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Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 20 December 2025, 13:28:36

Title: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 20 December 2025, 13:28:36
Internet speeds have been glacially slow here for as long as I can remember. Whirling circles or 'computer says no' is common in the land of the carrot-cruncher. :-\

It's not uncommon for both upload and download speeds to be less than 3 or 4 Mbps.

Anyway, a new provider called Quickline has been set up to help resident prols in Lincolnshire and rural parts of Yorkshire with (supposedly) super quick fibre optic broadband.....with help from the tax payer.

We have signed up to a 24 month contract  offering 1000Mbps for £32 each month.....both the inner and outer cable are ready to be drilled through the wall on the 22nd December.

Fingers crossed. :y

https://i.ibb.co/7tYJLrTb/quickline.jpg[/img]](https://i.ibb.co/7tYJLrTb/quickline.jpg) (http://[img)
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: Varche on 20 December 2025, 13:44:43
What is the delivery tech?  Ie from your property to the exchange. I thought there was no fibre in your area?
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 20 December 2025, 16:14:32
What is the delivery tech?  Ie from your property to the exchange. I thought there was no fibre in your area?

This was the case for years.

We made do with an internet connection from Tandy designed in 1972. :)
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: TheBoy on 20 December 2025, 16:45:45
What is the delivery tech?  Ie from your property to the exchange. I thought there was no fibre in your area?
It'll be an altnet, so won't go to any exchange.  Given the speeds, it will likely be based on XGS-PON technology, unlike the junk Openreach are still fitting on virtually all their full fibre rollout, GPON.  That's part of the reason any Openreach based fibre has woeful upload speeds, and BT Group's senior management fails to grasp why upload is important in the world of cloud service, IoT devices and social video sites....


When Gigaclear cocked up my install quite spectacularly, I went with Swish for almost a year on a 1gbps synchronous service, and I found it unnecessarily fast.  So when Gigaclear finally sorted out their shit, I dropped that order to 500mbps sync ;D.  I do big uploads frequently (and often get a telling off from gaytube for trying to upload videos larger than 250GB ;D), and never seem to be waiting for things to finish....
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 20 December 2025, 17:25:16
I have no idea if it will be good, but we have little choice out here having already tried a router, and Starlink, at £75 a month. :-\
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: ronnyd on 20 December 2025, 23:58:08
Hope you have better luck than i did.Signed up to Sky about four months ago. Had date fixed for connection to the fibre cables installed on my estate by a company called City Fibre. Got a text from Sky postponing the connection until they had completed a "feasibility study". Week later got a phone call from City Fibre (who it seems are owned by Sky) saying that there were issues with the cables laid under the pavements on my road, which were defective and they had no plans to rectify them, as the uptake of customers was minimal. I then had to crawl back to BT, now EE to be reconnected.
Not surprised really as the first gang of contractors were a real bunch of cowboys. Which meant that another gang had to come out to rectify the work. Not very well it seems.  ;D
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 21 December 2025, 11:16:14
Hope you have better luck than i did.Signed up to Sky about four months ago. Had date fixed for connection to the fibre cables installed on my estate by a company called City Fibre. Got a text from Sky postponing the connection until they had completed a "feasibility study". Week later got a phone call from City Fibre (who it seems are owned by Sky) saying that there were issues with the cables laid under the pavements on my road, which were defective and they had no plans to rectify them, as the uptake of customers was minimal. I then had to crawl back to BT, now EE to be reconnected.
Not surprised really as the first gang of contractors were a real bunch of cowboys. Which meant that another gang had to come out to rectify the work. Not very well it seems.  ;D

Hopefully everything will go to plan, Ronny.

Quickline are based in Hull, and when contacted  they always pick up the phone within a matter of seconds. :y

Also, every single female voice is English sounding, although I imagine they will farm customer service out to our dusky cousins abroad before too long if the company continues to grow. ::)
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 22 December 2025, 20:34:12
Install went well and the engineer performed a speed test that showed more than 1000mbps both up down.

Thing is, when I do a speed test with my computer I average around 230mbps both up and down, and only about 15mbps on my tablet that has a free VPN.

Mrs Opti's computer only shows around 75mbps up and down. Although her computer is 10 years old.

So where do they get the 1000mbps figure from?



Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 22 December 2025, 21:07:34
Perhaps it is starting to find it's  mojo.

Ookla just showed 1018mbps down and 906mbps up.


Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: Kevin Wood on 22 December 2025, 22:54:19
How are the computers connected?

