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Sam knows testing

ricke17
Grafter
Posts: 412
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎19-01-2015

Re: Sam knows testing

Hello,
I wondered how people are getting on with the box now?
I noticed a drop in speed of about 2-3 megs recently - I contacted the help desk and they turned off the Netflix, iPlayer and youtube tests but still my speeds did not return.
Yesterday I removed the box and went back to just my router and all is good - so the Sam Knows box will be returned!
Rick.
Fibre Broadband 80/20, Netgear D7000
VileReynard
Hero
Posts: 12,616
Thanks: 579
Fixes: 20
Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: Sam knows testing

Got a funny email from Sam etc recently...
Quote
[Hello Jeremy,
I am contacting you regarding your replacement SamKnows Whitebox.
Please can you re-sign up your interest in a new gigabit Whitebox at https://signups.samknows.com/ofcom/ and when there is a requirement we will be in contact.
Alternatively we are looking to release the new Whitebox 8.0 device later on 2016 which will be available to be purchased on our website.
If you require further assistance, please don't hesitate to ask.
Kind regards,
/quote]
(I'd earlier asked for a Gigabit replacement for the 100Mbps switch).
I don't like the sound of paying them to use my electricity to publish some stats.

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

ricke17
Grafter
Posts: 412
Thanks: 5
Registered: ‎19-01-2015

Re: Sam knows testing

Odd email - mine's going back anyhow!
Fibre Broadband 80/20, Netgear D7000
awontroba
Newbie
Posts: 2
Registered: ‎16-07-2014

Re: Sam knows testing

Quote from: ricke17
I wondered how people are getting on with the box now?

I applied for a SamKnows box some years ago, and eventually received a black one with GB ports last October.
I am pleased with it. It has never locked up, the stats are believable and it does not interfere with my experience,
Having automatic speed measurements on my connection is very nice, especially as connection is in heavy, erratic, use round the clock.
No more do I have the pain of shutting down / disconnecting every machine using the connection to perform a speed test.
As I have an unlimited connection, the bandwidth consumed by the box is not a worry.
I am not going to look this gift in the mouth.
The box is very transparent, seemingly not caring whether its DHCP server is "inside" or "outside".
Mine is connected on the LAN side to my internal network (which has a DHCP server configured to hand out Plusnet's DNS addresses to it, only).
On the WAN side it is connected to a pfSense firewall, which does PPPoE through an HG612 (preventing the box being connected between the firewall and HG612).
VileReynard
Hero
Posts: 12,616
Thanks: 579
Fixes: 20
Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: Sam knows testing

Mine is only connected on the LAN side.
Very handy as a switch - only a single connection to the router - presumably it reduces the load on the router?
I've never had to re-boot it and the stats gathering appears totally transparent.
But I wouldn't pay money for it.
Still waiting for a Gigabit version.

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

Jaggies
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 1,704
Thanks: 34
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎29-06-2010

Re: Sam knows testing

The current boxes are TP-Link routers, and are all GB Ethernet.
tijara33
Pro
Posts: 1,360
Thanks: 50
Fixes: 6
Registered: ‎22-06-2012

Re: Sam knows testing

My replacement box arrived this morning. It was obviously previously used by a smoker & it absolutely STINKS! Angry
It's going straight back, I'm not polluting my house with this disgusting object.
Mustrum
Community Veteran
Posts: 3,653
Thanks: 1,083
Fixes: 79
Registered: ‎13-08-2015

Re: Sam knows testing

Not everyone ges the latest boxes, they send out the older ones if they have them available.
Mine is about to go back, they started their video testing again, trebling my daily data usage, and causing slow downs and it does not know when I am using the internet - its on a spare port on its own, as my other devices are Gb, and my box is not.