Cannot connect to Internet

[IWantWine]

At home on either Firefox or IE pn my p.c. Nor via Safari on my phone but my phone can connect in the road outside home.

Never had this happen before :(.

Anyone have any idea why?

Looks like I will be spending my evening MN'ing outside the neighbours!!!!

[SquirtedPerfumeUpNoseInBoots]

Outside your phone is probably using 3G.

Inside, your conenction is via your router. Try rebooting it.

[IWantWine]

Tried that. Tried everything I can think of.

But thanks for the suggestion.

[SaskiaRembrandtVampireHunter]

When you say you've rebooted the router - did you do that with the on/off switch, or by pressing the internal reset button?

[Redbindy]

Look at your phone or PCsettings to see if your wireless network is available If it's not your router may be knackered. Try hard cable connection from router to the PC.

[nannynick]

Does your router have a connection to the internet? Have a look at the lights on the router, even better log into the router and see the status report. It could well be that your data connection has gone down and will be restored by BT (or whomever is providing your connection) at some point in the future - some times minutes/hours, other times days.

Does your home phone work? Can you hear any noise on the line? Water and animal damage (I've known cables to be eaten through by squirrels) can affect the ADSL signal.

[IWantWine]

Thanks for your replies.

I rebooted with the on/off switch.

Can connect with iPhone if wifi is turned off.

I have a 3G dongle. That works on laptop outside but won't connect indoors.

[IWantWine]

Abby turned router off and dongle works. Looks like it is router then.

Thanks for your help. :).

[IWantWine]

Abby? 'Have'. Sigh. I should preview messages!

[wordyBird]

I would echo nannynick's advice to have a look at the router lights. If anything's off when it should be on, flashing, or showing an unexpected colour, that's a possible clue - the router manual should detail it out.

If the router seems ok but is not receiving data, try contacting your ISP and see if there is a reported problem in your area.

This last is usually the problem for me (I have cable)...

[SaskiaRembrandtVampireHunter]

"I rebooted with the on/off switch. "

Your router should have an internal reset switch that resets the router to it's default settings - it's usually accessible via a small hole in the router casing. If you can't see it, phone your isp and ask for help. But, do what wordyBird suggests and check it's not a problem with the whole network first.

[IWantWine]

This is ridiculous. Apparently someone has had our talk talk service cancelled as well as our landline and as of today we have a totally new phone number. We have been on the phone to talk talk, BT and O2 since nine am. No one can tell us if the phone account is in our name or who the service provider is.

We suspect that this was done by a couple who made an offer on our house although the agent has spoken to them and they have denied it.

Anyone know if there is a simple way to find out who our service provider is now? Please.

[helpyourself]

Good Luck!

[helpyourself]

Use the landline to call your mobile to get the number...

[IWantWine]

I have the new number. I just don't know who will get the phone bill and which company will be sending one!!!!!

It is unbelievable. My OH is getting onto Offcom now.

Thanks for the good luck.

Perhaps whoever is responsible will reinstate the Internet and pay for it :).

[wordyBird]

Oh no! That doesn't make sense ... and smacks of fraud somewhere. You can't just cancel someone's phone and broadband and give them a new phone number.

Changing ISP is quite a rigmarole normally!
ask.ofcom.org.uk/help/internet-service/MAC

The broadband supplier must be sure they are dealing with the named account holder... TalkTalk or whoever have to supply an explanation (threaten them with the press?)

Please keep us updated!

[IWantWine]

My husband said that it might be something called 'slamming' and Offcom want to know if this has happened to us. Basically it is where your service provider is changed without your knowledge.
I have not googled as just am on my phone.

Seems no one can tell us who our service provider is until we get a bill from them, which could be another four weeks!!!

I will be getting onto my MP about this. I am beyond livid.

[wordyBird]

www.ispreview.co.uk/new/complain/common_isp_complaints_slamming.php


...new to me. They call it a form of mis-selling: I call it fraud!

If you haven't spoken to your ISP or received a call purportedly offering a deal, the first scenario looks likely ..

"Customer details are forged and sent to an ISP, resulting in an unwanted migration from one provider to another. The forger gains commission for the sale while the customer has a nightmare while trying work out what has happened. "

I'm livid on your behalf

[IWantWine]

Right. Found out that new service provider is sky but we cannot reconnect our O2 broadband as it is not compatible with sky!

