How's Your Ipstar ?

[Gary A]

I think mine is worse now than when it was installed over a year ago. They came out and re-aimed my dish to the new satellite and gave me a new modem. It now works for maybe 20 minutes and goes down for 20 minutes. It SUCKS!!! The signal never changes except when it is raining then it goes down. That I can understand.

[ianc66]

Gary

I have IPSTAR with CSLOXINFO which was down from 9am Saturday 25th March with gate way problems

which supplier do you use I'm curious to know sho was effected?

[ianc66]

Gary

I have IPSTAR with CSLOXINFO which was down from 9am Saturday 25th March with 'gateway problems'

Which supplier do you use I'm curious to know who was effected?

[Gary A]

Mine is csloxinfo also. I didn't know there were more suppliers. If I had ANY other choice I would be waiting for them to come pick up their junk.

[PFV]

I've had IPSTAR for about 2 weeks now and it has been working without glitches or interruptions of service, except for the lower-than-advertised speed. I am just south of Chiang Rai and my provider is TOT.

I signed up for the 1 Mbps package (2600 Bht/month) but am only getting around 300 Kbps downoads and 500/600 Kbps uploads. Next week I will try complaining again to the local TOT people since I have no other IPSTAR contact...

Skype works very well, with almost no delay at all.

All in all I am a happy camper considering that the village only has one public telephone booth and you cannot even get a land line.

[Mister Doom]

There are lots of Ipstar threads here with many horror stories and hardly any satisfied customers.

I'm not sure there's much that can be done, except that I am sure Loxinfo and Ipstar are fully aware of the problems and the complaints. Indeed its important tro keep complaining, even though seemingly nothing gets done.

I've had my Ipstar/Loxinfo (cheap version) down in Pattaya for about four months. Started off OK -ish and then I had very serious problems in Jan and Feb, when there were long periods of several days at a time when it was completely unusable. If I hadn't also had a dial up, I would have jumped off the nearest condo roof.

The last 2 weeks or so, it seems to have been a lot better, although it still has an annoying habit of frequently disconnecting for a few seconds or minutes, and sometimes for much longer. I have good and bad days. Today has been pretty good, yesterday was iffy. Following advice, I have taken to turning off the Ipstar box when not in use - apparently they overheat, not designed for hot countries!

It is always slow - sometimes slower than dial up - sometimes so slow I cannot even connect to my email.

That's the story of Ipstar. I will definitely dump it when the contract is up, and maybe before if I find a viable alternative.

Good luck and happy slow surfing to all IPSTARSINYOUREYES

[ianc66]

I'vge done a report for this week on CSLOXINFO IPSTAR here

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...01entry696101

[ianc66]

I'vge done a report for this week on CSLOXINFO IPSTAR here

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...01entry696101

Sorry done this twice the link went down halfway through

Edited March 29, 2006 by ianc66

[Rimmer]

Generally my Express 2 package has been working all the time since the black week in February when it was off most of the time with "gateway problems"

I still get server reset messages all the time and quite often Firefox can not find the server at www://?????? But generally it is fine.

My ADSL Thailand test just now gave me a bandwidth of 508.4 kbps and download speed of 63.55 KB/sec. Test Time: March 29, 2006, 12:31 pm

I just had my bill for 4200 baht and despite my complaining to them and verbal promises they would credit me for down time as expected I got nothing.

[Rimmer]

BIG SNIP

. Following advice, I have taken to turning off the Ipstar box when not in use - apparently they overheat, not designed for hot countries!

It is always slow - sometimes slower than dial up - sometimes so slow I cannot even connect to my email.

SNIP

You know that's very interesting, when ever I have a problem I call my friend who has Express 3 but he never has problems. BUT he has his modem cooled by an ordinary domestic fan blowing into the vent holes all the time, I wonder if that has anything to do with it?

[Totster]

Generally my Express 2 package has been working all the time since the black week in February when it was off most of the time with "gateway problems"

I still get server reset messages all the time and quite often Firefox can not find the server at www://?????? But generally it is fine.

My ADSL Thailand test just now gave me a bandwidth of 508.4 kbps and download speed of 63.55 KB/sec. Test Time: March 29, 2006, 12:31 pm

I just had my bill for 4200 baht and despite my complaining to them and verbal promises they would credit me for down time as expected I got nothing.

Rimmer.. I see that you are in Pattaya.. Aren't there any cheaper/better ADSL packages available ?

totster

[Totster]

Generally my Express 2 package has been working all the time since the black week in February when it was off most of the time with "gateway problems"

I still get server reset messages all the time and quite often Firefox can not find the server at www://?????? But generally it is fine.

