'Is Quic right for you' - tips from one who has made the move to Quic.

Forums › Quic › 'Is Quic right for you' - tips from one who has made the move to Quic.

OldGeek

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#310755 19-Nov-2023 14:08

There is a basic q&a on quic.nz on this, but as a result of my experiences I would add 'Are you using your intended Quic router as a BYOD with your current ISP?'. If the answer is No then you probably need to be a Network Engineer to make the move.

TL;DR: Quite simply: when you connect your router to Quic for the first time you should be fully conversant with your router's GUI and have it working with your old (full-service) ISP. That way you are moving a working device to Quic with only the configuration changes required being specific to Quic (Vlan tagging off, PPPOE user/password etc). This is based on my experiences summarised here.

I moved from a full-service ISP (Sky) using a Sky Router to Quic using a TP-LINK Archer AX50. My plan on both ISPs was 300/100. While I could actually connect to Quic using the TP-LINK, WAN connection speeds were woeful and Sky had been disconnected before I could get the TP-LINK stable and working at speeds equivalent to the Sky router. As an interim measure I was able to get satisfactory speeds with Quic using the Sky router. However the TP-LINK router WAN speed was intolerably low (less than 50Mbs down) and I did not have the time available to troubleshoot the TP-LINK as Quic was the only working connection. The Sky router had to be returned to avoid the risk of being billed for not returning it.

I therefore made the decision to move to Voyager and their router. This connection went smoothly and was up and running in a few days after being ordered. WAN performance was similar to Sky. This decision was as much driven by the Quic network outages over the last few weeks as is was to return to an ISP-supported router.

Speed testing was done using Samknows Whilebox (ethernet connection to a router LAN port). I primarily used 'instant testing' to do this but I also had my dashboard configured to report DNS and gaming service latency. This is the best means to get like-for-like router testing done.

I will consider Quic again in the future, but not until I have a fully-functional BYOD working with Voyager first. I would venture to suggest that Quic must provide a fast-response support channel for new customers to get their connection working in the immediate period after provisioning the service. Part of my reason for moving to Voyager is that an email outlining my issues to their provisions email address is still unanswered after 10 days. The Quic support business model needs tweaking.

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#3161192 19-Nov-2023 15:17

My 2 cents..

Honestly, I wouldn't consider anyone running a TP-Link router to be Quic's target audience. I wouldn't really consider anyone not running an enterprise/business grade router to be their target audience. You jest but IMHO, Network Engineers ARE their target audience in a very real sense.

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OldGeek

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#3161197 19-Nov-2023 16:00

Lias:

Honestly, I wouldn't consider anyone running a TP-Link router to be Quic's target audience. I wouldn't really consider anyone not running an enterprise/business grade router to be their target audience. You jest but IMHO, Network Engineers ARE their target audience in a very real sense.

That wont work because there are not enough of them. All ISPs - especially the budget-priced - need more customers than there are Network engineers. The main reason for me specifying a working BYO router with your old ISP before moving to Quic is so that those of us who are not Network Engineers can be reasonably assured of successfully making the move.

An update: I have discovered the cause of poor-throughput on the Archer - it had an option to specify 'application priority' with options for 'standard' (default), 'gaming', 'streaming' etc. Changing to 'gaming' (when I also did the Quic WAN config changes and set up reserved ip addresses in the DHCP server) caused the problem - dropping download speeds to under 50Mbps. Changed back to standard and immediately I was back to 320+Mbs.

I am sticking to Voyager for at least 2 months in part because the rental router will remain as a backup, and Quic are reportedly going through substantial network and portal webpage changes.

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Lias

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#3161249 19-Nov-2023 16:31

OldGeek:

All ISPs - especially the budget-priced - need more customers than there are Network engineers.

I think you've perhaps missed that Quic is a subsidiary / sub brand of an already successful ISP and MSP. The majority of their infrastructure already exists, and to the absolute best of my understanding they genuinely are only targeting highly technical users. Nor would I consider them a budget ISP.. yes the price is cheap, but it's precisely because you are expected to not require any sort of technical hand holding. Maybe Quic should be blunter about THAT.

ssamjh

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#3161250 19-Nov-2023 16:34

OldGeek:

Lias:

Honestly, I wouldn't consider anyone running a TP-Link router to be Quic's target audience. I wouldn't really consider anyone not running an enterprise/business grade router to be their target audience. You jest but IMHO, Network Engineers ARE their target audience in a very real sense.

That wont work because there are not enough of them. All ISPs - especially the budget-priced - need more customers than there are Network engineers. The main reason for me specifying a working BYO router with your old ISP before moving to Quic is so that those of us who are not Network Engineers can be reasonably assured of successfully making the move.

