[ale] [rant] I dislike "we only support winblows/OS X" AT&T internet
Geoffrey
lists at serioustechnology.com
Mon Mar 3 17:32:32 EST 2008
I had a very similar experience recently as well. I'm with
Speedfactory, but when you have problems, AT&T shows up at the door. My
download speed was around 50% of my contract. I replaced the modem, made
no difference. Speedfactory had AT&T come out. The guy said he'd need
to get to the modem, inside, but I told him it was in an inaccessable
location, so I'd have to get it 'accessable.' In the mean time, he
checked the speed outside. He wasn't happy with the filter, so he
replaced it. I told him that I was with Speedfactory and he said that
he didn't know that, but that he really shouldn't be coming in the house
then. He came in anyway, checked the speed there and confirmed the
filter change resolved the issue.
All in all, he was very professional and helpful.
One thing I did learn though, the speed tests at speakeasy routinely
return faster speeds then dslreports.
Michael H. Warfield wrote:
> Ok,
>
> I was kinda sitting this one out and staying quiet but I guess I need
> to chime in as counterpoint.
>
> I recently had some similar problems with one of my DSL lines with
> AT&T. I gave them some pretty detailed outage information and they
> rolled a truck after running some remote tests with me on the line and
> disconnecting things in the house to trouble shoot the noise level.
> They know exactly and explicitly that I run Linux cause I told them that
> right up front when I provided them with the diagnostic information I
> had gathered. At no time did they even hint that running Linux was
> unacceptable or any problem in any way shape or form. The gal I spoke
> with immediately did some remote diagnostics and wasn't happy with the
> results. I think the other poster got a bad first-line support person.
> Next time you run into something like that, ask for their manager.
>
> The guy who came out for me ran some tests on my line and decided that
> the SNL (Signal Noise Level) was marginal and so he switched out my DSL
> filter in the house for one installed in the demarcation and brought the
> DSL into the house on one of my spare pairs. That improved the SNL by
> about two points. Not great but better. No problem since on that line.
>
> I have never had a problem with any AT&T people giving me any grief
> over running Linux. In fact, that seems to be the one thing that breaks
> them out of the script and to take you seriously. Snowing them under
> with details from your logs of up time and downtime also helps. When
> you start telling them that you are getting pad-t timeouts and it when
> down here and you're getting this on your PPPOE interface, you start
> getting a different reaction from them.
>
> On Mon, 2008-03-03 at 11:45 -0500, tom wrote:
>> On Mon, 3 Mar 2008, Jim Kinney wrote:
>>
>>> Dropping DSL line is one of several things:
>>>
>>> 1. line noise - that will not get fixed by the phone co until it fails
>>> completely since it requires they roll a truck. You need a signal
>>> strength meter to verify. Phone co will only guarantee line quality to
>>> demarc site. Bad house wiring is often a problem.
>> Is there any semi-reasonable way to lay hands on a signal strength meter?
>> The wiring in the apartment is elderly.
>
> The AT&T tech pointed me to where that can be checked on the Westel.
> Just go to http://192.168.1.254 (or where ever you may have remapped
> yours to, I have one on .1 and one on .2) and from there go to
> "Broadband DSL Line" and then select statistics from the buttons on the
> right and then "DSL". Watch for excessive CRC errors and note both
> upstream and downstream attentuation and SNL. Sorry, I forget what the
> figures are that he quoted me as being good vs bad. But your signal
> meter is right there in the modem for you. BTW... I have the black
> Westel. If you have the white one or older firmware, your mileage may
> vary. There are even instructions up on the AT&T site (somewhere) on
> how to update the firmware in your Westel modems from Linux (it's just
> web upload so it's really no big deal).
>
> Right now, just glancing at my two modems I see the following:
>
> The one that had the problem...
>
> Down Stream Path Up Stream Path
> DSL Sync Rate (Kbits/Sec) 8128 512
> SN Margin (db) 10.5 13.0
> Line Attenuation (db) 30.5 17.0
> CRC Errors 636 9
>
> Time since last boot.... 61 days, 2 hrs: 9 mins: 6 secs
>
>
> The one that didn't...
> Down Stream Path Up Stream Path
> DSL Sync Rate (Kbits/Sec) 8128 512
> SN Margin (db) 11.0 12.0
> Line Attenuation (db) 26.5 15.0
> CRC Errors 2539 24
>
> Time since last boot.... 14 days, 19 hrs: 41 mins: 18 secs
>
> The "time since last boot" is on a "logs" page from another menu option
> a couple of screens back from the statistics.
>
> I don't like AT&T for a number of reasons (and I detest the lying
> bastards at Comcast) but not supporting Linux is decidedly not one of
> those reasons.
>
>
> Mike
>
>>> 2. Bad modem. Semi-frequent occurrence. Only way to verify is with
>>> another modem. If service is keyed to MAC then it requires MAC spoofing.
>>> Phone co is reluctant to replace it as they can't RMA it anyway.
>> This I could handle.
>>
>> <<snip some other good stuff>>
>>> Good luck. The script-reading dweebs are useless and really don't care
>>> if you have service or not. As long as they read their script, they
>>> don't get in trouble. They also have no ability to run a line test from
>>> their end.
>>>
>>> Speakeasy tech support can and will run a line test first thing to see
>>> if there is a problem. Rather than argue with you, the person sending
>>> them money, the presume that you wouldn't be spending the time to call
>>> for help if the stuff was working. I've was terrified when Best Buy
>>> acquired Speakeasy but so far it is still the same Speakeasy I have been
>>> super pleased with for years.
>> I'll agree with you on Speakeasy. Only trouble with them is that here in
>> Charlotte they pretty much can not deliver dsl service. Outside the city
>> I've heard of success, but inside you get idsl from Speakeasy. I put up
>> with the limited service because of the quality of their support.
>
> Mike
>
>
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--
Until later, Geoffrey
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little
temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
- Benjamin Franklin
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