A f headache

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › A f headache

SoberJoker

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#169646 21-Mar-2015 18:17

Why is bigpipes support such a f headache ? Communicating through emails for over a day with no resolution is beyond rediclous. Even when they said they would call me if there's a issue on my end and there is! They told me to check my vlan tagging and I said I'm not sure I send a photo to them they say , they don't see it have a look somewhere else ! . Then they say there's a million routers out there and they are not familiar with some of the most generic modems out there or router the pace v5542 by telecom . Wtf is wrong with your support team if a customer has a issue ou solve it.

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#1264658 21-Mar-2015 18:49

If email support is not for you, you should go with different ISP.

On the other hand, give us a bit more info here on what's wrong and maybe we can help?

richms

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#1264659 21-Mar-2015 18:52

So try another router on the line and see how you get on with it?

Richard rich.ms

SoberJoker

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#1264660 21-Mar-2015 18:56

Yeah your right, this is my first time with no actual phone com service and it's so irritating specially when it takes 7 hours to get a acceptable solution. Just the fact your guy's don't know about some of the most basic routers from telecom... like if your gonna tell me there's a million routers out there and you don't know them all please show which ones you don't support, so there isn't any confusion. I'll probably run the free month out change to a different provider but depends on how the next few days go .

Andib

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#1264661 21-Mar-2015 18:56

Bigpipe openly advertise there support is via email with no way of speaking to them on the phone...
If you're not confident in setting up & troubleshooting your own modem / router with the required Config / VLANs then Big pipe isn't the ISP for you and you're better off moving to a another ISP and using their supplied modem.

It's not resonable IMO to expect ISPs to know & support every possible modem, This is why most ISPs only support the models they supply and will only provide basic support/infomation which is required to get you up and running on anything other than their supplied model.

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SoberJoker

45 posts

Geek

#1264665 21-Mar-2015 19:00

Andib: Bigpipe openly advertise there support is via email with no way of speaking to them on the phone...
If you're not confident in setting up & troubleshooting your own modem / router with the required Config / VLANs then Big pipe isn't the ISP for you and you're better off moving to a another ISP and using their supplied modem.

It's not resonable IMO to expect ISPs to know & support every possible modem, This is why most ISPs only support the models they supply and will only provide basic support/infomation which is required to get you up and running on anything other than their supplied model.

They don't supply a modem or router. So its safe to assume this internet company as no idea about modems and routers?

SoberJoker

45 posts

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#1264671 21-Mar-2015 19:06

Man, its weird how much I turn into the Hulk when I don't have internet working. Kind of embarrassed.

richms

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#1264676 21-Mar-2015 19:13

Last I checked they did not support any routers, as they were an internet access provider and it was up to you to have a router that you were comfortable working with and was telepermited for use in NZ so the settings should be correct after a factory reset and walking thru its setup wizard.

Thats why I suggested trying another modem. If you have tried 2 and have looked at the stats and can tell them if you are seeing sync or not, and if you have PPP or not and what IP you are being assigned then you should be able to give them all the information that they need to find where the problem is.

Richard rich.ms

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SoberJoker

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#1264678 21-Mar-2015 19:20

I was fine for 2 years with the same modem/router with Snap then I switch to Bigpipe I can't connect the modem/router then they tell me to untag vlan, then I respond that I'm not totally sure what that is or where it is on my modems configuring page and instead of calling me like they clearly say they do in an email they sent me they keep sending me emails. Why say something when you don't do it ?

NonprayingMantis

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#1264686 21-Mar-2015 19:28

SoberJoker: I was fine for 2 years with the same modem/router with Snap then I switch to Bigpipe I can't connect the modem/router then they tell me to untag vlan, then I respond that I'm not totally sure what that is or where it is on my modems configuring page and instead of calling me like they clearly say they do in an email they sent me they keep sending me emails. Why say something when you don't do it ?

since they've already said they don't support that modem (or any modem) what good would calling you do other than give you a person to shout at instead of an email address? Maybe they only call if there is something that would be helpful to call you about?

Expecting an ISP to support a modem they don't sell is a bit like expecting the water company to fix a leaky toilet, or expecting BP to fix your car's engine.

did you try googling for how to untag VLAN? or maybe in your modem's manual? That's where I'd check first before emailing my ISP - but maybe I'm just crazy for preferring to fix things quickly myself.

(which router do you actually have? you said it was a pace v5542 (which I didn't even know spark did - I thought they did all Huawei stuff now), but also you said that you've been with Snap for the last 2 years - and they normally give a Fritzbox)

richms

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#1264691 21-Mar-2015 19:45

I accidentally got the wrong wattage on some I got off aliexpress. Were $8 which should have given it away. In anycase, a hanging light over a dining table with 8 12w lamps is somewhat overkill.

There is plenty of junk for sale in retailers. I got a LED outdoor floodlight from mitre10 because I figured it would be better quality than a cheap one and they would have better safety etc.

Boy was I wrong. Barely attached terminals inside it and about 8cm of wire sticking out of it, so basically useless to anyone that wanted to aim the light up or down. If you are buying from a local retailer, you have to put up with the markups added by everyone along the way that NZ has for some reason. This guy imports it, and then sells it to this guy who wholesales it along with some other brands, then they sell to a retailer who will quadruple the price, but then offer you 40% off at selected times of the year.