Can't really start again as we hope to move soon and that will involve cancellation charges on a new contract.

Currently we have a new phone number in the name of the couple who offered on our house. The bill will be sent to this address in their name!

So we each have to use a (much more expensive) dongle.

I cannot recover costs against this couple as I don't have their address :(

Bloody unbelieveable!!!

[wordyBird]

.. I think they should have their collars felt!

It's awful you have been put into this position. Will you still talk to Ofcomm? It's wrong that people should get away with this -but you haven't had much help thus far it seems.

Thank you for keeping us updated...

[NetworkGuy]

That's crazy - can see how (when switching phone company) the broadband may be cancelled (Sky taking the line) but the 'losing' telco should have written to you, saying "sorry you're leaving us, but if that was a mistake and you want to stick with us, ring us on...) So you could ask TalkTalk why they didn't get in touch if they knew there was a proposal to switch to another telephone company...

As for the couple that made an offer, I think the estate agents should be forced to give their contact details, because of the level of inconvenience they have caused you. Tell the estate agents that if they are unable to give you the contact details, then you will make a claim against the estate agents in the small claims court to recover the costs, and they can then recover their costs from the couple who messed you about.

Sky will have to be able to tell you whose name the account is in, and that way you will have proof over who caused this aggro.

[NetworkGuy]

Yes, wordybird, changing ISP using a MAC seems a bit messy, but when the line rental is switched, then the broadband part is ceased as part and parcel of switching the line, and that's why it is relatively easy to go from having 'everything' with one firm and switching 'everything' to another.

It's only when you have line rental from one (Post Office, or Primus, or BT) that you can switch the broadband part over from ISP 'A' to ISP 'B' using a MAC. TalkTalk and Sky (and PlusNet) don't let you use 'their' line with another firm for broadband, it's an 'all or nothing' situation, usually.

[wordyBird]

Ah, yes that would explain the wholesale change IWant has suffered, NetworkGuy. Last time we only wanted to shift ISP, but in the end went for the whole cable/phone/tv etc package - which must be more usual these days.

[NetworkGuy]

Maybe more usual, but also more headaches, sometimes, if one later on wants to move just one service. Obviously these 3-part or 4-part (VM offering TV, internet, phone line+calls, and a mobile contract) start off cheap with special offers but they're always to attract new customers and once that promotional price has ended, the customer might want to switch part of their service away.

I'm an existing customer of PlusNet and have been happy with them, but recently they've had a deal on where the combination of phone line and fibre broadband could be had with no (or very low) setup fee, and 6 months at half price (9.99 instead of 19.99), plus, if one knew about it, Quidco would pay a further 90 pounds 'cashback' (which may take a while to arrive, but given the minimum term for the Fibre option is 18 months, not that important).

Of course, as a loyal existing customer (soon reaching 10 years with them) I cannot get the 90 quid, or half price deal, and upgrading (even if I took a new phone line {as I want a second line + second ISP}) would mean I'd pay 19.99 plus the fee for the new line...

That's a 150 quid difference between me and a new customer, something I'm not too happy about. (A little academic as Fibre has been pushed back from Sept 2012 to May 2013, but in principle I dislike the willingness to cut prices for new customers and not match or offer something for simple upgrades.

[wordyBird]

...A bit like the banks and bonus interest rates for new customers - once they've got you, the rates drop. The exact opposite of a loyalty scheme :-)

It would be a pain for us to change setup now, and thinking about it, they do keep finding extra charges to pile on. Will you stick with PlusNet, NetworkGuy? Maybe it's worth voicing your displeasure.

[NetworkGuy]

Yes, I will stick with them, though I do also comment on how annoying this is.

Have recently switched to their unlimited (non fibre account) but if I can tempt say 20 new customers to them, the referral commission will cover my monthly charge and end up paying out a few quid a month to my bank account.

Up to about a year ago the fact others had joined saved me around £400 in total. I had planned to get a website online when I had fibre installed, to promote PN, but now plan to print a few posters saying " Broadband... take a look at how you can save cash and get higher speed on www.BB.info"

Since it doesn't go live here until May I've plenty of time to get the text and graphics done, in parallel with a general one (fastbb.info).

If 1000 people signed up, I think I'd be comfy on the income :)