topic Re: Would you replace a D-Link with a Thompson?!!! in Plusnet Feedback

Would you replace a D-Link with a Thompson?!!!

llennoc — Sun, 17 May 2009 13:59:45 GMT

Ahhhh!
I can't believe you guys. I finally get you to take back my faulty D-Link router and you send me a crappy Thompson router instead.
The whole point I left Eclipse and joined plusnet was I knew I'd be getting a D-LInk which is easy to configure and works perfecty with X-Box live. I can easily assign static local IPs to my machines, which is also handy for my work and gernally, the D-LInk is a joy to use.
Then you send me that old Thompson. Where have all the configuration options gone? This thing is a piece of crap! There's no way I can get this to work with XBox live. I'm 4 months into the service, serioulsy unimpressed so far.
The support guy said that they only stock Thompsons now - seems like they've totally reduced the quality of this service without consulting their customers. I'm on the 'gamer' service (oh, and incidentally getting the same speeds but slower pings) - how the hell am I supposed to use games with a router like this?
Totally unacceptable. I want to be able to leave plusnet with a MAC and be let off any penalties. I've had enough of this. I thought you were supposed to have good customer service here?!

Re: Would you replace a D-Link with a Thompson?!!!

James — Sun, 17 May 2009 15:44:41 GMT

Hiya,
We've been sending out Thomson Routers for a good year now (although I can't remember the exact date).
They are configurable via the command line interface and if you have a google around, you should be able to find a number of websites that tell you how to use this.

Re: Would you replace a D-Link with a Thompson?!!!

llennoc — Mon, 18 May 2009 09:22:58 GMT

Oh come on! That's not even remotely user friendly. The fact is, you have downgraded my service, without my concent. I don't care if YOU think that there's no difference, I believe there is and I'm the one that has to use it.
I've looked into this before on my old service and have used telnet to confgure my old Thompson. The firewall rules didn't work! The internet is NOT a good source of information on this subject!
OK, let me put it like this: anyone reading this thread, have you managed to configure your tompson router to work with XBox live? If it's so damn easy, tell me how to do it - I spent a good few months experimenting with my old serivce before giving up and moving to PlusNet. On the D-Link, it's two pushes of a button.
Look, you're not getting out of this. I was sold the service as XBox live compatible. It is clearly not. I was also sold the service being told I would get a D-Link router. If you are unable to give me a D-Link, then I suggest you let me leave your service without penalty and I will gladly take my business elsewhere.
I have to say the stories of your 'excellent custiomer service' seem grately exagerated to me at this point.

Re: Would you replace a D-Link with a Thompson?!!!

James — Mon, 18 May 2009 09:25:56 GMT

Sure - I have my XBOX plugged directly into my Thomson Router and it *just works*.
Ultimately, we haven't downgraded your service in any way, shape or form. We have *hundreds* of customers who are using Thomson Routers and XBOX gaming.
Either way, I'll have a dig around in our cupboards and see if we can find anything for you.

Re: Would you replace a D-Link with a Thompson?!!!

pjmarsh — Mon, 18 May 2009 09:28:29 GMT

I've got mine working with XBox Live. It was easy. uPNP was already enabled on the Thompson as I'd used it before for other things (no idea if I enabled it or if it was on by default, it's just a tick box on one of the web pages anyway), plugged my XBox in and it worked without a problem. I've set up various other port forwards for different systems easy enough through the web interface.
Phil

Re: Would you replace a D-Link with a Thompson?!!!

llennoc — Mon, 18 May 2009 09:30:11 GMT

Your XBox or your XBox 360?
When you test your connection, does it tell you that you have strick NAT?
I don;t think you understand my issue. I'm not complaining that the XBOX won't work at all with the service, just that it doesn't work properly. You need to set up port forwarding rules and that really isn't easy with a Thompson.

Re: Would you replace a D-Link with a Thompson?!!!

James — Mon, 18 May 2009 09:33:34 GMT

No, I do understand what you're saying. I'm just saying that the choice of a router isn't grounds for a get-out clause with regards to contractual obligations.
I'm referring to using a Thomson with my PS2, Wii and XBOX 360. All work fine.
Like I've said, I'm trying to find you a returned CLink Router (that I will test before sending out).

Re: Would you replace a D-Link with a Thompson?!!!

llennoc — Mon, 18 May 2009 09:35:29 GMT

Quote from: Jameseh
Ultimately, we haven't downgraded your service in any way, shape or form.

So you see no difference in providing a nice and easy web interface where you push two buttons to allow open-Nat for Halo3 for device X, to providing a command line interface which isn't even properly documented by the manufacturer? Wow...

Re: Would you replace a D-Link with a Thompson?!!!

llennoc — Mon, 18 May 2009 09:44:52 GMT

If you can provide me with a D-Link DSL-2640B, then great, problem solved. Thanks.

Re: Would you replace a D-Link with a Thompson?!!!

grudkin — Mon, 18 May 2009 11:15:33 GMT

Quote from: llennoc

So you see no difference in providing a nice and easy web interface where you push two buttons to allow open-Nat for Halo3 for device X, to providing a command line interface which isn't even properly documented by the manufacturer? Wow...

As posted earlier

Quote from: pjmarsh
I've got mine working with XBox Live. It was easy. uPNP was already enabled on the Thompson as I'd used it before for other things (no idea if I enabled it or if it was on by default, it's just a tick box on one of the web pages anyway), plugged my XBox in and it worked without a problem. I've set up various other port forwards for different systems easy enough through the web interface.
Phil

port forwarding is easily cofigured using the html GUI in a web browser via the web interface.
For help look up your router at http://www.portforward.com/ and follow the guide for the game/application you want to configure!