You won't get near a gigabit unless you have a cabled connection to the hub.
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: TheBoy on 23 December 2025, 09:33:49
As Kevin Wood says, WiFi 6 (ax) will give around 900Mb *IF* you are stood right next to the router/accesspoint, WiFi 5 (ac) will give around 300Mb if next to router.  These will drop dramatically as soon as you have a wall in the way. Also, they will drop dramatically if you use WiFi mesh or extenders.

Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 23 December 2025, 12:13:52
Roughly 230 both up and down as I type this......about 10 feet from the router.

I think my Lenovo is WiFi 6.........Mrs Opti tells me her geriatric decade old laptop is WiFi 4.
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: TheBoy on 23 December 2025, 12:16:06
What router have they given you, as if thats WiFi 6 and no walls between your and the router, thats not great
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: STEMO on 23 December 2025, 12:29:50
Plenty fast enough for everyday use. I watch HD films on Netflix, etc, with 75.
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 23 December 2025, 12:34:04
What router have they given you, as if thats WiFi 6 and no walls between your and the router, thats not great

Zyxel EX5601-TO 2.5G with SFP

No idea what that means. :)
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: TheBoy on 23 December 2025, 14:56:44
Not familiar with that specific model, but ZyXEL routers tend to fail to live up to claims.  They also tend to be a bit weak on vulnerabilities.

Presumably if you connect a computer to one of the LAN ports on back of router, you get the claimed broadband speed?  If so, might be worth messing with the WiFi channel, particularly the 5.8GHz one (thats the one you'll get all the speed from, its also the one that can't penetrate objects and walls).
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 24 December 2025, 11:18:46
1014 down and 873 up sitting in exactly the same place as yesterday, when the figures were around 230 both up and down.

Go figure.
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: TheBoy on 24 December 2025, 12:47:32
WiFi is variable.  Thats why only tests made with a network cable are remotely valid.

The client (laptop/phone/tablet) may, for instance, decide that it thinks a 2.4GHz channel is best.  You'll be hard pressed to get much more than 250Mb from 2.4GHz - 5.8GHz is where you will get the speed.

The router may have a feature called band steering, that tries to persuade clients onto 5.8 from 2.4, though that can bring issues if poorly implemented with connectivity when slightly further from router, as the client may try to hang on to an inappropriate channel.  But worth a go.

Essentially, WiFi is a crap technology, particularly if you live in urban areas, and you're constantly fighting your neighbours for the airwaves, made worse by the fact that nobody sets their 2.4GHz up correctly, and channel bonding cocks it up for everyone else!
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 24 December 2025, 13:07:35
WiFi is variable.  Thats why only tests made with a network cable are remotely valid.

The client (laptop/phone/tablet) may, for instance, decide that it thinks a 2.4GHz channel is best.  You'll be hard pressed to get much more than 250Mb from 2.4GHz - 5.8GHz is where you will get the speed.

The router may have a feature called band steering, that tries to persuade clients onto 5.8 from 2.4, though that can bring issues if poorly implemented with connectivity when slightly further from router, as the client may try to hang on to an inappropriate channel.  But worth a go.

Essentially, WiFi is a crap technology, particularly if you live in urban areas, and you're constantly fighting your neighbours for the airwaves, made worse by the fact that nobody sets their 2.4GHz up correctly, and channel bonding cocks it up for everyone else!

Cheers, TB.

It seems that internet speed is similar to battery range on a milf float.

They come up with  ridiculous figures that most people can't get anywhere near in the real world.

The engineer did say I can 'upgrade' to 2.4 gbps on the same cable, so presumably they can speed it up and slow it down at will. :-X

Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: STEMO on 24 December 2025, 13:28:42
WiFi is variable.  Thats why only tests made with a network cable are remotely valid.

The client (laptop/phone/tablet) may, for instance, decide that it thinks a 2.4GHz channel is best.  You'll be hard pressed to get much more than 250Mb from 2.4GHz - 5.8GHz is where you will get the speed.

The router may have a feature called band steering, that tries to persuade clients onto 5.8 from 2.4, though that can bring issues if poorly implemented with connectivity when slightly further from router, as the client may try to hang on to an inappropriate channel.  But worth a go.

Essentially, WiFi is a crap technology, particularly if you live in urban areas, and you're constantly fighting your neighbours for the airwaves, made worse by the fact that nobody sets their 2.4GHz up correctly, and channel bonding cocks it up for everyone else!

Cheers, TB.

It seems that internet speed is similar to battery range on a milf float.

They come up with  ridiculous figures that most people can't get anywhere near in the real world.

The engineer did say I can 'upgrade' to 2.4 gbps on the same cable, so presumably they can speed it up and slow it down at will. :-X
A milf float? Where would I be able to purchase one of those? 😍
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 24 December 2025, 13:55:08
Ha....Freudian slip.