An update: I have discovered the cause of poor-throughput on the Archer - it had an option to specify 'application priority' with options for 'standard' (default), 'gaming', 'streaming' etc. Changing to 'gaming' (when I also did the Quic WAN config changes and set up reserved ip addresses in the DHCP server) caused the problem - dropping download speeds to under 50Mbps. Changed back to standard and immediately I was back to 320+Mbs.

I am sticking to Voyager for at least 2 months in part because the rental router will remain as a backup, and Quic are reportedly going through substantial network and portal webpage changes.

Just watch when/if you leave Voyager they have a 30-day notice policy. You need to tell them 30 days before you leave them otherwise you will be billed for 30 days after your connection disconnected.

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tccki

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#3161254 19-Nov-2023 16:56

Spark, Voyager, Quic, etc. all have different networks and values they will accept from customer equipment. Moving ISP is always going to be met with configuration changes. Whether that's PPPoE, VLAN, IPoE, DHCP, username, password, etc. All you need is a working router that has been reset to factory defaults, and the parameters supplied by your ISP. They all provide this information up front as part of their on-boarding process. If the parameters are correct, you will have Internet, if they aren't, you won't.

For your specific issue, most ISPs would have you go through tier 1 support reps with canned questions before getting anywhere near your router's QoS/prioritisation. It would've taken a few hours of your time, and most would've simply advised you (correctly) to try a different router and closed the ticket.

I think it's pretty misleading to place any of this on Quic, they are very clear about their support before you commit to anything, it's plastered all over their front page. And making wild assumptions about their viability as a business quite frankly puts this whole thread in bad faith territory.

Gwilson

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#3161263 19-Nov-2023 18:25

One of the reasons I went with Quic was because i could see zero value in the service/support being offered by other providers. A helpdesk service that consists of level one 'agents' who can only read a script and the problems of even being able to get to talk to L1 people helped me make my decision.

I found it refreshing to hear that I'm not actually paying for an ineffective support service. I see the recent consolidation in the ISP space is, in some cases, making things worse in terms of getting hold of someone who can actually help resolve an issue.

I really hope Quic succeed - I think a few of us are being more than usually patient because we WANT them to make a go of this. Hopefully things settle down and they work through these 'growing pains' and we get some stability.

HellraiserNZ

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#3161343 20-Nov-2023 00:05

Lias:

OldGeek:

All ISPs - especially the budget-priced - need more customers than there are Network engineers.

I think you've perhaps missed that Quic is a subsidiary / sub brand of an already successful ISP and MSP. The majority of their infrastructure already exists, and to the absolute best of my understanding they genuinely are only targeting highly technical users. Nor would I consider them a budget ISP.. yes the price is cheap, but it's precisely because you are expected to not require any sort of technical hand holding. Maybe Quic should be blunter about THAT.

This is a brain-dead take IMO. No business model (for whatever successful parent-business they may be under) that has a fixed cost from Chorus for every provision is targeting highly technical "network engineers".

Setting up fibre using pretty much any modern router from the entry level ISP provider ones, to gaming ones to enterprise ones is fairly simple. Heck I would even argue, if a layperson got Quic and was struggling, they would get an answer and resolution via chat in business hours quicker than if they were with any 2degrees owned ISP.

Lets not deter / scare potential customers and revenue for Quic by shitting on someone's router brand of choice or for asking an entry-level question, would rather they be guided constructively before coming to a judgement on writing them off.

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#3161359 20-Nov-2023 07:45

HellraiserNZ:

This is a brain-dead take IMO. No business model (for whatever successful parent-business they may be under) that has a fixed cost from Chorus for every provision is targeting highly technical "network engineers".

Setting up fibre using pretty much any modern router from the entry level ISP provider ones, to gaming ones to enterprise ones is fairly simple. Heck I would even argue, if a layperson got Quic and was struggling, they would get an answer and resolution via chat in business hours quicker than if they were with any 2degrees owned ISP.

Lets not deter / scare potential customers and revenue for Quic by shitting on someone's router brand of choice or for asking an entry-level question, would rather they be guided constructively before coming to a judgement on writing them off.

Quic are explicit that they don't offer support and are targeting advanced users who need zero support. Now yes that's broader than just network engineers, but to suggest that laypeople should be signing up to Quic and expecting support is just daft.

nztim

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#3161376 20-Nov-2023 09:18

OldGeek:

All ISPs - especially the budget-priced - need more customers than there are Network engineers.

I disagree with this comment.

Quic has is a subsidiary of Vetta Online who, have are like the other ISPs and support an RSP Router etc, Quic is their low-cost arm, a branch of Vetta for the technically minded, not an ISP in its own right.

So they don't need "more customers" when you have the Vetta Parent, and a small subset as Quic customers.

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

HellraiserNZ

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#3161391 20-Nov-2023 09:38

nztim:

OldGeek:

All ISPs - especially the budget-priced - need more customers than there are Network engineers.

