h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Thanks for putting me straight on the Mp3 thing Dr V, serves me right for sneaking a look at work on the sly and not reading it properly doesn't it? I've sort of got used to an hour then disconnect since I've been using this free IC24 service. If anyone else is interested it's not bad, but it's only for a limited time (end of October I think). And there's something about giving personal details to Mirror Group Newspapers that sets little paranoia bells ringing - would you believe they even ask for your shoe size?!

Do they send you a free pair of IC24 slippers?

I use ScreamingNet and they are really good. I signed up nearly two years ago (i think) when they were Localtel and have had no problems at all. Connection speeds are always about 48 kbps and getting connected never takes more than two attempts, even when busy.

Slightly worryingly, World Online keep sending letters and emails saying that there might be changes made to our service.
But then I read somewhere else that it's possibly being bought by someone else (again!) and will stay as it is.
I wish I knew what was going on.
I do know that if they want to charge more for rental, or start charging for calls, I am going back to BT and Freeserve. Which will be a shame, as I get really fast connection (currently 115,200 bps), which I never get with Freeserve.

Can I have 2 ISP's at the same time?

I have recently bought a computer , which already had the software installed including an ISP (the company who supplied the PC) at local rates. I know nothing about installing software and configuring etc.
The phone bill is very high and I would like to try one of the new BT surftime ISP's. I sent off for the BT surftime CD but the information states that if I load it it will overwrite the settings of my existing Internet software.
As my existing ISP works well although the phone bill is expensive I am reluctant to remove this ISP , particulary as I have a 3 year maintenace contract with the company who supplied the PC.
Is there a way to keep the existing ISP , and have the BT surftime ISP as well ?

The quick answer is yes.

I have several different ISP accounts

When you install a new ISP account it doesn't ovewrite the existing files but it will change the default ISP settings to point at itself.

All this means is that if you start your browser without a connection already open it will dial the default ISP
If you want to use another ISP all you have to do is launch the connection first before opening the browser.
You can do this in windows by opening the dial up networking folder and selecting the ISP you want, or you can create a shortcut to it on your desktop

You may want to change the default settings in your browser if you are using IE you can find them under the Tools / Internet settings / Connections menu's.

However beware of ISP such as netscapeOnline and others that replace your Dial Up connector thing, the little window that tells you its dialing and stuff. Some ISP replace the default one with one of there own which will only recognise their accounts, your old accounts do exist but it's harder to use them as frequently they will keep re-setting your default connection to there own one. When this is done when you open your Browser you get their connection manager which doesn't show your other providers.

You can revert to the standard Dial Up thingy but that means messing with the registery.

CH

I mainly use madasafish which is free (local call rates) and fast. it is OK for my low-use activities.

I have had ntl's service recommended to me by people including my brother. Supposed to be brilliant if you already have a phone line with them.

Uh-Oh . Conflicting opinions , and I don't even know what the registry is.

Well as the BT booklet states -

"If you already have internet software on your computer , installing this new software may overwrite some of your settings. You may wish to back up or uninstall any previous internet service provider software"

and I have to pay 60p per minute for Technical Help if I break my computer , I don't dare try to load the surftime software.

I'll just have to ration my online time until I know more about these new fangled computers.

Then my advice is stay clear of any ISPs that have theirown software, dialers etc. Even best try and fid one that signs you up on-line and tell you how to mannually set up the account. You then know how to unset it. Try http://www.unisonfree.net/ not just limited to UNISON members.

CH

Huw B, you mean you acually got Madasfish to work?! I'm gobsmacked! I heard loads of good stuff about them so I signed up - and that was the last time I managed to get through to them. I tried over several weeks, I never managed to connect on either the 0800 or the 0845 numbers (constantly busy). This is going back 6 months or so though, so maybe things have changed. Needless to say, I gave up on that one rather quickly.

I found out something interesting on Friday. Apparently NTL are currently running trials for cable connection. I'm told they hope to have the service up and running in 12 months. Just imagine... a permanetly on, fast connection for £5 a month. Hmmmmm.....maybe I was dreaming!

"You know your only dreaming" (prize if you name the song).

For some reason whilst all other IS things seem to move faster than you expect (2 GHz processor by next year I'll put cash on it), UK phones and ISPs seem to take forever.

Back in May BT said mine and a friends switchboard would be ready for surftim in June and July respecively. We are still both waithing.

Ho Hum

CH

OK I admit defeat on the song - it's bugging me now - who was it? I really don't want to spend my lunchbreak tomorrow rummaging through WH Smith's copy of Guiness Hit Singles - please?!

Sue, believe me you'll never find that in WH Smiths not unless you happen to get hold of a lyric book (without ISBN - so I therefore doubt very much if WHSmiths would get it) by the great 60s/70s/80s/90/00s band Hawkwind - The song is actually titled "You know your only dreaming"

CH

I too would vote for screaming.net/worldonline. Yes, they've changed the contract. I pay £2.99 a month (on top of telephone line rental) for 50 hours off-peak internet. It's still the cheapest i've found (don't have cable here) and I've no complaints about connection speed.

I dumped World Online, they wanted to charge £20 a month and only give me 100 hours a month. I'd do that in a week. I don't know what their off-peak package was like but I'm back on BT with their surtime package now. Off-peak only as I've started working more in the day so I don't need it in the day now.

My exchange finally is SurfTime compliant (Freeserve DID NOT email e as promised so if you are waiting for them to tel you go back and check) and all seems fine. I am at the moment downloading a file and speed is above 5 Kb/sec for most of the time, certainly not slowler. I was on line Saturday evenening and all seem OK.

Not celbrating to much but....

CH

I'm with NTL World.

Now this is a free service. No monthly fee, no set up and no call charges. I have had an additional telephone line installed (also free instalation) which costs me £5 per month rental. Not a bad deal at all.

The Down side.

1. So far as I am aware, you have to be in an area that has been cabled.
2. You have to get hold of the disc from NTL which took about two months.
3. Connection might be a bit slow. But hey, is that really such a problem.
4. You have to be an NTL customer for telephone and TV.

Dammit here I am NOT mentioning thefreeinternet to anyone and blow me someone goes and lets the cat out out of the bag.Shut up or they will all be joining at once.
I was with C&W lite but it got too damned expensive for the phone bills but the connection was brilliant.Then I tried their Connect service which you pay a flat rate of your choice up to £75 per month for off peak calls(the £75 was for 75 hours 'free'connection).Again connection was brilliant and my bills came down but not enough.Then my husbands friend told him about thefreeinternet and for £50 per year flat we had a 24hr 7days service.My bills have gone down to where they were and I DIDN'T have to change from C&W(taken over by NTL now) telephone to use this service.I notice now though that the rate has gone up to £89 to join thefreeinternet.I can connect very easily during the morning,it gets tougher after midday and in the evening it can take at least any thing up to 20 tries before connecting.However if you want to play games online this is not the service for you as they forbid it entirely and as you are disconnected after an hour it would make gameplaying virtually impossible.Downloading really large files is also out for this reason.
Damn it!I just got disconnected.Hope I can reconnected soon.Wow!Reconnecting first time on a Sunday at 12.30 pm.

Now do me a favour and DON'T TELL anyone else.Keep this just between us.