Presumably a milf float is a milk float bought by an older woman, one we'd be happy to bone.  >:D
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: ronnyd on 24 December 2025, 13:57:49
WiFi is variable.  Thats why only tests made with a network cable are remotely valid.

The client (laptop/phone/tablet) may, for instance, decide that it thinks a 2.4GHz channel is best.  You'll be hard pressed to get much more than 250Mb from 2.4GHz - 5.8GHz is where you will get the speed.

The router may have a feature called band steering, that tries to persuade clients onto 5.8 from 2.4, though that can bring issues if poorly implemented with connectivity when slightly further from router, as the client may try to hang on to an inappropriate channel.  But worth a go.

Essentially, WiFi is a crap technology, particularly if you live in urban areas, and you're constantly fighting your neighbours for the airwaves, made worse by the fact that nobody sets their 2.4GHz up correctly, and channel bonding cocks it up for everyone else!

Cheers, TB.

It seems that internet speed is similar to battery range on a milf float.

They come up with  ridiculous figures that most people can't get anywhere near in the real world.

The engineer did say I can 'upgrade' to 2.4 gbps on the same cable, so presumably they can speed it up and slow it down at will. :-X
A milf float? Where would I be able to purchase one of those? 😍
You always know where his mind is going.  ;D
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: TheBoy on 24 December 2025, 15:38:28
WiFi is variable.  Thats why only tests made with a network cable are remotely valid.

The client (laptop/phone/tablet) may, for instance, decide that it thinks a 2.4GHz channel is best.  You'll be hard pressed to get much more than 250Mb from 2.4GHz - 5.8GHz is where you will get the speed.

The router may have a feature called band steering, that tries to persuade clients onto 5.8 from 2.4, though that can bring issues if poorly implemented with connectivity when slightly further from router, as the client may try to hang on to an inappropriate channel.  But worth a go.

Essentially, WiFi is a crap technology, particularly if you live in urban areas, and you're constantly fighting your neighbours for the airwaves, made worse by the fact that nobody sets their 2.4GHz up correctly, and channel bonding cocks it up for everyone else!

Cheers, TB.

It seems that internet speed is similar to battery range on a milf float.

They come up with  ridiculous figures that most people can't get anywhere near in the real world.

The engineer did say I can 'upgrade' to 2.4 gbps on the same cable, so presumably they can speed it up and slow it down at will. :-X
With a cable connected device, most devices can get the quoted speeds on most altnets.  It's wifi that buggers it up. Pissing around with channels can help, though judging by photos you've posted of Opti Manor, doubt you are getting too interfered with by nearby properties.

Yes, looks like your router has a up-to 2.5Gb WAN port, so thats your limit, along with whatever ONT (white box screwed on inside of wall where fibre comes it) then fitted.  As said earlier, I'm guessing they are using XGS-PON technology, so theoretical max is 10Gb up and down.
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 24 December 2025, 15:44:46
Yep......overall I'm pleased with the connection and speed.......even if it drops away to 250-300 from time to time it is still so much faster than the woeful shite we had before. :y

The only problem is the tablet with a free VPN is so much slower. :-X
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 24 December 2025, 18:48:26
Yep......overall I'm pleased with the connection and speed.......even if it drops away to 250-300 from time to time it is still so much faster than the woeful shite we had before. :y

The only problem is the tablet with a free VPN is so much slower. :-X

Is slow motion porn that bad?  >:D
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: TheBoy on 28 December 2025, 13:33:03
Yep......overall I'm pleased with the connection and speed.......even if it drops away to 250-300 from time to time it is still so much faster than the woeful shite we had before. :y

The only problem is the tablet with a free VPN is so much slower. :-X
What are you aiming to achieve with the VPN, aside from slowing down all traffic and selling your soul to the VPN provider?
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 28 December 2025, 17:22:41
Yep......overall I'm pleased with the connection and speed.......even if it drops away to 250-300 from time to time it is still so much faster than the woeful shite we had before. :y

The only problem is the tablet with a free VPN is so much slower. :-X
What are you aiming to achieve with the VPN, aside from slowing down all traffic and selling your soul to the VPN provider?

Do you really need to ask why our Lord uses a VPN in the era of the Online Safety Act?  >:D
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 28 December 2025, 17:42:16
Yep......overall I'm pleased with the connection and speed.......even if it drops away to 250-300 from time to time it is still so much faster than the woeful shite we had before. :y

The only problem is the tablet with a free VPN is so much slower. :-X
What are you aiming to achieve with the VPN, aside from slowing down all traffic and selling your soul to the VPN provider?