Re: Would you replace a D-Link with a Thompson?!!!

llennoc — Wed, 20 May 2009 09:28:45 GMT

Thanks for the link, cleared a few things up but I've tried the instructions here: http://www.portforward.com/english/routers/port_forwarding/Thomson-Alcatel/SpeedTouch585/Xbox_Live_360.htm
...and it's still not working. The XBox Live tester still tells me that I have strict NAT.
I also went to the Thompson support area and found that the *only* thing they have to offer is the latest firmware - which according to the router, I already have. No manual or anything useful like that.
I can still connect to the internet and I've managed to set up fixed IPs for DHCP. Some progress I guess...
EDIT: I have asked support to contact me asap to talk me through the process - I'm not sure which place will get me a quicker response but I'd like to ask again here. Please, can someone contact me to talk me through this, I've reached an impasse here.

Re: Would you replace a D-Link with a Thompson?!!!

paulby — Wed, 20 May 2009 09:41:15 GMT

Quote
I also went to the Thompson support area and found that the *only* thing they have to offer is the latest firmware - which according to the router, I already have. No manual or anything useful like that.

You can find the CLI commands here and the User Guide here.
HTH
Paul

Re: Would you replace a D-Link with a Thompson?!!!

James — Wed, 20 May 2009 09:53:43 GMT

I've asked for someone in the CSC to give you a call later on today.

Re: Would you replace a D-Link with a Thompson?!!!

llennoc — Wed, 20 May 2009 10:01:59 GMT

Thanks. I'd appreciate that.
Paul - thanks too, that'll hopefully answer my next question - how to secure the wireless network.

Re: Would you replace a D-Link with a Thompson?!!!

llennoc — Wed, 20 May 2009 15:15:07 GMT

Update:
So support talked me through the same process again, with a few minor adjustments (mostly just repeatedly turning things on and off again and adding a few more ports to open) - and yet it still tells me that I've got strict NAT. They're sending more routers...
...anyone else had this problem and figured it out? I'd like to get this working on this router if I can so I'll keep working on it today.

Re: Would you replace a D-Link with a Thompson?!!!

Chris — Wed, 20 May 2009 15:53:41 GMT

After a brief search around the internet, I found that this seems to be a common issue.

Quote
Use Automatic IP and DNS on the xbox 360 and on the PC and the PS3 and any other device. dont set any IP addresses. Then use the AUTO IP and AUTO DCHP on the router to assign the pc, xbox 360, PS3 etc with an IP address. once its all happy and all the devices have an address just tick "always use same address" box in configuration. that way everything ends up having the same IP address all the time and now the NAT is OPEN didnt need to open any ports or anything.

That's from a Speedtouch support forum (http://www.speedtouch.net.nz/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=937)
Hope that helps.

Re: Would you replace a D-Link with a Thompson?!!!

llennoc — Wed, 20 May 2009 20:07:31 GMT

Not really, I tried all of that and got no joy but thanks for trying.
However... the one thing I didn't try which just occurred to me is to reset my XBox's network settings to factory defaults and then reconfigure them back again, sounds daft but it worked! - I haven't changed *anything* on either the router or the XBox. I also renamed it (gave it a new host name - even though it was the same as before). In doing so, either the XBox or the Thompson 'woke up' and I guess used UnPnP to re-negotiate the connection... and... I got open NAT! It seems in doing so, it's forgotten my port forwarding settings, so it's obviously just using UPnP to negotiate it. Why on earth it would require me to factory reset both the router and the XBox to get them to handshake properly... I'll never know.
Still think the Thompson is a bit rubbish in comparison but if it works, it works. I'll soak test it for a few weeks... cheers.
EDIT: btw, once I got UPnP to work, I didn't need any forwarding rules either.

Re: Would you replace a D-Link with a Thompson?!!!

artificer — Wed, 20 May 2009 22:12:26 GMT

i bought a thompson 780 dirt cheap on ebay as it's aerial was broken. compared with my netgear (to which i have reverted), the interface is primitive; telnet in this day and age!?
the best interface i have seen so far was for a buffalo. the netgear could do with improvement and i've heard good things about linksys. dlink i have no experience of, but if it has a fully configurable gui, i'd prefer it over the thompson any day.
i thing the thompson router is cheap and nasty.

Re: Would you replace a D-Link with a Thompson?!!!

llennoc — Thu, 21 May 2009 08:24:23 GMT

Yeah I had a Thompson before - two in fact. I can't remember the numbers (500 ish). One was an old ADSL and the other was ADSL2 - a slightly more recent model. The one PlusNet have given me seems to be a bit better and I have managed to operate it with the web gui now I have the instructions.
The endless problems I had with the old ones put me right off and I have to say I'm still not convinced it works properly. Setting the port forwaridng rules *should* have worked. Instead I had to reset the XBox and use UPnP to connect my XBox.
I've heard very polarised reviews of Netgear all over the internet. I was looking around for a new router. It seems for almost every router there's a least one review saying 'it gets a bit too hot and locks up'. This seems to be a serious issue with 'cheap' routers -making them not so suitable for 'allways on ADSL'. Manufacturors obsession with making kits smaller and smaller seems to be at the cost of overheating. If only they put a decent heat sink and fan on them...

Re: Would you replace a D-Link with a Thompson?!!!

artificer — Thu, 21 May 2009 14:35:36 GMT

doesn't need a fan, but plenty of 'elbow room' for the circuit board helps air circulation. my netgear has been going well since 2005 and i only swapped it out for the thompson to try it. when my speeds gradually decreased and then the router locked me out, i put the netgear back online and my speeds are back up to par.
i've also heard horror stories about netgear and i can't recommend their forum, so a replacement, when needed, will be from a different manufacturer.