Screw that. Buy direct from china.

Richard rich.ms

SoberJoker

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#1264692 21-Mar-2015 19:45

NonprayingMantis:
SoberJoker: I was fine for 2 years with the same modem/router with Snap then I switch to Bigpipe I can't connect the modem/router then they tell me to untag vlan, then I respond that I'm not totally sure what that is or where it is on my modems configuring page and instead of calling me like they clearly say they do in an email they sent me they keep sending me emails. Why say something when you don't do it ?

since they've already said they don't support that modem (or any modem) what good would calling you do other than give you a person to shout at instead of an email address? Maybe they only call if there is something that would be helpful to call you about?

Expecting an ISP to support a modem they don't sell is a bit like expecting the water company to fix a leaky toilet, or expecting BP to fix your car's engine.

did you try googling for how to untag VLAN? or maybe in your modem's manual? That's where I'd check first before emailing my ISP - but maybe I'm just crazy for preferring to fix things quickly myself.

(which router do you actually have? you said it was a pace v5542 (which I didn't even know spark did - I thought they did all Huawei stuff now), but also you said that you've been with Snap for the last 2 years - and they normally give a Fritzbox)

Yeah apparently they make Pace aswell..

I know im overreacting and your right about my expectations . It's just I get real salty when I don't have internet.

I guess bigpipe is not for the general public and more for elitists.expecting the customer to know what vlan tagging is without proper explanation. any way I know I'm outa my depth on this site so have fun correcting my grammar and flaming me for my saltyness, I enjoy it. I'm gonna order some pizza

NonprayingMantis

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#1264694 21-Mar-2015 19:53

SoberJoker:
NonprayingMantis:
SoberJoker: I was fine for 2 years with the same modem/router with Snap then I switch to Bigpipe I can't connect the modem/router then they tell me to untag vlan, then I respond that I'm not totally sure what that is or where it is on my modems configuring page and instead of calling me like they clearly say they do in an email they sent me they keep sending me emails. Why say something when you don't do it ?

since they've already said they don't support that modem (or any modem) what good would calling you do other than give you a person to shout at instead of an email address? Maybe they only call if there is something that would be helpful to call you about?

Expecting an ISP to support a modem they don't sell is a bit like expecting the water company to fix a leaky toilet, or expecting BP to fix your car's engine.

did you try googling for how to untag VLAN? or maybe in your modem's manual? That's where I'd check first before emailing my ISP - but maybe I'm just crazy for preferring to fix things quickly myself.

(which router do you actually have? you said it was a pace v5542 (which I didn't even know spark did - I thought they did all Huawei stuff now), but also you said that you've been with Snap for the last 2 years - and they normally give a Fritzbox)

Yeah apparently they make Pace aswell..

I know im overreacting and your right about my expectations . It's just I get real salty when I don't have internet.

I guess bigpipe is not for the general public and more for elitists.expecting the customer to know what vlan tagging is without proper explanation. any way I know I'm outa my depth on this site so have fun correcting my grammar and flaming me for my saltyness, I enjoy it. I'm gonna order some pizza

mmm, Pizza. What kind?

You don't need to be elitist to use Bigpipe, just be willing to help yourself a bit.

If your first reaction to any sort of problem is to google it and see if you can fix it yourself, maybe try giving your modem a reboot, check cables etc, before contacting your ISP, and maybe posting on geekzone at the same time, then Bigpipe is fine.

If your first reaction to any sort of problem is to contact your ISP and sit and wait for them to fix it, then maybe not so much.

In any case, if you're still having trouble with VLAN tagging settings, you can, as a temporary measure, just plug your PC directly into the ONT and that should work fine (the ONT is effectively the 'modem' when it comes to UFB)

Looking at that Pace modem, it looks like it was the original piece of kit Telecom were handing out when they first started doing UFB. It's probably not very good at all (ISP modems are 'free' for a reason, they suck).
Something like a Netcomm NF4V would be a lot better.

RunningMan

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#1264696 21-Mar-2015 19:55

Firstly, BigPipe are pretty upfront they don't support your hardware, that's one of the reasons they can keep their price lower

Secondly, people here can probably help you out - can you tell us what make and model router you have, what sort of connection (ufb, ADSL etc), what the actual problem is and what you have already tried.

SoberJoker

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#1264697 21-Mar-2015 19:56

Your right man thanks for the reply guy's, I have much to learn in the ways of ISP's.

Chicken bacon and spicy beef.

richms

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#1264698 21-Mar-2015 19:57

Looking at that Pace modem, it looks like it was the original piece of kit Telecom were handing out when they first started doing UFB. It's probably not very good at all (ISP modems are 'free' for a reason, they suck).
Something like a Netcomm NF4V would be a lot better.

I wouldnt suggest that if you need handholding thru the configuration process as it has a very complex user interface.

Also the AC model is only $20 more so you can actually use the fiber speeds over wifi, and doesnt clutter it up with useless voice ports that the V model has.

Richard rich.ms

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