Do you really need to ask why our Lord uses a VPN in the era of the Online Safety Act? >:D

Yep...self-explanatory really. :)
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: TheBoy on 31 December 2025, 12:36:17
Yep......overall I'm pleased with the connection and speed.......even if it drops away to 250-300 from time to time it is still so much faster than the woeful shite we had before. :y

The only problem is the tablet with a free VPN is so much slower. :-X
What are you aiming to achieve with the VPN, aside from slowing down all traffic and selling your soul to the VPN provider?

Do you really need to ask why our Lord uses a VPN in the era of the Online Safety Act?  >:D
I'm guessing the Lord of the Manor is older than 18.  I envisage he's not far off STEMO's age, as he seems well passed his midlife crisis.
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 31 December 2025, 13:27:11
Yep......overall I'm pleased with the connection and speed.......even if it drops away to 250-300 from time to time it is still so much faster than the woeful shite we had before. :y

The only problem is the tablet with a free VPN is so much slower. :-X
What are you aiming to achieve with the VPN, aside from slowing down all traffic and selling your soul to the VPN provider?

Do you really need to ask why our Lord uses a VPN in the era of the Online Safety Act?  >:D
I'm guessing the Lord of the Manor is older than 18.  I envisage he's not far off STEMO's age, as he seems well passed his midlife crisis.

Nobody is as old as the belligerent scouser.

I identify as 37.....so therefore I am. :)

Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: STEMO on 02 January 2026, 11:32:38
Yep......overall I'm pleased with the connection and speed.......even if it drops away to 250-300 from time to time it is still so much faster than the woeful shite we had before. :y

The only problem is the tablet with a free VPN is so much slower. :-X
What are you aiming to achieve with the VPN, aside from slowing down all traffic and selling your soul to the VPN provider?

Do you really need to ask why our Lord uses a VPN in the era of the Online Safety Act?  >:D
I'm guessing the Lord of the Manor is older than 18.  I envisage he's not far off STEMO's age, as he seems well passed his midlife crisis.

Nobody is as old as the belligerent scouser.

I identify as 37.....so therefore I am. :)
I only lost my mother over Christmas, so if I live as long as her, you've got me for another 20 odd years  :)
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 05 January 2026, 07:57:54
I thought you were a scouser, so surely its around 13-15 years?
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: STEMO on 05 January 2026, 12:05:55
I thought you were a scouser, so surely its around 13-15 years?
24, which is more than enough to see this world come to an end. Putin, Trump, global warming.........Yes, 24 is more than enough  :)
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 05 January 2026, 12:21:37
I thought you were a scouser, so surely its around 13-15 years?
24, which is more than enough to see this world come to an end. Putin, Trump, global warming.........Yes, 24 is more than enough  :)

24 years perhaps, but about 22 of those years you'll be dribbling into a beige cardigan with wooden buttons......while a young carer scrapes the bulk of your dinner from your lap. :)
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: STEMO on 05 January 2026, 14:44:27
I thought you were a scouser, so surely its around 13-15 years?
24, which is more than enough to see this world come to an end. Putin, Trump, global warming.........Yes, 24 is more than enough  :)

24 years perhaps, but about 22 of those years you'll be dribbling into a beige cardigan with wooden buttons......while a young carer scrapes the bulk of your dinner from your lap. :)
You seem to be well informed about these things. Forward planning?  ::)
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: Migv6 le Frog Fan on 05 January 2026, 16:24:35
I thought you were a scouser, so surely its around 13-15 years?
24, which is more than enough to see this world come to an end. Putin, Trump, global warming.........Yes, 24 is more than enough  :)

24 years perhaps, but about 22 of those years you'll be dribbling into a beige cardigan with wooden buttons......while a young carer scrapes the bulk of your dinner from your lap. :)

And the bulk of the previous nights dinner off his arse.  ;D
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: STEMO on 05 January 2026, 16:29:11
I thought you were a scouser, so surely its around 13-15 years?
24, which is more than enough to see this world come to an end. Putin, Trump, global warming.........Yes, 24 is more than enough  :)

24 years perhaps, but about 22 of those years you'll be dribbling into a beige cardigan with wooden buttons......while a young carer scrapes the bulk of your dinner from your lap. :)

And the bulk of the previous nights dinner off his arse.  ;D
When I start impaling myself on gardenalia, I'll start worrying  :P
Title: Re: Faster internet....finally.
Post by: Migv6 le Frog Fan on 06 January 2026, 09:56:48
Fair comment.  ;D