mkat
join:2005-11-10
Las Vegas, NV
edit:
November 10th, @10:09PM
| Your xmission experience?
I was with xmission years ago on dial up and their service was excellent. I was just wondering what your guys' thoughts were on their DSL service. Browsing around the various Qwest and other DSL related forums here I've heard nothing but good things about them, however the 100gb monthly limit is what everyone (myself included) has a problem with. Is that limit pretty easy to hit for someone like myself? I like to play games online, download all kinds of things and I will even establish remote desktop connections to my home computer while at work. I know that it's only metered at certain times.
Could I find myself in trouble with xmission with my downloading habits??
EDIT> One more thing. I have one of those MSN DSL 1000's flashed with the SMC firmware. Could I use that with xmission's DSL connection? Or would it be better to just go ahead and get the modem they sell from their site? |
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yyusenet
join:2005-06-01
Salt Lake City, UT
| Hello,
I feel relatively sure that will not come close to exceding your limit. I use XMission's UTOPIA (15mb up and down), and I do not even have problems with the limit. The limit is 100GB per month. Just playing games, downloading a few stuff, and transfering a few files (within the day time) might take you up to 4GB metered just about MAXIMUM. Weekends and nights are not metered at all. I can download (and commonly do with our multiply computers running many different things at the same time) around 2000KB/sec, and I have never ran into any problems with the 100GB limit. It really is not a big problem.
On your other thing, I think that it would not be a great idea to use MSN DSL 1000. Get a good Cisco 678 and forget all of your nasty DSL problems. If you also want a wireless router to connect several computers and have a wireless link, check out the WRT54G or WRT54GS. |
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mkat
join:2005-11-10
Las Vegas, NV
| Nice. I'm looking at getting a place in Murray or West Valley once my lease on this place is up (About Feb.) strictly because of Utopia. A stupid reason? Maybe. But where I live right now (Holiday) I have to drive clear out to Draper (More like south south Sandy) on a daily basis for work. I'll be a little closer... And have faster internet access.
I managed to get a hold of a linksys WAP54Gv2 for my wireless. I flashed it with the HyperWAP 1.0 firmware for a little extra power. I'm using a ipcop box for the firewall and router. Simple little setup I've got going on so far. But I'll definitely consider the Cisco 678.
Thanks for the reply, btw. The DSL install date is coming up fast (Next Thursday is when Qwest is sending someone out). |
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mkat
join:2005-11-10
Las Vegas, NV
| reply to mkat
Well here's a bit of an update.
I ended up calling Qwest on the 14th to let them know that I would be getting Xmission for my ISP. The guy on the other end said no problem, tapped some keys on his keyboard and informed me that all is good. I think the following day (or it might have been the same day. I can't remember) I called Xmission and actually set up an account with them and told them I would be calling back on Thursday to switch it over to DSL. No problem. Moments later I have my xmission account all set up and ready to go. Even set it up with a shell account (I'm such a dork).
So Thursday comes. I haven't slept all night mostly due to the insomnia but also because I was excited. Sometime around 7:30am I picked up a phone I had plugged into the jack and got dialtone! I was too scared to dial out. I don't know why. I plugged in the DSL modem but didn't get a link on the DSL light. No worries. It was a little early anyway.
Couple hours go by. The Qwest installer guy comes up to my door and basically does a line check. He tells me my signal is very weak. And he'd be surpised if I get even 900k off the line. He tried a couple times to convince me to drop down to 640k but I said I'd give the 1.5meg line a test first and see how things go from there. Besides. 900k still sounds a lot better than 56k.
The guy leaves and I run back to the study. I plug in the DSL modem and I get a link! EEE!!! I'm excited! I call Xmission and tell them that my line is up and running and I just need to get everything switched over.
The person on the other end checks a couple times. They can't see my name in their system anywhere! Some kind of database between Qwest and Xmission I think. But my number isn't in that list. She tries several more times to make sure and informs me that my number's just not there...