My ADSL Thailand test just now gave me a bandwidth of 508.4 kbps and download speed of 63.55 KB/sec. Test Time: March 29, 2006, 12:31 pm

I just had my bill for 4200 baht and despite my complaining to them and verbal promises they would credit me for down time as expected I got nothing.

Rimmer.. I see that you are in Pattaya.. Aren't there any cheaper/better ADSL packages available ?

totster

[Rimmer]

Generally my Express 2 package has been working all the time since the black week in February when it was off most of the time with "gateway problems"

SNIP

Rimmer.. I see that you are in Pattaya.. Aren't there any cheaper/better ADSL packages available ?

totster

Ahhh it's a long story, got time?

I have the good fortune (not) to live in the most exclusive develpoment in Jomtien. When the houses were built I paid 10,000 baht to the developer for one of the underground telephone lines. After four years of using dial up it quit working one day. I was told that the lines have all degraded and are now no good and I have to pay a further 15,000 baht to these guys for a new line.

The so called maintence staff will not fix the problem, the office manager is so rude that no one will talk to her. The people who run the place will not allow any outside utility companies into the area for maintence so everyone is faced with power cuts, poor or no telephone connections and a desire to buy a piece of land and move well away from this mismanaged little fifedom.

I did once try the Loxinfo ADSL package through TT&T which they assured me would work even with my poor telephone line. My test figures when they installed it were even lower than dial up due to the poor state of the lines inside the village.

So as I will not pay any more money to these people and I have bought my piece of land at Phoenix I am stuck with Mr. IPStar for the foreseable future.

[Totster]

Generally my Express 2 package has been working all the time since the black week in February when it was off most of the time with "gateway problems"

SNIP

Rimmer.. I see that you are in Pattaya.. Aren't there any cheaper/better ADSL packages available ?

totster

Ahhh it's a long story, got time?

I have the good fortune (not) to live in the most exclusive develpoment in Jomtien. When the houses were built I paid 10,000 baht to the developer for one of the underground telephone lines. After four years of using dial up it quit working one day. I was told that the lines have all degraded and are now no good and I have to pay a further 15,000 baht to these guys for a new line.

The so called maintence staff will not fix the problem, the office manager is so rude that no one will talk to her. The people who run the place will not allow any outside utility companies into the area for maintence so everyone is faced with power cuts, poor or no telephone connections and a desire to buy a piece of land and move well away from this mismanaged little fifedom.

I did once try the Loxinfo ADSL package through TT&T which they assured me would work even with my poor telephone line. My test figures when they installed it were even lower than dial up due to the poor state of the lines inside the village.

So as I will not pay any more money to these people and I have bought my piece of land at Phoenix I am stuck with Mr. IPStar for the foreseable future.

Ah right.. I'm sorry I asked now !

Anyway.. good luck for the future

totster

[Mister Doom]

BIG SNIP

. Following advice, I have taken to turning off the Ipstar box when not in use - apparently they overheat, not designed for hot countries!

It is always slow - sometimes slower than dial up - sometimes so slow I cannot even connect to my email.

SNIP

You know that's very interesting, when ever I have a problem I call my friend who has Express 3 but he never has problems. BUT he has his modem cooled by an ordinary domestic fan blowing into the vent holes all the time, I wonder if that has anything to do with it?

Hi there Mr Rimmer,

I used to cool down my water pump whith a fan when it suffered from high fevers, but never thought of the Ipstar box. Maybe worth a try.

It's been bloody slow today - so slow that it disconnects from emails and some websites (including this one) without disconnecting completely. What a bloody mess it is to be sure.

I always wondered why you didn't go for an ADSL - now I know. Have you thought about Hutch? I hear they work quite well. Just need the missus to sign up for you coz they don't like farangs without work permits.

[timber]

Some major sun spots forcaste the latter part of 2007 so this may be a problem with reception.

[Jalla]

Ok, a bit long post but important for those affected.

I have had IPstar from nearly day one when the price for 512/256 was 6000bht with DL/UL limit of 1,5Gb.

Only once I`ve had problem with the box(1 1/2years ago), and rang the support #. The next day a very nice thai bloke with excellent skills came around and changed the box and also re-adjusted the dish a tad.

As this tech also spoke reasonnable english we had a chat and a beer, and he told me that these top boxes are crap in this heat. He told me best to keep the box in an AC room and told me he would relocate it to the livingroom for free.(Or for a few beers ) I had extra coax cable lying around, so no purchase was necessary exept for two coax cable joiners. As I also run WiFi it does`nt matter where the box is located.

An other important thing he told me was whenever someone came around fiddling with the dish, make sure that the connections on both dish-head and box was properly tightened and insulated outside.