I disagree with this comment.

Quic has is a subsidiary of Vetta Online who, have are like the other ISPs and support an RSP Router etc, Quic is their low-cost arm, a branch of Vetta for the technically minded, not an ISP in its own right.

So they don't need "more customers" when you have the Vetta Parent, and a small subset as Quic customers.

And I disagree with the simple fact that in this economy, no parent business wants an arm that is losing them money and the fact that Chorus charges them a fixed rate per provision.

You do just about enough to break even and into profability, which they do by not offering hand-holder support. But the original sentiment of dont join quic if you use a TP-link router or if you are not a network engineer is rubbish.

irpegg

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#3161395 20-Nov-2023 09:45

Pretty laughable people think their target customer is network engineers, that's like what 200 people in NZ tops? Great business plan there.

Yes there is no support, but people on this forum are talking like you need to write your own API's or firmware to connect to them, when in reality you put in a username and password and type in 2 fields in your modem settings, super simple stuff.

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#3161417 20-Nov-2023 10:09

tccki:

For your specific issue, most ISPs would have you go through tier 1 support reps with canned questions before getting anywhere near your router's QoS/prioritisation. It would've taken a few hours of your time, and most would've simply advised you (correctly) to try a different router and closed the ticket.

Just before they would ask you to reset your router to factory settings, which would fix the issue because QoS is disabled by default.

Some routers can't do QoS simply because they lack the CPU power to do it right.

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#3161419 20-Nov-2023 10:10

irpegg:

Pretty laughable people think their target customer is network engineers, that's like what 200 people in NZ tops? Great business plan there.

Yes there is no support, but people on this forum are talking like you need to write your own API's or firmware to connect to them, when in reality you put in a username and password and type in 2 fields in your modem settings, super simple stuff.

QFT.

Also, it was a router setting causing the problem. See my previous reply.

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Chills

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#3161430 20-Nov-2023 10:31

freitasm:

irpegg:

Pretty laughable people think their target customer is network engineers, that's like what 200 people in NZ tops? Great business plan there.

Yes there is no support, but people on this forum are talking like you need to write your own API's or firmware to connect to them, when in reality you put in a username and password and type in 2 fields in your modem settings, super simple stuff.

QFT.

Also, it was a router setting causing the problem. See my previous reply.

Adding onto this; QoS hurts TP-Link Routers more than they advertise. They claim it doesn't but it will lower your speeds by 100, 150Mbps with it Enabled. Disable it and that should fix your issue. I have the almost ancient Deco M4R's and am pushing 600Mbps over 5Ghz.

I am a fan of Quics' business model and like how they display everything you need, more than enough to troubleshoot issues.

RunningMan

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#3161436 20-Nov-2023 10:49

OldGeek:[snip] While I could actually connect to Quic using the TP-LINK, WAN connection speeds were woeful and Sky had been disconnected before I could get the TP-LINK stable and working at speeds equivalent to the Sky router. As an interim measure I was able to get satisfactory speeds with Quic using the Sky router.

An update: I have discovered the cause of poor-throughput on the Archer - it had an option to specify 'application priority' with options for 'standard' (default), 'gaming', 'streaming' etc. Changing to 'gaming' (when I also did the Quic WAN config changes and set up reserved ip addresses in the DHCP server) caused the problem - dropping download speeds to under 50Mbps. Changed back to standard and immediately I was back to 320+Mbs.

Respectfully, this issue is nothing at all to do with the RSP, and not really something I would expect any RSP's helpdesk to be giving advice on. The result would have been the same regardless of which provider you had signed up with, as right from the outset the connection was working fine with one router but not the other, suggesting quite strongly the TP-LINK was the issue and not Quic. I know you posted that you were having that issue, but with the benefit of hindsight (which is always 20/20), you might have got a bit more traction and had it resolved by starting a new thread with that specific issue, as I think it got lost in the what router should I buy thread.

There's threads on here going back 15 years to ADSL days with people having the same issue - activating a QoS setting and not fully understanding how it works then having everything slow down. Gaming routers can't magically speed things up, they can only slow some things down as you have discovered.

OldGeek:[snip] I would venture to suggest that Quic must provide a fast-response support channel for new customers to get their connection working in the immediate period after provisioning the service.

This I agree with, but not quite to the extent of sorting out issues like the one detailed here, as technically the connection itself was working just fine. There's been a couple of instances reported here where there has been some sort of provisioning error or similar that has prevented a connection being activated at all, and contacting to resolve has been difficult. There's a whole other thread somewhere that discussed that, but one of the features they trialled for a short time was a non-live chat on the website which could be good for such situations.

It's great you've got the issue resolved and have a stable connection, however I think the comment in the OP saying you need to be conversant with your router's setup before connecting actually applies to every single RSP where you are not using the supplied router, not just the company that was connected to in this case.

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