At this point, I'm not mad yet. Just confused. I've only had DSL one other time in my life (that's where I got the DSL 1000 from. My old MSN service in Idaho Falls) so I honestly didn't know what the hell was going on. I called Qwest and asked "wtf mate?"
I was told that they had me in their system as being down for a DSL line and internet service through QWEST. In fact, they had sent out a DSL modem pre-programmed with all their settings in it to my house a few days ago. While on the phone I searched the house for this modem. Finally found it on the back porch behind a plant. The box was slightly damp because of the rain earlier in the week. But the modem seemed fine.
Anyway, I asked if they saw anywhere that I called on Monday about this. The guy looked on his system and says he doesn't see that call...
I ask if anything can be done. I'm told yes. He'll switch me over right away! Taps a few keys, clicks a few buttons and everything is apparently right in the world. The guy tells me I'm ready to go and we disconnect. I call Xmission back and I'm still not anywhere in the system. The person I'm talking with asks me if Qwest told me about the week or so long period of time that it takes for this switch to take effect.
Funny... The Qwest tech never mentioned anything about that.
I call Qwest back and ask them. The lady I'm on the phone with this time confirms that there is about a week long switching period.
Great.
It's not all bad. I still have my xmission account, and Qwest set me up with a Qwest.net account until the switch goes through. So at least I have internet access. Even though it's with the wrong provider, and even though I called and took steps to insure that something like this wouldn't happen. Qwest's spirit of service is exactly why I haven't had a dial tone in any place in Salt Lake I've lived in for almost 4 years.
To make things a little worse, I was apparently given the WRONG phone package. I signed up for the caller ID, call waiting and Voicemail package. Well, I called my number to check the voice mail and there's just a busy signal. All this week. Plus, the caller ID/phone unit I got from my sister doesn't display numbers. Just to make sure the unit still worked, I plugged it in at my neighbor's and it displays fine on his line. I guess I must be doing something wrong...
Oh. And for some reason I have Canada calling on my line. I don't know why. I know a few people in Canada whom I call on my cell phone all the time but never told any of this to Qwest. They must be mind readers. They sensed that I would use the Canada calling so they added it to my account... Hmm.
Anyway. Too much to think about right now. Good news is, that I'm pulling at least T1 speeds down and about 300k up. The MSN DSL 1000 modem works perfectly and is living peacefully with my m0n0wall. The Actiontec that Qwest sent me is still sitting in it's box. Qwest says they don't want it back and that I Can go ahead and keep it. I've decided to wait to write a review on Xmission because... Well... That requires being connected to them. Although, I do have my shell connected currently. And I haven't had any problems with that so far. 
I wonder if I should have posted this in Qwest's review page. Since I pretty much am a member of Qwest's ISP right now. Or something.
I dunno. |
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mkat
join:2005-11-10
Las Vegas, NV
| reply to mkat
Update. So the line was switched over on Monday and I called xmission to get set up. It was simply a matter of changing a couple settings in the modem I'm currently using. Once the settings were changed, I was connected and surfing in no time. I did a speed test and am now able to hit anywhere from 1200 kbps to 1300 kbps instead of the 850-930 I was getting before (downstream).
So far everything is working perfectly. A couple little issues with my own equipment but that will be explained in a review which will be entered after about a month or so of service.
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mkat
join:2005-11-10
Las Vegas, NV
| reply to mkat
So just a final update from me. I went ahead and wrote my lame-ass review. Qwest just recently fixed the billing issues with my account, and just a few days ago was able to activate the services I initially ordered because of the billing issue. Plus they overcharged me a LOT and I'm glad to get that taken care of. Xmission has NOT been a problem for me at all. You guys are very helpful with a great staff and awesome service. Everyone I talk to at xmission has been helpful and friendly.
Thanks guys. I'm very happy with the service. |
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