After that I`ve experienced only a few glitches now and again, but in general I`m satisfied. TiT after all.....

Three weeks ago another bloke rang me and told me he had to come around in order to change to the Thaicom 4 Tx. He then also installed an Attenuator on the "in" cable. As this bloke`s english where limited, he could`nt give me any answer on why this was installed. This device softens the "in" signal, so could this modification be a lesson learnt by IPstar?

But as it`s still fine, I`m not complaining.

So my advice to all who`s having problem is to relocate to an AC room if you can, or at least buy a small desktop fan to add extra cooling.

Last but not least, switch the box off when not in use.

On the side, the reason I`m still with IPstar is that I don`t get affected as ADSL setup friends do during weekends. They are reporting very slow DL during that time. Dunno where IPstar downlink though...

Jalla

[Rimmer]

BIG SNIP

. Following advice, I have taken to turning off the Ipstar box when not in use - apparently they overheat, not designed for hot countries!

It is always slow - sometimes slower than dial up - sometimes so slow I cannot even connect to my email.

SNIP

You know that's very interesting, when ever I have a problem I call my friend who has Express 3 but he never has problems. BUT he has his modem cooled by an ordinary domestic fan blowing into the vent holes all the time, I wonder if that has anything to do with it?

Hi there Mr Rimmer,

I used to cool down my water pump whith a fan when it suffered from high fevers, but never thought of the Ipstar box. Maybe worth a try.

It's been bloody slow today - so slow that it disconnects from emails and some websites (including this one) without disconnecting completely. What a bloody mess it is to be sure.

I always wondered why you didn't go for an ADSL - now I know. Have you thought about Hutch? I hear they work quite well. Just need the missus to sign up for you coz they don't like farangs without work permits.

I got the Express 2 package because of the higher bandwidth downstream.

I had the 256 package before and it was slow because of the limited bandwidth, maybe you have a similar bottleneck?

Hutch may be agood idea how much? How fast?

No problem getting the GF to sign the papers for me if it works well. She already owns the motorbike, the car, this house when I die, 30% of the new house we are building, 100% of the power lines and transformer supplying it not to mention the two cat's and probably the IP Star dish as well........

[Mister Doom]

Ok, a bit long post but important for those affected.

I have had IPstar from nearly day one when the price for 512/256 was 6000bht with DL/UL limit of 1,5Gb......

On the side, the reason I`m still with IPstar is that I don`t get affected as ADSL setup friends do during weekends. They are reporting very slow DL during that time. Dunno where IPstar downlink though......

Jalla

Thanks Jalla, very interesting.

If you look through the old Ipstar threads, it does seem that different subscribers do experience varying degrees of problems. Maybe it depends on location. I know down here in Pattaya, people with more expensive ipstar packages are experiencing pretty much the same problems in terms of slowness and service interruptions as the cheapo subscribers (me included).

I have my box in an office which is usually a/c'd during the morning/afternoons, and sometimes in the evening during this very hot weather. Now I turn the box off when not in use now. Certainly seems to be better than before, and I'm going to try the fan route as well.

But all this doesn't explain why it is always slower (bandwidth lower/?) than advertised, and sometimes so slow as to be unusable. :Last night I checked on the TV bandwidth meter website and it was almost the same as dial up - and a nightmare! Today, so far, it's much better. Is this a box overheating problem or is it down to the external signal/gateway?. (Sorry, I'm not a techie).

[Gary A]

I am VERY surprised. Must be something wrong here. My Ipstar is working quite well and has been working all day so far. Sigh! There's always tomorrow.

[Mister Doom]

Some major sun spots forcaste the latter part of 2007 so this may be a problem with reception.

I hope the infinite being out there who controls that Great Internet Providor in the Sky, (and probably the sun spots as well?) will reveal to me a different path to travel, way before 2007.

Ipstar for another 18 months! Heaven forbid.!

Rimmer, I've just read your latest post. Not sure of the Hutch speed. I've got a friend who uses it in BKK and he says its very good. Know another guy who uses it down here, but he's away at the moment. The only downside is that there is a cap on the monthly free usage, after which you have to pay extra depending on how much you download. I can't really understand how this would work or how much it might cost in practice - if anything.

Maybe some Hutch users out there could advise on speed and price.?

Also worth checking out at a Hutch agent - Wattana, I think.

Edited March 30, 2006 by Mister Doom

[raro]

I am using Hutch in Pattaya, Maprachan area. Works well most of the time on my laptop. Faster than dial-up but for sure not Hispeed as advertised. Nominal speed is 230 Kpbs, though, fastest download about 24.

