Using Multiple ISPs

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Sinn

103 posts

Master Geek

#7960 24-May-2006 20:48

Hi,

Can someone enlighten me on whether we can use different ISP accounts from the same place? i.e. say for example I had a xtra account and an orcon account, could I possibly switch from one to the other if there was an outage in one of the them?

I would think it's not possible since it takes so long for any ISP to switch over the connection if you change over. However since it's all controlled by telecom currently I wonder if it might be possible. Or perhaps the unbundling might help with this??

Cheers,

muppet

2571 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#36494 24-May-2006 21:02

Theoretically it's possible, you would just change your username@isp.nz in your router and off you go. Test it yourself, ask a mate to disconnect his ADSL connection and change the settings in your router, you should be up and running.

I don't have a second user/pass to actually test this with myself, but I see no technical reason why this shouldn't work.

ljbade

100 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#36522 25-May-2006 08:27

Another option is to have two phone lines, with two ADSL modems, and two different connections.

I know a network engineer who has his home network set up like this. One he uses to BitTorrent Lost episodes, and the otherone to eDonkey comics and music.

It is also possilbe to bridge the two connectiond to bost you download speed, but P2P wont work properly (it will nly use one line rather than both at the same time).

Jama

1420 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#36524 25-May-2006 08:33

It is your telephone number that accounts for the billing - not the username/password. I was using a different username for a while but found my exisiting cap of 1GB was used up not the 5GB cap on the other username I was using.

If this all makes sense... Both were Xtra accounts.

jpwise

590 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#36535 25-May-2006 09:42

Jama: It is your telephone number that accounts for the billing - not the username/password. I was using a different username for a while but found my exisiting cap of 1GB was used up not the 5GB cap on the other username I was using.

If this all makes sense... Both were Xtra accounts.

That was my understanding of how it worked aswell. Although since they've moved into UBS, etc and ISP's are supplying the bandwidth I'm not sure if it's changed. It would also be interesting to see how the ISP's usage meters accomodate that type of situation. If you're logged in using a different username/pass can it still track the usage correctly.

Jp.

Working for Service Plus - www.serviceplus.co.nz

Authorised Service Agent for Apple, BenQ, Sony, and Toshiba - warranty & non-warranty repairs.

Fraktul

836 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#36620 25-May-2006 20:29

jpwise:
Jama: It is your telephone number that accounts for the billing - not the username/password. I was using a different username for a while but found my exisiting cap of 1GB was used up not the 5GB cap on the other username I was using.

If this all makes sense... Both were Xtra accounts.

That was my understanding of how it worked aswell. Although since they've moved into UBS, etc and ISP's are supplying the bandwidth I'm not sure if it's changed. It would also be interesting to see how the ISP's usage meters accomodate that type of situation. If you're logged in using a different username/pass can it still track the usage correctly.

Jp.

This is how it worked under the old Jetstream and Wholesale Bitstream Products. UBS is all billed by your ISP.

To answer the original question no you cannot 'on the fly' move connections between ISP's. The layer 2 tunneling to your isp is predefined and configured by Telecom.

Fraktul

836 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#36623 25-May-2006 20:43

Erm by "UBS is all billed by your ISP" I mean per login......As opposed to being billed for connectivity over that ADSL line regardless of which ISP you were with.

Hypernova

50 posts

Geek

#36637 25-May-2006 22:45

Here's what happened in my case a few weeks a go I applied to transfer from Orcon to Slingshot and about 24hrs after the web application went through I was able to log on in the modem with slingshots accounts even before the official line actvation. Tracert confermed that my traffic was also routed through slingshot. And in between that time till the official transfer all the traffic using name@slingshot.co.nz was counted under slingshot and Orcon.net.nz under Orcon.

Here's the funny bit: Since the line was not officially active on slingshot's side yet Slingshot's web interface didn't even have a traffic counter (hence my thread about where the counter is->http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?ForumId=49&TopicId=7725) and I managed to leach about 30gig of free data!!

Didn't have to phone Orcon to cancel my account too, when I checked 1 hr ago since 22nd is the cycle refresh time for Orcon the only thing left under MY Account is the email.

From my understanding if you want 2 usable accounts for real you will need an extra phone line. And to really take advantage of the connection probably a dual WAN modem router too.