always in thing Thai it just took finding the right guy to talk to and then things fell into place in a day or two.

This thing is wireless, photo enclosed, and yes klikster I thing I might just treat myself to a small scotch tonight

Edited February 7, 2013 by kwonitoy

[canuckamuck]

Does this strange magic have a name?

[kwonitoy]

All I can see on a broucher in Thai is that it's called a CDMA 3G Router model 3G11N.

It came with a nice english language wraper on the box explaining it but my little guy got ahold of it and trashed it, I'll see if I can find some more info tomorrow.

[bergen]

How far away is the Cat aerial?

[kwonitoy]

In our village there is a DTAC tower and AIS tower but nothing for CAT.

The dongle is attached to a short lead about 1m long that goes to a very cheap looking plastic antenna, so I don't know if this thing works off any phone signals?

There is no 3G in my area, the nearest is Udon 120kms away

[KhunBENQ]

Does this strange magic have a name?

CAT CDMA

http://www.cattelecom.com/site/en/list_service.php?cat=588&subcat=756

Basically its just another variation of wireless/"mobile" internet, BUT for use at FIXED locations they install high performance antennas+modem, as you would not be able to receive the signal with a CDMA mobile device/phone.

They operate high power transmission antennas on radio towers and so cover wide areas in the sticks.

[kwonitoy]

Does this strange magic have a name?

CAT CDMA

http://www.catteleco...=588&subcat=756

Basically its just another variation of wireless/"mobile" internet, BUT for use at FIXED locations they install high performance antennas+modem, as you would not be able to receive the signal with a CDMA mobile device/phone.

They operate high power transmission antennas on radio towers and so cover wide areas in the sticks.

That's the one, your better informed than me.

Our installer said that they are rolling these things out for the schools and small hospital/clinc's all over.

I've since moved it in behind my monitor on the desk and plugged it into my UPS. Gives a constant 2.5MBS download.

I now get a good four bar wireless signal throughout the house so I can now download books onto my tablet. Such luxury.

Better and cheaper than the old dinosaur IPStar.

Edited February 8, 2013 by kwonitoy

[canuckamuck]

I wonder, if 3G ever showed up in the area, if the same unit would then get an even faster connection.

10k plus monthly costs seems a lot for 2.5 Mb, but currently I only get around 180k so I am considering this.

[klikster]

I wonder, if 3G ever showed up in the area, if the same unit would then get an even faster connection.

10k plus monthly costs seems a lot for 2.5 Mb, but currently I only get around 180k so I am considering this.

AIR, the initial costs and fee seems similar to a CAT program I had several years back, and also similar to TRUE's dongle and service .. and I don't believe either provided 2.5 MB. On both systems, speed was variable.

Comparably, my IPStar was on the order of Bt 2,500 / mo.

[KhunBENQ]

I wonder, if 3G ever showed up in the area, if the same unit would then get an even faster connection.

Many promises are made after the sucessful frequency auction.

So don't give up the hope.

Maybe a directional antenna would be needed if the coverage is "at the edge".

Can be installed on your own and does not cost a fortune.

True Move H (old 850 MHz frequency):

coverage maps are quite small, so probably not very helpful.

http://truemoveh.truecorp.co.th/why/entry/86

(orange color is covered)

CAT CDMA Isan, "sprinkled spots":

http://www.mybycat.com/area.php?id=29

Edited February 8, 2013 by KhunBENQ

[kwonitoy]

I wonder, if 3G ever showed up in the area, if the same unit would then get an even faster connection.

10k plus monthly costs seems a lot for 2.5 Mb, but currently I only get around 180k so I am considering this.

My old IPStar cost 2,800 per month for 500-800kbps, I paid for 1Mb service but never got it. Worked hit and miss, mostly miss as anyone that has had one will confirm. Rainy or overcast forget it.

699baht per month for this little gizmo is well worth it for me

I'm not holding my breath for 3G where I am. My son might get it but he's only 1 and half year old

Edited February 8, 2013 by kwonitoy

[Issangeorge]

I have a similar thing provided by TOT, the initial cost was 4,500 baht and the monthly cost is 738.3 including VAT for up to 7Mbs, which of course I never get. It is pretty good and works well, but the last couple of days it has been very slow on certain sites, especially my gmail, I can't even connect to it. Has anybody else noticed the same problem?

[bkk_mike]

I wonder, if 3G ever showed up in the area, if the same unit would then get an even faster connection.

10k plus monthly costs seems a lot for 2.5 Mb, but currently I only get around 180k so I am considering this.

My old IPStar cost 2,800 per month for 500-800kbps, I paid for 1Mb service but never got it. Worked hit and miss, mostly miss as anyone that has had one will confirm. Rainy or overcast forget it.

699baht per month for this little gizmo is well worth it for me

I'm not holding my breath for 3G where I am. My son might get it but he's only 1 and half year old

CDMA EV-DO 2000 is 3G actuallly, just not the more usual UMTS/HSPA/HSDPA.

However, I thought, CAT was moving over to the other standard. i.e. at some point in the next year or so, you will maybe have to change out the router. Admittedly it would only be when "regular" 3G came.

[candypants]

Does this strange magic have a name?

yes, it looks like a 3g dongle with a usb wireless router.

very cutting edge. Until he hits 4gb

[KhunBENQ]

Has anybody else noticed the same problem?

I HAD misc sites in Germany that I could not reach from my ToT DSL connection.

I am not quite sure, what the cure was.

One of the things you can try:

do not let the DNS server be searched automatically, but use these ToT adresses explicitely:

203.113.7.130 (dns2.totbb.net)

203.113.5.130 (dns1.totbb.net)

from this german language site: http://www.ungefilte...eserver/th.html

Google for "windows change DNS server" for a how to.

Alternatively you can try the Google DNS servers (easy to find with Google search).

Edited February 11, 2013 by KhunBENQ