[Mister Doom]

I am using Hutch in Pattaya, Maprachan area. Works well most of the time on my laptop. Faster than dial-up but for sure not Hispeed as advertised. Nominal speed is 230 Kpbs, though, fastest download about 24.

You're not a million miles from me. I realise that we're high-jacking the thread a bit, but this info might be of interest to many Ipstar users who are looking for a non landline alternative. A few questions, if you've got the time:-

Can you run Hutch from a laptop and a PC?

What are the monthly charges. I tend to stay connected 16 hrs /day, Ipstar permitting. Don't do a huge amount of downloading - just sofware updates etc and incoming emails, and I guess my banking stuff. No idea how many megabytes this uses. Do you have any approximation of monthly costs?

230 kbps is about what Ipstar does on a good day, but much better than Ipstar on bad days. Is the Hutch bandwidth fairly stable?

Thanks in advance if you can clarify any of the above.

I've been trying to download some software all evening (d/l speed 13-17) and every time I get half way through, Ipstar crashes. Its an unbelievable nightmare.

Edited March 30, 2006 by Mister Doom

[raro]

I don't think it's Hi-Jacking...after all someone asked about Hutch...

Anyways, you can either buy the PCMCIA card (what I did), costs some 8,000 Baht or a Hutch mobile (not the cheap ones, though) and connect it to your PC or Notebook via USB. It is a normal internet connection, so can be shared with several computers.

The monthly package costs 890 Baht (plus VAT) and gives you 890 MB (total volume up AND down) free. Every additional MB costs an additional Baht. That's the package I have, not sure if there is something else around.

Connection is fairly stable, sometimes better, sometimes not so good. If it slows sown too much, I usually disconnect and dial in again.

The Hutch shop is in South Pattaya Road between Friendship and Tukcom. Ask for Khun Sunisa, she speaks good English and was very helpful when I had some problem the other week - turned out it was not Hutch, but some software glitch on my laptop.

[Mister Doom]

I don't think it's Hi-Jacking...after all someone asked about Hutch...

Anyways, you can either buy the PCMCIA card (what I did), costs some 8,000 Baht or a Hutch mobile (not the cheap ones, though) and connect it to your PC or Notebook via USB. It is a normal internet connection, so can be shared with several computers.

The monthly package costs 890 Baht (plus VAT) and gives you 890 MB (total volume up AND down) free. Every additional MB costs an additional Baht. That's the package I have, not sure if there is something else around.

Connection is fairly stable, sometimes better, sometimes not so good. If it slows sown too much, I usually disconnect and dial in again.

The Hutch shop is in South Pattaya Road between Friendship and Tukcom. Ask for Khun Sunisa, she speaks good English and was very helpful when I had some problem the other week - turned out it was not Hutch, but some software glitch on my laptop.

Thanks raro. Very intersting info. Think I'll follow up very soon if Ipstar doesn't get its act together. I've beeen trying to download some software since yesterday evening, and every time its about 60 % downloaded, Ipstar crashes. Had the same this morning - its driving me to distraction!

By the way,, it was me that mentioned Hutch.

[Rimmer]

In six weeks it won't matter if IPStar is working or not there wont be any unblocked sites left out there.

[Mister Doom]

In six weeks it won't matter if IPStar is working or not there wont be any unblocked sites left out there.

On the contrary my dear Rimmer. I reckon that the more sites they block, the better Ipstar will be, because there will be very little left for the punters to surf on, and so use up our valuable bandwidths.

That's as long as they don't block TV Forum because then we wouldn't be able to complain about our useless Ipstars.

By the way my bandwidth is brilliant today - 241 kbps - download speed: 30.13. All the little Ipstarees must have gone home to vote. (bless'em).

By the way (again), is bandwidth a speed measurement, as in kbps (something or other per second), or is it a measurement of size (as in Width). Very confusing. Can anyone explain?

[LoveDaBlues]

bandwidth is a measure of capacity. You can't put 10 pounds of <deleted> in a #5 bag.

[LoveDaBlues]

My Ipstar dish is mounted on a concrete fence......very sturdy. The cable runs to the house are extra long (I had to pay extra because they exceeded the standard). The modem sits on the tile floor with nothing close for good cooling.

Just yesterday I downloaded TurboTax (yea it's that time of the year) 56.2mb. It took 16 minutes 10 seconds but not a glitch. In fact, seldom does Ipstar let me down.

I DO NOT HAVE THE EL-CHEAPO PACKAGE. I pay 4,280 baht per month.

I guess I'm one of the few satisfied customers. My equipment is only a few months old....perhaps I'll start having problems in the future.....who knows.

[ianc66]

I've put a report on my csloxinfo IPstar performance here

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...10entry705510